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

[Beroli]

You are just able to squeeze past the door and enter a long, dark chamber. Resting in the centre of the room is a large stone sarcophagus, carved into the likeness of a bald man clad in fine robes. A stone table stands beside the tomb. Resting on the table is an ancient leather-bound tome.

Before you can investigate further, a spectral vision appears before you, wreathed in a supernatural green glow. You recognize the spirit as the man carved on the sarcophagus. But where the features of the carving are serene and benevolent, those of the ghost are twisted into a grimace of hatred and madness. The wicked spectre swoops down to attack with ethereal claws!

SPECTRE Skill 10 Stamina 7

You cannot hope to harm the spectre, as you do not have a magical weapon; you must flee. Take 2 damage and go back to the junction to explore the other route.

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

You have no knowledge that would be useful here; you decide to investigate the empty doorways.

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

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

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

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

THRANDEUS Skill 13 Stamina 18

You still have no magical weapon. Nor do you have any other means of affecting Thrandeus. And this time, you cannot retreat; your inevitable death quickly follows.

Alas, you were in a walking dead state from the moment you returned to your village without a certain item.

Rewinding...

[Beroli]

After selecting an item to set out with (a rope by default, but you can vote to change it to a torch or a javelin if you wish to), you decide to talk to your friend Paru first.

Although you are both the same age, Paru has yet to grow into the body of a man. His limbs are still thin and willowish, and his features have retained the softness of boyhood. He grins as he sees you approach.

‘There you are! I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Listen, I’m not cut out for this monster-slaying business. Why don’t we join forces? You can take whatever trophy we find; you’d make a better chieftain anyway! What do you say? Two hunters are better than one, old friend.’

Will you accept his offer or decline it?

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 15/15
Luck: 10/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, _________, _________, _________, _________
Companions: None
Trophies: None
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus

[Queen of Swords]

Accept his offer.

[Beroli]

Paru cannot hide his excitement as you agree to his proposal. ‘This is fantastic news! Let me grab my things.’ He returns a short time later, a carved bone bow slung across one skinny shoulder and a quiver of arrows strapped to his back.

Paru will be able to aid you in battle by firing arrows at your opponent from a distance. Each Attack Round, Test Paru's Skill of 7; if he succeeds your current target takes 2 damage.

Now will you:

Set off?
Talk to Wanushu, the tribe's greatest hunter?
Talk to Ogmil, Valgrek's apprentice?
Talk to Kuwi, a close friend?

Also feel free to vote "do everything the same as the first time until X."

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 15/15
Luck: 10/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, _________, _________, _________, _________
Companions: Paru (7 Skill, fires an arrow each Attack Round)
Trophies: None
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus

[Queen of Swords]

We get a torch from Wanushu, so let's talk to him.

[JourneymanN00b]

Sure, I vote to get the torch from Wanushu again.

[Thaluikhain]

That makes sense.

[Beroli]

You find Wanushu sharpening the edge of his huge metal axe, a wondrous weapon he acquired on one of his adventures in the World-Beyond-the-Plains. He acknowledges you with the slightest of nods. You ask him if he has any advice for you.

‘I would not tarry here much longer if I were you, young one. Each moment spent here is another moment wasted.’ The broad-shouldered warrior glances at your weapon and rucksack. ‘You travel lightly. Here, take this.’

Wanushu hands you a length of bone topped with flammable material and two stones of flint with which to ignite it. ‘I have no need of fire in the Cauldron.’ You shudder involuntarily at the mention of that cursed place, far to the south of the village. Wanushu grins. ‘I do not believe Valgrek’s ghost stories. Besides, if the legends do happen to be true, then that is where the greatest trophy will be found.’

With that he hefts his axe across his broad shoulders and sets off into the wilderness. You are now the only candidate remaining in Boneridge, but you can talk to a noncandidate if you wish:

Set out?
Talk to Ogmil, Valgrek's apprentice?
Talk to Kuwi, a close friend?

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 15/15
Luck: 10/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, Torch, _________, _________, _________
Companions: Paru (7 Skill, fires an arrow each Attack Round)
Trophies: None
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to set out west to see if taking an anti-fascist path will work this time.

[Queen of Swords]

Sure, let's try west.

[Beroli]

You walk to the outskirts of the village and decide on your first move. Boneridge sits roughly in the centre of the Plain of Bones. To the west, across the valley, thick grassland stretches almost all the way to the distant jungles of Silur Cha, empire of the Lizard Men. That way will take you near the territory of the Oldbones, your fierce enemies. The lands south of your village have long been off-limits due to the tales of demons and evil spirits that are said to lurk there. You dare not venture in that direction lest you lose your soul to some unholy fiend. To the east, the land dips gently down as it makes its way towards a distant range of hills. It is a barren, sparsely inhabited region that is seldom visited by your folk except when travelling to Courga Rock, a holy site. Finally, the lightly forested plains to the north are known as a prime grazing area for some of the larger plant-eating beasts.

You go west.

You strike out west from the village, following the steep, winding track that leads down into Boneridge Valley. It is here that your people tend to the herds of Boneridges that give the valley its name: four-legged, barrel-bodied beasts with a single horn sprouting from their snouts and bony frills around their necks. A few of the beasts stop their grazing for a moment and regard you with vague interest.

A short distance away you spot one of the adult Boneridges slumped on its side. The rest of the herd is giving it a wide berth; this troubles you, as these creatures are usually very attentive to other members of the herd when they are sick or injured.

Head over to investigate?
Keep heading for the opposite side of the valley?

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 15/15
Luck: 10/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, Torch, _________, _________, _________
Companions: Paru (7 Skill, fires an arrow each Attack Round)
Trophies: None
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus

[Queen of Swords]

Investigate.

[JourneymanN00b]

I also vote to investigate.

[Beroli]

As you get closer you notice the animal does not appear to be breathing. Perhaps it has died of natural causes? You are only a few strides away when a long tail bizarrely rises from the beast’s midsection! A triangular head quickly follows it, its narrow snout filled with curved, blade-like teeth. You quickly realize both parts belong to a Terrorclaw that had previously been hidden by the Boneridge’s bulk. It must have been feeding on the innards of the beast, but you have disturbed its feast and now it seeks livelier prey!

DEINONYCHUS Skill 7 Stamina 6

Every time the Terrorclaw wins an Attack Round, it has a 1 in 3 chance of doing 4 damage instead of 2.

George Attack Strength: 16, DEINONYCHUS Attack Strength: 12. Paru's arrow strikes true. DEINONYCHUS's Stamina is 2
George Attack Strength: 13, DEINONYCHUS Attack Strength: 19. George's Stamina is 11
George Attack Strength: 15, DEINONYCHUS Attack Strength: 14. DEINONYCHUS is dead.

The savage predator succumbs to your blow and does not rise again. You may hack off one of the creature’s hooked foot-claws as a trophy if you wish. A quick inspection of the fallen boneridge confirms that it is long-dead. The valley is impassable at the northern and southern ends and gated at the others, which means that the Terrorclaw must have broken in somehow. You resolve to keep your wits about you in case more of them have gotten inside.

You continue picking your way through the herd of Boneridges, making for the western side of the valley. Your thoughts turn to the quest before you, wondering what each of the other candidates have planned, and if the trophy you will eventually bring back to camp will be judged worthy enough. You are up against some experienced hunters, and in the end there can be only one victor...

You are so caught up in your thoughts that you fail to look where you are going and smack face-first into the leathery bulk of an adult Boneridge! The startled beast snorts in surprise and lumbers around to face you. It is a bull and, judging by its size and surly disposition, must be the leader of the herd. Stamping angrily at the ground, it lowers its massive head until its single horn is pointing directly at you. Then, with an earth-shaking bellow, the Boneridge charges! You have a split-second to decide which direction to flee in: north, or west!

Vote on whether to take the Sickle Claw, whether to eat before encountering the violent Boneridge, and which way to flee.

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 11/15
Luck: 10/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, Torch, _________, _________, _________
Companions: Paru (7 Skill, fires an arrow each Attack Round)
Trophies: None
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus

[Queen of Swords]

Take claw, eat meal, flee west.

[Thaluikhain]

Take claw, may as well go west, suggest not eating yet.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to take the foot-claw, eat a Meal, and go west to further George's crusade against fascism.

[Beroli]

Eating a Meal wins 2-1.

You flee towards the other end of Boneridge Valley, the thunderous beats of the bull’s charge threatening to knock you off balance with every step. The western gates – and safety – are still some distance away, but already you are tiring from your exertions. Do you have the endurance to outlast your opponent? Roll three dice and Test your Stamina; an 11 succeeds.

The Boneridge runs out of steam before you do; it breaks off its charge while you make good your escape.

You finally reach the western edge of the valley, which is normally secured with a large gate made of tusks and bones strapped together with leather bindings. The gate is shattered, however, as if something of immense size had barrelled straight through it. Dozens of Boneridges have already wandered out of the valley and onto the plains beyond. Of the gate guards there is no sign. You make a mental note to report the breach when you return to the village. For now, you leave the valley and make for the tall grasslands in the distance.

You know from past experience that to the northwest the grasslands eventually give way to the rocky steppes in which the degenerate Oldbone tribe dwells. To the west the tall grass continues nearly all the way to the far-off jungle.

Go northwest?
Go west?

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 15/15
Luck: 10/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, Torch, Sickle Claw, _________, _________, _________
Companions: Paru (7 Skill, fires an arrow each Attack Round)
Trophies: Sickle Claw
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus

[Queen of Swords]

Go west.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to go west to further stand against fascism.

[Beroli]

The sun begins its downward arc as you continue to trudge through the grasslands. At some point you will have to make camp for the night. The stillness of the afternoon is suddenly broken by the sound of a bowstring being loosed-–Test your Luck; a 4 succeeds and the arrow misses.

A bizarre creature bursts from out of the grass; it has the upper body of a man but the lower body of a lion. The FELINAUR looks surprised to see you, but its face is soon split by a cruel, sharp-toothed grin. ‘You’ll do,’ it snarls, and leaps at you, claws unsheathed!

FELINAUR Skill 8 Stamina 7

George Attack Strength: 18, FELINAUR Attack Strength: 13. Paru's arrow strikes true. FELINAUR's Stamina is 3
George Attack Strength: 23, FELINAUR Attack Strength: 13. FELINAUR's Stamina is 1
George Attack Strength: 18, FELINAUR Attack Strength: 12. Paru's arrow strikes true. FELINAUR is dead.

You hurriedly continue on your way-–Felinaurs rarely hunt alone.

The sun has almost vanished behind the towering grass when you start looking for a suitable place to make camp. As luck would have it, you come across a solitary baobab tree, marooned in a vast sea of grass. Its tall trunk should offer you protection from the majority of the plain’s nocturnal predators. You clamber up the thick trunk and settle in between the branches at the top.

You must now either eat one Meal (which will not heal you because you are at full Stamina) or make do with the leaves and fruit you find on the tree and take 2 damage from hunger.

Fortunately, the night passes without incident and you wake refreshed and ready to continue. You only have until nightfall to find a suitable trophy and return to Boneridge Village for the judging ceremony. The way west leads only to the jungle and a certain death.

Go northwest?
Go north?
Go south, deeper into the grasslands?

Also vote on whether to eat a Meal or make do with leaves and fruit.

Name: George
Sex: Male
Skill: 11/11
Stamina: 15/15
Luck: 9/10
Weapon: Dagger
Rucksack contents: Meal, Meal, Meal, Meal, Rope, Torch, Sickle Claw, _________, _________, _________
Companions: Paru (7 Skill, fires an arrow each Attack Round)
Trophies: Sickle Claw
Deaths: Mercilessly crushed by Thrandeus

[Queen of Swords]

Make do with leaves and fruit, and go deeper into the grasslands.

[JourneymanN00b]

Sure I vote to make do with leaves and fruit, but I vote to go northwest to keep pushing our hero left and away from fascism.

[Beroli]

West to northwest is right...

(If this does not cause JourneymanN00b to reverse position, I'll need a tiebreaker.)

[JourneymanN00b]

If there are no other votes, make mine a half one to resolve the tie.