[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy #54 - Legend of Zagor!

[SGamerz]

Only one person voted for acid, so we'll hold on to that, and just spend our last Magic point on a Skill spell.

However, I realized that we're pretty weak at the moment, so I'm going pretend that we took one of our newfound meals and restored STAMINA to 10 before we entered this room (since we knew there'd be a fight it'd be a logical thing to do anyway).

COMBAT LOG:

Chaos Champion 12, Jallarial 22. CC is at 13.
CC 18, Jallarial 21. CC is at 11.
CC 13, Jallarial 23. CC is at 9.
CC 16, Jallarial 24. CC is at 7.
CC 13, Jallarial 21. CC is at 5.
CC 16, Jallarial 18. CC is at 3.
CC 15, Jallarial 17. CC is at 1.
CC 20, Jallarial 16. Jallarial is at 8. CC then rolls a 6 and goes into a Frenzy!
Jallarial rolls a 8 for damage and is killed! CC loses 3 STAMINA and collapses as well!

A Double-KO!

Damn! We almost flawlessed this one, but the Chaos Champion got in one blow and happened to get a Frenzy!

Some small comfort that at least the enemy went down with us. :/

What do we do here:

a) Re-roll the fight?
b) Pretend we used the acid and won before he could hit us?
c) Pretend we took some more healing before the fight and won (Frenzy would have killed him and ended the fight if we survived it)?
d) Re-roll the fight and also use the Invisibility option?
e) Other suggestions?

[Sirocco]

Man, how unlucky.

Me, I can get behind the excuse that "no opinion on the acid" can well mean "sure, go ahead and use it, I don't care", and rewind to the round before the last to use it. (I actually considered suggesting using it for what might be the killing blow if we had been lucky enough not to get hit by then.)

But yeah, I'm fine with a few seconds of rewinding. If anything, to save SG the trouble of rerolling.

[Omegonthesane]

You all saw that, we dropped acid when the Chaos Champion dropped to 3 HP.

[Darth Rabbitt]

The acid was my plan from the get go and I'm still for that.

[SlyJohnny]

^ Yup!

[SGamerz]

Rewind, and we used the acid. Jallarial survives the fight with 8 STAMINA remaining!

Now let's find that Orb!

To search behind the fireplace, you have to plunge your hands into the magical fire, and you must also Test your Skill. You lose 3 STAMINA points for the damage the fire causes you, and if you fail, you do not find the secret panel Dorrick told you of. You can try again, by Testing your Skill, as many times as you wish, but each time you will suffer damage from the magical fire. If you finally succeed, turn to 142. If you want to abandon your attempt to find the secret panel, turn to 36 to explore elsewhere.

So we'll be getting burnt at least once. At least this is not a combat, so we are free to heal ourselves back between attempts.

On first attempt, our STAMINA is down to 5....

Skill test roll = 8. Success!

You retrieve a very simple, sheer black orb, no bigger than a goose egg, from the small compartment behind the secret panel. The Orb of the Templar can be activated by a simple effort of will, at any time. When you use it, you can increase your Current SKILL (which may exceed your Initial SKILL, due to the power of this magic). In total, the Orb has enough magic for you to gain 3 extra, temporary SKILL points in this way (you can use these all at once or at different times). Each temporary increase in SKILL will last for the duration of one combat only, and it will also help if you have to Test your Skill during a lengthy combat. Gain 1 LUCK point for making this find. Now, you can search elsewhere in the west wing or make for the Bronze Stride.

Well, this will at least save us a few Skill spells for the next couple of major encounters.

And since we're low on STAMINA again, I'll have another meal here, in before we run into anymore combat like the last one......STAMINA up to 9!

We need to find the other set of keys, so we aren't leaving this wing yet.....so which door next?

The east doors?
The plain door to the north?
The north door with the shield on it?
The unmarked door to the south?
The south door with the crown on it?

Adventure Sheet:

Name: Jallarial
SKILL 11/11 (+1 from Ebony Wand)
STAMINA 9/23
LUCK 7/9
MAGIC: 0/9 (+2 from Ebony Wand)
Equipment: Staff, Leather Armor, Shield, Lantern, knife, rope, Iron rod (-1 to Die roll when opening doors via Skill Test), Potion of Invisibility (opponent -2 Attack Strength if drank before combat), Flask of Herbal Restorative/Liqueur (+4 STAMINA), Golden Talisman (x2), Silver Dagger (x8), Magical Oil of Enchantment (enchants non-magical weapons for one combat), Jailor Keys (70), Wand of the Hawk, Onyx Staff, Oatmeal x3 (counts as 1 meal each), Potion of Luck (restores 1-3 LUCK), Orc-slaying Sword, Plague Antidote, Bottle of Fluid from dragon egg, Dragonbone Keys (166), Orb of Power (adds up to 3 SKILL points for duration of one combat or Skill test, all 3 can be used at once all at different times)
Provisions: 3
Treasure: 4 GP
No. of Deaths: 2

Additional bonus from Wand of the Hawk: 1) +2 Attack Strength once Jallarial's entered Great Tower, 2) enchants weapons, 3) restore Magic OR STAMINA to full once

[Sirocco]

Let's try the marked door with the crown. Sounds like the thing a miniboss lieutenant of evil would hide behind.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Agreed, but we might want to use our wand to fill our MAGIC back up to full first. I could also see downing the other flask of +4 STAMINA.

[SlyJohnny]

Another meal, too, let's get our heal on.

[SGamerz]

We use up the re-energizer charge in our wand, swallow another meal and wash it down with our last flask of herbal liqueur, and enter the crowned door:

You open the door quietly and gaze into a majestic and beautiful chamber. A huge circular table dominates the room, with thrones seated all round it; there must be fifty or so. In the huge hole in the middle of the table is a crystalline dome from which a faint green flow emanates. There is a glowing image of some object or other inside that dome, but you cannot make out what it is from the doorway - not least because the twenty-metre long dozing reptile curled round the tabletop is between you and the dome! This must be a young Dragon, you guess, but any Dragon is a formidable enemy. On the other hand, it does have a pile of treasure clasped between its forepaws, and its scales look just a little out of condition. If you want to attack it, you have one free action (striking it with a weapon, attacking with a spell, shooting with a bow, etc.); subtract the damage you do from the STAMINA of the Dragon when you fight it, tum to 176 to fight. If you decide to leave well alone, turn to 36 to explore elsewhere.

Do we attack? What do we use our free action to do if we attack?

Adventure Sheet:

Name: Jallarial
SKILL 11/11 (+1 from Ebony Wand)
STAMINA 17/23
LUCK 7/9
MAGIC: 9/9 (+2 from Ebony Wand)
Equipment: Staff, Leather Armor, Shield, Lantern, knife, rope, Iron rod (-1 to Die roll when opening doors via Skill Test), Potion of Invisibility (opponent -2 Attack Strength if drank before combat), Golden Talisman (x2), Silver Dagger (x8), Magical Oil of Enchantment (enchants non-magical weapons for one combat), Jailor Keys (70), Wand of the Hawk, Onyx Staff, Oatmeal x3 (counts as 1 meal each), Potion of Luck (restores 1-3 LUCK), Orc-slaying Sword, Plague Antidote, Bottle of Fluid from dragon egg, Dragonbone Keys (166), Orb of Power (adds up to 3 SKILL points for duration of one combat or Skill test, all 3 can be used at once all at different times)
Provisions: 2
Treasure: 4 GP
No. of Deaths: 2

Additional bonus from Wand of the Hawk: 1) +2 Attack Strength once Jallarial's entered Great Tower, 2) enchants weapons, 3) restore Magic OR STAMINA to full once

[Sirocco]

Hah! I knew we should have saved the goo.

Spend one MP creating the potion of fire resistance, then drink it (I assume since it's dozing it won't attack if we don't). Then attack.

[Judging__Eagle]

I was getting memories of reading "Casket of Souls" while reading the start of this book; that book had some beautiful pieces of art in it.

Potion of Fire resistance seems wise.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Agreed.

[SGamerz]

The Dragon is young and its fire-breathing ability is not yet fully developed, but it is still dangerous. Each Attack Round, if the Dragon has the higher Attack Strength, you must roll one dice. If you roll 1-4, the Dragon claws and bites, and you must deduct 2 points from your STAMINA. If you roll 5 or 6, the Dragon breathes fire at you and you lose 4 STAMINA points!

YOUNG WAR DRAGON SKILL 10 STAMINA 16

If you win, there is an anguished roar from somewhere far, far off in the Great Tower as the Dragon falls at your feet. It sounds like the noise a very, very angry Dragon might make . . .Shivering a little, you gather up the Dragon's treasure hoard. You find 6 Gold Pieces, a small pile of tiny moonstone worth 10 Gold Pieces, a Magic Ring, and, in an ivory tube sealed with wax at both ends, a scroll containing the Skill Spell. If you want to take a close look at whatever it is that is glowing inside the crystal dome, turn to 338. If you would rather explore elsewhere in the west wing, turn to 36; if you want to return to the Bronze Stride, turn to 7.

Thanks to the Fire Resistance Potion, there's no need to roll for fire breath, since with the damage halved it does the damage as bites and claws. It's still going to be a tough fight, though, as its stats are almost our equal.

COMBAT LOG:

Young Dragon 16, Jallarial 18. YD is at 14.
YD 17, Jallarial 18. YD is at 12.
YD 18, Jallarial 15. Jallarial is at 15.
YD 19, Jallarial 21. YD is at 10.
YD 12, Jallarial 20. YD is at 8.
YD 17, Jallarial 20. YD is at 6.
YD 18, Jallarial 22. YD is at 4.
YD 14, Jallarial 15. YD is at 2.
YD 12, Jallarial 20. YD is at 0.

Thankfully, the dice gave us a break here, and we only got hit once! Nice turn of luck.

We grab the ring and promptly regain the Magic point that we just used to create the potion. We also stock up on gold (although I doubt they'd be much use by his point). All in all, this fight didn't seem worth the trouble so far.....although at least we didn't lose much from it.

Look at crystal dome or not?

[Sirocco]

Uh oh..... Ominous!

Yeah, loot the dome.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Dome.

[SlyJohnny]

It's all glory! Loot it.

[SGamerz]

The dim image of the Crown of Kings car be seen inside the dome. Long removed to Sanctuary, this magical treasure of Amarillia once cured and healed all who came to view it, and something of its curative power still remain. By resting here, you may regain 5 points of lost STAMINA and have any single form of plague cured (if you are suffering from any form of this malady). However, since only one person can benefit only once from the healing magic of the crown each week, you won't be able to return here as often as you please for repeated healing! Tum to 36 to explore elsewhere in the west wing, or tum to 7 if you want to return to the Bronze Stride.

We're now at 20 STAMINA!

Yes, there's a Crown of Kings in Amarillia too, but unlike the one in Titan it brings healing instead of wisdom. Sadly there's not much mention of it in the novel. In fact the only reference to it was the speculation that Anvar was originally looking for the Crown to cure his own affliction of transforming into a wolf (which turned out to be not an ailment at all, so it wouldn't have worked anyway). This was after the rest of the heroic party witnessed his transformation for the first time and the wolf had run off. (Anvar had kept the objective of his original quest secret from his companions so it was mainly their speculation, but they were probably right.)

Anyway, only one door left unexplored in this wing, so let's get to it:

There is the unmistakable stench of Hellhorn here. You're certain that there is a Hellhorn behind the door! Hellhorns are powerful enemies indeed; consider carefully whether you really want to enter here. If you do, turn to 223. If you would rather explore elsewhere, turn to 36.

Not much of a choice here. We still haven't found any keys in this wing, so even if we don't enter now we'd probably still have to come back later....

You have bearded the Hellhorn Champion in its lair! Among a pile of looted treasure befouled furnishings and decor and gnawing on an Orc leg, the thee-metre-tall Champion rises up on its massively muscled legs and cracks its whip angrily at your intrusion. Opening an enormous mouth filled with discoloured, yellowish teeth, the monster breathes a fetid cloud of filth as it prepares to assault you with a flurry of horn-butts and whip strikes. Unless you have taken Anti-venom, the poisonous breath of the Champion nauseates and sickens you, making you weak; you must subtract 1 from your Attack Strength for this combat. If you have an onyx staff, turn at once to 150.

HELLHORN CHAMPION SKILL 10 STAMINA 16

If the Hellhorn Champion hits you, you must roll one dice and consult the table below to see what damage it does to you:

Dice roll Effect
1 Glancing blow from whip: lose 1 STAMTNA point
2-3 Whip blow: lose 2 STAMINA points
4 Head-butt: lose 2 STAMINA points
5 Special whip blow: lose 2 STAMINA points and 1 SKILL point
6 Special head-butt: lose 2 STAMINA points, plus 2 extra STAMINA points from poisoned horns!

Any SKILL points you lose because of a special whip blow are only temporary and are regained when this combat ends. If you win, tum to 353.

We don't have aniti-venom, so the poison-breath makes this an even fight!....or rather, it would have been even if we didn't have an onyx staff!

The onyx staff has four symbols on it: Lion, chevron, goblet and star. If you have spent a Magic Point to activate the staff (or if you do so now), you may be able to use it to deal the Hellhorn Champion a mortal blow. If you know which symbol can defeat it, and if you have also found a heraldic design on a chest with that symbol on it, you know how many symbols were on that chest, and what colour they were. Convert the letters of the colour into numbers using the code A = 1, B = 2, C = 3, etc. Add the numbers together then multiply that total by the number of the symbols you found on the chest. (Thus, for example, if you think that the star defeats the Champion, and you had found five white stars inscribed on a chest, you would tum to paragraph 325: WHITE = 23 + 8 + 9 + 20 + 5 = 65, and you would multiply that by 5.) Turn to the paragraph you have calculated; if the name of the symbol isn't the second word you read in that paragraph, you are wrong and should return to paragraph 223 to continue fighting. You should also do this if you have the staff but do not know which symbol defeats the Champion.

Which symbol do we choose, and how many (if any) had we found?

[Sirocco]

The Hellhorn Champion falls to the chevrons in the white;

[...]you find that the heraldic symbol on the Tower Chest shows three blue chevrons on a white background[...]

So, (2 + 12 + 21 + 5) * 3 = 40 * 3 = 120

[SGamerz]

Flowing chevrons burst from the staff and fly as deadly magical arrowheads towards the Champion, impaling him on a string of magical barbs! He loses 8 STAMINA points! Return to 233 to continue the fight, amending the Champion's STAMINA score accordingly.

Now he's significantly weaker than us in terms of STAMINA.

Do we want to use anything else to make the fight easier?

[SlyJohnny]

Nah, that'll do it. Let's just beat him up now.

[Omegonthesane]

Considering the risk that he's going to reduce our Skill and thus turn the odds more firmly against us I would be inclined to pop a Skill spell just to be sure.

[Sirocco]

I think we're nearing the endgame, and the potion of Invisibility doesn't work against Zagor or any dragon, like it says on the tin. (Well, at least that's how the Neckerchief worked.) So quaff it and save the MP for later. I doubt we're going to run into anything nastier than this guy anyway.

[Omegonthesane]

Switching vote to potion.

[SGamerz]

We turn invisible, giving ourselves a +2 bonus before heading into the fight!

COMBAT LOG:

Hellhorn Champion 21, Jallarial 19. HC rolls 3 and hits us with a normal whip blow. Jallarial is at 18.
HC 16, Jallarial 21. HC is at 6.
HC 18, Jallarial 18. Tie.
HC 18, Jallarial 18. Tie. (yes, exact same AS as last round)
HC 17, Jallarial 20. HC is at 4.
HC 17, Jallarial 21. HC is at 2.
HC 16, Jallarial 21. HC is killed.

The potion did save us twice, so maybe it was worth it.

The Hellhorn Champion has 3 Gold Pieces, some minor looted items of gold and silver pendants and jewellery worth 10 Gold Pieces in all, and a Tower Chest! There is a bunch of Dragonbone keys here numbering 161 in total, though there is just one large master key. There is also a heavy stone hammer beside the chest which may be of use to you unless you are Sallazar. If you are Anvar or Braxus, this weapon will not give you any bonuses to your Attack Strength, but it does count as a magic weapon if you do not have one. If you are Stubble, this Stone hammer gives a bonus of 1 to your Attack Strength in all future combats, and against Zagor or any Dragon it adds 2 to your Attack Strength, so gain 1 LUCK point for recovering this! Now turn to 36 to explore elsewhere.

Ok, from the way the text puts it, I'm assuming that only Stubble gets the LUCK bonus. But at least we got the keys we were looking for. And a Tower Chest!

Luck Test to open chest = 8 (Unlucky), STAMINA down to 15 again.

We then roll a 6 and gets another Silver Dagger! Yaztromo must be real cheap, and is trying to save his gold. We're now at 2 Gold Talisman, 9 Silver Daggers!

Having fully explored this wing, we finally head back to the Bronze Stride.

We still have 2 more doors that we've yet to try. Which one shall it be?

The black and gold door?
The other door to the north?

Adventure Sheet:

Name: Jallarial
SKILL 11/11 (+1 from Ebony Wand)
STAMINA 15/23
LUCK 7/9
MAGIC: 9/9 (+2 from Ebony Wand)
Equipment: Staff, Leather Armor, Shield, Lantern, knife, rope, Iron rod (-1 to Die roll when opening doors via Skill Test), Golden Talisman (x2), Silver Dagger (x9), Magical Oil of Enchantment (enchants non-magical weapons for one combat), Jailor Keys (70), Wand of the Hawk, Onyx Staff, Oatmeal x3 (counts as 1 meal each), Potion of Luck (restores 1-3 LUCK), Orc-slaying Sword, Plague Antidote, Dragonbone Keys (277), Orb of Power (adds up to 3 SKILL points for duration of one combat or Skill test, all 3 can be used at once all at different times)
Provisions: 2
Treasure: 13 GP, Moonstones (worth 10 GP), Silver Pendants & jewellery (worth 10 GP)
No. of Deaths: 2

Additional bonus from Wand of the Hawk: 1) +2 Attack Strength once Jallarial's entered Great Tower, 2) enchants weapons, 3) restore Magic OR STAMINA to full once