[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 69 – Crystal of Storms

[deaddmwalking]

There's probably danger and damage everywhere so it may not matter where we go so I'd like to go Left.

I assume we can't use a Fire Oil if we're fighting in the Bathysphere? If we can I recommend we do against our next opponent.

[JourneymanN00b]

Fire Oil cannot be used while our hero is in the Bathysphere. Healing items, however, can be used to restore our hero’s Stamina as usual.

[Beroli]

Take the left fork. Can we feed crab meat to the Bathysphere? (Not serious.)

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered; leaving the passage and taking the left fork in the caves.

231
You make your way down the left-hand passage. Your senses are alerted when the little glowing fish around you all go into hiding at once. Then you see it. Staring at you through the gloom is the snake-like face of a huge Electric Eel, and it is clearly not happy about its peace being disturbed. You can see elemental energy rippling over its skin. It swims closer to you, sizing you up and deciding whether you are worth the trouble.
     If you want to engage the Electric Eel in combat, turn to 41. If you’re rather not fight the monster fish, turn to 333.

Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PDT or a choice receives 3 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

[Thaluikhain]

Don't fight it, it's not attacking us, and we'd likely die.

[deaddmwalking]

I would prefer not to fight. If we end up in combat, recommend testing luck to reduce damage whenever we get hit.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered; not fighting the monster fish.

333
You don’t want to take any unnecessary risks with the Barnacle. Keeping one eye on the creature, you carefully reverse out of the passage.
     To take the right fork, if you haven’t already, turn to 101. To head for the large dim shape, turn to 191.

Icarus Morningstar has already taken the right fork, so he will head for the large dim shape.

191
You direct the Barnacle towards the dim shape in the distance. As you get closer the shape gets bigger, and you can make out a familiar fortification. To your horror you realize that you’re looking at the Nimbus Citadel. It looks so strange to see it underwater with fish gliding through its gardens. You hope that maybe there are people still alive down there, maybe trapped inside, in no doubt rapidly diminishing air pockets.
     A strange object catches your eye. You move closer and realize it’s a large air bubble with a figure inside, which barely seems credible.
     If you have the codeword Bubble on your Adventure Sheet, you can turn to 112. If you want to investigate the bubble, and don’t have the codeword, turn to 27. If you want to ignore the bubble entirely and get closer to Nimbus, turn to 3.



Icarus Morningstar has the codeword Bubble on his Adventure Sheet. Please make your votes before 7:00 PM PDT or a choice receives 3 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

[deaddmwalking]

We have the codeword. That seems like a good thing. I vote we turn to page 112.

[Beroli]

Investigate.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered; heading to the bubble with the Bubble codeword.

112
You move your bathysphere closer to the bubble and see that Methedus is inside it.
     “Ah, you’re still alive!” he grins. You realize that Matix’s amplification device is allowing you to hear him perfectly, even inside the bathysphere.
     “I hoped you would be. I came to give you this. I thought it might come in handy.”
     Methedus waves his hands and creates a small bubble in which floats a Potion of Power. He pushes the little bubble through the walls of his own and floats it across to the Barnacle, where you can acquire it.
     (Add the Potion of Power to your Adventure Sheet. This will increase your Attack Strength by 2 points for the duration of one fight only and restore 3 STAMINA points.)
     “The Stormborn ward is still active around Nimbus. And until it is lifted, none of us can help the island. It’s up to you now, Officer.”
     With that, Methedus and his bubble float back to the surface. Turn to 3.



3
You glide the Barnacle down to the outskirts of Nimbus. The flowers and gardens look like exotic coral reefs. As you are trying to remember how to get to the main entrance of the Citadel, you spot another brass sphere. It’s another bathysphere, only this one is stuck in the trees and has a great gash in its side. It must be the Barracuda, the sphere that never returned when Nimbus crashed.
     If you want to investigate the other bathysphere, turn to 393. If you want to continue to the Citadel, turn to 290.

Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PDT or a choice receives 3 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet
Icarus Morningstar
SKILL: 11 INITIAL SKILL: 12
Bathysphere SKILL: 11
STAMINA: 15 INITIAL STAMINA: 20
Bathysphere STAMINA: 4
LUCK: 12 INITIAL LUCK: 12
ITEMS:
Clothes
Backpack
Lantern
Hovers
Healing Potion (+4 STAMINA)
Calming Potion
Coin Bag
Methedus’s Shard
Aeronaut’s Helmet (+1 SKILL, can go above Initial level, -1 damage taken on a roll of 5 or 6)
Hand Axe
Incus Ledger Page
2 Fire Oils (3 STAMINA damage to opponent if used at start of battle)
Corrosive Grapes
Strange Brass Rod
Silver Goblet
Potion of Power (+2 Attack Strength for one combat, +3 STAMINA)
GOLD: 13
PROVISONS:
Fresh Calamari (+3 STAMINA)
Dried Fish (+2 STAMINA)
Dried Cuttlefish (+2 STAMINA)
Cabbage Leaf (+2 STAMINA)
WEAPONS:
Short Sword
Ornate Dagger (+1 Attack Strength)
War-Hammer (-1 Attack Strength, +1 Damage)
Crab Pincer (-1 Attack Strength, +1 Damage)
CODEWORDS:
Hazi
Bubble
HOME ISLAND: Cumulus
RESURRECTION USED: No

[Thaluikhain]

Investigate random thingies.

[deaddmwalking]

Agree. Investigate the other bathysphere.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes recognized; investigating the other bathysphere.

393
You draw close to the Barracuda. The gash in its side is sizeable and it makes you remember just how vulnerable you are in your little spherical craft. You get a shock when a dead, bloated face floats into view, half eaten by crabs. It’s the Barracuda’s former pilot. Horrified, you knock the crabs off the body with the Barnacle’s pincers. You’re sure they’ll probably return, but you can’t watch them eating the poor man’s flesh.
     You spot some waterproof firesticks and a Greater Healing Potion floating in the wreckage and manage to gather them with your suction pipe. (Add them to your Adventure Sheet. The potion will restore up to 5 STAMINA points when drunk.)
     Now there’s nothing for it but to make your way to the Citadel. Turn to 290.



290

“I’ll crack open that brass bubble and have squishy hooman for lunch”

You navigate to the main Citadel door. You’re just gliding the bathysphere up the steps when you feel vibrations so strong that they push you back down. As you try to approach again, you see two large green legs like tree trunks come into view. You look up and see a grumpy-looking sea giant who plops himself down in front of the Citadel door, barring your way.
     It could’ve been a lot worse. Sea Giants have had a largely neutral relationship with the Pangarians for many generations. They’ve even been known to trade with the fishermen. Still, they can be unpredictable and aggressive, so you approach with care.
     “Was it you wot woke me with yer crashin’ about?” he bellows when he sees you. “I is having a nice dream, when BOOM a dead Great White Squark hits me inna face. And I fink yous and yer little brass ball knows all about dis!”
     You apologize to the Sea Giant.
     “Course, den I has breakfast in bed,” he says with a laugh that nearly knocks the Barnacle over. “But now I is peckish again.” He stretches out his arms and flexes his muscles, which are the size of barrels. “Or maybes I needs a good wrestle with somefink. Or maybes I need food, ana wrestle. Yeah dat’s it! You, me an’ your little ball thingie, let’s go!”
     You tell him that normally you’d love to wrestle, but you need to get into the Citadel urgently.
     “And Tideus needs to wrestle urgently! Tell you wot, if we wrestle and yous win, I’ll owe yous a favour. If yous lose, I’ll crack open that brass bubble and have squishy hooman for lunch! But maybe if yous gotta snack for Tideus, Tideus go a little easier on yous.”
     The Sea Giant requires 4 STAMINA points’ worth of food. If you have it and want to give it to him, turn to 166. If you don’t have food or don’t want to share it with the Giant, turn to 244.

Icarus Morningstar does have that much food. Please make your votes on whether to give it to the Sea Giant or not, and if so, which items to feed him with before 7:00 PM PDT or a choice receives 3 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet
Icarus Morningstar
SKILL: 11 INITIAL SKILL: 12
Bathysphere SKILL: 11
STAMINA: 15 INITIAL STAMINA: 20
Bathysphere STAMINA: 4
LUCK: 12 INITIAL LUCK: 12
ITEMS:
Clothes
Backpack
Lantern
Hovers
Healing Potion (+4 STAMINA)
Calming Potion
Coin Bag
Methedus’s Shard
Aeronaut’s Helmet (+1 SKILL, can go above Initial level, -1 damage taken on a roll of 5 or 6)
Hand Axe
Incus Ledger Page
2 Fire Oils (3 STAMINA damage to opponent if used at start of battle)
Corrosive Grapes
Strange Brass Rod
Silver Goblet
Potion of Power (+2 Attack Strength for one combat, +3 STAMINA)
Waterproof Firesticks
Greater Healing Potion (+5 STAMINA)
GOLD: 13
PROVISONS:
Fresh Calamari (+3 STAMINA)
Dried Fish (+2 STAMINA)
Dried Cuttlefish (+2 STAMINA)
Cabbage Leaf (+2 STAMINA)
WEAPONS:
Short Sword
Ornate Dagger (+1 Attack Strength)
War-Hammer (-1 Attack Strength, +1 Damage)
Crab Pincer (-1 Attack Strength, +1 Damage)
CODEWORDS:
Hazi
Bubble
HOME ISLAND: Cumulus
RESURRECTION USED: No

[deaddmwalking]

Definitely prefer to pay him off with food. No need to give more than necessary. Recommend we give the Dried Cuttlefish and the Dried Fish. I don't think we'll need to repair another balloon, but if for some reason we end up back there without the silk, might as well save it.

[Beroli]

Give him the Dried Cuttlefish and the Dried Fish, and hope this doesn't result in "having eaten, he fights you with improved stats."

[deaddmwalking]

Well if we fight anyone stronger than us, I vote we use the Potion of Power. But hoping it doesn't come to that.

[Beroli]

Unfortunately, I doubt the Potion of Power will improve the bathysphere's stats any.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered; giving the Sea Giant the dried fish and the dried cuttlefish.

166
(You give Tideus 4 STAMINA points’ worth of food. Cross this off your Adventure Sheet.) The giant wolf the food down in one gulp, slaps his hands together and prepares to wrestle you.

TIDEUS     SKILL 9     STAMINA 18

As Tideus is a little more satisfied, he will give up when you reduce his STAMINA score to 10 STAMINA points or fewer. When this happens, turn to 267 at once.

As a reminder, the bathysphere currently has 4 STAMINA. Should Luck be used for this fight? If so, should it be used to reduce damage or to inflict additional damage? The first choice to receive 2 votes will be used to resolve this fight. If no option has this many votes before 9:00 AM PDT, I will make the choice based on the replies.

Adventure Sheet
Icarus Morningstar
SKILL: 11 INITIAL SKILL: 12
Bathysphere SKILL: 11
STAMINA: 15 INITIAL STAMINA: 20
Bathysphere STAMINA: 4
LUCK: 12 INITIAL LUCK: 12
ITEMS:
Clothes
Backpack
Lantern
Hovers
Healing Potion (+4 STAMINA)
Calming Potion
Coin Bag
Methedus’s Shard
Aeronaut’s Helmet (+1 SKILL, can go above Initial level, -1 damage taken on a roll of 5 or 6)
Hand Axe
Incus Ledger Page
2 Fire Oils (3 STAMINA damage to opponent if used at start of battle)
Corrosive Grapes
Strange Brass Rod
Silver Goblet
Potion of Power (+2 Attack Strength for one combat, +3 STAMINA)
Waterproof Firesticks
Greater Healing Potion (+5 STAMINA)
GOLD: 13
PROVISONS:
Fresh Calamari (+3 STAMINA)
Cabbage Leaf (+2 STAMINA)
WEAPONS:
Short Sword
Ornate Dagger (+1 Attack Strength)
War-Hammer (-1 Attack Strength, +1 Damage)
Crab Pincer (-1 Attack Strength, +1 Damage)
CODEWORDS:
Hazi
Bubble
HOME ISLAND: Cumulus
RESURRECTION USED: No

[deaddmwalking]

What is our skill with the Bathysphere currently?

Without testing our luck we need to win 4 times to reduce to 10 stamina; if we successfully test our luck each time we need to win 3 times (the 3rd time with a normal success).

From the description on page 1 of testing luck it appears we can do it after the success (or failure) of an attack. I recommend we use luck both to inflict extra damage (if we win a round) and use it to reduce damage if we lose up to 4 times. After we've burned 4 luck if the fight is still ongoing I'd like to see where we are - probably still want to burn luck to survive but we'd be in some desperate circumstances...

[JourneymanN00b]

The Bathysphere's Skill is currently 11.

Also, Icarus Morningstar would only need to win twice if he successfully tested his luck both times, since that would result in dealing exactly the 8 damage needed to proceed.

[Beroli]

Yes, use Luck until the fight is over, one way or another.

[deaddmwalking]

Agree, use luck until the fight is over.

[JourneymanN00b]

Thank you for voting. Luck will be used to inflict extra damage and to reduce damage taken.

The fight:
Round 1: Tideus Attack Strength: 14, Bathysphere Attack Strength: 21
Luck Roll: 7, Player is Lucky and deals 2 extra Stamina damage
Tideus Stamina: 14, Bathysphere Stamina: 4, Player Luck: 11
Round 2: Tideus Attack Strength: 18, Bathysphere Attack Strength: 17
Luck Roll: 11, Player is Lucky and Bathysphere only receives 1 Stamina damage
Tideus Stamina: 14, Bathysphere Stamina: 3, Player Luck: 10
Round 3: Tideus Attack Strength: 21, Bathysphere Attack Strength: 18
Luck Roll: 7, Player is Lucky and Bathysphere only receives 1 Stamina damage
Tideus Stamina: 14, Bathysphere Stamina: 2, Player Luck: 9
Round 4: Tideus Attack Strength: 14, Bathysphere Attack Strength: 14
Tideus Stamina: 14, Bathysphere Stamina: 2
Round 5: Tideus Attack Strength: 13, Bathysphere Attack Strength: 18
Luck Roll: 6, Player is Lucky and deals 2 extra Stamina damage
Tideus Stamina: 10, Bathysphere Stamina: 2, Player Luck: 8

Tideus and Icarus Morningstar each deal 2 blows, but thanks to Icarus Morningstar getting Lucky all four times that he tested his Luck, he manages to get Tideus’ Stamina to 10.

267
“OK, OK, yous got me,” says Tideus, holding up his hands. “I owes yous an’ yer little ball fingy one favour.”
     He hands you a conch shell, which you seize with one of the bathysphere’s mechanical claws. “Blows on dis when yous needs Tideus.”
     (Add the Conch to your Equipment List.)
     The Sea Giant then opens the Citadel door and gestures for you to enter.
     “I is gonna take a nap an’ be nice an’ ready fors my next fight!”
     He plonks himself down next to the door and soon starts snoring loudly. It sounds like a cross between whale song and a localized underwater explosion. In between being buffeted about by the currents produced by his snores, you manage to enter the Citadel. Turn to 377.



377
You guide the Barnacle down the flooded main corridor. Every now and then you see bodies float past. You can’t let yourself look in case you recognize anyone; that would be too much to handle right now and you have a job to do.
     The water level starts to drop, and you realize you’re entering a large air bubble. The Barnacle floats halfway out of the water for a little while before you enter an antechamber and see more steps and a fully flooded tunnel to your right.
     To pull the Barnacle up next to the steps, turn to 252. To explore the flooded right-hand corridor, turn to 344.

Please make your votes before 7:00 PM PDT or a choice receives 3 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet
Icarus Morningstar
SKILL: 11 INITIAL SKILL: 12
Bathysphere SKILL: 11
STAMINA: 15 INITIAL STAMINA: 20
Bathysphere STAMINA: 2
LUCK: 8 INITIAL LUCK: 12
ITEMS:
Clothes
Backpack
Lantern
Hovers
Healing Potion (+4 STAMINA)
Calming Potion
Coin Bag
Methedus’s Shard
Aeronaut’s Helmet (+1 SKILL, can go above Initial level, -1 damage taken on a roll of 5 or 6)
Hand Axe
Incus Ledger Page
2 Fire Oils (3 STAMINA damage to opponent if used at start of battle)
Corrosive Grapes
Strange Brass Rod
Silver Goblet
Potion of Power (+2 Attack Strength for one combat, +3 STAMINA)
Waterproof Firesticks
Greater Healing Potion (+5 STAMINA)
Conch
GOLD: 13
PROVISONS:
Fresh Calamari (+3 STAMINA)
Cabbage Leaf (+2 STAMINA)
WEAPONS:
Short Sword
Ornate Dagger (+1 Attack Strength)
War-Hammer (-1 Attack Strength, +1 Damage)
Crab Pincer (-1 Attack Strength, +1 Damage)
CODEWORDS:
Hazi
Bubble
HOME ISLAND: Cumulus
RESURRECTION USED: No

[Thaluikhain]

Up next to the steps, we should advise more bathysphere fights, but in an air environment we should be ok.

[deaddmwalking]

Agree, hoping going up the steps means we get to abandon our extremely vulnerable Bathysphere.