[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 64(?)-Night of the Necromancer

Stories about games that you run and/or have played in.

Moderator: Moderators

Who do we want to play as?

Anvus Ravalan, Nightsbane & Remorseless Hunter
0
No votes
Evrain Peredur, the Zombie Killer
1
17%
Isolde Laodegan, Shield Maiden of Libra
5
83%
Create our own character
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 6

User avatar
angelfromanotherpin
Overlord
Posts: 9745
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm

Post by angelfromanotherpin »

'Real, live spirit.'

Lady needs all the friends she can get.
SGamerz
King
Posts: 6293
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 11:45 am

Post by SGamerz »

'Have no fear, I mean you no harm,' you tell Madame Zelda, an imploring look on your ghostly features. 'I ask only for your aid.'

'I see dead people!' the mystic gasps, as if this is a revelation to her. 'I really can see dead people! H-How can I help?' she asks, as if suddenly remembering that you are there.

You quickly tell her of all that has befallen you since sunset and she listens intently with a the same shocked expression locked on her plump face. 'Come with me,' she says when you finally finish your story.

She leads you back into the part of the tent containing the table and crystal ball. She sits down before it and starts making exaggerated hand movements over the crystal. You can see swirling clouds forming within its depths.

'Ah, yes,' she says at last, 'the path ahead is perilous.' Her voice abruptly drops several octaves, and her eyes roll up into her head. 'Death stalks this land and soon shall the dead,' she goes on, as if speaking now with another's voice. 'Seek out the metal-worker and the iron man. Be wary of the man who believes only in the Good but seek out the court of the Liche Queen, for therein lies salvation.'

The clouds swirling within the crystal ball turn black and the table starts to shake.

'The Lord of Shadows is coming!' the mystic snarls and the crystal ball explodes, sending diamond shards of glass slicing through the sides of the tent. Incredibly both you and Madame Zelda remain unharmed. The fortune-teller shakes her head as if waking from a dream and then sees the wreckage of the crystal ball on the table in front of her. 'Oh my stars, what just happened?'

You decide that it's probably best not to tell her and so, thanking her for what she's done, you quickly vacate the tent instead.
At least this time we seem to have gotten some hints that might be useful...
Choosing to intimidate her actually does serve a purpose as well, although that may or may not be what we want. It would have helped us unlock another power (the power to change our appearance and scare people), we'd end up scaring her to death and get a LUCK penalty for it....and of course we wouldn't get her hints, either.
Back in the village square again, making sure you didn't choose somewhere you've visited before, where will you go now?

The Cockcrow Inn?
The overgrown shrine?
Madame Zelda's tent?
The Burgomaster's house?
Towards the castle again?
Where to we continue our tour?
User avatar
angelfromanotherpin
Overlord
Posts: 9745
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm

Post by angelfromanotherpin »

Shrine. Maybe there's other spirits there to talk to.
User avatar
Darth Rabbitt
Overlord
Posts: 8869
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 8:31 pm
Location: In "In The Trenches," mostly.
Contact:

Post by Darth Rabbitt »

What angel said.
Pseudo Stupidity wrote:This Applebees fucking sucks, much like all Applebees. I wanted to go to Femboy Hooters (communism).
SGamerz
King
Posts: 6293
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 11:45 am

Post by SGamerz »

The stone-built shrine was obviously once an impressive building bearing all manner of stone-carved ornament - everything from noble knights battling dragons to scythe-wielding angels of death - but it is now choked with briars and does not look like anyone has been inside for a long time, even though one of the rotted wooden doors is hanging half off its hinges. Approaching the open door, you step over the threshold.

Pain courses through your spectral body and you are thrown violently back from the entrance. It feels as if a lightning bolt has just passed right through you. (Lose 2 STAMINA points and if this reduces your STAMINA score to zero or below record the number 259 on your Adventure Sheet and turn to 100.)

Knowing what awaits you now if you try to enter the shrine, do you want to try again, or would you rather leave and try somewhere else?
Our STAMINA was at full, so it was certainly not enough to kill us....but will it be worse the next time?
User avatar
Darth Rabbitt
Overlord
Posts: 8869
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 8:31 pm
Location: In "In The Trenches," mostly.
Contact:

Post by Darth Rabbitt »

Try one more time, lest that was a fake out, and if we get hurt again then leave it be.
Pseudo Stupidity wrote:This Applebees fucking sucks, much like all Applebees. I wanted to go to Femboy Hooters (communism).
User avatar
angelfromanotherpin
Overlord
Posts: 9745
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm

Post by angelfromanotherpin »

Us, put off by that baby kiss? Press on.
SGamerz
King
Posts: 6293
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 11:45 am

Post by SGamerz »

Courageously you step up to the doors again. Pain flares through your body a second time. Lose a further 2 STAMINA points and if this reduces your STAMINA score to zero or below record the number 259 on your Adventure Sheet and turn to 100. However, if you are still in this world, roll two dice and add 2. If the total rolled is less than or equal to your WILL score, turn to 149. If it is greater, try as you might you cannot penetrate he Circle of Protection that surrounds the sanctuary. You will simply have to turn to 259 and explore elsewhere.
Our WILL is only 7, so this will be pretty hard....

Dice roll = 3+5 = 5 (Success!)
And then you are through. (Add 1 to your WILL score.) Stumbling over the threshold and down the steps on the other side, you find yourself within a chapel of rest. Standing in the centre of the sanctuary is a marble sarcophagus bearing the carved relief image of a noble paladin reclined in prayer, his stone sword clasped in his hands upon its lid. Moonlight shines through a stained glass window at the far end of the shrine that appears to depict the same Templar Knight of Telak, wearing the garb of that holy order, but with his helmet under one arm.

As you watch, the moonlight within the chamber seems to solidify and then runs together like quick-silver, forming the ghostly impression of the knight there in front of you. You can sense a palpable aura if Goodness around him.

'Who summons me from the Battle at the End of Time against the force of darkness?' the Paladin demands, his silvery eyes fixing on you.

You mumble a hasty apology, saying that you did not mean to. The knight suddenly looks beyond you, as if sensing something you cannot.

'Ah, I understand,' he says, 'the Shadow King would manifest within this reality at the place and time as well. Then he must be stopped! But my powers are limited here, I am bound to this place, but if I were able to pass on my knowledge to another...'

He looks at you again, a severe expression upon his perfect, chiseled features. 'But are you worth?' he say, somewhat arrogantly. 'A challenge!' he declares, before you have time to answer him.

'As I was travelling to Analand,
I came across three hunting bands.
Each band had seven knights,
Each knights had seven squires,
Each squire had seven hounds.
Hounds, squires, knights and bands,
How many were travelling to Analand?'

If you know the answer to the Paladin's riddle, add one to the number and turn to the paragraph that has the same number as this total. If you do not know the answer (or you get it wrong) there is nothing more the Paladin will do for you and he simply dissolves into moonlight once more; you have no choice but to leave the shrine.
Are we worthy of his knowledge? Give him the answer and show him what you're worth!
Mr Shine
Knight-Baron
Posts: 740
Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2014 9:02 pm

Post by Mr Shine »

Chestnut alert!

The answer he wants is 1, himself, so turn to 2. However nowhere in the riddle does it state that any of the other named people were not going to Analand so the answer could be as many as 1198.
Last edited by Mr Shine on Fri Dec 18, 2015 2:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Darth Rabbitt
Overlord
Posts: 8869
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 8:31 pm
Location: In "In The Trenches," mostly.
Contact:

Post by Darth Rabbitt »

I've heard this riddle before. You can stump the guy in the box in KotOR with it.

The answer is 1, so turn to section 2.
Pseudo Stupidity wrote:This Applebees fucking sucks, much like all Applebees. I wanted to go to Femboy Hooters (communism).
Dr_Noface
Knight-Baron
Posts: 777
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 12:01 am

Post by Dr_Noface »

Does he count as a knight or a band? Coukdbthebanswer be zero?
SGamerz
King
Posts: 6293
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 11:45 am

Post by SGamerz »

Dr_Noface wrote:Does he count as a knight or a band? Coukdbthebanswer be zero?
Well, if zero were the answer, then we'd have to turn to Section 1.....but since I mentioned in the beginning that the adventure starts at section 1, that's not possible. :D

1 is indeed the answer. Even if a player didn't spot the trick question and actually did all that arithmetic, he'd soon find out that the final figure should be way to big for an FF gamebook. I forgot to mention that this book is longer than the average, with 450 section, but even that wouldn't have been enough sections.
'That is the correct answer,' the Paladin's ghost intones. He then takes some time to demonstrate how you can make the most of your new, paranormal abilities. (Add 1 to your WILL score and 1 to your LUCK.) Write the number 2 on your Adventure Sheet and then roll one die, turning to the paragraph indicated on the table below.

Die roll
1-2 - Turn to 120
3-4 - Turn to 230
5-6 - Turn to 293.

The Paladin having offered you what he can, bids you farewell before melting back into the moonlight. Feeling encouraged that you might yet win your own personal battle against the forces of darkness, you leave the Shrine.
Our WILL is finally at a respectable level! Let's see what new power we've managed to gain:

Dice roll = 2!
Through sheer strength of will, you can, on occasions, move objects in the real world. Record the Poltergeist special ability on your Adventure Sheet and turn to the paragraph with the same number as the one you were just instructed to write down.
This is the power we could also have unlocked earlier if we tried to enter the barrow by lifting the stone, although we'd have needed to pass a WILL and STAMINA test.
We're now directed back to 259, which is where we get to choose where to visit next. We're left with Inn, Burgomaster's house, or just leaving the village and going home? Where do we go next?

Adventure Sheet:
Name: Isolde Laodegan
SKILL: 12/12
STAMINA: 15/19
LUCK: 7/7
WILL: 9
Equipment: Nightslayer
Abilities: Apparition, Poltergeist
User avatar
angelfromanotherpin
Overlord
Posts: 9745
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm

Post by angelfromanotherpin »

I have never haunted a Burgomeister before; so let's try that.
User avatar
Darth Rabbitt
Overlord
Posts: 8869
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 8:31 pm
Location: In "In The Trenches," mostly.
Contact:

Post by Darth Rabbitt »

Burgomaster...
(•_•) / ( •_•)>⌐■-■ / (⌐■_■)
gonna get served.
Pseudo Stupidity wrote:This Applebees fucking sucks, much like all Applebees. I wanted to go to Femboy Hooters (communism).
SGamerz
King
Posts: 6293
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 11:45 am

Post by SGamerz »

As you approach the Burgomaster's house, the imp-faced doorknocker seems to smile at you in sinister fashion. Them the door swings open before you of its own accord and you enter the tile-floored hallway of the grandest residence in Sleath. The house was in darkness, but as you enter, candles mounted in candelabra on the stairs and in a chandelier above you spark into life and burn with a lambent green flame.

Before you, broad wooden stairs ascend to the first floor, while underneath them a shadowy archway leads into the rooms on the ground floor of the property. Do you want to:

Explore the ground floor of the house?
Ascend to the first floor and take a look around there?
Leave this apparently already haunted house?
Hmmm......
angelfromanotherpin wrote:I have never haunted a Burgomeister before; so let's try that.
Looks like others may have already beaten us to it!

Do we want to trespass further on other ghosts' territory?
Last edited by SGamerz on Sat Dec 19, 2015 4:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Mr Shine
Knight-Baron
Posts: 740
Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2014 9:02 pm

Post by Mr Shine »

We aint afraid of no ghost. Explore the ground.
MisterDee
Knight-Baron
Posts: 816
Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:40 pm

Post by MisterDee »

As much as I hate content, I think we'll explore the house. :)
SGamerz
King
Posts: 6293
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 11:45 am

Post by SGamerz »

You creep through an empty solar, dining chamber and servants' quarters until you come to the kitchen. Lying beside the dying embers of the fire is a large wolfhound, while a cat is curled up in a rocking chair by the door. But as soon as you enter the chamber, booth the dog and the cat snap awake. The cat hisses and spits at you, arching its back in fear, its fur standing on end, while the dog starts barking furiously, jaws slavering.

And now you can hear the sounds of the household waking up. This is not what you had in mind at all and decide the best thing you can di is leave the house as quickly as possible. Lose 1 LUCK point and turn to 101.
Apparently, we aren't afraid of ghost but we're afraid of dogs and cats.....

Come to think about it, it was never clear exactly what it was we 'had in mind' when we came in here....
Image

The front door is in sight when suddenly three apparition manifest in front of you. The first is a woman dressed entirely in grey, the second a nobleman wearing clothes that are no longer in fashion and carrying his head under one arm, the ghostly impression of a finely-balanced rapier in his hand, and the third a bodiless floating skull.

'What do you think you're doing here?' the grey lady shrieks.

'This house is already haunted!' the decapitated noble informs you.

And then the building's resident spooks are hurtling towards you. The skull's jaw drops open and a blood-curdling scream rends the air around you. You have no choice but to fight the three furious ghosts.

GREY LADY SKILL 6 STAMINA 6
HEADLESS NOBLE SKILL 8 STAMINA 8
SCREAMING SKULL SKILL 7 STAMINA 4

Fight the ghosts all at the same time. For as long as the Screaming Skull is still bound to the mortal realm, you must reduce your ATTACK STRENGTH by 1 as it keeps up its spine-chilling wail. If any of the ghosts should kill you, write the number 259 on your Adventure Sheet and turn to 100. As soon as you manage to banish two of the spirits back to the Netherworld, regain STAMINA points up to half the STAMINA total of the ghosts you defeated and turn to 406.
Despite the numbers game and the minor Attack Strength penalty, Isolde should have no problem dealing with this bunch. Which goes to prove that whether you died a badass or a wimp you remain that way even as a ghost.

Unfortunately we can't choose to banish all three and take over the haunt for ourselves. So essentially whomever we spare in this combat will become the sole spirit haunting this house. Who do we want to leave the house to (yes, it doesn't make much of a difference in terms of plot or difficulty, but it does affect how much STAMINA we will regain after the fight, so please vote which two of the spirits we should banish)?
Last edited by SGamerz on Sun Dec 20, 2015 5:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
angelfromanotherpin
Overlord
Posts: 9745
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm

Post by angelfromanotherpin »

Banish the lord and lady, leave the house to the skull; it's clearly the most dedicated to this lifestyle haunting thing.
User avatar
Darth Rabbitt
Overlord
Posts: 8869
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 8:31 pm
Location: In "In The Trenches," mostly.
Contact:

Post by Darth Rabbitt »

Image
Pseudo Stupidity wrote:This Applebees fucking sucks, much like all Applebees. I wanted to go to Femboy Hooters (communism).
User avatar
maglag
Duke
Posts: 1912
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2015 10:17 am

Post by maglag »

The skull is the weakest and also is inflicting a Skill penalty, so I would say it's our priority target, spare the lady.
SGamerz
King
Posts: 6293
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 11:45 am

Post by SGamerz »

Since Darth only voted for 1 of the ghost, I'm assuming he wants to spare it, so the Skull gets to keep its territory!

COMBAT LOG:
Round 1:
Grey Lady 12, Isolde 15. GL is at 4.
Headless Noble 18, Isolde 13. Isolde is at 13.
Screaming Skull 17, Isolde 18. Isolde avoids the Skull's attack.
Round 2:
GL 8, Isolde 19. GL is at 2.
HN 14, Isolde 14. Tie.
SS 15, Isolde 17. Isolde avoids the Skull's attack.
Round 3:
GL 14, Isolde 19. GL is banished!
HN 13, Isolde 15. Isolde avoids the HN's attack.
SS 14, Isolde 23. Isolde avoids the Skull's attack.
Round 4:
HN 14, Isolde 16. HN is at 6.
SS 16, Isolde 23. Isolde avoids the Skull's attack.
Round 5:
HN 15, Isolde 18. HN is at 4.
SS 13, Isolde 16. Isolde avoids the Skull's attack.
Round 6:
HN 13, Isolde 18. HN is at 2.
SS 11, Isolde 22. Isolde avoids the Skull's attack.
Round 7:
HN 14, Isolde 18. HN is banished!
SS 13, Isolde 18. Isolde avoids the Skull's attack.
Despite risking the Attack Strength penalty, Isolde does well in the fight and only took a single blow. She then proceed to regain 7 STAMINA (6+8 x 1/2) as a result of her win, and her STAMINA is back to full!
Emerging from the Burgomaster's house again, through the front door, you feel relieved to be away from the place. In fact, you were lucky to escape with your soul intact and not be bound to the house for eternity. (Regain 1 LUCK point.)
Well, we lost a LUCK earlier for waking the cat and dog, now we just regained it, so no adjustment needed!

That was a mildly amusing, but pretty pointless diversion....do we still want to check out the Cockcrow Inn before we head back home?
Berkserker
1st Level
Posts: 41
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2015 11:05 am

Post by Berkserker »

Hmm. Zelda mentions a metal-worker and an iron man. The pallywags we had a good chat with could be the iron man, and I guess it's not totally unreasonable to think a tinker or blacksmith might be hanging out at the inn. Or we could get a lead to this 'liche queen'. Could be worth it to explore, I'll vote for that.
User avatar
Darth Rabbitt
Overlord
Posts: 8869
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 8:31 pm
Location: In "In The Trenches," mostly.
Contact:

Post by Darth Rabbitt »

Check out the inn.
Pseudo Stupidity wrote:This Applebees fucking sucks, much like all Applebees. I wanted to go to Femboy Hooters (communism).
SGamerz
King
Posts: 6293
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 11:45 am

Post by SGamerz »

As you approach the raucous tavern, you see that the door is closed against the encroaching night. If you have the Poltergeist special ability, turn to 148. If you have the Apparition special ability, turn to 97. If you have neither you cautiously approach the door , recalling that the one thing everyone knows about ghosts is that they can pass through solid objects. Roll two dice. If the total is less than or equal to your WILL score, make a note of the number 97 and turn to 90. If the total rolled is greater than your current WILL score, you are unable to enter the inn, turn to 259.
Hmmm....this is clearly another opportunity for us to unlock Apparition if we didn't already have it. So that means Apparition definitely works here if we do have it. So even though we have both abilities listed, I think we can save the time on voting by proceeding with Apparition.
You pass through the wooden planks forming the door and into the noise and light of the Cockcrow Inn. You suddenly realize that you have entered a tavern full of people by walking right through the door. If you are happy to let the people see you, turn to 81. If not, and you have the Shade special ability, turn to 299; otherwise, in that instant, you wish that you weren't there. Roll two dice. If the total is less than or equal to your WILL, Test your Skill; if you are successful, write the number 299 on your Adventure Sheet and turn to 230. If you fail either roll, turn to 81.
Do we want to let everyone see us?
Post Reply