[LP] Fighting Fantasy: Creature of Havoc

[Starmaker]

Enter the door, chat up Rosina, possibly have our future told [OP spoiler 6], hope the half-orc isn't on a quest to find a suitable sacrifice or anything like that.

Also, need I point out that we had initially missed the half-orc by going to the medicine-man to try to complete the quest?
The hell, book.

[angelfromanotherpin]

You enter the hut and find yourself in a room decorated with intricately woven cloths in rich colours, which hang from the walls and ceiling, making the room itself dark and mysterious. A long, thin stick smoulders in a brass pot which stands on a table at one end of the room and as it burns it gives off a heavy, perfumed smell. There is also a pack of cards on the table, next to a clear, glassy orb. You can see the hanging cloths behind the table rustling and a voice breaks the silence: 'Who calls on the powers of Rosina of Dree? Who wishes to know his destiny? Speak!' You wait and watch as an old woman, plump and stooped, shuffles out from behind the curtain into the room. She is dressed in brightly coloured robes and she sits down behind the table. She squints as she tries to focus on you.

'Far from your home you have come to speak with Rosina,' she smiles. 'And much further have you yet to travel. Now you have found me, I may guide you to fulfilling your destiny. But will you pay my price?' She will read your fortune, but only if you have money to pay with. She will charge 2 gold pieces.

• If you have the money... √
• Fight the woman?
• Leave?

'Thank you,' she smiles, depositing the coins deep in the folds of her clothing. 'Now we may see what fate has in store for you. I will shuffle the Pack of Fate and you must tell me when to stop.' She picks up the cards and begins to shuffle them slowly, staring deep into your eyes as she does so. You grunt when you want her to stop. She then starts turning cards over.

The first card is black, with the symbol of a question mark delicately drawn in its centre. 'Ah, the mystery card.' Rosina smiles. 'All is not as it seems. There are many things about you, your past and your destiny that are unclear, even to you.' She turns over another card. Again it is black, but this one has a small yellow sun symbol in the centre. 'Hmm, yes... Light in the darkness.' She is becoming engrossed in the cards. 'This is good. Your destiny may be attained. But fate will not be kind to you. It may not be easy.' The next card shows a young pregnant woman in a coffin, and the next shows a cloak and wand. 'A mother deceased! And the mystic arts! Then surely must your birth have been one not of nature but of sorcery. I must concentrate...' She turns over another card and this one shows a man lying on a cloud, pointing into the distance. The next shows a man with two heads, looking in different directions. 'The geas! A mission to be fulfilled. You have been sent. But I see also confusion. I must look further.'

She leaves the cards and moves her crystal ball into the centre of the table. As she concentrates on it, the glass begins to turn cloudy. An inner light shines from the ball and lights up Rosina's eyes. 'Sisters...!' she speaks. 'Sisters of Dree! So it is you who have set this task! But this creature knows not of Sculliweed or the dangers of... I see. But I may shorten the search. My aid shall help fulfil its destiny.' The light in the glass fades and she turns to you. 'You have been set an unfair task,' she says. 'For the blue-stemmed Sculliweed grows only in the Swamps of the Toadmen on the southern shores of the Deedlewater. But even one such as you may not survive alone in these swamps. Without help you will surely die. I can offer you some help. Take the rope that hangs over there: it may prove useful. And may fortune sit astride your shoulders!' You take the coil of rope, sling it around your neck and over your shoulder and turn back to Rosina. But she has left the room. You may add 2 LUCK points for the information. You leave her hut and pause to consider what she has told you, then set off back towards the crossroads.

You head off back towards the crossroads and turn this time to the north.

You follow the trail northwards. By now it is becoming quite dark. The setting sun gives way to a bright moon which is almost full. Eventually you decide to rest for the night, and you settle down to sleep behind a large boulder. The night passes peacefully and you may gain 4 STAMINA points for the rest. The next morning you continue northwards until you reach a fork in the path. A signpost stands by the side of the road. The way to the south is signposted to Dree**. To the north-west the signpost reads 'Coven' and to the north-east it reads 'Bu Fon Fen'.

• Follow the trail to the north-west?
• Or the north-east?

SKILL: 10
STAMINA: 17
LUCK: 11

marked piece of hide
crystal club
message for legionnaire 29

[Starmaker]

It looks like someone fucked with the sign. Northwest.

[Darth Rabbitt]

It looks like someone fucked with the sign. Northwest.

This.

[angelfromanotherpin]

As you follow the trail, the vegetation changes. The flat grassland begins to be replaced by taller reeds. The going underfoot becomes muddier, until eventually you reach an area where bulrushes tower over your head.

• Continue into the rushes?*
• Head back to the junction and take the north-east trail instead?

The asterisk is not in the original text, I'm using it as a marker to designate a choice that leads to a reference that ends in a 7 and will therefore result in Grog-related shenanigans. In any case, it's my assumption that no one will want to turn back.

A trail has been cut through the bulrushes. Your heavy feet splash along the marshy trail until you reach a clearing. The going seems a little more solid and you can see footprints – not human footprints but the large webbed footprints of some unknown creature. From the clearing there are two ways on

• One to the north.
• And one to the north-east.

(Reference ends in 7)

'Wait!' cries Grog as you start across the clearing. 'Look at this. Notice how all the footprints avoid the centre of the clearing? Perhaps it is unsafe. I suggest we keep to the outside.' You follow him round the edge of the clearing, towards the trail you have chosen. Have you chosen:

• The trail to the north?*
• The trail to the north-east?

[Darth Rabbitt]

Well, we definitely want to go into Toad-Men territory (who I am assuming are the ones who left the webbed footprints) so we can get our Sculliweed and finish our quest. And in the absence of any other factors, I assume we take any choices that lead to Grog-related shenanigans, since again he probably has an expiration date and we want to squeeze as much use out of the bastard as possible. So North.

EDIT: clarified post a bit.

[Starmaker]

*

[angelfromanotherpin]

You follow the trail as it winds through the reeds. More than once a slippery Swampsnake slithers across your path, but thankfully they have no interest in you. Several types of croaking noises can be heard, but the one that worries you the most is a loud, booming croak which sounds more like a throaty belch. This particular sound is regular, and similar croaks seem to echo it from various parts of the marsh. Ahead of you, the trail is opening up as it reaches a river-bank, where a wealth of colourful plants line the river. But as you stand and watch the river flowing past, you notice a pair of eyes in the reeds! Two large bulbous eyes blink slowly as you stare at them. When the owner of the eyes realizes you have seen him, he turns and you can see a bulky, rough-skinned shape – rather like a huge stone – shuffle off noisily into the reeds.

• Follow this creature?
• Investigate the plants by the side of the river?
• Leave as quickly as possible?

(Reference ends in a 7)

'You can go after that thing, whatever it was, if you like,' says Grog, looking quite worried. 'But I'd just like to get out of here safely.'

[Darth Rabbitt]

Investigate the plants.

[Starmaker]

Investigate the plants.

[angelfromanotherpin]

The riverside is a place of great natural beauty. At least, it seems to be natural, but there is always the possibility that someone has planted the colourful plants in their beds along the banks of the river. A tall green-stemmed reed is topped with coiled trumpets of purple flowers which hang down facing the river. These flowers are so beautiful that they have a hypnotic effect on the fish of the river, which are attracted to the water beneath the reeds and can be seen swimming beneath them. Another blue-stemmed plant has no flowers but its glistening colour is quite remarkable and it has a strong herbal odour. Yet another plant has leaves which are perfect circles, red in colour. As you watch, one of the leaves drops into the river. The leaf seems to have some purifying effect: as soon as it touches the water, all cloudiness is gone from the area around the leaf; the water becomes crystal-clear until disturbed by the flow of the current. Another plant, out of reach in the water, has delicate flowers of silver. As the wind blows, the flowers whistle and tinkle together with an eerie, calming sound which makes you feel quite relaxed. You may, if you wish, gather a few of one of these types of plant before you leave.

• The one with purple flowers?
• The one with a blue stem?
• The one with red leaves?

First, gathering plants does not actually appear to be 'if you wish,' because there's no opportunity to not gather them. Second, what the hell is up with only being able to gather one kind of plant? That doesn't make any sense, except as a three-card-monte set-up.

[Starmaker]

Blue stem, #thanksrosina

[Darth Rabbitt]

First, gathering plants does not actually appear to be 'if you wish,' because there's no opportunity to not gather them. Second, what the hell is up with only being able to gather one kind of plant? That doesn't make any sense, except as a three-card-monte set-up.

This is UK Steve Jackson we're talking about, angel. He has to put a three-card-monte setup at least once in each of his books. Also at least one numbered section puzzle, and (usually) a few infinite death loops.

Blue stem, #thanksrosina

This.

[angelfromanotherpin]

This is UK Steve Jackson we're talking about, angel. He has to put a three-card-monte setup at least once in each of his books. Also at least one numbered section puzzle, and (usually) a few infinite death loops.

I actually haven't seen the infinite death loops anywhere outside of Creature of Havoc. I thought they were one of its several sadistic distinguishing features.

[Darth Rabbitt]

This is UK Steve Jackson we're talking about, angel. He has to put a three-card-monte setup at least once in each of his books. Also at least one numbered section puzzle, and (usually) a few infinite death loops.

I actually haven't seen the infinite death loops anywhere outside of Creature of Havoc. I thought they were one of its several sadistic distinguishing features.

Infinite death loop wasn't the right term; for some reason I confused it with the patented Room of Death (where you're in an area where there are no right choices, all lead to death or failure), and that's quite prominently featured in House of Hell. Fucking surprise bears goatheads.

[angelfromanotherpin]

This plant has mysterious properties. You may or may not get the opportunity to find out what it can be used for. If asked to present this plant to someone later in the adventure, remember the number forty-nine. Now you may leave the river-bank.

You turn to leave the river-bank. But something is not quite right. You came along a trail, but that trail has now disappeared! Where you had expected it to be is now overgrown with tall rushes and the only trail leading away from the bank is one to your left. Bewildered, you follow it until ou reach a clearing.

There are two ways on from this clearing and while you are deciding which to take, you are startled by a loud croaking noise which seems to come from immediately behind you. You spin round to find yourself facing a creature almost as large as you, with a huge head on a puffed-out body with warty skin. Its feet and hands are webbed. It opens a cavernous mouth and lets out a deafening croak, while its two glassy eyes blink slowly. In one hand it grasps a trident and it seems to want you to back into the centre of the clearing. But having seen the sloshy mud in the centre of the clearing, you are not sure whether you are all that keen to oblige.

• Back towards the centre of the clearing as the Toadman wishes?
• Fight the creature?

SKILL: 10
STAMINA: 17
LUCK: 11

marked piece of hide
crystal club
message for legionnaire 29
blue-stemmed mystery plant (49)

[Starmaker]

Well, that dangerous clearing Grognard (where is he?) had warned us about didn't magically become safe in a couple of paragraphs, so I guess we all know what's for dinner. Frog legs.

[Mr Shine]

, so I guess we all know what's for dinner. Frog legs.

bien sûr

[Darth Rabbitt]

Well, that dangerous clearing Grognard (where is he?) had warned us about didn't magically become safe in a couple of paragraphs, so I guess we all know what's for dinner. Frog legs.

Let's eat!

[angelfromanotherpin]

The Toadman feints at you with his trident and you leap into action. Resolve your battle with the creature:

TOADMAN: SKill 9, STAMINA 9

Creature 14, Toadman 15; Creature at 16
Creature 20, Toadman 18; Toadman at 7
Creature 18, Toadman 14; Toadman at 5
Creature 18, Toadman 18; No result
Creature 14, Toadman 15; Creature at 15
Creature 15, Toadman 18; Creature at 14
Creature 19, Toadman 15; Toadman at 3
Creature 13, Toadman 14; Creature at 13
Creature 14, Toadman 12; Toadman at 1
Creature 19, Toadman 17; Toadman defeated!

As the Toadman staggers and falls, you see more of the creatures hopping out from the reeds. What can you do against so many? A stabbing pain in the back reminds you that you will not have much choice in the matter. One of the creatures is behind you, jabbing you with a trident. Another steps forward and speaks to you. 'None may enter the fens of the Toadmen,' he announces. 'Our marsh and our herb gardens are holy. They are for no eyes but our own. There is only one punishment for disobeying this law. That is D E A T H...'

Downer.

(Reference ends in a 7!)

In the heat of battle, you have forgotten all about the little Half-Orc, who has disappeared. Then your attention is captured by his familiar figure making its way through the reeds behind the Toadmen. Grog is creeping round the back of the circle. You glance around. No one has noticed him! From the corner of your eye you watch as he takes off his knapsack and lays it on the ground by the trail, then steps stealthily through the reeds towards the Toadman leader. When the time is right, he takes a flying leap! As fate would have it, one of the Toadmen notices the Half-Orc at that very moment, and his trident flies through the air and sinks into Grog's neck in mid-flight. The Half-Orc dies instantly.

But the trident does not prevent his body from continuing through the air to collide with the Toadman leader, who tumbles into the Sinkpit in the centre of the clearing! When this happens, the Toadmen forget all about you and rush about, trying to prevent their leader from sinking. You take advantage of the situation and creep round the outside of the clearing. You pick up the poor Half-Orc's knapsack and make off along the trail.

A short while later you are leaving the marshes. When you are aware that you are well away from danger, you become a little curious about what Grog carried in his knapsack. There is certainly something solid in there. You pull back the top and reach inside. Yourfingers touch a wooden box and you pull it from the bag. It is closed with a delicate clasp which your awkward fingers cannot open. But apart from the box, Grog also carried a small vial of Potion of Fortune. If you wish, you may drink this and it will restore your LUCK to its Initial level.

You continue along the trail. By now it is getting quite dark and a full moon is rising in the sky. You decide to sleep for the night beneath a spreading tree at the side of the road. You soon drift off to sleep.

You are tormented that night with a vivid dream. The three witch-women have returned. Each has hold of one of your limbs and is pulling it. The women possess tremendous strength and you feel as if you are being torn apart by the foul creatures. One of them seems to be trying to keep you from the other two, who are cackling gleefully: 'Ours! The creature shall be ours! To Dree for marrangha it must go!' The other is pulling your arm. 'No!' she screams. 'It shall not be! You shall have the creature only if it fails to bring us the Sculliweed!' Finally the three release their grip. 'The root! The root!' they chant. 'Give us the root!'

You wake up in a cold sweat. The tree is being blown by the wind. A howling sound whistles through the branches and another sound mixes with it: Whoooo! Whoooo! Pssh! Rhooo! Rhooot! Psssh! Root! Root! The root! The root! The sound fills your ears and you spin round to see the grinning faces of the three Women of Dree! They are asking for the root. Do you have any plants with you? If so, you will have noted down a number. Add the number to this reference and turn to the new reference.

• If you do not have any plants with you... X

'Sssooo!' hisses one of the witches, holding her hands high. 'The creature sssucceedsss!' 'Sculliweed root!' exclaims another. 'Then indeed we are to be the instruments of your destiny! Give us the root. Then we may tell you what you must know.' You hand over the plants to the witches.

'So be it,' starts the black-mouthed witch. 'The test has been passed. We must tell this creature of its past, its present, and of its future. You are acreature of Zharradan Marr, this you know. You are his creature as he is ours. But now you must destroy our unholy son, for he seeks to alter the very balance of nature. Evil must not triumph over all; Chaos cannot reign supreme. For the balance is vital. We cannot get near Zharradan, for he knows that we would prevent his plans. But his vanity is great. You are his creation. He will not turn you from his door. And when you meet him, you must destroy him. When you do this, you will save the balance. And your own truth will be revealed. We may not tell you more lest your thirst for knowledge be quenched and you abandon your destiny.'

The sightless witch continues: 'We do not know how you may meet Zharradan. But we can offer you one more ally. In Knot Oak Wood you must meet the white-haired Elf, Daga Weaseltongue. He can tell you how to enter the Galleykeep, for he has been there himself. But beware his words! Weaseltongue speaks untruths as if they were truths. Should his sentence begin with a vowel, then it is truth. Otherwise, trust not his words. But this Ring of Truth may help you. Make sure you show it to him.' They place a shiny jewelled ring on your finger. Should you meet Weaseltongue, he may offer you some information. You may gain more reliable information by revealing the witches' ring and deducting 50 from the reference you are on at the time, for you are able to see through his lies.

The witches continue: 'We know not where in Knot Oak Wood he is, but we know this. The Ophidiotaur is his ally. He will lead you to Weaseltongue. And we can lead you to the Ophidiotaur. Just sleep when we have left. This is all we can say. Now we must leave you. But your gift to us will be used to produce a Potion of Luck. We shall try to bestow its powers on you from afar. Farewell.'

With these words, the wind picks up once more and a gale whistles through the tree. The images of the witches fade in the wind and calm settles around you. A faint breeze blows across your brow and it seems to soothe you. You lie down once more on the ground beneath the tree and drift off to sleep. You may increase your LUCK score to its Initial level, as this encounter has indeed been fortunate.

When you awaken, you do not recognize your new surroundings. You are no longer under a solitary tree in a barren landscape. Instead you are in a rich forest! Birds twitter high above in the branches of the many trees which shade you from the sun. You look around and find that you are lying beside a flowing river, whose cool waters are gently spraying your face. You feel invigorated and may restore your STAMINA to its Initial level.

You pick your way along the river-bank, following it downstream. The going is not easy. At one point you must climb carefully down a rocky cliff, where the river passes over a waterfall. Eventually you reach a calm pool where the waters slow and spread over a wide expanse. Steam rises lazily from the pungent water and you halt in your tracks as a smell – now stronger than ever – reaches you. Through the steamy mist you catch a glimpse of a creature further along the bank. It stands tall on four legs and is drinking contentedly from the foul waters. You creep closer, keeping hidden in the bushes.


The creature stands on long, cloven feet. Its skin is covered in tough scales and its tail ends in a spiky ball. Its head is sleek and serpent-like, with a long, thin tongue that darts in and out as it drinks from the river. It has not noticed you.

• Creep around the creature so as not to disturb it?
• Attack it in the hopes of gaining a much-needed meal?
• Approach it gently, try to keep it calm, and then mount it?

[MisterDee]

We are scaly. It is scaly. Mount it!

[Mr Shine]

Mount

[Starmaker]

That was clever. Again, probably did not survive the app adaptation.

And certainly mount it, we're going to get a hilariously awesome death at worst.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Totally called that Grog was going to be written off, one way or another. Although as far as FF companion deaths go that's more impressive than most. Grog lived as an asshole, and died a hero. Shame we can't eat his body with the greatest of honors; he'd probably taste great with the Battletoad's 11 secret herbs and spices.

But enough eugoogoolizing. This Yoshi is probably the Ophidiotaur. Even if it isn't, if FF offers you an opportunity to ride something, you ride it.

[angelfromanotherpin]

Grog is legitimately awesome. His character arc is punchy and touching, and there's more to him than we've seen...

You creep forward until you are quite close to the creature. As you stand there motionless, patiently waiting for the right moment, a bird flutters down to land on a bush in front of you. You must now decide how you will approach the Ophidiotaur that you have encountered. Roll two dice.

• If the number equals or exceeds your SKILL...
• If the number is lower than your SKILL...

(9)

Thinking quickly, you snatch the bird from the branch! It flutters in your hands, but a sharp squeeze silences it. The Ophidiotaur hears the rustling and turns to see what is happening. You step slowly from the undergrowth, holding out the bird towards it as an offering. At first the creature is startled by your arrival, but your slow approach seems to reassure it. You hold the bird closer and its tongue darts out to snatch the food from you. You calm it down for a short time, then swing yourself up on to its back. It shrugs and snorts for a moment or two, but its protests are few and you realize that you now have a steed! After allowing the Ophidiotaur to drink from the river, you grasp its neck with your wide fingers and dig your heels into its haunches.

Without warning, the creature turns and gallops off into the undergrowth! Its strong legs take you faster and faster through the woods. Branches catch your legs and arms, while you are hugging the Ophidiotaur's neck tightly for balance and to protect your head. The journey continues for a seemingly endless time, until you are so sore from riding that you wish the beast would throw you off. But finally you arrive at a clearing where the creature pulls up and stops. With great relief you step down from its back and survey the area, while your steed gallops back into the woods.

You step back into the bushes and search the clearing suspiciously. All is quiet, until a shrill cry breaks the silence. This is followed by the sounds of a struggle and finally three figures tumble into the clearing from the undergrowth, locked in combat.


Two rough-set Brigands are grappling with another creature. The Brigands are burly humans, with leather breastplates and boots. The belts around their waists hold throwing-knives, but they are using their bare fists in this battle. Their adversary is thin and nimble, with long white hair and angular features. He wears a silky robe and appears to be unarmed. He is putting up a brave fight, but is clearly losing the battle as blow after blow from the brigands thuds into his stomach, ribs and head. He is crying out for help.

• Help him?
• Keep hidden until the Brigands have left?

SKILL: 10
STAMINA: 17
LUCK: 11

marked piece of hide
crystal club
message for legionnaire 29
Grog's knapsack w/box
potion of fortune
ring of truth