Let's Play - The Temple of Flame (Golden Dragon Fantasy Gamebook 2)

[Beroli]

Go north.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to go north.

[deaddmwalking]

199

You make your way along a wide, low-ceilinged corridor, past basalt stonework inlaid with abstract patterns in red and grey marble. As your sword-light dispels the darkness, you see that the corridor veers sharply left some distance ahead of you. Suddenly, with a loud scraping sound, a stone slab begins to descend from the roof of the corridor in front of you. A quick backward glance tells you there is no retreat - another slab is sliding down to block the corridor behind you. Within moments, the section of corridor in which you stand will be completely sealed off. If you wish to run forward and try to get under the slab before it reaches the floor, turn to 128. If you would rather stand where you are and see what happens, turn to 34.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to run forward.

[Beroli]

Run forward.

[deaddmwalking]

Standing still would have been a game ender, so you have made the only good choice.

128

It takes you barely a second to reach the slab, though that interval seems an eternity as you watch the gap inexorably closing. There is now just half a metre between the floor and the descending slab. You dive, rolling on the ancient flagstones. Throw two dice. If the total exceeds your current AGILITY, turn to 17. If the total is less than or equal to your AGILITY, turn to 212.

Roll: 8 (5,3) Barely a success, but still a success. You avoid an even nastier (but quicker) death.

212
You throw yourself through the closing gap and just manage to scramble out of the way as the slab comes down on the stone floor with a dull crunch. You get up and brush the dust from your tunic and armour. You can only stare at the heavy slab that now blocks the corridor - a fraction slower and you would have been entombed behind it, or crushed under it. The priests of Katak jealously guarded their shrine with numerous fiendish traps. This will certainly not have been the last of them, and you must remain alert. Turning the corner, you proceed west until you enter another corridor. Damontir has left his footprints in the dust here. You follow them northwards into a large chamber.

Did you succumb to the priest-kings' curse? If so, turn to 279. If not turn to 145.

**********************************
Going North means you cannot explore the other direction and you don't get to travel down the stairs, so you avoid the Phoenix encounter. That said, you're probably in decent shape to win with TWO healing items.
**********************************

145

None of the other wonders of the Temple of Katak can have prepared you for this sight. You step from the gloom of the passage on to a stone jetty beside a fabulous lake of liquid copper. Ahead of you across the shimmering surface rises a replica of the pyramid itself, some eight metres high and wrought entirely of silver. Its stepped facade sparkles in the brilliant glare of light globules that float mysteriously about in the air. Though staggered to behold such unimaginable riches, you remember that you have come seeking something of still greater value - the lost idol of Kartak - and even now your enemy may be approaching it.

You stare over the molten lake. How are you to cross it? If you have a black pearl, turn to 219. If you did not come across such an item on your quest, turn to 141.

**********************
This time you have the black pearl.
**********************

219

A jewelled barge glides from one of the dark arches around the walls and drifts towards you trailing a slowly undulating wake. A robed figure stands like a tall orange flame in the prow. As the barge draws near, the figure's cowl falls back from its face and your sword-light gleams on lustrous metal. It is a gold-plated Skeleton, holding out its hand to receive some gift or payment. You know well what it requires from you. You drop the black pearl into its latticed palm and step down into the barge. Propelled by some sorcerous means, the vessel slowly turns and you are conveyed eerily across to the pyramid steps. Turn to 270.

270

With energetic strides you mount the steps to the top of the pyramid. It is rather less tiring to ascend this smaller replica than it was to climb the full size version far above you! As you reach the top, you see a circular pit in the summit. Suddenly, a column of crimson light flares into life, descending from the high ceiling of the chamber down into the pit - and thence to the silver pyramid's heart. The only way on is to step into the beam of light....

You sheathe your sword, take a deep breath, and step off into space.

Turn to 176.

176

If you have a Phoenix feather, turn to 47. If not, turn to 245.

You fall down a shaft which runs right through the silver pyramid and opens into a cavern below it. It is difficult to see clearly within the dazzling column of light and, although you are braced for your impact with the floor, you still land awkwardly. Reduce your current AGILITY by 2 points. If your AGILITY is now zero, turn to 168. Otherwise turn to 224.

224

Writhing white flames form an impassable barrier all around. Ahead of you, Damontir stands alone amid the empty robes of the remaining Nightmare Guard. They died battling a massive six-limbed monster of jade and steel that now lies broken and still. It must have guarded this cavern through aeons, the last guardian of the sacred idol. Its battle against the Nightmare Guard has been fearsome and closely matched. Even Damontir, who is usually one to hold back from personal danger, is cut and bloodied. You stare at him with seething hatred as you approach. His cloak hangs about him, giving him the appearance of a foul, white-plumed scavenger bird as he pours over the ancient runes carved on a granite podium.

He notices you and turns, saying 'Ah! You got past Sulsa Doom, then. I had a feeling you might.' He gestures at the inscribed podium. 'There is some complex formula for lowering the flames that surround us. The idol lies beyond them, naturally. I should be able to decipher the runes quite quickly, though I daresay you would have no more comprehension of such things than the annoying little monkey I slew earlier.'

You search for phrases to curse this obscenely smirking villain, but you can think of none. 'Damontir', you say flatly, 'You will die by my sword.'

He looks at you sharply, then laughs without mirth. 'Dragon Knight of Palados! Were we to cross blades, perhaps you might be the victor. But I have a dozen sorcerous ways to kill you before you reach me.' He draws something from his tunic. Light flashes across your face as he turns it towards you. 'The Mirror of the Moon'.

Damontir carefully angles the mirror to reflect your own gaze back at you and the releases it. Instead of falling to shatter on the hard stone floor, it floats in mid-air. It starts to slowly rotate, growing larger as it does so until it seems a swirling pool of quicksilver filled by your image. Then, as you stare in stunned incredulity, your own reflection steps out of the mirror and stands before you. Illuminated by the unearthly half-light of its mirror world, it does not quite seem to be your twin. Rather, it looks like a vivid portrait of yourself rendered in unnatural hues.

'This is your Simulacrum,' explains Damontir. 'A soulless duplicate of yourself.' The Simulacrum utters an unreal cry and advances on you with a look of wild malice. 'It is an unreasoning automaton, quite dedicated to its single purpose. Killing you.'

Contemptuously, Damontir turns away from the fight and resumes his translation of the runes on the podium. The Simulacrum has the same VIGOUR as you have at the moment. It is like you in every respect, except that it has neither soul nor intellect, and does not cast a shadow. You prepare yourself for battle.

Turn to 43.

43

Your Simulacrum's sword clashes on yours with a shower of brilliant sparks. In its mad, murderous grin perhaps you glimpse the darkness of your own soul.

Roll two dice:
Score 2 to 6: You are hit and lose 3 VIGOUR
Score 7: You hit one another and each lose 3 VIGOUR
Score 8 to 12: The Simulacrum loses 3 VIGOUR.

Simulacrum 18 VIGOUR

If you win, turn to 283.

Round 1: 11 (5,6) The Simulacrum loses 3 VIGOUR (15 VIGOUR)
Round 2: 7 (6,1) You each lose 3 VIGOUR (S 12, N 15)
Round 3: 9 (6,3) The Simulacrum loses 3 VIGOUR (9 VIGOUR)
Round 4: 6 (3,3) You lose 3 VIGOUR (12 VIGOUR)
Round 5: 10 (6,4) The Simulacrum loses 3 VIGOUR (6 VIGOUR)
Round 6: 4 (3,1) You lose 3 VIGOUR (9 VIGOUR)
Round 7: 9 (6,3) The Simulacrum loses 3 VIGOUR (3 VIGOUR)
Round 8: 6 (4,2) You lose 3 VIGOUR (6 VIGOUR)
Round 9: 7 (4,3) You each lose 3 VIGOUR (S Dead, N 3)

******************************
Using the ring since you are more than 20 points down
******************************

283

You deal the death-blow and the Simulacrum sinks back into the trembling quicksilver surface. Your reflection is clouded out as the surface swims with murky colours like a soap film. It breaks into shimmering bright nodules which drift outwards and gradually fade from view. A small mirror lies broken on the floor.

The battle has carried you back away from Damontir. As you turn to face him, he touches one of the runes on the podium and speaks a few guttural words in the extinct Anku tongue. Immediately there is a soft hiss and the high wall of flames that encloses you shrinks away. You stare in awe at the sheer immensity of the cavern, but the glint in Damontir's eyes is more purposefully directed. Following his gaze, you look behind you. In an alcove like a fanged maw stands the gleaming golden idol of the flame-god. More than two thousand years have passed since any mortal last beheld it - last possessed it. The body is squat and powerful, each rippling muscle sculpted to perfection. The face shows the classical ideal of Anku nobility, though with the grotesque flourish of two serpentine tusks curving along the sharp high-boned cheeks. The eyes are huge faceted rubies.

You glance back to find Damontir watching you. HIs arm is raised towards you, and on his ungloved hand you see the Ring of Red Ruin. He was waiting for you to turn, so that you would see the look of gloating triumph. A tendril of crimson fire streaks towards your heart. You must be very quick to dodge it. Roll three dice (or roll one die three times and add the scores together). If the total is less than or equal to your current AGILITY turn to 204. If it is greater, turn to 13.

Roll: 7 (4,2,1)

Narya succeeds this time.

204

You dive back out of the way and the bolt hits the floor where you were standing. A thin wisp of vaporized stone curls up from where it struck. Turn to 242.

242
You circle warily as Damontir stalks closer, taunting you all the while by waving his deadly ring as though it were the merest bauble. You feel stone behind you - you see that you have backed into the wall next to the alcove. The eternally fierce visage of the idol looks out sightlessly across the cavern. Damontir's ring glows angrily.

'There is nowhere left to run,' he says. 'Goodbye.'

The ruby beam shoots from the ring - and fizzles out in mid-air, inches from your face! Damontir could not be more astonished than you are. A host of feelings show on his thin face - surprise, disbelief, thwarted rage. Fear.

********************************
Posting this now, more to come.

Character Name: Narya Elensar
VIGOUR: 32 32
AGILITY: 9
PSI: 9
Items:
-Magic Sword
-Armor
-Knife
-Backpack
-Hipflask of Water
-Gilded Sceptre
-Pectoral (Cursed)
-Bone Wand
-8 Gold Pieces
-Hipflask of Gin
-Feather Cloak
-Ruby Dust
-Blue Potion (see 101 for effect)
-Belt of Polished Stones
-Ring of Intangibility
-Drum
-Ring of Healing
-Conch Shell


Deaths:
Killed by spear trap; fled a fight into a boiling lake and cooked, asphyxiated in a hallway, slain by a fire elemental after suffering heatstroke, stranded on a lake of copper with no way forward, fell into a pit trap in the jungle, killed by Damontir's Red Ring

[deaddmwalking]

242 (continued)

Damontir gapes at the idol and then at your broadsword, which you notice shines less brightly now. You have the answer, as he does - the idol must in some way suppress magic within a limited radius. But you cannot stay within the safety of this zone. You must rush the insane warlock while he is still bewildered. With sword raised high you leap towards him. He stares at you in stark terror and raises a shaking hand. He has time for one more shot before you close. To dodge this you must roll equal to or less than your current AGILITY on three dice - if you fail, you lose 15 VIGOUR points. (Alternatively, if you have a Ring of Intangibility, you can activate it and allow the flame-bolt to pass harmlessly through you. The ring will crumble after use).

If you survive the shot then you reach Damontir. Turn to 30.

Roll: 11 (5,3,3) Vigour: 17

30

Unable to use the Ring of Red Ruin at close quarters, Damontir draws his own sword - a long, wickedly sharp sliver of dark crystal set in a tarnished silver hilt.

DAMONTIR THE MAD - VIGOUR 9

Roll two dice:
Score 2 to 5: You are hit and lose 3 VIGOUR
Score 6 to 12: Damontir loses 3 VIGOUR

If you win, turn to 300.

Round 1: 11 (6,5) Damontir loses 3 VIGOUR (6 VIGOUR)
Round 2: 4 (2,2) You lose 3 VIGOUR (14 VIGOUR)
Round 3: 8 (6,2) Damontir loses 3 VIGOUR (3 VIGOUR)
Round 4: 6 (4,2) Damontir loses 3 VIGOUR (Dead)

300

At last, after so many years, you have had your revenge. Damontir sprawls lifeless at your feet. The body does not crumble to dust like one of the Nightmare Guard. Damontir was not a supernatural figure as some believed, then - just a twisted, noxious little man. With your fury spent, he hardly seems now to have been worth the killing.

You walk slowly over and stand before the idol. It is considerably larger than you had imagined, and since it must weight close to two tonnes you are at a loss to know how to move it. Perhaps, after all, it is better to leave it here. Katak is a forgotten god, whom history has passed by - to defile his memory by plundering the temple of its idol would be a churlish act, unworthy of a knight of Palados. You look into Katak's jewelled eyes and speak these sentiments aloud.




Suddenly you lose your balance and tumble into a whirlpool of colour and light. The idol and the cavern have vanished, but as you drift through a vortex of images you see the distant outline of your ship. As you watch, it leaps into focus. You seem to be plunging towards it. There is a sudden, brief burst of light and you find yourself standing on the creaking deck. The sailors are staring at you incredulously and the sight of their wide-eyed faces make you bellow with laughter. Your steward hurries forward and bows to you.

'My liege! We feared you had perished.' He looks up, as if to reassure himself that you are truly there. 'And now a great wonder has occurred for all to behold. A shaft of brilliant light descended from the top of yonder crystal spire, and when it faded you were standing here among us. And these items appeared also...'

You look where he is pointing. Behind you on the deck are a dozen large silver coffers. They are filled to overflowing with gems, medallions, and artifacts of gold and other precious metals.

Still chuckling, you address your anxious steward, saying, 'Strange magic transported me here from the very bowels of the earth. The treasure is the gift of a god no longer worshipped.'

Perplexed, the old steward hobbles away to fetch wine and prepare your meal. You lean on the rail. The planking smells damp after the recent storm. The sun is close to setting, painting the sky with streaks of red and turning the dunnish river to molten gold. You look around to see a faint rainbow in the eastern sky.

'Prepare to set sail', you tell the men. 'We're going home.'



****************************************
I will add my congratulations to that of the crew. You have made it - and not exactly the way you expected. I guess you found a workable (but dangerous) shortcut. I'm of course happy to answer any questions you may have.

[Beroli]

Thanks for running this!

Where could we have found the item we needed to get the phoenix feather?

What would the Witchdoctor's Wand have done had we used it?

[Thaluikhain]

Thanks for running.

Less disembodied head monsters than I expected.

[deaddmwalking]

Where could we have found the item we needed to get the phoenix feather?

From 288 you could go west (leading to the Phoenix), north (to the corridor that seals). If you had gone east (116) you would have found urns.

116
A short stretch of corridor opens into a tall canonical room faced with grey-white marble. A multitude of deep recesses indent the walls, and in each stands a stoppered bronze urn stained with an azure bloom of corrosion. There is no other way on from this room, so you may either return to the Hall of the priest-kings and select another route (turn to 288) or try opening one of the urns (turn to 52).

52
A rough stale odour rises from the urn as you open it. It is filled almost to the brim with black cinders. Your first guess, that they may be the burnt remains of sacrificial victims, is quickly revised. The cinders are too dark and too heavy for that - more like volcanic ash. It is a vivid testimony of the unreasoning fanatacism of the Katak priestwood that they would collect and store such deposits in this quantity. Take one of the urns with you if you wish, then make your way back to the hall by turning to 288.

What would the Witchdoctor's Wand have done had we used it?

If you had used it in place of the drum, it would have done nothing (you don't know how to use it to control the undead). When you reached the copper lake, you needed a witchdoctor's medicine pouch, rather than a wand. I might have gotten myself confused there since I remembered them asking about a wand when you found the zombies. If you had captured (rather than killed) the Witchdoctor you could have gotten the pouch in addition to the wand.

With the pouch, you would have had three 'magical substances'. One of them would kill you immediately. One would transform you to a quetzal and you would fly across the lake. The third would heal you of 10 damage, but that doesn't solve your problem so you have to pick one of the other two.

[JourneymanN00b]

Thank you for running this, deaddmwalking.

[deaddmwalking]

Note for self:

1986 Super Endless Quest 6: Master of Ravenloft
2014 Fabled Lands Quest: Keep of the Lich Lord
2021 ACE Gamebooks 6 Dracula - Curse of the Vampire (note: high chance that JourneymanN00b will run this at some point)
1984 Golden Dragon 1 Crypt of the Vampire (original version, not revised)
1984 Golden Dragon 2 Temple of Flame (warning: it's a meat-grinder, so if you choose this one, I strongly recommend not stopping at the first--or tenth--death) (started 6/20)
1985 Golden Dragon 3 The Lord of Shadow Keep - Started 7/12
1985 Golden Dragon 4 The Eye of the Dragon
1986 Golden Dragon 5 Curse of the Pharaoh
1986 Golden Dragon 6 Castle of Lost Souls
1986 Marvel Super Heroes 1. The Amazing Spider-Man: City in Darkness
1986 Marvel Super Heroes 4. Doctor Strange: Through Six Dimensions
2025 ACE Gamebooks 8 - Shakespeare Vs. Cthulhu - What Dreams May Come.