[LP] Sorcery! Now Playing: The Crown of Kings

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angelfromanotherpin
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[LP] Sorcery! Now Playing: The Crown of Kings

Post by angelfromanotherpin »

The Sorcery! series is a four-gamebook epic which, although it is clearly Fighting Fantasy, doesn't have the FF logo on it anywhere. The whole thing is one quest chopped up into significant chapters, and in the spirit of post-Tolkien fantasy, the first three chapters are mostly just 'getting to the actual quest destination.' That... sounds more boring than it is in practice. One of its notable features is how later volumes have call-backs to content from previous ones. Most are just set-up one book ahead, but not all of them; there's a set-up in book 1 that doesn't pay off until book 4.

It is also notable for featuring what seem suspiciously like expies of previous FF titles. Khare, the Cityport of Traps, is at least a close cousin of Port Blacksand. Mampang Fortress, lair of the Archmage, is like the big bad brother of the Citadel of Chaos.

Also like in Citadel of Chaos, your character is a magic-user. I mean, the option is there to not be, but piss off, there's so much magic-user-only content, going mundane is the sucker's route. But I'll let the game explain itself.
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There is also a cost for choosing to be a wizard in the first place, and it hits you right where it counts: -2 SKILL. Also, there's the whole thing where you have to memorize the spells. I appreciated this as a bit of immersion, but I have a pretty good memory and I'm sure it was a deal less fun for people who had more trouble with that side of things. In any case, there was little to stop anyone from actually cheating, so while I recommend at least trying to memorize the spells as an exercise, I'm just going to leave the Spell Book's contents here in the first post (unless I have to take them down for bandwidth reasons or something) and you can cheat or not as you like.

Later printings relegated the spell book to an abbreviated form in the back of the book, but the original was an actually separate volume in the same slipcase as book 1, with sweet illustrations and all. There are, I shit you not, forty-eight of these things. Fortunately the three-letter abbreviations are somewhat-to-very mnemonic. Somewhat harder is remembering the crazy material components some of them require.

Cover and Intro:
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The First Six:
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The Next Six:
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The Six After the Next Six:
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The Six After That:
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That guy is having such a good time.

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Another Six:
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Six More:
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Six Even More:
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The Last Six:
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That dude in the wig is so high.

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And this dude is even higher.

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<Whew.> Actual start with briefing, map, and such coming up.
Last edited by angelfromanotherpin on Wed Apr 16, 2014 1:51 pm, edited 7 times in total.
MisterDee
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Post by MisterDee »

I played this series an eternity ago. I don't remember any of it, but for three things:

1-It's really, really good;
2-They didn't translate the spell names in the French version, so the memorize-the-spells minigame went from annoying to nearly impossible;
3-As I recall, it's unwinnable without magic. Although that might have been an artefact of the shitty editing the French version got.
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angelfromanotherpin
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

MisterDee wrote:As I recall, it's unwinnable without magic. Although that might have been an artefact of the shitty editing the French version got.
Totally an artefact. Although the warrior's path to victory is just plain missable, which is not cool.
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

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Briefing
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Map
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The four stages of the adventure are:
1. From the Cantopani Gate of Analand to Kharé.
2. Through Kharé.
3. From Kharé to Xamen.
4. From Xamen into Mampang Fortress.
Notes
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Provisions work differently in this book. You can only eat one at a time, and only when prompted. They don't give back very much STAMINA (I think 2 is average) but you tend to lose STAMINA if you reach a prompt without any.

Also, you can tell you're off to a good start when you're sent off on a serious national security mission with basically nothing. No gear, little money, not even a full three square meals. Without the CoK, the Analand government really does not seem to have its act together.
You awake at sunrise. After dressing, you breakfast on bread and goat's milk and collect your belongings. Outside, the Outpost Settlement is stirring: the womenfolk emerge to wash and prepare their meals as the day's guard takes over.

Eyes follow you as you leave your hut and walk towards the Shamutanti Wall. The frontierspeople are well aware of your mission and a small crowd of well-wishers follows some distance behind you.

Before you stands the Cantopani Gate. Guarded constantly by Sightmaster Warriors, chosen for their powers of telescopic vision, the Gate is the final doorway between Analand and Kakhabad. Once more you check your pack.

Satisfied that your preparations are complete, you nod to the Sightmaster Sergeant. For the last time he glances at the look-out atop the gate, who signals the all-clear. The Sergeant orders the bolt to be withdrawn. A doorway opens up in front of you and you get your first view of the Shamutanti foothills, the first stage of your journey.

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The Sightmaster Sergeant strides over and grasps your hand. 'I will not wish you a safe journey, for the way ahead will not be safe. Kakhabad is a treacherous land inhabited by devils. But this you already know.

'Take the path ahead to Cantopani, a small settlement of traders – though most are rogues and thieves – which you should reach within the hour. From Cantopani onwards there are three routes through Birritanti to Kharé, a cityport on the Jabaji river. From Kharé you must cross the Baklands, which are unknown. It is said that day and night in the Baklands are controlled not by the sun but by supernatural forces; and bear in mind also that, from Kharé onwards, your progress will be watched.'

His warnings do little to inspire confidence in you. He continues: 'But I have observed your training and you are indeed a worthy champion. I wish you luck and success with your quest. My thoughts, and the good wishes of all the peoples of Analand, will be with you. With Libra on your side you may live to lift the curse and depression which rack our kingdom.'

You shake his hand, thank him for his good wishes and step up to the Gate. Resolutely, you pass through the doorway. The faces of the folk watching your departure reveal the hopes that rest with you and with the success of your quest.

With a wave, you turn and face the hills. The early morning air is crisp and the rising sun paints the hills in colours of natural beauty which conceal the devilry ahead.

Setting off determinedly, you follow the path. Your quest has begun!
The path winds through fields of wild scrubland. The countryside is deserted and an eerie silence is broken only by the cawing of an occasional crow. The birds appear to pause in the air to examine you as they pass and you feel uneasy in their presence. You pass over a small hillock, from the top of which you can see the path continuing downwards from a small settlement of huts at the base of the Shamutanti Hills. You follow the path and, as you approach the village, noises and movements indicate that it is populated. As the path runs straight through the village, you have little choice but to follow it.

The round huts are made of a hard-baked, bright clay with thatched roofs. As you pass, eyes appear at dark doorways watching your movements. Suddenly a villager appears from one of the dwellings and stands before you. He is five feet tall with thick-set arms and thighs half clothed in tattered breeches. His eyes are wild and his long red hair and beard stand out on his face in a wiry tangle. 'Halt, stranger!' he commands. 'What business have you in Cantopani?' What is your response?

• Tell him you are a trader?
• Ask for directions onwards?
• Tell him you are hungry and need Provisions?

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Oh yes, our redoubtable hero:
Name: [TBA, accepting submissions]
SKILL: 7
STAMINA: 23
LUCK: 11
Favor of Libra: &#8730;

Backpack
Sword
20 g.p.
2 provisions
Mr Shine
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Post by Mr Shine »

We have nothing to trade, and still have our bountiful starting provisions, so I'd guess we just need to go onwards.
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Post by Starmaker »

...impressive. I theoretically own that slipcase, it accompanies The Trooltooth Wars on its journey through the Macrocosmos. I also have the Red Zigzag versions of 2 (4th printing) and 4 (2nd printing). They are larger than regular FF books and are a bitch to stack in the box.
angelfromanotherpin wrote:The Sorcery! series is a four-gamebook epic which, although it is clearly Fighting Fantasy, doesn't have the FF logo on it anywhere.
The Red Zigzag version has the FF seal.

edit: we can still buy things. Maybe they have spell foci for sale. Half a vote for saying we're a trader.
Last edited by Starmaker on Thu Feb 13, 2014 10:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

I think that we should probably see what's for sale before heading out.
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

He grunts and motions for you to follow, taking you through the village to a large hut. Inside, you discover that the building is evidently a storage house and a quartermaster, somewhat larger than your guide, is seated at a table. The villager explains you wish to do business and leaves you with the fat man, who bids you take a seat. The merchant has the following items for sale. If you are interested in any of them, turn to the reference indicated.

• A herbalist's potion.
• A fine-edged broadsword.
• A musical pipe.
• An axe with strange carvings.
• A bag containing teeth.
• A fine, glittering jewel.
• Or, if none interest...
Ordinarily I'd just do a listing of all the item descriptions, but for reasons that will soon become apparent, we're going to have to look at these one at a time.
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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

I'm pretty sure that the teeth, the pipe, and the jewel are all spell components. I forget what the pipe is needed for but IIRC the teeth are used to summon Goblins (GOB?) and the jewel is used for the SUN (Light) spell. So I'd suggest looking at any of those three.
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Post by Starmaker »

Darth Rabbitt wrote:I forget what the pipe is needed for
Dancing.
(I made flashcards and a chart (slow day). Before my first post, I could name every abbreviation given general purpose, every general purpose given the abbreviation, the seven most expensive spells, and every spell given its component, but not vice versa.)
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I suspect we will only get to look at and/or buy one of them, so I suggest looking at the jewel first, since we lack a light source.

edit: also, spell costs are relatively easy to remember.
commons are expensive, uncommons are less expensive, and those that require components/foci are cheap
Last edited by Starmaker on Thu Feb 13, 2014 4:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

The jewel is large and looks very valuable; it is set in a tarnished mount. The price is 10 gold pieces.

• Buy?
• Don't buy?
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Post by Starmaker »

Damn, I hoped for some confirmation that it's indeed a spell component and not just an expensive sparkly stone. Buy anyway.

Question to angel:
Can we pay fake money?
Last edited by Starmaker on Thu Feb 13, 2014 4:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

Magic appears to operate on some kind of unreliable Winds-of-Fate accessibility system and is only available if specifically offered. The winds are still at this moment.
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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

I suggest we buy it.
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

Jewel bought. 10 gp left.
If you have investigated only one or two of his offerings, you may choose another from the list below. But if you have considered three artefacts already, you may not try a fourth and you must leave the merchant.

• The herbalist's potion?
• The broadsword?
• The musical pipe?
• The axe?
• The bag of teeth?
• Leave?
Apparently this guy is very busy and important, so he can only show us three things up close.
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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

I suggest the pipe this time.
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Post by Starmaker »

Darth Rabbitt wrote:I suggest the pipe this time.
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

Roll 1 die. This is the price, in Gold Pieces, that the merchant is asking for the pipe.

• Buy?
• Not?
The roll is 3.
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Post by Starmaker »

Buy.
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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

If the price is variable, it has to be good. Buy.
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

The pipe is bought. 7 gp remaining.
If you have investigated only one or two of his offerings, you may choose another from the list below. But if you have considered three artefacts already, you may not try a fourth and you must leave the merchant.

• The herbalist's potion?
• The broadsword?
• The axe?
• The bag of teeth?
• Leave?
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Post by Starmaker »

@Darth: also, whether we were buying or not, it counted as one of our three picks.
---
The healing spell is not on the recommended list, so the potion is primarily interesting as a quest item to cure someone else. The teeth have utility potential, too, and they might last longer. Teeth.
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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

Teeth.
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

You ask what sort of teeth the bag contains, but he will only tell you 'creature teeth' and he certainly will not trust you to look through the bag. He will charge you 3 Gold Pieces for the bag of teeth.

• Buy?
• Not?
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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

Buy, and save our last 4 GP for the road.
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