[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 27 - Star Strider

[Thaluikhain]

Half vote for salt mines.

[Darth Rabbitt]

I assume that the records at the station are going to be redacted or censored in a way that removes key information in which case the salt mine should have more substantial clues.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes counted, Hiryu Aragorn will go to the salt-mines, since that option narrowly won by a 2.5-2 vote.

108
[spoiler][/spoiler]

The Android tells you that you’ll need transport. It takes you to a used ZipCar centre owned by ‘Honest’ Luig Six. Most of the cars are rusty heaps, but Luig Six is not prepared to part with any of them. He shows you a Grom Vidlaw forbidding the sale of any transports without a special Grom licence. The Android takes him to one side and threatens him. He comes back with a frightened smile on his face and is willing to accept a fair price for a serviceable ZipCar. You check the fuel levels and get directions from the Android. You speed above the city, heading north. Turn to 224.

224
You see the vast salt lakes ahead. Suddenly you pick up a message. You are ordered to land immediately. You check visuals and see a GromPol Craft; it is not as sleek as usual, but looks like a Mark IV with bits stuck on to it. Do you decide to land (turn to 367) or fight (turn to 143)?

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

[pragma]

Fight, I think these are impostors if some variety based on the word craft.

[JourneymanN00b]

Vote registered, Hiryu Aragorn will fight.

143
You are right to be suspicious. The craft is a disguised Bandit ZipCar out for plunder. Your car is no great speedster, but the cannons are loaded. Fight as in ordinary combat, but do not reduce your actual STAMINA, since it is the craft which takes damage. Use a SPECIAL Encounter Box on the Adventure Sheet.

BANDIT ZIPCAR SKILL 7 STAMINA 8

If you lose, you have crashed, but you survive and run off into a nearby trench which seems to head back to the city (turn to 3). If you win, turn to 302.

The fight:
[spoiler]Round 1: Bandit ZipCar Attack Strength: 14, Player Attack Strength: 20;
Bandit Zipcar Stamina: 6, Player Stamina: 34
Round 2: Bandit ZipCar Attack Strength: 12, Player Attack Strength: 20;
Bandit Zipcar Stamina: 4, Player Stamina: 34
Round 3: Bandit ZipCar Attack Strength: 14, Player Attack Strength: 17;
Bandit Zipcar Stamina: 2, Player Stamina: 34
Round 4: Bandit ZipCar Attack Strength: 15, Player Attack Strength: 11;
Bandit Zipcar Stamina: 0, Player Stamina: 34 [/spoiler]

Hiryu Aragorn manages to destroy the ZipCar without a scratch to his craft.

302
[spoiler][/spoiler]

You land close to the site of some debris from a space lifeboat. You walk around and find parts of a shattered presidential Guard Android. Self-destruct circuits must have broken up before they could operate. You find two recall chips and plug them into your Chronograph. You can see the event of the landing though the Guard’s vision. You replay the episode with high-intensity magnification and focus on the setting used by the Grom pilot. You can see: Q867 RT88 20KK 169A … You know that the first three groups are standard codes for the London area. Then you look up and see a real Grom craft heading towards you with cannons firing. The shots destroy the head of the Guard. You can run for the ZipCar (turn to 258) or for a nearby salt trench (turn to 3).

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

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Hiryu Aragorn
TIME: 24
CLUES:
OXYGEN: 16
SKILL: 10 Initial Skill = 10
STAMINA: 34 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 11 Initial Luck = 10
FEAR: 7
CALCULATIONS:
Circle with a horizontal line through it is a clue
Reference 169A is a clue
London area is a clue
BOONS:
1 Dice Manipulator[/spoiler]

[Beroli]

Hm. I'm going to say we have no time to get in the air and would rather not be in a bandit car anyway.

Salt trench. And I'm glad the gamebook doesn't require the player to recognize a symbol for the London Underground to get the right city.

[SGamerz]

Trench.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Run for the nearby salt trench.

[Thaluikhain]

To the salt trench.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, Hiryu Aragorn will run for a nearby salt trench.

3
As you walk along the trench you hear the rumble of machinery below you. You tap the walls on either side and find that they are not solid. You kick hard and the side wall collapses. Inside there is a tunnel with a long conveyor belt full of salt heading back to Roma. You jump on and take a ride. Add 2 STAMINA points and turn to 149.

149
The conveyor moves at a good pace and you notice the rough-hewn tunnel change to a metal-clad one. You guess that you are close to the city centre when you see a light ahead. There is a huge machine attended by several Androids. You get off and walk carefully along the tunnel, but there are no Guards here. The Androids are ‘dedicated’ and blind to anything but their own function. Deduct 2 TIME units. There are two ladders heading straight up. Do you take the left one (turn to 344) or the right one (turn to 329)?

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

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Hiryu Aragorn
TIME: 22
CLUES:
OXYGEN: 16
SKILL: 10 Initial Skill = 10
STAMINA: 36 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 11 Initial Luck = 10
FEAR: 7
CALCULATIONS:
Circle with a horizontal line through it is a clue
Reference 169A is a clue
London area is a clue
BOONS:
1 Dice Manipulator[/spoiler]

[Darth Rabbitt]

Given a blind choice, follow the left hand rule.

[Thaluikhain]

Argh, blind choices again.

Also, I guess we get 2 Stamina points for resting, but wasn't expecting riding a conveyor in a salt mine to give a Sta boost.

[pragma]

Sure, left ladder

[SGamerz]

Left.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, Hiryu Aragorn will demonstrate a stand against the rising forces of fascism and take the left one.

344
You climb up a vertical shaft. There is a metal plate at the top which unlocks and swings open. You are in the middle of a Roman street. A ZipCar thunders overhead. You get out and slam the cover shut. The alarm on the Chronograph beeps at you and you realize that the Silverhound for Paris is due to leave soon. Do you go to the terminal (turn to 75) or stay and carry on your investigation (turn to 221)?

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

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Hiryu Aragorn
TIME: 22
CLUES:
OXYGEN: 16
SKILL: 10 Initial Skill = 10
STAMINA: 36 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 11 Initial Luck = 10
FEAR: 7
CALCULATIONS:
Circle with a horizontal line through it is a clue
Reference 169A is a clue
London area is a clue
BOONS:
1 Dice Manipulator[/spoiler]

[Beroli]

Our goal is London; we have no reason to go to Paris. Stay and carry on the investigation.

[SGamerz]

I suspect we may need to visit all 4 cities that the Groms are based in for our investigations, and London is probably going to be the last one. We'll probably be making a stop in Paris one way or another, although I'm not sure if missing the Silverhound now will make the trip easier or more difficult.

Half a vote for terminal.

[pragma]

This one is baffling because I have no idea which choice will get us closer to London. I guess Paris is closer than Rome, so I vote for the terminal.

[Darth Rabbitt]

I honestly don't know if there's a Silverhound that goes directly to London from Rome, so I think going to Paris is probably a good idea.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes counted, Hiryu Aragorn will go to the terminal, as that option won over staying and carrying on the investigation by a 2.5-1 vote.

75
You reach the Silverhound terminal and rush forward to slip in your credit. But there is no need to hurry: there are only two other passengers, both Androids. They stand still and buzz to each other. You get on the bus, find a comfortable place and watch a TravelVid about Roma. Apparently the Gromulans believe that there is some connection between the founding of Roma and their race. You eat several cubes and then go to sleep. Add 3 STAMINA points. Deduct 2 TIME units and turn to 157.

157
[spoiler][/spoiler]

You wake up as you are thrown from your seat. An alarm sounds and, looking through the windows, you can see four Bandit craft attacking the bus. The pilot appeals for help and the two Androids rush to gun positions. You follow and grab a cannon that appears on a pivot. You aim carefully and fire. Fight as in normal combat, but use a SPECIAL Encounter Box on your Adventure Sheet, and do not reduce your actual STAMINA score.

First BANDIT SKILL 9 STAMINA 8
Second BANDIT SKILL 9 STAMINA 10

If you lose, turn to 269. If you win, turn to 227.

It is assumed that Hiryu Aragorn will be fighting both Bandits at the same time, so an Attack Strength will be rolled for the second bandit Hiryu Aragorn is facing. While the first Bandit lives, if the second Bandit’s Attack Strength is lower, no damage will be dealt to the second Bandit.

The fight:
[spoiler]Round 1: First Bandit Attack Strength: 21, Player Attack Strength: 17, Second Bandit Attack Strength: 14;
First Bandit Stamina: 8, Second Bandit Stamina: 10, Player Stamina: 37
Round 2: First Bandit Attack Strength: 12, Player Attack Strength: 16, Second Bandit Attack Strength: 15;
First Bandit Stamina: 6, Second Bandit Stamina: 10, Player Stamina: 37
Round 3: First Bandit Attack Strength: 14, Player Attack Strength: 17, Second Bandit Attack Strength: 13;
First Bandit Stamina: 4, Second Bandit Stamina: 10, Player Stamina: 37
Round 4: First Bandit Attack Strength: 19, Player Attack Strength: 13, Second Bandit Attack Strength: 17;
First Bandit Stamina: 4, Second Bandit Stamina: 10, Player Stamina: 33
Round 5: First Bandit Attack Strength: 12, Player Attack Strength: 17, Second Bandit Attack Strength: 20;
First Bandit Stamina: 2, Second Bandit Stamina: 10, Player Stamina: 31
Round 6: First Bandit Attack Strength: 18, Player Attack Strength: 16, Second Bandit Attack Strength: 18;
First Bandit Stamina: 2, Second Bandit Stamina: 10, Player Stamina: 27
Round 7: First Bandit Attack Strength: 20, Player Attack Strength: 16, Second Bandit Attack Strength: 15;
First Bandit Stamina: 2, Second Bandit Stamina: 10, Player Stamina: 25
Round 8: First Bandit Attack Strength: 14, Player Attack Strength: 14, Second Bandit Attack Strength: 21;
First Bandit Stamina: 2, Second Bandit Stamina: 10, Player Stamina: 23
Round 9: First Bandit Attack Strength: 17, Player Attack Strength: 16, Second Bandit Attack Strength: 14;
First Bandit Stamina: 2, Second Bandit Stamina: 10, Player Stamina: 21
Round 10: First Bandit Attack Strength: 14, Player Attack Strength: 14, Second Bandit Attack Strength: 16;
First Bandit Stamina: 2, Second Bandit Stamina: 10, Player Stamina: 19
Round 11: First Bandit Attack Strength: 14, Player Attack Strength: 15, Second Bandit Attack Strength: 18;
First Bandit Stamina: 0, Second Bandit Stamina: 10, Player Stamina: 17

Round 12: Second Bandit Attack Strength: 15, Player Attack Strength: 19;
Second Bandit Stamina: 8, Player Stamina: 17
Round 13: Second Bandit Attack Strength: 19, Player Attack Strength: 14;
Second Bandit Stamina: 8, Player Stamina: 15
Round 14: Second Bandit Attack Strength: 15, Player Attack Strength: 16;
Second Bandit Stamina: 6, Player Stamina: 15
Round 15: Second Bandit Attack Strength: 12, Player Attack Strength: 15;
Second Bandit Stamina: 4, Player Stamina: 15
Round 16: Second Bandit Attack Strength: 18, Player Attack Strength: 15;
Second Bandit Stamina: 4, Player Stamina: 13
Round 17: Second Bandit Attack Strength: 18, Player Attack Strength: 20;
Second Bandit Stamina: 2, Player Stamina: 13
Round 18: Second Bandit Attack Strength: 18, Player Attack Strength: 17;
Second Bandit Stamina: 2, Player Stamina: 11
Round 19: Second Bandit Attack Strength: 15, Player Attack Strength: 19;
Second Bandit Stamina: 0, Player Stamina: 11[/spoiler]

It took a lot of rounds, but Hiryu Aragorn managed to destroy the two Bandits.

227
The remaining Bandits give up and speed off. You look around you: the bus is a mess, both the Androids are self-destructing. You move to the pilot’s cabin and find the control on ‘auto’ and a strong whiff of acid on wires. The pilot Android has suffered the same fate. The bus lurches and you jump into the pilot’s seat. Auto-control is intermittent. The screen flashes ‘Unauthorized User’ in bright red letters. You ignore this, while struggling to bring the bus under control. The auto-pilot will not stay on, so you resort to the old saying, ‘If all else fails, kick it!’ You aim a good kick in the panel, hoping your luck is in. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 308; if you are Unlucky, turn to 252.

The Luck roll yielded an 8, meaning that Hiryu Aragorn was Lucky.

308
The auto-pilot reasserts itself and sets up the flight path to Paris. You sit back, eat some food cubes and get some sleep. Deduct 2 TIME units. Add 6 STAMINA points and turn to 76.

76
When you approach Paris you are automatically logged into a Galaztic Ents commentary on the city. It look beautiful, with its heavily overgrown buildings. You fly over an old expressway which is solid with rusted vintage cars – apparently the scene of the greatest traffic jam the planet ever had in the previous century when Earth was still heavily populated. You land the Silverhound at Paris terminal. When you get out of the craft, you are promptly arrested by two GromPol Androids for unauthorized flying. Do you fight your way out (turn to 399), or do you go quietly (turn to 168)?

Please vote before 12:00 PM PST to guarantee that it will be counted.

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Hiryu Aragorn
TIME: 18
CLUES:
OXYGEN: 16
SKILL: 10 Initial Skill = 10
STAMINA: 45 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 10 Initial Luck = 10
FEAR: 7
CALCULATIONS:
Circle with a horizontal line through it is a clue
Reference 169A is a clue
London area is a clue
BOONS:
1 Dice Manipulator[/spoiler]

[JourneymanN00b]

Since nobody voted, I will have Hiryu Aragorn go quietly.

168
You are marched off to a nearby Grom craft and thrown into a small dark cell. After several gravity hours you feel the craft take off. Soon you are taken into a building marked ‘Bastille’ and lined up in a corridor with a row of other criminals. Androids clatter up and down looking busy. In the far corner there is a door marked ‘Communications – Private’. You watch carefully when a Grom comes out, and you see a ComTerm inside. Do you risk going in (turn to 10), or will you stay where you are (turn to 110)?

[spoiler][/spoiler]

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

[Beroli]

Stay here, this looks like a trap.

[SGamerz]

Agreed, stay.

[JourneymanN00b]

Sorry for the delay guys, I had to take care of quite a few personal issues on my end. I have registered your votes to stay where our hero currently is.

110
After a while a small Gromulan with an Excel on either side of him appears and walks along the row. He stops in front of you and holds up a strange device. It projects a beam and tries to brainscan you. As a Rogue Tracer you are protected against this. ‘So, we have a Tracer here,’ he squeaks. The Excels grab you, take you to a room and leave you there. In the corner is a ComTerm showing pictures of the President. Do you want to approach the ComTerm (turn to 316) or stay where you are (turn to 296)?

[spoiler][/spoiler]

Please vote before 7:00 PM PST to guarantee that it will be counted.

[SGamerz]

I think this is still a test...BUT, since they openly brought us to this room and let us see the pictures, this is probably some reverse-psychology test. I think we should approach to look at ComTerm instead of trying too hard pretending not to be interested. We should logically display some curiosity in this, and I bet they're deliberately showing us stuff that won't give away important information anyway.