[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 26 - Crypt of the Sorcerer

[Darth Rabbitt]

Last item was a massive screw you (that is perfectly safe as long as we don't lose any SKILL), so this one is probably good.

[Thaluikhain]

Open the box.

[JourneymanN00b]

Opening the box already received 3 votes, so I will have Dirk the Impaler do this.

188
The box is the home of the Troll’s pet spider – a deadly tarantula. As you open the box, the spider escapes and runs up your arm. You try to knock it off your arm with the box. Roll two dice. If the total is the same as or less than your SKILL score, turn to 204. If the total is greater than your SKILL score, turn to 305.

Rolling the dice yielded a 9, which is unsurprisingly less than Dirk the Impaler’s Skill.

204
[spoiler][/spoiler]

You flick the spider off your arms and crush it underfoot. ‘Trolls,’ says Borri shaking his head. ‘Only Trolls are stupid enough to have poisonous spiders as pets. I suppose he keeps a rattlesnake in the cart!’ If you wish to tip up the cart, turn to 366. If you would rather walk on, leaving the cart behind, turn to 40.

Please vote before 6:00 PM PDT to guarantee that it will be counted.

[Thaluikhain]

We've found the bad thing, so knock over the cart.

[Beroli]

Tip up the cart.

[Queen of Swords]

Yes, tip up the cart. Hopefully there's *something* good inside.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, Dirk the Impaler will tip up the cart.

366
Underneath all the bones you find another wooden box, much bigger than the one hidden inside the Troll’s clothing. If you wish to open the large box, turn to 104. If you would rather walk on, leaving the boxes behind, turn to 40.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

Please vote before 9:00 AM PDT or a 3-vote majority is reached to guarantee that it will be counted.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Open the large box.

[Beroli]

OPEN THE BOX.

[Queen of Swords]

Open all the boxes.

[JourneymanN00b]

Opening the box received 3 votes, so Dirk the Impaler will do this.

104
You carefully lift the lid of the box and find that it contains merely empty bottles of Warthog Stout, the favourite drink of Trolls. There is also a book which is published by the small brewery entitled The Warthog Book of Troll Records. Borri grimaces and says, ‘Ugh, Warthog Stout. How can anybody drink that ditch water? Trolls are so disgusting, they’ll drink anything. And they can’t even read, so why this book gets published is a mystery to me. Still, I wouldn’t mind a quick read to see how stupid Trolls can be.’ If you want to rest for a while and let Borri read the book, turn to 266. If you want to tell him to leave the book and press on along the tunnel, turn to 40.

Please vote before 9:00 AM PDT or a 3-vote majority is reached to guarantee that it will be counted.

[Queen of Swords]

Sure, let him read the book.

[Beroli]

Let him read the book.

[Thaluikhain]

Read the book. Trolls have their own breweries which publish books?

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, Dirk the Impaler will rest for a while and let Borri read the book.

266
Borri spends the next five minutes muttering to himself, calling Trolls all the bad names he can think of. ‘Why would anyone want to do that?’ exclaims Borri suddenly. ‘Did you know that the Allansian record for the number of Hobbits’ ears eaten by a Troll in a competition is one hundred and nineteen! The lengths that Trolls will go to for fame! Come on, let’s go.’ Borri suddenly marches off, throwing the book over his shoulder. You and Symm hurry after him, with Symm asking Borri if he is the shortest Dwarf in Allansia. ‘Mind your own business,’ snaps Borri, still marching ahead. Turn to 40.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

40
The tunnel soon ends at a junction. Looking right, you see that the tunnel continues straight on as far as you can see. Looking left, you see that it soon comes to a dead end. There is something or somebody lying on the floor at the dead end, and you can hear the unmistakable squeak of rats. If you wish to go left, turn to 202. If you wish to go right, turn to 315.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

Please vote before 11:00 AM PDT to guarantee that it will be counted.

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Dirk the Impaler
SKILL: 12 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 24 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 5 Initial Luck = 12
NOTES:
Dabbed self with Chameleonite blood
Memorized the rhyme: To go beyond A granite door, Press the numbers One eight four.
A Gargantis purportedly dwells in the Howling Tunnels of the Western Flatlands
Immune to any fire attacks
Call out “Suma 11” to summon Suma for aid
Record for the number of Hobbits’ ears eaten by a Troll in a competition is 119
TREASURE:
7 Gold Pieces
EQUIPMENT:
Leather Armour
Backpack
Healing Potion (five tots, +6 STAMINA per tot)
Skull Ring
Cracked Silver Mirror
Silver Rod with the Inscription “37”
Candle
Crystal of Sanity
Gargantis Scroll
Defender Shield (+1 Attack Strength)
Gold Ring with Iridescent Jewel
Razaak’s Sword (+1 Attack Strength)
Piece of Faded Parchment with the Number “66”
Polished Stones
Helmet of Cowardice (Roll two dice before combat, player dies if total is greater than Skill)
RESURRECTIONS: 3[/spoiler]

[Thaluikhain]

Go left, nice that it's not a blind choice.

(And I remember there being a bunch of numbers to find in this book (and I think I still remember one), I didn't remember there being this many.)

[Beroli]

Go right.

[JourneymanN00b]

Thank you for your votes. I am going to break the 1-1 tie to have Dirk the Impaler go right.

315
[spoiler][/spoiler]

You pass between two statues of Skeleton Warriors and immediately feel a gust of cold wind blow down the tunnel into your faces. The wind blows harder and begins to howl. ‘We seem to be in the right place,’ says Borri in a more serious tone than usual. Suddenly you see something glowing white at the end of the tunnel. It grows in size and flies towards you at speed. When it is near enough, you see that it is a being with an agonized look on its face, its diffuse body trailing behind it. Its mouth opens and lets out a soul-chilling scream. ‘It’s an Ice Ghost,’ shouts Symm above the wailing scream. ‘Don’t let it touch you as it flies by. And look out, here come two more!’ You keep your eye on the Ice Ghosts as they spiral towards you. Roll two dice three times. If any of the totals are greater than your SKILL score, turn to 379. If the totals are all the same as or less than your SKILL, turn to 72.

Rolling the dice three times yields a 9, 8, and 9, all of which are unsurprisingly lower than Dirk the Impaler’s Skill.

72
The vapour-like bodies of the Ice Ghosts close in fast, but you manage to evade them. Symm and Borri also manage to dodge the Ice Ghosts. You watch them disappear down the tunnel, and all becomes quiet again. Watchful for more Ice Ghosts, you press on down the tunnel. Turn to 245.

245
With the Ice Ghosts out of the tunnel, all is quite again. ‘I don’t suppose many people know that the Howling Tunnels get their name because they are inhabited by Ice Ghosts,’ says Borri in a more cheerful voice. ‘But I hope they don’t come back. Look, there are two more statues of Skeleton Warriors further down the tunnel!’ If you wish to pass between the statues, turn to 56. If you wish to stay where you are and ask Symm to search for a possible secret passage, turn to 112.

Please vote before 1:00 PM PDT to guarantee that it will be counted.

[Beroli]

Pass between the statues. This is not a safe place to delay, as Borri just noted.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, Dirk the Impaler will pass between the statues.

56
[spoiler][/spoiler]

No more Ice Ghosts appear when you pass between the statues, and you follow the tunnel as it bends to the right. In a few minutes you hear more noise up ahead, but this time it sounds like the deep grunt of a huge beast. You walk on until the tunnel opens out on to a ledge near the bottom of a deep pit. A foul smell of rotting slime fills your nostrils; the stench comes from the thick sludge which covers the bottom of the pit just below the ledge. Two legs, green and scaly, rise up out of the sludge, and your eyes follow them upwards to a huge torso, which ends in a gnarled head, which a gaping maw ringed by rows of long spiked teeth. In the centre of the forehead you see a white, spiral-shaped horn. Although the Gargantis has poor sight, it senses your presence and reaches down towards the ledge with its giant clawed hand. You jump back into the safety of the tunnel beyond the reach of the Gargantis. You tell Symm and Borri that you intend to stop into the sludge-filled pit while they fire arrows to distract the Gargantis. With the plan decided, you draw your sword and walk once more to the ledge. The Gargantis lets out a fearful roar and swipes at you with its clawed hand. If you have daubed yourself with Chameleonite blood, turn to 24. If you have not, turn to 349.

Dirk the Impaler has daubed himself with Chameleonite blood.

24
Without your even having to think about it, the Chameonite blood triggers a new defence mechanism in your body. Your skin turns dark green like the sludge in the pit, and the Gargantis suddenly loses sight of you altogether, and misses with its claws, although it can still sense your presence. But Symm and Borri distract its attention by loosing two arrows at the giant torso. The Gargantis howls in pain, although the arrows barely pierce its tough hide. The Gargantis, however, has its own defence mechanism, and in reaction to the pain, a gland emits waves of mental energy of intense power. If you are wearing a translucent crystal around your neck on a gold chain, turn to 193. If you are not wearing a crystal, turn to 307.

Dirk the Impaler is wearing the Crystal of Sanity on a gold chain.

193
Your Crystal of Sanity wards off the mental attack, and protects the three of you from a terrible fit of madness. Realizing that the Gargantis is an incredibly powerful beast, you decide to think again about how best to defeat it. If you still wish to step into the pit and attack it with your sword, turn to 147. If you wish to use something else, turn to 375.

Please vote before 3:00 PM PDT to guarantee that it will be counted.

[Beroli]

We have no relevant elses. Stick it with pointy piece of metal.

[JourneymanN00b]

Vote registered, Dirk the Impaler will attack it with his sword.

147
You slide over the edge of the pit and sink up to your knees in stinking slime. The fearsome Gargantis is massive, and you stand no taller than its hips. Its strength is formidable and its hide appears as tough as chainmail.

GARGANTIS SKILL 12 STAMINA 24

If you somehow manage to defeat this giant beast, turn to 220.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

Important Note:I believe it strange that Symm and Borri firing arrows are not helping out in any way in Dirk the Impaler’s battle against the Gargantis. I will have Symm and Borri deal 1 additional damage to any hit that Dirk the Impaler inflicts on the Gargantis in order to make this battle more realistic.

Rolling the dice due to the Helmet of Cowardice’s effect yields a 4, which is unsurprisingly lower than Dirk the Impaler’s Skill, so he summons up enough courage to fight.

The fight:
[spoiler]Round 1: Gargantis Attack Strength: 18, Player Attack Strength: 18;
Gargantis Stamina: 24, Player Stamina: 24
Round 2: Gargantis Attack Strength: 18, Player Attack Strength: 18;
Gargantis Stamina: 24, Player Stamina: 24
Round 3: Gargantis Attack Strength: 18, Player Attack Strength: 20;
Gargantis Stamina: 21, Player Stamina: 24
Round 4: Gargantis Attack Strength: 15, Player Attack Strength: 19;
Gargantis Stamina: 18, Player Stamina: 24
Round 5: Gargantis Attack Strength: 17, Player Attack Strength: 18;
Gargantis Stamina: 15, Player Stamina: 24
Round 6: Gargantis Attack Strength: 18, Player Attack Strength: 18;
Gargantis Stamina: 15, Player Stamina: 24
Round 7: Gargantis Attack Strength: 24, Player Attack Strength: 21;
Gargantis Stamina: 15, Player Stamina: 22
Round 8: Gargantis Attack Strength: 20, Player Attack Strength: 22;
Gargantis Stamina: 12, Player Stamina: 22
Round 9: Gargantis Attack Strength: 22, Player Attack Strength: 18;
Gargantis Stamina: 12, Player Stamina: 20
Round 10: Gargantis Attack Strength: 23, Player Attack Strength: 21;
Gargantis Stamina: 12, Player Stamina: 18
Round 11: Gargantis Attack Strength: 16, Player Attack Strength: 19;
Gargantis Stamina: 9, Player Stamina: 18
Round 12: Gargantis Attack Strength: 14, Player Attack Strength: 17;
Gargantis Stamina: 6, Player Stamina: 18
Round 13: Gargantis Attack Strength: 18, Player Attack Strength: 21;
Gargantis Stamina: 3, Player Stamina: 18
Round 14: Gargantis Attack Strength: 16, Player Attack Strength: 19;
Gargantis Stamina: 0, Player Stamina: 18[/spoiler]

Dirk the Impaler actually manages to defeat this giant beast, although he takes 6 Stamina points of damage in the process.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

220
You stagger back to the edge of the pit, panting heavily and drenched in sweat. Borri and Symm are cheering loudly, although you can hardly hear them due to exhaustion. They help you climb up on to the ledge and then Symm jumps into the pit to sever the Gargantis’s horn. You have just about recovered from your ordeal when he hands you the fabled horn with a smile spread across his face. You marvel at its beauty before tucking it in your belt. ‘Let’s go!’ you say, and lead your two friends back down the tunnel. Passing between the Skeleton statues does not product a further appearance of the Ice Ghosts, and you hurry on. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 54. If you are Unlucky, turn to 138.

The Luck roll yielded a 4, meaning that Dirk the Impaler was Lucky.

54
Fortunately you are not confronted by any creatures, and you are able to make your way out of the tunnels. Turn to 279.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

279
You find the balloon and basket where you left them, and drag them out of the tunnel entrance and down the hillock. ‘We must build a huge fire so that we can inflate the balloon with hot air,’ Borri says authoritatively. ‘I’ll lay out the balloon while you two gather some wood.’ It takes you nearly three hours to scour the barren plain and find enough wood to build a decent fire, but at least you are ready. Borri takes a metal pipe out of the basket, connects it to the neck of the balloon, and suspends the other end over the fire. The balloon soon fills with hot air and is nearly inflated, when you suddenly see dust rising into the sky on the horizon. ‘Horses approaching,’ Symm says calmly. ‘I hope you are nearly ready, Borri.’ The horses quickly come into view and you see that there are six, each being ridden hard by a Hobgoblin. Borri orders you to untie the rope which is holding the balloon fast to a tree-stump, and then climb up the rope as the balloon ascends. But the strain on the rope makes it difficult to untie, and you waste valuable seconds before deciding to cut through it with your sword. You are suddenly jolted upwards by the rope, while at the same time a Hobgoblin rides underneath you and leaps out of the saddle to try to grab your legs. Roll two dice. If the total is the same as or less than your SKILL, turn to 253. If the total is greater than your SKILL, turn to 331.

Rolling the dice yields an 8, which is unsurprisingly less than Dirk the Impaler’s Skill.

253
The Hobgoblin just misses your foot and falls to the ground with a thump. To the cheers of Borri and Symm, you haul yourself up the rope and scramble into the basket. Turn to 226.

226
[spoiler][/spoiler]

The balloon seems to climb agonizingly slowly into the sky and as you look over the side of the basket, you see the six Hobgoblins, who have dismounted, loosing their arrows at you. Roll one die to determine the number of arrows that reach their target. Then for each one on target, roll the die again. If you roll 1-5, the arrow lodges itself into the basket. If you roll 6, the arrow will hit you. Lose 2 STAMINA points for each arrow that hits you. If you are still alive, turn to 294.

Rolling the die yields a 6, meaning that six arrows have reached their target. Rolling the die for each of the six arrows yields a 3, 3, 4, 6, 2, and 1, meaning that Dirk the Impaler loses 2 Stamina points for getting hit with an arrow.

294
The balloon climbs up into the sky, beyond the range of the arrows. ‘That was a close call,’ mutters Borri. ‘But at least we are safe up here. Let’s hope this wind keeps up to push us north-west.’ Feeling weary, you sit down in the basket and decide to snooze for a while. But Borri, back in his beloved balloon, is in a talkative mood and tries to keep you awake. ‘I’m amazed at the price of things these days,’ he says. ‘Do you know how much a good war-hammer costs, even in a city of thieves like Port Blacksand?’ If you wish to continue the conversation, turn to 198. If you would rather tell him to keep quiet so that you can sleep, turn to 49.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

Please vote on what to say to Borri and whether to have the additional damage assistance from Symm and Borri stand (if not, the fight can be replayed) before 5:00 PM PDT to guarantee that it will be counted.

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Dirk the Impaler
SKILL: 12 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 16 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 4 Initial Luck = 12
NOTES:
Dabbed self with Chameleonite blood
Memorized the rhyme: To go beyond A granite door, Press the numbers One eight four.
A Gargantis purportedly dwells in the Howling Tunnels of the Western Flatlands
Immune to any fire attacks
Call out “Suma 11” to summon Suma for aid
Record for the number of Hobbits’ ears eaten by a Troll in a competition is 119
TREASURE:
7 Gold Pieces
EQUIPMENT:
Leather Armour
Backpack
Healing Potion (five tots, +6 STAMINA per tot)
Skull Ring
Cracked Silver Mirror
Silver Rod with the Inscription “37”
Candle
Crystal of Sanity
Gargantis Scroll
Defender Shield (+1 Attack Strength)
Gold Ring with Iridescent Jewel
Razaak’s Sword (+1 Attack Strength)
Piece of Faded Parchment with the Number “66”
Polished Stones
Helmet of Cowardice (Roll two dice before combat, player dies if total is greater than Skill)
Gargantis Horn
RESURRECTIONS: 3[/spoiler]

[Queen of Swords]

Continue the conversation, though Borri sure is chatty.

[Beroli]

Continue the conversation. Borri offers no useless information.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, Dirk the Impaler will continue the conversation.

198
In a bored tone, you reply that you have no idea how much a war-hammer costs. ‘Thirty-five Gold Pieces, I tell you!’ Borri says excitedly. ‘It’s ridiculous. For that you can buy a good pair of leather boots, a sword and a shield, and still have change left for a hot meal and a flagon of ale in a tavern. When I get home, I’m going to become a blacksmith and specialize in weapons.’ Borri rambles on for the next two hours, telling Dwarf legends and tales of his life. But suddenly, Symm points west and shouts, ‘Look! A speck in the sky and it’s moving towards us!’ When you focus your eyes on the object in the sky, your heart sinks. Turn to 152.

152
[spoiler][/spoiler]
The object in the sky is a gigantic winged creature with a long neck and tail. Its scales are red, and the creature measures nearly twenty-five metres in length. Some dragons are neutral, others are unfriendly, but an adult Red Dragon is always hostile and worse still, it can shoot fireballs from its mouth. ‘Borri, get this contraption on the ground as quickly as you can, or we are all done for,’ warns Symm. But it is too late – the Red Dragon swoops down and shoots a fireball straight at the balloon. The balloon ignites in a ball of flame and plunges towards the ground. If you know how to call on the Suma to help you, turn to his number. If you do not know what to do, turn to 106.

Dirk the Impaler does know how to call on the Suma for help, and we will be turning to section 11.

11
As you plunge down towards the ground, a human materializes beside you, golden and glowing. The Suma simply smiles and says, ‘I will save you now, but I cannot help you again.’ It then disappears and much to your surprise, the Red Dragon returns and flies underneath you, allowing you to drop on to its back. The three of you scramble up on to its neck and fly north-west – the Dragon-riders of Allansia. Some time later, after Moonstone Hills come into view, the Red Dragon glides down to land. As soon as you have dismounted, the Dragon flies off, leaving you unharmed. You realize that it is only an hour before sunset, and so you look around for somewhere to sleep to be well rested to meet your ultimate adversary. If you wish to sleep among the nearby trees, turn to 257. If you wish to walk to the edge of the hills to sleep, turn to 28.

Important Note: I will have the Suma’s rescue add 1 to Dirk the Impaler’s Luck score, as I feel that this qualifies as a lucky event. I can also have the Suma reappear once more to provide Dirk the Impaler a bronze key as well as two pieces of information regarding Razaak before it truly parts from this world. I am offering this additional help from the Suma, as this key and the two facts are rather difficult to find in a standard playthrough, though not quite to the level as getting the Crystal of Sanity. Additionally, I feel that it is plausible that the Suma is willing to help our hero in this way, seeing as he is a spirit from another magical plane and can easily possess this type of omniscience. However, this extra aid will cost Dirk the Impaler two resurrections.

Please vote on whether to have the Suma luck boost stand, whether to trade in two resurrections for the bronze key and the information about Razaak, and where to sleep before 8:00 PM PDT to guarantee that it will be counted.

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Dirk the Impaler
SKILL: 12 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 16 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 5 Initial Luck = 12
NOTES:
Dabbed self with Chameleonite blood
Memorized the rhyme: To go beyond A granite door, Press the numbers One eight four.
A Gargantis purportedly dwells in the Howling Tunnels of the Western Flatlands
Immune to any fire attacks
Call out “Suma 11” to summon Suma for aid
Record for the number of Hobbits’ ears eaten by a Troll in a competition is 119
It costs 35 Gold Pieces for a war-hammer
TREASURE:
7 Gold Pieces
EQUIPMENT:
Leather Armour
Backpack
Healing Potion (five tots, +6 STAMINA per tot)
Skull Ring
Cracked Silver Mirror
Silver Rod with the Inscription “37”
Candle
Crystal of Sanity
Gargantis Scroll
Defender Shield (+1 Attack Strength)
Gold Ring with Iridescent Jewel
Razaak’s Sword (+1 Attack Strength)
Piece of Faded Parchment with the Number “66”
Polished Stones
Helmet of Cowardice (Roll two dice before combat, player dies if total is greater than Skill)
Gargantis Horn
RESURRECTIONS: 3[/spoiler]