[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 42: Black Vein Prophecy

[Beroli]

You call the sacred word from your memory and repeat it aloud. As the last syllable leaves your tongue, you feel a ball of energy blossom in your chest. It spreads to your arms and then to your fingers, finally collecting itself into a ball of energy, which you fling into the pool. The water locks solid, trapping the bathers and giving you a few seconds to dash for the exit.

You dash through the tavern's exit and out into the village square, grabbing some filthy clothes are you go (note this on your Adventure Sheet). Pulling on the robes, you feel a hard object in one of the pockets. It proves to be a short length of cord with several holes drilled in it, and a length of cord attached; make a note that you have a Chang whistle. In the square you notice a large black carriage parked near the storehouse. Two antlered beasts are yoked to it, and the driver is asleep on the roof, oblivious to the din coming from the tavern.

Avoid the battle-wagon and head quickly out of the village?
Approach it cautiously?

[spoiler=Adventure Sheet]
Name: ????????
Skill: 10/10
Stamina: 18/19
Luck: 7/7

Greatsword
Jeweled dagger
Haversack
Provisions: 5
Brooch with Izkhao
Filthy clothes
Chang whistle
[/spoiler]

[Thaluikhain]

Huh, we don't go with the guy we rescued?

To the weird wagon.

[SGamerz]

Huh, we don't go with the guy we rescued?

I'm not sure he needed to be rescued. Guy seemed like he can take care of himself.

Approach the wagon.

[Queen of Swords]

Yes, go to the wagon.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Go to the wagon.

[Beroli]

Huge and intimidating, the wagon looms above you. Strange runes and emblems have been scratched into every inch of its black surface. As you approach,the driver wakes up. He scrambles down from his seat and adjusts his tatty uniform hurriedly. He seems terrified by your presence and avoids looking you in the eye as he fumbles open the carriage door. Out of the inner darkness steps a tall, dark-clad figure.

The figure that steps from the carriage is dressed in military robes of deepest vermilion. He tums to his driver and snaps, 'Fool! Why do you wake me? Do you think I would wish to speak to this filthy peasant?' The driver cowers away from his master, stammering and pointing at you. The soldier turns to you and shouts, 'Be off before I take my sword to yo--' He gasps and bows. 'Forgive me, Your Highness...Commander Tamroth at your service...I had no idea that you had left Traole so soon. Were you captured? Where are your guardsmen?'

You must think quickly.

Bluff him?
Tell him he's mistaken you for someone else?

[spoiler=Adventure Sheet]
Name: ????????
Skill: 10/10
Stamina: 18/19
Luck: 7/7

Greatsword
Jeweled dagger
Haversack
Provisions: 5
Brooch with Izkhao
Filthy clothes
Chang whistle
[/spoiler]

[Thaluikhain]

Bluff.

And, it seems we were on Team Evil, or at least Team Dodgy, before losing our memories.

[Queen of Swords]

Yes, bluff him.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to bluff him.

[Beroli]

You explain how bandits attacked your party on the outskirts of the village. The commander looks sceptical. 'Bandits wiped out a whole company? It hardly seems possible!' Angrily, you ask why he should question your word. 'Forgive me, Master. I had no idea the locals were against us. They seemed greedy for your gold and easy to recruit. How wrong I was, Your Highness. Let us leave this place with haste.'

Inside the plush carriage, Tamroth continues to ask questions about the bandits. You evade them skilfully, until finally he gives up his examination. He pulls out a roll of maps from a compartment and spreads one on the carriage floor. 'Here is the battle-plan you requested.' He pauses. Pointing to a spot on a range of mountains, he then asks, 'Should we relocate Baelmark's troops further north, or leave them where they are?'

Continue the bluff?
Attempt to escape?

[spoiler=Adventure Sheet]
Name: ????????
Skill: 10/10
Stamina: 18/19
Luck: 7/7

Greatsword
Jeweled dagger
Haversack
Provisions: 5
Brooch with Izkhao
Filthy clothes
Chang whistle
[/spoiler]

[angelfromanotherpin]

I am certain that we have been sussed out and this is a trick question. Escape!

[Queen of Swords]

I am certain that we have been sussed out and this is a trick question. Escape!

Agreed, the guy seems suspicious of us and we have no idea what the right answer might be, so GTFO.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to attempt to escape, as it is obvious that we cannot hold this ruse for much longer.

[Beroli]

Grabbing Tamroth's hood, you pull it over his eyes, kick him into the corner of the carriage, and fling open the door. You snatch up the map and leap out, landing heavily (deduct 2 points from your STAMINA). Thick bushes grow by the roadside, and you tumble into one of them. By the time the driver has fought the carriage to a halt, you have made good your escape. Once again you are on the road, travelling alone.

You come to the edge of a cliff and peer down into a green gorge, its far depths delicately veiled by rising vapour. Someway along the cliff you can see people lowering themselves down the cliff face on ropes.

Investigate them?
Ignore them and continue along your way?

(It was, indeed, a test, and the only "correct" answer to what he'd asked--which you had no way of knowing--was something like, "Troops commanded by my horse? Have you hit your head?")

[spoiler=Adventure Sheet]
Name: ????????
Skill: 10/10
Stamina: 16/19
Luck: 7/7

Greatsword
Jeweled dagger
Haversack
Provisions: 5
Brooch with Izkhao
Filthy clothes
Chang whistle
His Highness ?????'s battle-plans
[/spoiler]

[Queen of Swords]

Hah. I'm glad we didn't fall for the trick.

Investigate the repelling rappelling people.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to investigate them.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Investigate.

[Beroli]

Hiding behind a rotten tree stump, you observe the figures. Two remain looking after the ropes. They appear to be wood folk or possibly outlaws, as their clothing is rough and they carry swords and other weapons. One of them glances in your direction, and you shrink closer to the tree. Looking inside the decaying hulk, you see a pool of darkness. A tunnel leads down! Unable to resist the temptation, you scramble inside the tree and slither down the narrow funnel. After several yards it widens out, and you can walk with ease.

A fluttering from up ahead is your only warning. You are enveloped in a veil of wings. The birds' flight forms patterns in the air, patterns which tease your memory. There was another spell you had learned, a calming spell of Harmony.

You step forward and the birds part before you, as if they sense your command of their power. Beyond them lies a chamber, roofless and open to the sky. The bandits stand here, blank-faced and unmoving. Another passage leads out of the cavern.

Kill the enchanted bandits?
Walk past them and leave?

[spoiler=Adventure Sheet]
Name: ????????
Skill: 10/10
Stamina: 16/19
Luck: 7/7

Greatsword
Jeweled dagger
Haversack
Provisions: 5
Brooch with Izkhao
Filthy clothes
Chang whistle
His Highness ?????'s battle-plans
[/spoiler]

[Queen of Swords]

Slaughtering people unable to fight back, even if they're bandits, doesn't appeal to me. Leave.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to walk past them and leave, as killing helpless bandits is not something that I would want to encourage.

[SGamerz]

Yeah, if they're enchanted and harmless, they're not worth our time. Walk past.

Besides, if the wizard who's doing this is also dangerous to us, we should let him spend more power holding these guys still so he can't attack us at full strength.

[Beroli]

The tunnel leads down for some way, twisting and turning. You cannot tell in which direction you are facing, but soon a glimpse of light ahead leads you to guess that you are approaching the cliff face. You enter a chamber, which is full of flickering candles. At the far end of the cavern, another short tunnel leads out to the sky, in which birds wheel and dive.

In the chamber stands an old man; he regards you with an intense gaze. 'Your name is Maior,' he says. 'I am Credas.' He gestures to you to find a place to sit on the floor. 'I can teach you to use the power you hold, if you are willing. But first we must think of something to do about those unwelcome intruders.' He leads you back down the tunnels to where the outlaws stand mesmerized. 'If we combine power we can send them out of here none the wiser,' Credas tells you.

Join in his enchantment?
Refuse?

[spoiler=Adventure Sheet]
Name: Maior?
Skill: 10/10
Stamina: 16/19
Luck: 7/7

Greatsword
Jeweled dagger
Haversack
Provisions: 5
Brooch with Izkhao
Filthy clothes
Chang whistle
His Highness ?????'s battle-plans
[/spoiler]

[SGamerz]

First time we meet someone who seems to know who we are, so we need to find out as much from him as we can. Join him.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to join in his enchantment, as we need Credas to teach Maior to use the power he holds.

[Queen of Swords]

Agreed, join him.