[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 43 - The Keep of the Lich-Lord

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Sat Feb 07, 2015 1:34 pm

I'm tempted to ask again, since we don't really know anything about this Elixir.

Starmaker · Post by **Starmaker** » Sat Feb 07, 2015 3:15 pm

The elixir is probably a Luck Potion. We should use the ring anyway because the "Finger of Lhyss" might be a hidden reference and we don't get to blow the whistle without knowing the paragraph number.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Sat Feb 07, 2015 5:01 pm

Holding up the ring, you think of the general. Presently his grizzled face appears in your mind's eye. 'You wish to report?' he says, his voice a tickle in your brain. You tell him about recent events and ask what he knows of the Finger. 'Never heard of it,' he growls. 'Now get on with your mission and stop wasting my time - and, more importantly, stop using up the charges of the ring!' His face abruptly disappears from your mind. Remember to cross off one of the ring's charges on your Adventure Sheet. There is nothing more to be done, so you leave the temple.

Seems like the general is not interested in anything that's not directly related to the main quest.....

As you step through the doors of the Temple of Lhyss into bright sunshine, you suddenly feel a warm glow inside. Add 1 to your Initial and current LUCK. Smiling happily, you continue onward.

Moving on for now, but please shout out if any of you want to drink the Elixir (I'll be keeping it unless anyone objects).

Darkness falls. You make camp just off the road in readiness for any trouble. However, the night passes uneventfully and you get a good rest (restore 3 lost STAMINA points). The next day you leave the hills behind you, heading for the inn that is marked on your map.

It is late afternoon by the time you arrive at a three-way crossroads. An inn stands at the junction of the roads. As you near it, you see that it is called the Down Among the Dead Men - doubtless intended as a wry joke in times gone by, for the inn overlooks the cemetery. Nowadays, the name is a horrible irony, a constant reminder of the terrible events which have befallen the people of Staying. As you near the inn, you see a sign outside the cemetery: 'STAYNG CEMETERY' - but the word 'Staying' has been crossed out and 'Vampire' substituted in a barely legible scrawl. Graffiti have been daubed in a rust-coloured substance over the ceremonial granite portal of the cemetery. You can make out 'Bloodfang Rules OK' in another spidery scrawl. But for the lonesome cawing of some bird far overhead and the faint sounds of activity inside the inn, it is very quiet here. Untended fields of corn stretch out behind the inn and the sun beats down......

Consulting your map again, you now have a choice of routes: will you enter the inn first, or set off and follow the road south towards Shamdabag Wood and thence on to the village of Keladon, or take the road west towards Port Borgos?

And Dave Morris now takes his turn to plug his own Virtual Reality gamebook! Do we want to visit the inn and drink to the memories some guy named Long Dong Silver and his adventures on the high seas?

If not, which way do we go?

Adventure Sheet:

Name: Gonad the Penetrator
SKILL 9/9
STAMINA 12/18
LUCK 11/12
RESOLVE: 8 (9 for next test)
Equipment: Sharpened Sword (+1 damage), Leather Armor, Ring of Communing (1 charge remaining), Spear of Qadarnai (double-damage when fighting undead), Golden Whistle, Elixir of Lhyss.
Provisions: 8 Meals (+4 STAMINA)
Gold: 100
Codeword: PIRATE
Misc Notes: 'Blow the whistle at the Finger of Lhyss to win great power'

Shiritai · Post by **Shiritai** » Sun Feb 08, 2015 4:59 am

Head to the inn to get our fingers on the pulse of this place. If there's any bad blood here, we should get right to the heart of the matter.

...with a stake.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Sun Feb 08, 2015 9:32 am

You open the door and step intoa snug, well-lit and cosy room. Delicious smells of good cooking and fine ales waft into your nostrils - but the strongest smell is that of garlic, for the doors and windows are framed with wreaths oI garlic buds. Thereare about ten people in the room; each and everyone looks up in horior as you enter, but when they see you are not undead they appear to calm down. Nevertheless it is clear that a few swords have been loosened in their scabbards The innkeeper, a large, burly and red-faced man with a mighty beer-gut, waddles up to you, a manic grin fixed on his florid features 'Welcome, stranger, welcome,' he babbles, 'to the Dead Men Inn - or...ah...the Traveller's Respite, as I prefer to call it these days. Well, anyway, take a seat and I'll bring you ale and some stew. The beer's free - I'm tryingto get rid of it as I'll be making a run for it myself any day now. One Gold Piece buys you the meal and a room.' And with that, he bustles off.

You look around. In a comer a soldier, his uniform covered by an old jerkin, stares into a mug of ale. He has a dark, troubled look about him. Three farmers stare sullenly at you ftom another table. ln a darkened corner sits a cowled figure, clad in black robes. You cannot see the face or hands, but intuition tells you that this figure has a sinister aura about it. Finally, nearest to you sits a middle-aged merchant flanked by two hired bodyguards, northern barbarians by the look of them. The merchant - tall and surprisingly thin for one of his venal profession - beckons you over to join him.

The innkeeper returns with a mug of ale for you, and goes back to work behind the bar. Will you go and talk to the merchant or to the farmers, or will you try to pump the innkeeper for some useful information?

Free booze! An adventurer's heaven!

Who do we want to talk to first?

Shiritai · Post by **Shiritai** » Mon Feb 09, 2015 1:17 am

Talk to the merchant; maybe he can help us with our swollen sack problem.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Mon Feb 09, 2015 2:01 am

The innkeeper looks like he's plotting to kill us. I'm getting flashbacks to Khare.

Chat up the merchant.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Mon Feb 09, 2015 2:45 am

We approach the merchant with the intention of unloading the contents of our bulging sacks on him!

'Sit down, sit down,' says the merchant as you approach his table. 'I see you are an adventurer - have some items for sale that would be of interest to one such as you. I'm heading for Siltport as . . . ah. . . recent circumstances force me to flee Staying, and so I am able to offer my stock at remarkable cut-price rates.' Provided you have enough gold, you may buy whatever you wish from the merchant.

A Puffball (explodes when thrown) - 45 Gold Pieces
Two Potions of Healing (restores all lost STAMINA) - 30 Gold Pieces each
A Ring of Skill (adds 1 to SKILL) - 70 Gold pieces
A suit of fine armour (subtracts 1 from all damage you take) - 65 Gold Pieces

When you have concluded your dealings with the merchant you may talk to the innkeeper or to the farmers. If you have finished talking, turn to 273.

Now we know why the gold rewards have been so hefty in this book: the things here are bloody expensive.

Note that it doesn't say the Ring of Skill can raise our SKILL to above Initial Value, so the only reason to buy it would be if we want to be prepared for a future SKILL-loss penalty.

We're carrying 100 Gold Pieces.

1) What do we buy (if anything)?
2) Do we want to talk to anyone else?

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Mon Feb 09, 2015 2:52 am

I'm personally liking that suit of armor. Definitely buy that. Maybe buy a Healing Potion, too.

Shiritai · Post by **Shiritai** » Mon Feb 09, 2015 4:32 am

That armor looks fine indeed. Not sure if we'll need the healing potion; between our rations and that armor I would *think* we'd be set.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Mon Feb 09, 2015 4:41 am

You guys might want to vote on who else to talk to after we're done shopping.

Shiritai · Post by **Shiritai** » Tue Feb 10, 2015 1:22 am

Though I'm disappointed we can't talk to the sinister, faceless dude in the corner, let's chat up the farmers.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Tue Feb 10, 2015 1:22 am

Oh, talk to the farmers because I don't trust the innkeeper.

And I'll drop the vote for the potion.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Tue Feb 10, 2015 1:38 am

Not content with just a better penetrative instrument, Gonad takes extra measure to hamper the penetrative abilities of others (on himself) to ensure his top position as the greatest Penetrator in Titan!

We are left with 35 Gold Pieces after purchasing the armour.

You walk over and sit at the farmers' table. They welcome you grudgingly - and suspiciously. Will you ask them about the graffiti at the cemetery or about the black-robed figure who sits in the comer?

What do we ask the shit-covered farmers about?

Adventure Sheet:

Name: Gonad the Penetrator
SKILL 9/9
STAMINA 12/18
LUCK 11/12
RESOLVE: 8 (9 for next test)
Equipment: Sharpened Sword (+1 damage), Leather Armor, Ring of Communing (1 charge remaining), Spear of Qadarnai (double-damage when fighting undead), Golden Whistle, Elixir of Lhyss, Suit of Fine Armour (-1 to all damage taken)
Provisions: 8 Meals (+4 STAMINA)
Gold: 35
Codeword: PIRATE
Misc Notes: 'Blow the whistle at the Finger of Lhyss to win great power'

Shiritai · Post by **Shiritai** » Tue Feb 10, 2015 3:52 am

Aha! Ask about the obvious villain!

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Tue Feb 10, 2015 4:28 am

^This.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Tue Feb 10, 2015 4:39 am

'Don't know - never seen him before, says one.

'Probably one of them agents of that Mortis feller,' says another.

'Well, I certainly don't intend to find out,' says the third. Will you now ask about the graffiti at the cemetery, or have you asked all the questions you want for now?

Since there's no reason not to try and get extra exposition, I'll go ahead and ask the other question (picking that first closes off the option for asking about the mysterious robed guy, for some reason):

'Don't know anything 'bout that,' says one gruffly. The other two look scared when you mention it. Will you offer two pieces of gold for more information or go and talk to the innkeeper or to the merchant or, if you have done all the talking you wish to do, turn to 273?

Do we want to pay for more info?

And to save time, (since we seem to be given the option every turn) do you guys want to talk to the innkeeper after that?

Shiritai · Post by **Shiritai** » Wed Feb 11, 2015 12:13 am

Eh, it can't be that good if we have to pay. Talk to the innkeeper instead.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Wed Feb 11, 2015 12:23 am

You turn to the innkeeper behind the bar. He nods nervously at you. Will you ask him why all the entrances to the inn are surrounded with garlic or why he intends to 'make a run for it'?

What do we ask the innkeeper?

Shiritai · Post by **Shiritai** » Wed Feb 11, 2015 12:26 am

Ask him why he's shutting down this fine, atmospheric establishment.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Wed Feb 11, 2015 3:06 am

Sure, let's ask him about why he's running.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Wed Feb 11, 2015 4:47 am

'Hah,' he says, 'is that not obvious? The return of Mortis has ruined my trade! And the return of Lady Lotmora, his hellish consort .' He blanches at the very thought.

'Who is this lady?' you ask, but he just gives an inarticulate cry of terror and runs off to the kitchen. You may now talk to the farmers or to the merchant or, if you have finished talking, tum to 273.

Really not a bunch of talkative people in this place, are there? Still, one bit of interesting info.....apparently Mortis had a consort that appears to be even more scary to the locals here that the Lich Lord himself...

We've done all the talking....at least with those whom we're given the choice to talk to, for now....

Outside, as the sun sinks, darkness is creeping over the land like a fog. The patrons of the inn smile nervously and put on a false air of joviality. The innkeeper starts to fidget and fiddle with the garlic buds. The soldier looks up from his mug and nods at you in a comradely fashion - although something about his eyes disturbs you. Will you leave the inn now and carry on with your journey or decide to go up to your room and get some sleep?

Kind of weird that the text keeps bringing up the soldier and the robed guy but for some reason Gonad can't choose to talk to them.

Do we want to sleep in this place?

Shiritai · Post by **Shiritai** » Wed Feb 11, 2015 1:24 pm

Let's give 'em a day to warm up to us. Retire for the night.

SGamerz · Post by **SGamerz** » Wed Feb 11, 2015 1:51 pm

As you are walking past the table where the black-cowled figure sits, he grabs your wrist in a vice-like grip and leans forward as if to speak or to stab you. Just then, the soldier appears and pushes him to the floor. 'Get out,' he screams at the figure lying sprawled on the ground. The unknown gets up and slinks away without a sound, save for a light cough.

The soldier smiles then and motions to you to sit. 'You can't trust anyone in these parts - there are servants of Mortis everywhere,' he comments in a surprisingly cultured voice. 'Well met, my friend. My name is Kandogor, former soldier of Bloodrise Keep ' He unfastens his studded leather jerkin to display his uniform hidden underneath; its livery shows the falcon symbol of Castellan Braxis of Bloodrise Keep. 'I managed to escape when Mortis attacked and took the keep. He still holds Braxis prisoner for his own ends, but most of the soldiers were slain. Well, that is to say, slain for a spell - and then brought back. You know - as Zombies.' Kandogor looks you over and adds, 'I judge you to be no friend of Mortis - tell me who you are.'

Will you tell Kandogor the truth about your mission, or pass yourself off as an adventurer who made the mistake of coming to Staying at the wrong time and who now just seeks to get off it as soon as possible?

Well, we certainly don't have to wait a day for this guy to warm up to us.....but do we trust him?

Shiritai · Post by **Shiritai** » Thu Feb 12, 2015 3:08 pm

I may be reading too much into it, but that scene seems altogether too contrived. Has Evil discovered the good cop/bad cop routine? But if they have, then they already know who we are, so bluffing would be useless and it would be better to play along...

eh, I guess bluff and see what happens, though I was hoping someone else would have a better idea. So half a vote for passing.