[Let's Play] Blood Sword III - The Demon's Claw

Stories about games that you run and/or have played in.

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Shiritai
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Post by Shiritai »

Yeah, and the awareness shows no signs of changing.
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Post by SGamerz »

angelfromanotherpin wrote:Yeah, the damage rating is going down too slow to matter.
The END is going down at a pretty fast rate, though. Considering how slow it is, it's actually quite likely that the party can focus fire and hammer it down within the first 2 rounds before it can hit back, as long as they let the thing engage them instead of vice versa by the time we reach the 4th manifestation (and the later ones).

Kite it is, then (part of the reason I'm allowing repeated use of this tactic so far is because the Automation and the 7-in-1 aren't portrayed as "thinking" opponents. Against a more intelligent opponent, I'd probably have it go after the Enchanter to prevent this).

Well, since there's no way it can hit us as long as we keep running away, I think I'll just save myself the trouble of rolling for 5 more battles and just post what happens when we win:
The fourth incarnation of the creature struggles out of the wreck of its predecessor and strikes at you with club-like fists.

Image

Seven-in-One
Fighting Prowess: 9 Psychic Ability: 9
Awareness: 5 Damage per blow: 4 Dice
Armour Rating: 0
Endurance: 30

Note: The Seven-in-One has no mind in the proper sense, and thus cannot be controlled by Servile Enthralment.

If you wish to use an item, record the number 87 on your Character Sheet(s) and then turn to 402. If you fight and win, turn to 382.
Nya. nya, you still can't catch us....
The idol seems unstoppable, while you are becoming more exhausted with each feint and parry.

Image

Seven-in-One
Fighting Prowess: 10
Psychic Ability: 9
Awareness: 5
Damage per blow: 3 Dice+2
Armour Rating: 0
Endurance: 25

Note: The Seven-in-One has no mind in the proper sense, and thus cannot be controlled by Servile Enthralment.

If you wish to use an item, record the number 382 on your Character Sheet(s) and then turn to 402. If you fight and win, turn to 536.
At this stage, 1 Nemesis Bolt plus a good swing from the Warrior will take it down (possibly even without the Warrior's blow).
Another idol bursts out of its wooden shell to attack you. This one is no bigger than you are, but it seems faster and more deadly than ever.

Image

Seven-in-One
Fighting Prowess: 11 Psychic Ability: 9
Awareness: 5 Damage per blow: 3 Dice+1
Armour Rating: 0
Endurance: 20

Note: The Seven-in-One has no mind in the proper sense, and thus cannot be controlled by Servile Enthralment.

If you wish to use an item, record the number 536 on your Character Sheet(s) and then turn to 402. If you fight and win, turn to 361.
There really ought to be a stat that determines whether a character runs out of breath from extended running.....
The seventh idol is a vicious wooden warrior barely a metre tall. You breathe a silent prayer that this is, indeed, the last of them.

Image

Seven-in-One
Fighting Prowess: 12 Psychic Ability: 9
Awareness: 5 Damage per blow: 3 Dice
Armour Rating: 0
Endurance: 15

Note: The Seven-in-One has no mind in the proper sense, and thus cannot be controlled by Servile Enthralment.

If you wish to use an item, record the number 361 on your Character Sheet(s) and then turn to 402. If you fight and win, turn to 356.
One single Nemesis Bolt does the trick here.

Meanwhile, the Sage (who's been standing by the side while the Enchanter does the damage and the other two guys doing the baiting) has almost finished writing a brand-new weight-loss exercise program manual that involves the user running 20 rounds per day, with a lumbering wooden construct chasing him to help him maintain his speed.
If you have written the codeword IMPROBITY on your Character Sheet(s), turn to 214. If not, turn to 436.
Nope.
Now to deal with Susurrien. You turn with a feral glint in your eyes. He is standing with arms raised, as if about to cast a spell, but the expression on his face is one of puzzlement. A trickle of blood runs from his mouth and splashes onto the green border of his robes. His eyes roll up, and he sways and falls lifeless to the floor of the cave.

Hasan is standing behind him. He wipes his dagger on a square of black silk and sheathes it with a soft click. In that moment you know who he is: Hasan i-Sabbah, the Old Man of the Mountains. The Grandmaster of the Marijah Assassins.

'Susurrien's past has caught up with him finally,' he says. 'It is dawn.'
Oi! That was our Exp kill you just stole!
Image
Hasan steps over to the trapdoor and swings it open with a single fluid sweep of his arm. You test the weight of the trapdoor as you pass through, and realise that his wiry frame must conceal the strength of three normal men. Fortunate indeed that you and he are not enemies.

You follow him into a long hall of white marble. Unadorned pillars of polished black granite form an avenue towards the far end. There you see two circular shafts that lead up into the ceiling and down into the floor. The shaft in the ceiling burns with a thick red light; the one in the floor emanates a cold green glow.

'These are the eternal Foci,' says Hasan, 'the Poles of Life and Death. We have arrived at them by way of the underworld beneath Hakbad - but in fact there are many routes, and many truths.'

Advancing along the hall with him, you come to a grey stone block beside the two Foci. Hasan reaches out and lifts a sparkling scimitar from the block. You watch him test the edge of the blade against the hairs on his arm. He lets out a sigh of sheer awe at its beauty, but to you there is something of far greater beauty here. Also lying on the stone block is the object for which you have searched and fought these many years: the blade of the Blood Sword.

Hasan strings the Sword of Death across his back and turns to you. 'Susurrien would certainly have betrayed you,' he says. 'He would have gained nothing - he wanted only the Sword of Death - but it was in his nature to do so. Remember that: the betrayal was in his nature. The Swords of Life and Death do not oppose one another; they are two halves of a whole. When we meet again, therefore, I am hopeful it will be as allies.'

You bow courteously, expressing the same wish. When you look up, he has gone. You blink, dazed at his extraordinary stealth, and repeat the wish even more fervently.

Then you take up the Blood Sword blade. Opening the hilt, you fix it reverently within. You have kept your vow to the old minstrel who charged you with your quest. The objective you have strived for since that fateful night in the forest clearing is now achieved. The Sword of Life is restored!

All surviving players get 1,000 experience points to be distributed equally among them; these experience points will take effect at the end of this adventure.

Whoever was carrying the hilt and scabbard should delete these items. The Blood Sword is now one single item. Also, by completing your quest you have become mighty enough to oppose the power of the True Magi even without the aid of the sword. If you lose it, you do not have to turn to 475. But, of course, you have no intention of losing it ...

You begin to walk back out of the hall. A tall slender figure clad in exotically fashioned armour stands waiting for you on the steps by the door. You recognise him at once - an enemy you made even before your quest for the Blood Sword began, when he was your rival in the Krarthian Battlepits:

'Icon ...'
Image
His lip curls in a sneer. 'You foreign devils always get my name wrong. It is Aiken, a spirit-name taken from my ancestors. Not some painted symbol of your own benighted faith.'

You shake your head. 'Get out of the way, Icon ... Aiken ... whatever you call yourself. We have no reason to quarrel. It has been a long night, with more than its fair share of bloodshed. You don't want to add your name - however you pronounce it - to the list of casualties.' You look him in the eyes.

'By my honour, this is a call to battle!' he snarls. 'Do you mean to suggest that I am unable to destroy you? Like the meanest ant, I'll crush you! Like a thing without bones, you'll squirm and die under the heel of my boot! For five years I have pursued you, since the days of your callow youth when by stark chance you managed to get the better of me in Krarth. When I arrived in Crescentium at the house of my sister Saiki, I discovered that you were also in Outremer. Since then I have remained on your spoor, prepared to hunt you for hate's sake to the very boundaries of the earth if need be. This petty concern of yours for that blade is as nothing - my feud with you is like thunder; my wrath is the spitting of lightning!'

He suddenly becomes calm. Turning a wry glance at you, he draws a pouch of silvery dust from his jerkin and scatters it to right and left. A barrier of scarlet flame forms behind him, blocking your route out of the hall. Reaching with his left gauntlet into the flames, he pulls out a swathe of them and wraps these around his body. You have seen him use a trick like that before - the Spell of Retributive Fire. He seems to have made it a little more powerful over the years.

'All right, Icon,' you say with a sigh. 'If you want a fight, you've got one.' You suddenly give a roar of anger and rush towards him.

Image

Icon the Ungodly
Fighting Prowess: 9 Psychic Ability: 9
Awareness: 9 Damage per blow: 5 Dice
Armour Rating: 2
Endurance: 55

Note: He is immune to the Spell of Servile Enthralment. Because of the Spell of Retributive Fire, anyone who strikes him in melee is burned for one Endurance point (armour notwithstanding).

If you win, turn to 304.
And here's the other reason I was willing to let you get away with that 7-in-1 battle. The party might still have been able to come out on top with a couple losses in a normal fight against the 7-in-1, but a depleted party probably won't stand a chance against this guy.

You think you could get out of the Boss Fight the easy way? Here's the real Boss. :biggrin:

Strategies time!

Adventure Sheet:

WARRIOR:
NAME: Dame Caecilia Wither-Stoat
RANK: 4th

Battle Order: 1

Fighting Prowess: 12
Psychic Ability: 7
Awareness: 8
Endurance: 8/33
Damage: 2 Dice +3 (+3 from Enchanted Sword)

*Extra Notes: Takes no FP/damage penalty when fighting unarmed, +1 Armour Rating from Potentiation on top of normal armour bonus

Items:
1 Enchanted Sword (+3 Damage)
2 Enchanted Chainmail armour (Armour Rating five)
3 Money pouch (98 gold pieces)
4 Silver crucifix (with finger-bone of St Ashanax)
5 Iron Bell
6 Bedroll
7 Shielding Charm (+1 AR)
8 Blood Sword
9 Dog-faced Creature's Spear
10
TRICKSTER:
NAME: Benedict of the Crimson Spires, Honourable Duelist
RANK: 4th

Battle Order: 2

Fighting Prowess: 8 (+1 from Enchanted Sword)
Psychic Ability: 7
Awareness: 8
Endurance: 9/25
Damage: 1 Die+2

Items:
1 Enchanted Sword (+1 FP)
2 Studded Leather Armour (Armour Rating two)
3 Golden Snuffbox
4 Dervish's scroll
5 Gloves
6 Bow
7 Harp
8 Quiver (empty)
9 Fur Cloak
10 Gilt-edged scroll
*11 Screebo the Raven
SAGE:
NAME: "Pepito" Cascadero, Master of the Mystic Way
RANK: 4th

Battle Order: 3

Fighting Prowess: 7
Psychic Ability: 8
Awareness: 7
Endurance: 7/21
Damage: 1 Die+1

Items:
1 Quarterstaff
2 Ringmail Armour (Armour Rating two)
3 Seafaring Charts from Hunguk's ship
4 Bedroll
5 Magic Bow (Damage 1 Die+1)
6 Quiver (empty)
7 Skull Amulet
8 Blue Crystal Eyes
9 Money pouch (100 gold pieces)
10 Silver key to Fatima's garden
ENCHANTER:
NAME: Enchanter Reed, Ninth of the Inverted Tower
RANK: 4th

Battle Order: 4

Fighting Prowess: 1
Psychic Ability: 15 (+1 from Ring of Sorcery)
Awareness: 7
Endurance: 21/21
Damage: 1 Die +1

Items:
1 Brazier
2 Silver armour (Armour Rating two)
3 Bedroll
4 Magical Bread Crust of Infinity
5 Fur Cloak
6 Money pouch (88 gold pieces)
7 Ring of Sorcery (+1 PA)
8 Copper Bottle
9 Amber Tinderbox
10 Iron rations (7 days)
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angelfromanotherpin
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

Y'know, it would be really cool if we could use our much-touted artifact sword in this battle. Might make it more than just one more author-penis-extension fight.

Can Pepito have tried to get some more healz attempts out of our exposition period?

I assume he'll be engaging me (as the closest) on his first action, so fuck it, it's swinging time, Retributive Fire be damned. I think he's too good a fighter to make defending really worthwhile, so I may as well try to keep him from getting any more swings than can be helped.
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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

angelfromanotherpin wrote:Can Pepito have tried to get some more healz attempts out of our exposition period?
If this is allowed I'll pop 6 EP worth of healing. That might seem suicidal (given that there's a chance we might get nothing out of it) but frankly we're all probably going to die if I don't heal everyone as much as possible. Emphasis on Kiki and then Benedict, since Reed is unlikely to engage Icon/Aiken/whateverthefuckhisnameis in melee.

And yeah, our artifact sword should have at least given us a heal (it's the Sword of Life after all). Or Hassan-i-Sabbah should've stayed to lend a hand. Or anything really, this fight is kind of crazy.
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Post by Starmaker »

Well he's not immune to Nemesis Bolt so I don't see why we should all die. The guy's got nothing on those tentacles. I guess I'll try stabbing him (since I didn't get to stab Susurrien) and get rezzed next book.

But yeah, we've been without a plot heal since before we faced the demons. :nonono: Not cool.
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

I actually love how much room this book has for the players to 'screw up' and still muddle through. We missed a lot of helpful sidequests, clearly messed up the whole switcheroo opportunity, and spent the last act playing catch-up like Indiana Jones. That's actually pretty awesome, and that it means we go beaten and bloody into the final battle with a still-decent chance of victory is even better. That our various exploits seem to have been necessary makes it feel like player skill really matters. This book is by far my favorite of the series so far (and not just because it blinged out my character).
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Post by Shiritai »

Yeah, aside from the sevenfold fight it's been an engaging adventure, though I had no idea Hasan's identity was supposed to be a secret.

But this fight! Ugh. Just eyeballing, an alpha strike has less than a 40% chance of working without a casualty. I'd recommend that Kiki defends against the first blow and attacks the second round, but I'll be dropping everything but Nemesis Bolt and Swordthrust and casting those in succession.
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Post by SGamerz »

angelfromanotherpin wrote:Y'know, it would be really cool if we could use our much-touted artifact sword in this battle. Might make it more than just one more author-penis-extension fight.
You get that opportunity in the next two books, but not in this one.
Darth Rabbitt wrote:That might seem suicidal (given that there's a chance we might get nothing out of it) but frankly we're all probably going to die if I don't heal everyone as much as possible.
Actually, while Icon is quite likely to kill one of the party, even two if he's extremely lucky, you're unlikely to lose the overall fight, because Nemesis Bolt + Reed's 15 PA score.
angelfromanotherpin wrote:I actually love how much room this book has for the players to 'screw up' and still muddle through. We missed a lot of helpful sidequests, clearly messed up the whole switcheroo opportunity, and spent the last act playing catch-up like Indiana Jones. That's actually pretty awesome, and that it means we go beaten and bloody into the final battle with a still-decent chance of victory is even better. That our various exploits seem to have been necessary makes it feel like player skill really matters. This book is by far my favorite of the series so far (and not just because it blinged out my character).
The switcheroo thing is actually quite easy to miss (not to mention it needs a Trickster in the party to work), so the book would have been very unfair if our success relies too much on that.

But yeah, for the most part, other than the previous book where the authors seem to be in a particularly malicious state of mind, this series is generally quite forgiving on players missing side-quests and plot coupons.

Let's get on with the Boss Fight....but first, the Healing roll:

Dice roll = (5-2) x6 = 18!

I'll split these evenly between Kiki and Benedict, since Darth didn't specify how much to give to each guy: Kiki is up to 17, Benedict is up to 18. Pepito is down to 1.

I think this almost guarantees that the melee fighters can at least last long enough for Reed to blow him down....

.....so what if Icon does the smart thing and goes straight for Reed? After all, he's fought them before, so he should be wise to their tactic!

I think I'll try this.

Fortunately, Reed already has Nemesis Bolt and Swordthrust in mind, so he likely can get off at least one good blast. This is still very much doable.

COMBAT LOG:
Round 1 ... FIGHT!

Awareness 9 acts ...

Icon moves next to Enchanter.

Awareness 8 acts ...

Warrior moves next to Icon.

Trickster moves next to Icon.

Awareness 7 acts ...

Sage waits.

Enchanter attempts to cast Nemesis Bolt. Roll = 6+5 = 11. Success! Damage = 24 +7-2 = 29. Icon has 26 END left.

Quick Thinking bonus:

Trickster fights Icon. Roll = 8. (Hit!) Damage = 5+2-2 = 5. Icon has 24 END left. Trickster is burned by Retributive Fire and has 17 EN left.

Round 2 ...

Awareness 9 acts ...

Icon fights Enchanter. Roll = 9. (Hit!) Damage = 17-2 = 15. Enchanter has 6 EN left.

Awareness 8 acts ...

Warrior fights Icon. Damage = 6+3-2 = 7. Icon has 17 EN left. Warrior has 16 EN left.

Trickster fights Icon. Roll = 9. (Miss)

Awareness 7 acts ...

Sage waits (maybe I should have let him engage too, but Pepito didn't make it clear that he wants to attack, and he dies after 1 swing thanks to Retributive Fire).

Enchanter attempts to cast Swordthrust. Roll = 8+2 = 10. Success! Damage = 10+3-2 = 11. Icon has 6 END left.

Round 3 ...

Awareness 9 acts ...

Icon fights Trickster (Enchanter can't cast spell this round, so he's trying to wipe out a melee guy first). Roll = 7+1 = 8. (Hit!) Damage = 8-2 = 6. Trickster has 11 END left.

Awareness 8 acts ...

Warrior fights Icon. Damage = 4+3-2 = 5. Icon has 1 END left. Warrior has 15 END left.

Trickster fights Icon. Roll = 6. (Hit!) Damage = 4+2-2 = 4. Trickster is burned by Retributive Fire and has 16 EN left. Icon is killed.....OR IS HE?????
Icon coughs blood, but even though his face is ghastly pale he does not fall. Before your eyes, he dissolves into a sparkling mist and begins to drift up into the air.

I used the spell of Vaporisation as a means of escape when we last did battle, says a disembodied voice. Now it provides me with the means to restore my vitality.

What can he mean? You glance at the barrier of flame. It seems to be dying down, but the heat from it is still intense.

If you wish to dive through it and flee, turn to 184. If you would rather use an item, turn to 144.
Do we think we have the item to beat him once and for all?
Last edited by SGamerz on Thu Jul 23, 2015 1:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

Booottle hiiim!
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Post by Starmaker »

angelfromanotherpin wrote:Booottle hiiim!
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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

Starmaker wrote:
angelfromanotherpin wrote:Booottle hiiim!
Pseudo Stupidity wrote:This Applebees fucking sucks, much like all Applebees. I wanted to go to Femboy Hooters (communism).
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Post by SGamerz »

If we tried jumping through the fire, not only do we take damage, but Icon gets restored and we have to fight him all over again.
Which of the following two items will you use? A bottle of yellow copper or the dog-headed man's spear?
I think the choice has already been made. We kept this bottle just for you, Icon!
Image
You pull the stopper from the bottle and hold it above the mist as it rises. You can see what Icon was planning to do; he was drifting in mist-form towards the Life Focus in the ceiling of the hall. The vitalising energy radiating within the shaft would have healed his wounds and restored his energy for the fight.

Perhaps he cannot see clearly in mist-form. Instead of rising into the shaft of the Life Focus, he curls into the bottle. As soon as the last wisp of mist passes inside, you ram the stopper in hard.

Icon's voice rings from inside the bottle: 'What base trickery is this? Release me, you spawn of the peasantry. Are you too craven to fight with honour?'

You strike the bottle against a pillar until Icon is silent. If it was able to hold a mighty jinn in captivity for nearly a millennium, it should be able to hold your archfoe ...

You bite your lip; you cannot be sure of that. If he should ever get free, he will surely pursue you with his hatred and power redoubled. And there might always be some moment when, perhaps recuperating from wounds, you could be taken unaware by his attack. You cannot remain vigilant forever.

Your gaze drifts thoughtfully around the room, and the numbing green radiance of the Death Focus gives you the solution to the problem. According to legend, the shaft leads straight into the realm of Death, from which there can be no returning. You feel a twinge of pity for Icon - but only a twinge. After barely a moment's hesitation, you hurl the bottle down into the green light.

As he realises the fate to which you have consigned him, his scream is spinechilling. But then you hear his voice resonating inside the copper bottle, echoing up the shaft like the rumbling of thunder; and what he says lays a pall of dread over you. 'If I am to die, it will be with a final savour of revenge. I call upon all the spirits of my ancestors to grant my final wish. By the Spell of Dying Wrath, I summon them from the land into which I now descend. As you have taken my life, which is the thing most sweet and precious to me, I charge them to take that which is most precious to you ...'

The bottle has now fallen out of sight, but you see something flowing up the shaft towards you. At first it seems like a bank of greenish fog, but then you begin to discern faces ... staring eyes and soundlessly howling mouths ... emaciated hands reaching towards you ...

It is the grisly host of Icon's ancestral spirits, clawing their way out of the realm of Death to grant his final wish. You turn - but even as you start to run, the spirits burst from the shaft. As they flow around you, shrieking curses you cannot hear and clutching at you with their spectral claws, you feel as though the blood in your veins has turned to ice. You collapse with a moan to the hard marble floor, trying to fend them off as they dance macabrely around you. Far away at the edge of your hearing, you hear the whispering of ghostly laughter. You see Icon's face, standing clearly out among the throng for an instant. He is truly in the realm of Death now. He seems to stoop over you, and you hear the echo of his curse:

'That which is most precious to you.'

You look up, wondering if you blacked out for a moment. The spirits have faded from the hall, returned to their deathly abode. The barrier of flame has also dissipated, allowing you to reach the exit. But as you reach for the Blood Sword, you know that your victory has been turned to ashes. You give vent to a long, tortured howl of anguish and despair. When the spirits sank back to the realm of death, they took the Blood Sword with them.
......LAME!

This should totally have ended with us forcing Icon to be our new genie and granting us 3 more wishes!

Which we'd promptly use the very first wish to make him screw himself.
You are so sunk in despondency that you scarcely notice your return journey through the underworld, until you are clambering out of the well into the first light of dawn.

If you have recorded the codeword IMPROBITY on your Character Sheet(s), turn to 162. If not, turn to 31.
No....
You see the gate of Fatima's garden again. It is open, and she is standing in front of it with Hasan. You sorrowfully make your way across the dew-slick cobblestones to join them.

Their smiles of greeting soon darken to frowns as they hear your story. 'That is bitter news,' says Hasan. 'This Aiken must have had the spiteful soul of a viper. A pity I did not linger with you a while longer, as my knife might have found his heart and prevented this sad conclusion to your quest. But take solace from what I tell you: there is nothing which is good or bad in itself - for all such judgements are made in the mind, which is no more real than a mirage. You may sup on the dregs of despair - but viewed in another light it may become a tasty draught. In the moment of heart's rending it is often possible to achieve sudden Enlightenment.'
Oh....alright, then. We can all just go home now, right?
Fatima lays a hand on his arm. 'No, Hasan,' she says. 'That is your way. You act without striving to act. Others must strive for that is the way of heroes. Even if the cause is futile, it must be fought for. Your own path leads you away from striving, but a hero must be steeped in the world and lusty with life.'

She turns to you and gestures through the gate to her garden. 'Hasan counsels you to accept defeat and thus negate it. There is another way, and though it is fraught with peril I think you will be drawn to it for that very reason. You think that the Sword of Life is lost to you forever, now that your archfoe has taken it down with him into the realm of Death. Not so! It is said that Death's kingdom is a land from which there can be no returning - but I say that everything is possible. If you have the courage to attempt it, I will show you the path by which you can pass into the Netherworld and recover your sword. I will show you how you can challenge Death...'
And that's it for Book 3! Stay tuned for the next episode where everyone goes to Hell.....literally!

Congratulations for completing the 3rd of the books. Hope everyone has enjoyed this one. Hopefully more than the last one, at least!

I'll be taking a short break tomorrow. Book 4 will begin either Sunday or Monday. As usual, feel free to ask any questions regarding this particular adventure, and I'll try to answer them when I'm back to post some of the many stuff we missed on the playthrough.
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Post by Starmaker »

IMPROBITY, what does it do?

How does the quest which requires extra wishes resolve and what does it give?

Is it at all possible to kill Susurrien?

Anything particularly interesting we missed by being sensible and going straight to Emeritus?
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Post by Shiritai »

What of NEXUS? Just a red herring?
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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

What is Anubis' spear used for (if anything)?
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Post by SGamerz »

Darth Rabbitt wrote:What is Anubis' spear used for (if anything)?
We already used to: to open the last door that led us to the room with Seven-in-One, which was immediately after the Anubis encounter. As mentioned before, if we got the Tuning Fork from the Automation, or if Reed managed to Enthral it, Anubis will also use the spear to open the door for us (in which case we won't get the spear, since we wouldn't need it).

In fact, not picking up the spear can be a potential Game Over.
Shiritai wrote:What of NEXUS? Just a red herring?
All the 3 codewords that we pick u0p in Hunguk's cabin will be checked if our "timer" (10 ticks) run out. The book will then use them to determine what we've found and whether we can get away.

If we had SPECULUM, we immediately get away once we sense Hunguk returning because we already got our plot token.

If we had none of the codewords, it's Game Over because it means we didn't even manage to reach Hunguk's cabin and we're out of time.

If we had only MYTHAGO, that means we got to the cabin, but hadn't found anything yet. That means we have to fight the returning Hunguk.

If we have both MYTHAGO and NEXUS, that means we found the portal, but not the Eyes yet. The portal will give some signal that Hunguk is returning, and we get one last opportunity (to search the charts or the shelves) to find the Eyes and grab them before he comes back. If we make the wrong choice, we have to fight him.

BTW, this is Hunguk's stats:
Hunguk
Fighting Prowess: 10 Damage per blow: 6 Dice
Psychic Ability: 9 Awareness: 9
Armour Rating: 5
Endurance: 100

Note: Hunguk strikes twice every Round (once with each of his two axes). He is immune to the spell of Servile Enthralment - no mere mortal could hope to command the Pirate-King.
And this is the text if we manage to beat him somehow:
Hunguk gives a deep growl and sways upright! Sitting on the cabin floor, he is tall enough to look at you eye to eye even though you are standing. He pulls off his horned helm and stares into your face. There is no hostility in his grey eyes now, but the scrutiny still gives you a tingle of fear. Or awe, if you will not admit to fear.

'You were dead ,. .' you say, incredulous.

'Dead? Hunguk the Pirate-King?' He gets to his feet. 'Not I! If Feshtis couldn't finish me, surely you didn't think your puny efforts would do the trick?'

For a moment you think he is going to resume the fight. Then he drops his axes on the table and slumps down on the bed. 'O gods, I am weary. The cold is never gone from my bones . . .'

He looks at you. 'You fought well - boldly, and with honour. Hunguk's praise is not lightly given, so you should stand proud! Be boastful - it is not the way of heroes to mumble modestly like maids - and tell all you meet of your great adventures this day.'

He pauses and his eyes close. 'I must rest... If only I could rest. . .' He waves one huge hand towards the shelves. Take what you came for. You've earned it by your courage. Your glory-path will take you into myth, if you can conquer your youthful rashness. Now go!'
Despite his reputations, by far one of the more civil characters we've met so far, especially considering he's talking to guys who were rtying to steal his stuff.
Starmaker wrote:IMPROBITY, what does it do?
Not very much, and in any case only cheaters will get it. You know that fight with Susurrien's pet gods where the text actually gives us a section to turn to if we claim to actually WIN that battle?

Well if the bloody cheaters decide to go there, since they're not running from those god-things, they wouldn't end up hiding in Fatima's garden, so they won't meet Hasan, and possibly wouldn't meet Fatima, either.

Basically, that codeword notes this possibility, and gives us alternate flavor text which introduces us to Hasan when he shows up at the end to insta-gib Susurrien.

Oh, and if the players claim to have actually beat the god-things, then they absolutely NEED to do the switcheroo trick to continue. Otherwise, Susurrien gets away with the Hatuli, and the PCs can't track him down without Fatima's help! It's almost a minor anti-cheat device.

I've read reviews online claiming that this book can't be won without the Trickster....well, whomever wrote that review must have cheated, which is why he missed Fatima's garden, which is very hard to miss. :tongue:
Starmaker wrote:Is it at all possible to kill Susurrien?
Not on the winning path, no.

The book does have a section where he can be fought....if we chose not to pick up Anubis' spear (which disappears after a while) and get trapped outside the Seven-in-One room. The spear isn't the only way past that door, but we missed the other item (grisly fingerbones) that could have got us past it. (And as I mentioned the Trickster can only open that door without items if he's either high-ranked or ultra-lucky on the dice).

If we do get trapped outside the door and we have the Hatuli, Susurrien shows up. Just like how we followed him if we gave him the Hatuli, he will be following us if we pulled off the switcheroo. We can then kill him....but the game still ends in failure as we can't proceed to find the Blood Sword.

I won't spoil Sussurien's stats just yet because
it's possible to meet him again in Hell in the next book....so take heart....you may yet get your wish to kill him personally!
Starmaker wrote:How does the quest which requires extra wishes resolve and what does it give?
For all the epic proportions described by the about it actually doesn't last that long.

Having one remaining wish wouldn't be enough, we need to have saved both of the other wishes, as the quest requires travel to multiple places. IN fact, even with 2 wishes the text tries to get us to believe that they might not be enough:
You try to plan how you could use your remaining wishes. 'To travel to the Magians' stronghold in Opalar from here would involve one of the wishes,' you say, thinking out loud. 'Then travelling on from there to Hakbad would use up the other. It is possible.'

'No, no!' says the abbot. 'The sapling must be brought here, to the Grey Rock. The Astral Gateway back in the hall is the only direct and completely safe route by which I can return the sapling to the monastery.'

'That would bring us back here with no wishes left to you,' interjects the jinni. 'And if you wish for me to take you to Opalar from here that will mean cancelling the still-operative wish that we should go on to Hakbad. The upshot is, you can visit the Magian sect's headquarters and return here with the abbot's tree - but I would then depart, leaving you stranded. So what is it to be?'

If you decide to help the abbot and worry later about how you will get to Hakbad, turn to 316. If you carry straight on to Hakbad now, turn to 67
So yeah, it looks like the book is asking whether to potentially sacrifice our own quest to help him out. Of course, experienced and mature players can probably guess that we wouldn't be punished for trying to help him.

And so we take on the quest....and learn that the genie actually has a little personal grudge of his own against the Magians:
'The Magians worship fire. Since jinn were created from fire, you might suppose that this would mean they worship us. Not so! Their worship is a perversion. They venerate fire as a vampire sect venerates blood. They draw out the flame from any jinni they capture, reducing him to a lifeless husk, or else quench his flame and force him into servitude. Ah, they are a pernicious breed, these Magians. As we draw nearer and nearer to their nest, I feel the old passions of my kind stirring in my breast, stoking the flames of vengeance. When we meet them, I will pit my might alongside your own!'
So with the genie actually deciding to take an active role in the quest, we can either follow his suggestion to let him distract the Magian High Priest while we search the tower, or we can join him to directly attack the High Priest. Well, we'll be fighting his guards and Adapts, at least, while the HP and the genie focus on each other. Once we clear out all the guards or get rid of enough of the Adapts to interrupt his power field, the rest of the Adapts flee and the genie gets his revenge.

If we search inside the tower while the genie fights outside, we will find the Magians' energy source which is in the form of a big egg. Choosing to smash it is a VERY dangerous move, as it will blow up and deal Nemesis-Bolt-level damage on the players, but it also auto-wins the battle against the Magians, and if the players manage to survive 7d6 worth of damage, the sapling (the object of the quest) can heal some of it back. We also get the Magian High Priest's wand, which is a 1-one weapon that does 4d6 damage and will also insta-gib the Seven-in-One (all 7 manifestations of them at once). The Orb of Fire can also do the trick, but if the players picked it up last book they're highly unlikely to still have it because of that bloody tentacled Eislaken in the last book.

So what about our own quest, now that we have no wishes left?

Here's another nice surprise when we wake up the following day:
You are startled to find the jinni is still here, standing in the sea to watch the moon and stars come out. Out of the corner of his eye he sees you emerge from the ruins.

'Ah, the abbot has departed, then. I hope he appreciated the effort we went to on his behalf.'

'He did indeed. Why haven't you yet continued on your way? Surely you are not at a loss for something to do after your seventy decades in the bottle?'

He turns to you with a pained expression. 'Of course I have many things to do. In point of fact, I was halfway to Khitai while you were sleeping. Then it struck me that in a sense I still owed you half a wish, as I got some satisfaction of my own out of whipping those Magian curs. Thus I have returned to take you on to Hakbad, which will definitely mark the last of your wishes.'

You look at him askance. 'Surely I do not perceive a trace of compassion in your voice? Surely you are not motivated by a spark of decency?'

'Have a care!' he growls. 'I will carry you on to Hakbad, but I will not stand for insults along the way!' And with this he reaches out and gently scoops you into his hands.
That genie is way more likeable than most of the humans we've met in the book.
Starmaker wrote:Anything particularly interesting we missed by being sensible and going straight to Emeritus?
More on that next post.....
SGamerz
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Post by SGamerz »

One thing I forgot to mention in my previous post is that the abbot's quest also leads to a section where the abbot has a vision (while we were asleep) and he makes a drawing out of it, which will give us a hint to following the snake later while tracking Sussurien. If we have the golden mirror (which seems to act as a scrying device) the abbot will also make out some vision about a snake and a tree which he will tell us is related to our quest.

Out of the other contacts that we could have gone to at the beginning, the most profitable by far has to be "Psyche"......although she'd also be the most dangerous, because she's the only one actively looking to kill us.

Here's the pic:
Image
Right from the beginning the Sage would have gotten some warning from a group of women passing by (speaking foreign language that only he can understand) that Psyche is some ghoulish flesh-eating fiend and bid him to stay away. That's not exactly what she's is, but she is a dangerous sorceress who dabbles in stuff like Demon-summoning. More importantly, she has a personal reason to want us dead. Strangely, the reason she wants us dead is almost never revealed if we manage to survive. When we visit her, the first thing she does is to offer to put us under hypnosis to help us find the Blood Sword.

If we gullibly take the drug she offers us (which she admits will put us in a trance, to help her hypnosis attempt), she will reveal the reason as she cuts our throat while we lie helpless:
A shadow blurs the edges of your vision. Psyche's face looms close, a distorted image shrieking with triumphant laughter. Her words roll over you like thunder, sending ripples through the narcotic haze: 'You credulous dolt,' she sneers. 'How did you ever master the simplest magical trick when you have such a feeble brain?' The effort of listening to her words is making you feel sick but, in spite of the drug, you feel you must hear what she has to say.

'. . . that I am the sister of Utayama-no-Sugensiki Aiken - whom you know, foreign barbarian that you are, as Icon the Ungodly!'

What is she saying? She is sister to Icon, your deadliest foe? You must awaken from this drug-dream. . . defend yourself . . .

A knife flashes like a cold smile. You feel it touch your throat.

'Sayonara,' whispers Psyche.
We can, of course, refuse her offer. The Sage can also identify the drug even if we accept, and the Trickster also has the option to get rid of the drink via sleight of hand without her noticing and play dead (and then stab her in the back when she reveals her true intention to the ret of the party).

If we refuse the offer, she will instead offer us room and lodgings while she secretly tries to summon a demon to kill us. Again, there are various ways to spot something is wrong, depending on individual character options. The only instance where we actually get a hint of why she wants to kill us is if the Enchanter summons a Faltyn, who will tell us that she is the sister of a certain old nemesis.

Her actual name, btw, is "Saiki". You might remember Icon/Aiken mentioning it in the last scene.

As for the loot we could have got, there's a tower we could choose to investigate. If we do it immediately, we have the chance to get the gold mirror from a blind leper prisoner (who will try to trick us into joining him in imprisonment), a black satin cushion (that can be used to help put the giantess to sleep) and also a restorative/healing potion.

If we wait till the next day to investigate the tower, the stairs would have collapsed and we lose access to the above three items....but we can still pick up and Iblis Brooch....which is the item that the Enchanter can later use to subdue the genie later.

Psyche's side-quest also allows us to go back to try out the other characters' contacts (except Jablo the Knife, who's missing for some unknown reason), so that's probably the first one we should have tried.

Lagrestin the smuggler isn't very interesting, although there are a variety of ways this route can be resolved if we go to him immediately. If we went to Psyche first, then the visit to Lagretin is strangely uneventful. He will immediately give us a letter of introduction to the Capellars to get rid of us (as he doesn't want us to hang around and hinder his smuggling plot). Yes, he basically gives us access to the Warrior's contacts.

If we go to him from the start, there're more possible ways this can go down, although most of them end up with us getting referred to the Capellars anyway (if we manage to get him arrested by the guards, for example, if will be the officer making the arrest that writes us the letter of introduction). So yeah, most of the results aren't particularly profitable, although the Trickster can get some cash off him by threatening to revealing some embarrassing story of his past (during a section where he pretends not to know who we are). There's also one path that involves us ruining his smuggling plot by summoning the guards, but end up choosing not to incriminate him in front of the guards. In that case, he will feign friendship, but will in fact try to get revenge on us for ruining his profits by pointing us to an inn where we may get robbed. There the Trickster has the option of getting some honest trader drunks and swapping closes with him to use as decoy (and then have the option of saving said trader from the muggers to gain some monetary reward....or just let him get slaughtered)

Speaking of the Capellars, again it's not as interesting as Psyche's side-quest. The main story of interest is our treatment of the servant that the Capellar's commander assigned to show us our room. Basically, the servant would bring us what is described to be extremely poor accommodations, in the hopes that we bribe him to get better ones. Accepting the poor accommodations actually brings no negative consequences, since we get similar healing no matter where we sleep, but if we decided to punish the servant for his insolence....or take back our money after we bribed him, we will be woken up at night by assassins. If we overcome the assassins and seize the wretched servant, the Capellars will thank us for inadvertently unmasking the illegal organization's contact amongst them.

The commander of the Capellars isn't a nice guy, and is clearly a religious fanatic, although he doesn't turn nasty in this book (he may in the next). If we reveal our quest to him, he directs us to Emeritus, but he will also give us each a crucifix.

The book even plays a mildly amusing/annoying/silly (depending on how you look at it) joke on us by telling us to turn to a specific section if we ever lose the crucifix (we're also not allowed to turn the gift down....possibly because we risk offending the religious fanatic if we do), building up the anticipation that this must be some really important plot token.

So what happens when we lose it?

This is the section we're told to turn to:
Make sure you know the number of the paragraph you have just been reading.

You no longer have the crucifix Tobias gave you. Perhaps you were expecting some disaster to befall you because of this, but in fact nothing happens. A crucifix is only a symbol, whereas it is really the faith it represents that is important.

Return to the last entry you were reading.
:tongue:
The crucifix, as I recall, may come into use in the next book, so it isn't completely useless.
If we don't tell the commander that we are on a quest, he will try to put us to work by having us join one of the patrol groups. If we refuse (or if we tell him we're on a secret quest but refuse to tell him the details), he will lose interest in us, and we leave without receiving any help. But if we unmasked the servant earlier, we'll befriend another younger Capellar who will also direct us to Emeritus.

If we go on patrol, the sequence will end with someone getting knifed by two fighting beggars (either one of the PCs or the sergeant to went on patrol with us), and again, we'll be sent to the local doctor for wound treatment....and that's, of course, Emeritus, again.

Jablo the Knife is another mildly-amusing sequence, as there's a possibility of us getting out-Trickstered by him:
An old Ta'ashim man opens the door a crack and looks you over in the fading sunlight that is streaming through the decorative casement. 'Jablo?' he says - and, when you nod: 'Next floor.' You sigh and climb another flight of stairs. No one answers this door when you knock.

Will you try the door or wait for Jablo to return?
The correct choice is to try the door, because that will reveal that we've been tricked:
The door opens when you lean against it. Inside you find piles of thick velvet cushions. Elegant silk drapes partition the room and disguise its drab grey walls. They are embroidered with pictures of the houris of the Ta'ashim paradise, which is an unlikely motif to find in the room of Jablo the Knife. A stout cupboard stands by the window, and when you throw it open you discover it is filled with brocade robes, scented silk blouses and pyjamas, jars of henna and kohl, jewelled copper breast-cups ...

By all the hallows, you have been duped! This room belongs to a woman. Then Jablo - Jablo was the 'old Ta'ashim man' who directed you up here!

You race from the room and go down the stairs three at a time. Jablo, still in disguise as a Ta'ashim oldster, is just about to slip out into the market square. 'One moment, "grandfather",' you snarl, seizing him by the shoulder and shoving him to the back of the stairwell. 'Too busy to talk to old friends these days, eh, Jablo?'

Jablo winces. 'Don't be foolish. I would have welcomed you with open arms if it wasn't for the danger ...'

'What danger?' you scoff.

'I have a contract on a man in the Governor's household. I was just on my way to fulfil it when you turned up. I can't very well drag you along with me, can I? You'd trip over your own shadow and the guards would be all over us in a trice.'
If we leave him alone, he will drop us a hint about a certain old sailor in a hostelry that he'll recommend to us (more on that below) before he leaves. If we insist on pestering him, he will pull another trick:
Jablo pretends to agree to this, but as soon as he catches sight of a militia patrol he sets up a furore: 'Help! My life is threatened! Help me!'

The soldiers saunter over. You glance around for an avenue of escape, but three Knights Capellars also heard the commotion and are coming over to investigate.

'What's all this?' one of the soldiers asks Jablo. 'Who's threatening your life, oldster?'

'Have pity on a poor beggar, sir.' Jablo points to the Trickster. 'This person is the notorious Jablo the Knife, the most deadly hired killer in Outremer. And that's including the best adepts of the Marijah sect.'

The soldiers fan out, surrounding you. The three Capellars watch silently. With a pink scar of afterglow along the rooftops behind them, they look like three Angels of Death waiting at the edge of the Inferno.

'Look for the mole on the killer's jawline,' shrieks Jablo. 'Even Jablo, a master of disguise, cannot hide that.' Even while setting you up he cannot resist singing his own praises!

'Yes, there is a mole,' grunts the sergeant of the militia, peering at you in the twilight. 'Jablo the Knife - you're under arrest.'
So here it's established that Benedict has a mole on his jawline.

Anyway, yes, we get imprisoned and lose our weapons.
Image
Getting out of prison, of course, is just another day in the life of a typical Adventurer. The Trickster may (although it's difficult, having to rollu nder his rank) get the hunchback gaoler to believe that there's a possible cure for his back, and write him a fake letter of reference. If we have met the Capellars, we will even direct him to the commander, stating in the letter that the hunchback is a mad heretic and that we were force to writer under duress.

The Enchanter can Enthrall the gaoler, or just teleport out. On teleporting out, we encounter a ghoul who will try to lull us into letting down our guards with stories. The story will give us information that we might need: the word that will get the Roc to land (which the Sage would already know, but Sageless party will benefit from hearing the story). If we can pass the dice roll and stay awake, we can then go on to defeat the ghoul and get some grisly fingerbones......it ill be revealed that those fingerbones belong to a former master thief, which is why it can help us unlock the door at the end of the game if we forgot to pick up Anubis' spear!

Finally, if we run out of useful contacts (or failed to get required help from the contacts we visited), we will end up spending the night at a hostelry. This will be the hostelry that Jablo the Knife tells us about, and just like he says, there will be an old sailor who will try to tell us his story. If we put up with him for three long-winded sections, we will gain some information about a certain sea monster (which will be useful if we had to travel by fishing boat later), and also the wooden peg that will be needed to activate the afore-mentioned wooden flying horse!

For the different modes of travel, we know about the Roc...for the wooden horse, besides the peg, we will also need to find the horse. f we avoided the guy who told us about the Roc, we will then encounter some children begging for money. Given them a gold will get us invited to one of the locals' home, where we will find the horse.

Failing that, if we have Augustus' flying carpet, we will conveniently meet the man who wove it (Augustus stole it from him via some switcheroo trick). If we return it to him, he will fly us to our destination to repay us. Without him, we can't fly the carpet ourselves (Augustus himself needed an amulet to activate it, so he didn't quite have full control of the carpet's powers...which only its maker knows).

Failing all those magical means of travel, our last resort Is to rent a boat from Wuraq the fisherman....whom the Trickster can also buy the fake Hatuli from. The boat is a more hazardous means of travel, but if we listened to the old sailor's tale, we'd know how to safely get past the sea monster who will try to capsize our boat.

So yeah, as you can see, lot of missed content....I'm sure I have missed some others.

The Demon's Claw may not be a most well-designed of the gamebooks.....but what makes it stands out is the fact that it's definitely by far the most flavourful of the 5. The most fun to read, IMO, if not necessarily to play.

Book 4 will be up tomorrow. See you then!
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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

SGamerz wrote:
Darth Rabbitt wrote:What is Anubis' spear used for (if anything)?
We already used to: to open the last door that led us to the room with Seven-in-One, which was immediately after the Anubis encounter. As mentioned before, if we got the Tuning Fork from the Automation, or if Reed managed to Enthral it, Anubis will also use the spear to open the door for us (in which case we won't get the spear, since we wouldn't need it).

In fact, not picking up the spear can be a potential Game Over.
Ah, I meant "what else is it used for" not "what is it used for." That's what I get for typing when half asleep. In retrospect I'm not sure why I just asked what happens if you try to use it on Icon/Aiken. Does he still get his healz, or can you throw it at him or something?
Pseudo Stupidity wrote:This Applebees fucking sucks, much like all Applebees. I wanted to go to Femboy Hooters (communism).
SGamerz
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Post by SGamerz »

Darth Rabbitt wrote:
SGamerz wrote:
Darth Rabbitt wrote:What is Anubis' spear used for (if anything)?
We already used to: to open the last door that led us to the room with Seven-in-One, which was immediately after the Anubis encounter. As mentioned before, if we got the Tuning Fork from the Automation, or if Reed managed to Enthral it, Anubis will also use the spear to open the door for us (in which case we won't get the spear, since we wouldn't need it).

In fact, not picking up the spear can be a potential Game Over.
Ah, I meant "what else is it used for" not "what is it used for." That's what I get for typing when half asleep. In retrospect I'm not sure why I just asked what happens if you try to use it on Icon/Aiken. Does he still get his healz, or can you throw it at him or something?
Nothing special happens. The spear has no magical properties when used in combat. In fact, the user takes a slight FP penalty in the first 3 rounds to get used to the balance of the spear.
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