[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 32 - Slaves of the Abyss

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to hide in the stables and wait to see what happens, as I do not feel that having a companion who is rushing to a risky situation is a good idea, given the poor track record of companions in Fighting Fantasy.

[Queen of Swords]

He asked us to keep whatever he found and give it to the new ruler, not to follow him in his roaring rampage of revenge.

That said, I don't know if we'll be able to observe what happens while hiding in the stables, so half a vote to go with him.

[Beroli]

Hide and wait.

[SGamerz]

You hide yourself in a pile of straw as the courtyard fills with noise. Ramedes lets out a blood-curdling roar, quickly followed by screams from the guards in the keep and the harsh clash of metal on metal. Another roar goes up from Ramedes, this time fainter. His final cry is one of pain, and a shout of triumph arises from the guardsmen. Saddened by the defeat of Kallamehr's brave champion, you examine the trophy which he entrusted to you, and for which he lost his life.

In the leather pouch is a large round locket, intricately crafted from platinum and other rare metals. It is set with blue stones, arranged in what is unmistakably the Seal of the House of Rangor. The clasp is carved in the shape of two interlocked silver dolphins; try as you may, you cannot prise them apart, though you feel that it is only magical powers which is keeping it together. Stowing the locket away carefully, you settle down for the night, The commotion in the courtyard has subsided. Tick off a time box.

Next morning, you peer out at the servants scurrying about the courtyard. They erect a kind of low stage, with a platform behind it. Soon a coffin is brought our and laid with great care on the low stage by a number of priests. You guess that the coffin is Lady Carolina's and that her body is being brought our so that her subjects mat pay their last respects. Madhaerios, Dunyazad of Ikhtiyan, Asiah Albudur and Sige the Silent all file out and take their places overlooking the catafalque. Then the guards open the gates and allow the citizens to people, you leave your hiding-place and mingle with them.

You take your place in the long line of citizens waiting to kiss the hand of their departed ruler. In front of you, two citizens are having a whispered argument, and you cannot help but overhear. "I'm not having you kissin' her hand, not after you poached her finest swans!" says the wife of the pair. "I've heard what they say! Your guilt would turn her skin black as night!" "Hush, woman!" her husband replies. "Always grabbing the wrong end of the spurtle. The tale goes that if a murderer kisses its victims on the lips, they'll turn black as burnt parchment. I've nothing to fear - she won't be missing her swans now, will she?" As they approach the body, they fall silent and bow their heads in reverence. Carolina lies in full regalia, the Sword of Office gripped in her right hand, while her left rests upon a cushion so that her citizens may kiss it. Your turn comes, and you find yourself looking down at the corpse of the woman who sent you on your mission. As you bend to kiss her hand you lock eyes with Luthaur, one of the heroes who remained behind to defend Kallamehr. He stands just to one side of the nobles' platform, fidgeting nervously with the pommel of his sword. Strangely, he betrays no sign of recognition. What will you do:

Mount the platform and demand that the nobles hear your case?
Hold up the Sealed Locket, if you have it?
Slip away into the crowd and watch the rest of the ceremony?

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Name: Dastan
SKILL 12/12
STAMINA 17/17
LUCK 10/10
Equipment: Sword of Fangthane steel, leather armour, Sige's Pomander, Reaver's bottle, Blowpipe (used), Ghulsh' potion (turn to 258 when drunk), 'Zazzaz' potion (turn to 369 when drunk), Barolo's buckler (+1 SKILL during combat), Sealed Locket
Provisions: 5
Gold & Treasure: 9 GP
Time remaining: 8/20 (turn to 57 when crossing off 18th time unit, and to 326 when crossing off the last time unit)
Notes: Learned the Spitting Fly from Barolo
[/spoiler]

[Beroli]

Hold up the locket.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to hold up the locket, as Ramedes gave it to us for a reason, which was to show this to the next rightful ruler.

[Queen of Swords]

Poor Ramedes, but as a FF companion, that was only to be expected. Hold up the locket.

[Thaluikhain]

Hold up the locket.

And yeah, they like killing off FF companions.

[SGamerz]

You draw the locket from its leather pouch and hold it up above your head for all to see. The citizens near you back away in awe. You are about to tell how Ramedes was slain, when there is a screech from the planform in front of you. "Sacrilege! Seize the thief!" Sige is pointing at you, her body trembling with rage. Madhaerios is staring open-mouthed at the locket. Dunyazad cries: "It is the relic of which Carolina spoke on her death-bed - the Fate of Rangor." Sige cuts her short with an imperious gesture. "Guards! Luthaur! Kill this treacherous dog." If you try to open the locket, turn to 376.If you draw your sword and try to fight off the guards, turn to 399.

[Beroli]

Open the locket.

I wonder why the councilor who gave us the pomander which could have killed us from sleep deprivation, and who sees Kallemehr as her chess board, and who, as JourneymanN00b might point out, is located in the far right room...

...seemingly wants us unheard enough to abruptly go from Sige the Silent to Sige the Talks Over Other Councilors.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to open the locket.

[Queen of Swords]

Yes, I don't think trying to fight the guards will end well for us. Open the locket.

[SGamerz]

The locket snaps open very easily this time, and the guards shrink away from you. The nobles stare at the interior of the treasure with a mixture of bewilderment and shock. You turn the locket round in your hand and take a look within: inside is a faded picture of Ramedes, painted with uncanny accuracy. Even though the picture is old and cracked, as if painted centuries ago, it depicts him exactly as he appeared when you saw him last night. Asiah Albudur leaps to her feet and gestures for silence. "The Fate of Rangor has decreed the truth. Ramedes is the new Baron of Kallamehr!" You clear your throat to attract her attention, then tell her of Ramedes's death. You point at Luthaur and accuse him of being a traitor. Guards surround him and he is dragged away, protesting his innocence all the while, you turn to the four nobles.

If the locket is supposed to magically predict the next ruler of Kallamehr, shouldn't the picture have changed the moment he died? I guess maybe the future is uncertain right not. It seems that what Bythos and his agents did were sufficient to alter what was the destined future of the timeline...

It would be too dangerous to accuse one of these powerful people outright, but there is a way by which you can prove the guilt of the murderer. You must insist that one of the nobles shall kiss Carolina, according to the old woman's tale. It is a strange request, but one that they will find hard to refuse - final mark of respect for the departed ruler. The crowd are hushed, expectant. Which nobles do you ask to kiss Carolina:'

Dunyazad of Ikhtiyan?
Madhaerios, Carolina's cousin?
Sige the Silent?
Asiah Albudur, the judge?

If that apparent urban legend actually works, then the local crime investigation unit must have a relatively easy time with murder cases. All they have to do is to round up all the suspects and have them kiss the victim's corpse on the lips one by one!

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to ask Sige the Silent to kiss Lady Carolina and die a black death, as she is not only located in the most fascist position, but also tried to have Dastan killed by using the guards. Which is a perfect example of fascist suppression of the opposition.

[Thaluikhain]

Sige seems to be more into killing us, so yeah, try her.

(Also, so the locket was the Matrix of Leadership, but in a boring, not exploding and upgradey way? Boo!)

[Queen of Swords]

Yes, challenge Sige.

[SGamerz]

With consummate grace, Sige rises to her feet and looks around her. She walks slowly over to the the coffin and stands before it. She lowers her head towards Carolina, then stops and straightens up again. She speaks, and though her voice sounds as quiet as the breath of a breeze upon grass, you know that it can be heard in every part of the courtyard. "Why must I bow before the orders of this lying upstart? This is intolerable, an obscenity!" She is trembling with rage, but her features remain as placid as ever.

Then a brave soul from the crowd shouts out, "Pay your respects!" and the crowd back him up with shouts and calls. "Quiet!" Sige silences the crowd with one word. Then she bends over Carolina once more. An instant later, she has grasped the jewelled Sword of Office from the dead fingers which held it, and swings it violently at you. You twist to deflect the blow, but the flat of the blade catches you painfully on the shoulder. Lose 2 points of STAMINA. Now you must battle Sige, the traitor of Kallamehr.

SIGE THE SILENT SKILL 7 STAMINA 5

If you defeat her, turn to 384.

Saving Ramedes (temporarily) and gaining the Locket is not technically necessary to winning this book, but it can probably be considered the optimal path. Besides not having to fight Luthaur (who has a poisoned sword that can 1-shot us upon contact), one significant benefit of having the locket is that we get to see Sige's reaction to it before we make the accusation. Giving us the pomander might plausibly have been a well-meaning gesture, but her over=eagerness to kill us earlier was pretty much a dead giveaway. All the other nobles were merely shocked, which was a far more reasonable reaction.

COMBAT LOG:
Sige 12, Dastan 23. Sige is at 3.
Sige 14, Dastan 16. Sige is at 1.
Sige 13, Dastan 21. Sige is defeated.

As Sige falls dead at your feet, a deep rumbling noise reaches your ears. It grows louder and louder until your whole body is shaking. The terrified citizens cower away. Then there is the sound of a thunderclap which almost knocks you off your feet; a smoky black tentacles curls from Sige's mouth and forms into a gaseous parody of her earthly form. If shoots straight at your face and you try desperately to ward it off with your left hand, and the gaseous form disperses. Then pain shoots up your arm. Prepared for the worst. you look down at your left hand which is writhing within a blue vapour. You thrust it under your arm to quench the fell flame. The pain eases slightly, and you withdraw your hand. It is now shrouded in green light; as you watch, the colour changes through yellow and orange to red. The pain settles to a dull ache. The crisis over, the remaining nobles look to you for leadership. You arrange for all of Sige's servants in the city to be put under guard, and you see to the preparation of defences for the city. The other heroes, you discover, were all mysteriously slain - presumably through Sige's villainy - so you are forced to leave the job in the hands of the remaining loyal guards. Then you prepare to journey forth once more. The hostile army still threatens, and you have a duty to Lady Carolina to fulfil.

There were 10 other heroes besides us. So now we effectively has to do the job of 11 heroes (unless whomever that was sent to fetch the army is still alive but hasn't come back yet, in which case we're still doing 10 people's jobs).

You waste no time in retrieving your horse and setting out from the city. You ride east along the same route you used those few fateful days earlier. Tick off a time box. If you have heard of Enthymesis and wish to search for him, turn to 5. Otherwise, turn to 325.

So...more or less back in famliar territory.

We know we need to do the side quest for important quest items (Jheera torch) and information (herb names), so we definitely need to to the Enthymesis side quest (even though we never found the guy). So the only questions before I go through the next stage is whether we want to do anything differently.

Following the "brush-bearer's gloves" was clearly a formula that worked, so there's no reason to change directions in the shifting forest, so the few things you may want to do differently are:

1) Checking out the ant-covered hand, and
2) Trying to cross the river to attack the Troll

Please indicate whether you wish to do anything differently from last time until we gain the Jheera torch.

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Name: Dastan
SKILL 12/12
STAMINA 15/17
LUCK 10/10
Equipment: Sword of Fangthane steel, leather armour, Sige's Pomander, Reaver's bottle, Blowpipe (used), Ghulsh' potion (turn to 258 when drunk), 'Zazzaz' potion (turn to 369 when drunk), Barolo's buckler (+1 SKILL during combat), Sealed Locket
Provisions: 5
Gold & Treasure: 9 GP
Time remaining: 7/20 (turn to 57 when crossing off 18th time unit, and to 326 when crossing off the last time unit)
Notes: Learned the Spitting Fly from Barolo, received a wound that changes colour on left hand
[/spoiler]

[Beroli]

One thing I really like here is that there are, in meta-fiction terms, reasons to suspect each of the councilors--and except for Sige, they're all really bad reasons.

Madhaerios is fat. (And, if we'd looked in his room we'd know, also paranoid.)
Asiah, as we did observe, has schizophrenia.
Dunyazad is aggressive and non-conciliatory toward the PC while being female.

Anyway, do nothing differently.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to do the same actions until we get the Jheera torch.

[SGamerz]

One thing I really like here is that there are, in meta-fiction terms, reasons to suspect each of the councilors--and except for Sige, they're all really bad reasons.

Madhaerios is fat. (And, if we'd looked in his room we'd know, also paranoid.)
Asiah, as we did observe, has schizophrenia.
Dunyazad is aggressive and non-conciliatory toward the PC while being female.

There are practical political reasons for all of them to want to murder Carolina for her position. Madhaerios seems to be the only relation mentioned in the story, so possibly he stands a good chance of becoming the next ruler when she dies (although since Ramedes was apparently prophesized as the next ruler, that may not be how the system works in Kallamehr). And possibly inherits whatever money or property/assets she has, even if he doesn't get the rulership position (she doesn't seem to have any children).

Dunyazad seems to be the one practically running the place right now, so if the position wasn't hereditary by tradition then perhaps she stands a good chance to be the next ruler too. And since we played Magehunter before this, we know that Albudur is definitely also a valid candidate for the position since she did eventually become the ruler. Seems like the people or whomever placed her into that position never found out about her mental issues (unless she really did have medium powers to talk to ghosts).

We now proceed along old familiar paths:

You ride northward into the mountains, making your way carefully through wiry, bleached grass. There are no paths in these parts, and the grass conceals pot-holes and ruts. Without guide or marker you have no way of knowing whether your are travelling in the right direction, so you trust to your instincts and keep the sun to your left all the time. Finally you top a peak and gaze down at a cheerless plateau. The grass thins out and your heart sinks at the sight of the barren plain which stretches almost to the horizon. Then you spot something, far out in the middle of the plain. Screwing up your eyes, you stare intently at a small dot - perhaps a hut or other dwelling. You spur your steed down the slope and, after a few hours' ride, are at the fringes of the plain. You realize with alarm that the wind is rising. Without vegetation, the soil on this plain is dry and sandy, and it whips up around you, obscuring your vision and stinging your face. Your horse rears, terrified, and you tumble from the saddle, your right foot tangling in its stirrup. Test your Luck. If you are Unlucky, turn to 54. If you are Lucky, turn 77.

Dice roll = 8 (Lucky).

Though you land painfully you manage to grasp the stirrup in your hands, and tug at it to calm your panicking mare. Grabbing her reins and bridle, your force her to the ground and hide behind her while the sandstorm rages around you. You wait for the wind to subside.

When the dust finally settles, you find yourself staring at an expense of forest. Its presence is inexplicable - you saw no sign of it before the sandstorm. Intrigued, you approach and lead your horse along a fairly marked path between the trees, into the silent forest. Soon the narrow path forks at a massive, creeper-strewn tree with drooping foxgloves covering its roots. Looking around, you see the undergrowth is thick and impenetrable, and you resolve to tether your horse here before investigating further. If you take the left-hand path, write down the number '3' on your Adventure Sheet and turn to 268. If you take the right-hand path, write down the number '2' on your Adventure Sheet and turn to 388. If you examine the tree and the plants which cover it, turn to 356.

The tree is gnarled with age, and is being slowly strangled by the creepers which hug it. Foxgloves grow in profusion, all drooping elegantly to the left, towards the sunlight which filters through the leafy canopy overhead. You may collect some foxgloves and store them in your backpack if you wish. if you now wish to proceed along the right-hand path, write down the number '2' on your Adventure Sheet and turn to 388. If you take the left-hand path, write down the number '3' on your Adventure Sheet and turn to 268.

A little way down the path you enter a small glade. In the centre you can see a slightly raised mound of loose earth with a neat circular opening just above ground level. From it protrudes a black human hand, scrabbling in the loose soil as if trying to get a grip. As you approach, you realize that the hand's colour is caused by a crawling layer of ants. If you rush to man's aid and try to save him, turn to 300. If you would rather not take the risk, turn to 211.

As you watch, the ant-covered hand grabs a stick which was lying near by. It then withdraws back into the hole, and you hear scraping noises coming from within. You are not entirely sure what is going on within the mound, but you are glad that you didn't get involved.

Two paths lead out of the glade, one to your left and one to your right. You are just deciding which way to go when you are startled by an ant-eater which waddles out of a clump of orchards and foxgloves to your left, making straight for the mound in the middle of the glade. Wishing him a hearty meal, you continue on your way. If you have three numbers written on your Adventure Sheet, turn to the paragraph they indicate. Otherwise, if you go along the right-hand path, write the number '1' after any other numbers on your Adventure Sheet and turn to 17. If you go along the left-hand path, write the number '2' after any other numbers on your Adventure Sheet and turn to 388. If you already have one of these numbers written down, you should choose the other option.

You push your way carefully along the narrow path. After a short while you begin to hear sounds coming from ahead. Treading carefully, you press on, expecting the worst. Suddenly you hear a loud crashing noise followed by a shrill "By Ugbar's fingers!" This cursing is stifled by a loud "Shush!" but other voices cry out: "Shall I shoot 'im now?" "Not until I give the signal!" "What's the signal again?"

Suddenly a voice shouts "Now!" There is a twanging sound from the trees nearby and a small bow shoots from them, landing at your feet. At the same time a short, stocky figure leaps on to the path ahead of you, pointing a crossbow at you. "Aha!" he yells, and lets fly a bolt.

The missile speeds straight at you, but too low, and passes harmlessly between your legs. There is a strangled yelp from behind you, and you turn to see a Goblin with a sword raised, staring in surprise at the b9olt, which is protruding from his belly. "Nice shooting, Gok. Next time I use the crossbow," he croaks, and topples backwards. The Goblin who fired the crossbow flings it guiltily aside and draws a small knife from his belt. He charges towards you with a curse, and you prepare for battle. But after three steps he is whipped off his feet and yanked violently upwards by a noose-trap. "Got 'im!" says a voice nearby, and yet another Goblin comes into view, holding the other end of the rope, When he sees you, his jaw drops and he lets go of the rope, dropping his accomplice in a heap and fleeing. You chuckle to yourself and advance up the path, marvelling at the Goblins' incompetence. A little further on, you hear more Goblin voices ahead. "Don't worry Gublb, I'll pulp 'im," says a squeaky voice. You saunter confidently round a bend in the path, only to find yourself facing an enormous Ogre, his tiny Goblin-sized head glaring furiously at you. Behind him cowers the Goblin you encountered earlier.

OGRE SKILL 10 STAMINA 12
GOLBIN SKILL 5 STAMINA 4

Fight them one at a time, the Ogre first. If you defeat them both, turn to 166.

We have to pause here to roll for a new combat.

COMBAT LOG:
Ogre 17, Dastan 23. Ogre is at 10.
Ogre 18, Dastan 17. Dastan is at 13.
Ogre 16, Dastan 20. Ogre is at 8.
Ogre 20, Dastan 18. Dastan is at 11.
Ogre 21, Dastan 20. Dastan is at 9.
Ogre 21, Dastan 17. Dastan is at 7.
Ogre 17, Dastan 21. Ogre is at 6.
Ogre 19, Dastan 21. Ogre is at 4.
Ogre 19, Dastan 21. Ogre is at 2.
Ogre 20, Dastan 17. Dastan is at 5.
Ogre 16, Dastan 21. Ogre is killed.
Goblin 12, Dastan 20. Goblin is at 2.
Goblin 14, Dastan 22. Goblin is killed.

We had a much harder time wit the Ogre this time round. Sadly, Barolo's buckler wasn't enough to make a different in any of those rounds where we lost. Dastan will consume a meal here to restore his STAMINA to 9.

You search the bodies of the Ogre and the Goblin but they possess nothing but a few revolting morsels of meat. You carry on down the paths some distance, noticing the huge clumps of foxgloves which grow to your right. After a while, you come across a path which turns off to the right. If you have three numbers written down on your Adventure Sheet, turn to the paragraph they indicate. Otherwise, if you go down the path to the right, write the number '3' after any other numbers on your Adventure Sheet and turn to 268. If you carry straight on, write the number '1' after any other numbers on your Adventure Sheet and turn to 17. If you already have one of the numbers written down, you should choose the other option.

The path begins to slop down, and you hear the sound of running water from up ahead. Soon you reach the banks of a fast-flowing stream. After a while, you hear a crashing sound from the far bank. A large and ugly Troll is battering his way through the undergrowth which lines the river bank, towing behind him a green, leafy sapling. If you swim across the river to attack the Troll, turn to 233. If you have a crossbow, and wish to try to shoot the Troll, turn to 147. if you remain quietly where you are, turn to 180.

The Troll soon disappears off into the undergrowth, still dragging the sapling behind it. You splash your face with the river water and prepare to carry on, refreshed by you rest.

There is a faint path which follows the river-bank, and you make your way along it. After a short while it plunges back into the forest. If you have three numbers written on your Adventure Sheet, turn to the paragraph whose number is given by the three digits. Otherwise, if you have the number '2' on your Adventure Sheet, add the number '3' and turn to 268. If you have the number '3', then add '2' and turn to 388.

As you press on, you notice clusters of purple fungus growing on either side of the path. You have to pick your way carefully along the path to avoid disturbing them - in case they carry poisonous spores. You begin to remember tales told of southern forests in which a hapless adventurer can lose himself in a maze of shifting trackways, wandering in circles until death from hunger and exhaustion catches up with him. Ahead of you, the trail divides into two. You may take the trail which slopes downwards slightly and to the left, or try the other, which leads off to the right.

You forge ahead further into the heart of the forest. The trees seem to close in on you, crowding out the sunlight. The forest floor is now carpeted with rotting leaves, and you find yourself making moderate progress on this springy turf. The atmosphere is close and humid, and you begin to wheeze with the effort. Walking in this weather is exhausting. Lose 1 point of STAMINA as the hours of trudging pass. Finally, you come upon a fork. If you take the right-hand path, turn to 366. If you take the left-hand path, turn to 273.

STAMINA down to 8.

You are beginning to lose all hope of ever finding your way out of this shifting maze of pathways when the trees ahead thin out and the trail leads into a large clearing. Add 1 LUCK point and tick off a time box. Before you is one of the strangest dwelling-placed you have ever seen: a crude mud hut sitting proudly on four spindly legs, twenty feet off the ground. There are windows in its walls, but they are too high up for you to see inside. There is no sign of a door, even though you walk all the way round the hut. If you walk under the hut, turn to 254. If you try to climb its legs, turn to 202. If you wait to see what happens, turn to 145.

LUCK back to max.

As you step between the narrow legs, you notice an opening in the floor of the hut above you. You are just wondering how on earth you are going to make it up there when the hut begins to lower, the spindly legs bending. You position yourself directly under the opening as the hut descends towards you.

Inside the hut there is none of the clutter you have come to expect from the dwelling-places of magical folk. There is no furniture of any kind, no books or scrolls, not even a single vial of potion! Through the windows set in the smooth walls you can look out into the forest. Squatting in the middle of the floor is an old woman dressed in rough shift. Her hands are raised above her head, and between them you see a shimmering vision, floating in the air, in a swirling void hangs a wall of cells, full of dishevelled prisoners. She looks you in the eyes and speaks: "A vision from your future, perhaps? Look closely. Look hard at the slaves of the abyss! Their souls are in thrall to its Master, and you must rescue them before it is too late. This much I will tell you. If you wish for more you must pay for it. Can you speak my name?" Do you say:

"Enthymesis"?
"Aletheia"?
"Albudur"?
"I cannot"?

The vision disappears. The woman claps her hands and smile. "You are bright, for all your ragged looks. It seems destiny has guided you this far, so I must play my part in its design. Many trials lie before you, and your enemy is not easily vanquished. But Bythos has fears, and you may be his nemesis. Enthymesis has gone on ahead of you, and his aid will be invaluable." If you have Sige's pomander, turn to 295. If you do not, turn to 114.

"That heady mash of herbs you carry does more than you may think," says the woman. "You will know of its sleep-stealing properties, I warrant. But its powers on this plane are as nothing compared to those it holds in the Abyss. Eaten in that mystic region it will protect you from the Master's crystal breath. Eaten here, it will turn your stomach - that is all! You are very lucky to have such a gift; the Paa, Maet and Teth herbs are extremely rare." As she speaks, you feel a soft weight upon your shoulders. You turn your head to find yourself staring into the eyes of a serpent. You shudder and automatically grab for it. But it is too fast for you. In an instant its thick coils are wrapped around your neck. "Meet Caduceus," says the woman. Make a note of the names of the herbs in order on your Adventure Sheet and turn to 307.

"The best companion of all is he. Loyal, yet independent!" she says. You smile uncomfortably, praying that Caduceus will soon find something else to wrap himself around. Aletheia continues: "The plague which is upon this land is spread not by rats." She raises her arms above her head once more and conjures another vision. It is a swirling cloud of huge black hornets. The vision disappears, and she speaks again. "These parasites can steal a mean's spirit with their stings, banishing it to the Abyss and leaving his body a slave to evil. And what warrior can fight off foes so tiny?" She pauses, as if deep in thought, then begins to create another vision. "There is one way they can be defeated. The untainted leaf of the Jheera tree may be burnt to produce a fragrant smoke that is fatal to these soul-stealers. A young Jheera grown in the forest." But as the vision forms, her face drops and she lets out a gasps of surprise. A pile of loose soil marks the spot where a tree has been uprooted...

Aletheia is despondent, but you remember the Troll you saw carrying a sapling by the banks of the river. Quickly, you describe the tree to her, and she confirms that it is indeed the Jheera. "You must go at once and rescue the leaves," she says. "I control the paths of the shifting forest - follow the trail and you will reach the river. When you have the leaves, the path will lead you safely back to the glade where you left your horse. Be sure you never return to this place - I will not be so welcoming a second time!" You hurry from the hut and long the only path leading out of the clearing. Minutes later, you reach the river at the spot where you saw the Troll. You find his clumsy footprint in the soft mud and follow them into the forest. A little way in, you come upon him crouching by a large hole in the ground, vainly trying to poke the sapling into it. If you shot a crossbow bolt at the Troll when you saw him earlier, turn to 269. If not, turn to 122.

We know there's a combat coming, so I'm using another meal here.

The Troll looks round cautiously as you approach, waiting for you to act. He doesn't seem hostile; he is more concerned with rooting out whatever he has trapped in the hole. He hasn't had much success yet, probably because his tiny brain hasn't thought of stripping the branches from the sapling, so it keeps catching on the edges of the hole. If you attack him, turn to 6. If you suggest he strips the leaves off his tree, turn to 345.

The Troll looks first at you, then at the sapling, then at you again. His brow creases effort as he ponders your suggestion suspiciously. Finally he grunts, and begins to rip the branches from the sapling, flinging them all around. You race round after them, plucking the leaves and stuffing them in your backpack. The Troll, meanwhile, uses his much-improved tool to lever a small, spiny creature out of the hole. He snatches his prey up greedily and rams it whole into his drooling mouth. A moment later, he lets out a gurgling howl of pain. Tearing at his throat maniacally, he leaps up and down. Then he catches sight of you again. "You trick me!" he croaks, and leaps to the attack.

TROLL SKILL 7 STAMINA 9

If you wish, you may Escape after one Attack Round - turn to 248. If you defeat the Troll, turn to 60.

COMBAT LOG:
Troll 15, Dastan 20. Troll is at 7.
Troll 13, Dastan 22. Troll is at 5.
Troll 18, Dastan 20. Troll is at 3.
Troll 10, Dastan 16. Troll is at 1.
Troll 15, Dastan 21. Troll is killed.

You have solved the Troll's indigestion problem quite effectively - he lies dead at your feet. Giving him no further thought, you make your way back to the trail which runs along the river bank.

The path follows the river downstream for some way before turning into the trees. Very soon you are back at the glade with the mighty oak, and pleased to see your horse still safely tethered, munching contentedly at the grass. You mount up and spur her along the path and out of the forest, glad to be away from the trees and their treacherous pathways. After several minutes, you look back and are astonished to see a sparkling blue lake where the forest should be. Far off, in its midst, a tiny hut rises above the waters, supported by its familiar spindly legs. Aletheia has many ways of discouraging unwelcome visitors to her realm, it seems. Now you have a weapon, it is time to confront the vast horde...alone.

You turn your horse back towards the huge black army. Tick off a time box. A brief ride brings you within sight of it, and you watch helplessly as it engulfs a small town in the valley below. Amid the multitude, a palanquin is borne aloft by willing hands, and above it hangs a pulsing black cloud. If you follow the army at a distance, turn to 70. If you ride down to the palanquin, turn to 368. If you have Jheera leaves and wish to prepare it now, turn to 11.

You tear a strip of cloth from your breeches and tip the leaves on to it. Chopping a small branch from a nearby tree, you wrap the leaf-filled cloth round one end and bind it tight. If you then decide to light the Jheera torch, turn to 34. If you ride down to meet the army with it unlit, turn to 368.

From our previous experience, we would have learnt that lighting the torch first saves us some trouble later.

You strike a spark from your tinder-box on to the torch, so that the cloth begins to smoulder. Soon the acrid fumes of the Jheera are wafting from it. With your weapon prepared, you ride forth.

You spur your horse down towards the horde, trying to quell your rising fears. If is vast, and a foul stench wafts from it. As you near the bottom of the slope, you pass a dark cave entrance. Then you approach the horde. They take no notice of you, but the dark cloud above the palanquin begins to move in your direction. picking up speed. If you have a Jheera torch prepared, turn to 138. Otherwise, turn to 113.

Have you lit your Jheera torch yet? If so, turn to 199. If not, turn to 171.

The cloud of black hornet swirls round you, and you curse as the breeze picks up, dissipating the Jheera smoke. The hornets are closing in on you. If you flee back up the hillside, turn to 386. If you make for the river which runs along the valley to your right, turn to 42, If you make for the cave entrance you passed, turn to 106.

Luckily the cave mouth is large enough to take both you and your horse, but a rude shock awaits you within. A pathetic Caveman, clutching a large bone, leaps up to strike you as you enter, knocking the Jheera torch from your hand. You draw you sword and attack.

CAVEMAN SKILL 7 STAMINA 7

If you defeat him within five Attack Rounds, turn to 144. If you are still fighting at the end of five Attack Rounds, turn to 181.

This time, the cave is definitely the sensible and logical option, since an enclosed space works best when you want to use smoke attack without interference from the wind. But we do have to get rid of this pesky SKILL-7 nuisance first...

COMBAT LOG:
Caveman 15, Dastan 16. Caveman is at 5.
Caveman 18, Dastan 19. Caveman is at 3.
Caveman 15, Dastan 21. Caveman is at 1.
Caveman 18, Dastan 19. Caveman is killed.

Got him in 4 rounds again...but this time Barolo's buckler players a vital part in helping us win 3 rounds. It literally saved our lives, since we would have otherwise spent more than 5 rounds righting it!

You snatched up the extinguished Jheera torch and set about relighting it. It is smouldering once more as the first hornets gather in the entrance to the cave. You rush to the back of the cave and watch as the cloud swarms towards you. For a moment you fear that the smoke is not harming the hornets; then they begin to fall. Soon the cave floor is littered with dead and dying bodies. When you are certain that it is safe once more, you ride out and down towards the horde.

You dismount and face the multitude of blank-eyed peasants as bravely as you can. Several of them set down the palanquin they bear, and from it steps a richly dressed man, his face deeply scored, his eyes burning with malevolence. His silent horde makes no move towards you, but the man gestures them to advance, his movements calm and deliberate. He speaks: "You'll pay for the slaughter of my winged servants. You'll pay with your life." Before you stands the unsmiling general of this warped army. Kallamehr's fate lies in your hands. If you have the Reaver's bottle and wish to show it, turn to 55. Otherwise, if you know the Spitting Fly and wish to use it, turn to 260. Or you may attack him.

This time we have both blue options available! Which one do we use?

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Name: Dastan
SKILL 12/12
STAMINA 12/17
LUCK 10/10
Equipment: Sword of Fangthane steel, leather armour, Sige's Pomander, Reaver's bottle, Blowpipe (used), Ghulsh' potion (turn to 258 when drunk), 'Zazzaz' potion (turn to 369 when drunk), Barolo's buckler (+1 SKILL during combat), Sealed Locket, Jheera torch
Provisions: 3
Gold & Treasure: 9 GP
Time remaining: 5/20 (turn to 57 when crossing off 18th time unit, and to 326 when crossing off the last time unit)
Notes: Learned the Spitting Fly from Barolo, received a wound that changes colour on left hand, Sige's pomander contains the herbs Paa, Maet and Teth.
[/spoiler]

[Beroli]

Show him the Reaver's bottle. That's what it's for.

(If you accuse Asiah, you get confirmation that she's not quite sane.)

[Queen of Swords]

Show him the bottle. Maybe we could try the Spitting Fly afterwards if the bottle doesn't do... something useful.

[SGamerz]

As you take the fish-shaped bottle out of your pack, your opponent shrinks back. He stretches his hand out towards you and moans, "No! No! Not that!" You ignore his pleas and uncork the bottle. There is a sound like a faint chuckle from within, and the once-proud commander of the army dissolves into helpless laughter. If you know the Spitting Fly and wish to use it, turn to 255. If you wish to draw your sword and attack him, turn to 324.

Well, I'd say that qualifies as "do something useful"...

They may seem to be the exact 2 options from the previous section, but they actually both lead to different section numbers now (so normal attack won't lead to the same insta-fail). Do we use the other blue option here?

[Queen of Swords]

So we get the chance to kill the guy while he's ROTFL? Sure, use the Spitting Fly.

[Thaluikhain]

Spitting Fly is too cool to not use.