[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 33 – Sky Lord

[SGamerz]

So using the sword was completely pointless (besides giving us extra fights) since the other 2 options still lead to the same sections.

I maintain that we use our feet.

[Beroli]

Shoot them.

[Darth Rabbitt]

I'd vote for kicking, since shooting is shooting them off of a different pillar when I'm more concerned about the ones on the same pillar as we are, but I don't want to force a tie.

[Queen of Swords]

Turn our pistol on them.

[JourneymanN00b]

Sorry for the delay, folks. My nap took a lot longer than expected. I have counted your votes to turn Jang Mistral’s pistol on them, since that option won over kicking the spiders by a 3-1 vote.

228
After you have zapped several spiders, the others beat a hasty retreat, to plan a new attack. You reach the top of the pillar, but you do not have to wait long before their next assault. This time there are many more, armed with hardy shields of interwoven webs, impervious to laser fire. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 298; if you are Unlucky, turn to 210.

Rolling the dice yielded an 8, meaning that Jang Mistral was Lucky, to nobody’s surprise.

298
Only after a fierce struggle do you manage to repulse the spiders. Those still alive retreat a short distance away and spend the entire night nursing their wounds in a hollow near by. At dawn, as you are squatting miserably on top of the pillar wondering how to escape, you detect a faint humming. In the distance you perceive a large, flat air-barge skimming towards you, its distinctive red-and-white pennant fluttering in the breeze. Soon the barge is hovering only twenty feet overhead, dropping a rope ladder to you as it sends the spiders scuttling from the path of a heat-ray. You have been saved! Turn to 289.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

289
An enormous nose appears over the side of the barge, accompanied by a small, bug-eyed face. ‘Ahoy there, stranger!’ yells this creature, the captain. ‘I’m short on crew; if you’ll climb aboard, I’m sure we could come to some arrangement.’ Wishing to put some distance between yourself and the desert spiders, you climb the rope ladder and enter the barge. Turn to 364.

364
You agree with Captain Long-nose to act as lookout and air sailor, in return for a voyage to Central City, where he intends to make repairs to his ship. The barge takes off and, at a height of fifty feet, cruises towards the city walls. After a few hours, you notice another ship approaching at speed from the south. It is the barge of Captain Big-ears, your captain’s rival. Roll one die. If you roll a 1, turn to 329; if you roll 2 or 3, turn to 286; if you roll 4 or 5, turn to 249; if you roll a 6, turn to 172.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

Rolling the die yielded a 5.

249
[spoiler][/spoiler]

The enemy, now at close range, casts a volley of grappling irons into your barge, drawing the two vessels together. The enemy captain, a rodent-faced creature with enormous ears, leads his cut-throats across a gangplank. You must fight.

CAPTAIN BIG-EARS SKILL 8 STAMINA 8
POT-BELLIED CUT-THROAT SKILL 7 STAMINA 6

If you win, turn to 136.

The fight:
[spoiler](Captain Big-Ears)
Round 1: Captain Big-Ears Attack Strength: 16, Player Attack Strength: 19;
Captain Big-Ears Stamina: 6, Player Stamina: 13
Round 2: Captain Big-Ears Attack Strength: 11, Player Attack Strength: 19;
Captain Big-Ears Stamina: 4, Player Stamina: 13
Round 3: Captain Big-Ears Attack Strength: 13, Player Attack Strength: 20;
Captain Big-Ears Stamina: 2, Player Stamina: 13
Round 4: Captain Big-Ears Attack Strength: 15, Player Attack Strength: 19;
Captain Big-Ears Stamina: 0, Player Stamina: 13

(Pot-Bellied Cut-Throat)
Round 1: Pot-Bellied Cut-Throat Attack Strength: 17, Player Attack Strength: 20;
Pot-Bellied Cut-Throat Stamina: 4, Player Stamina: 13
Round 2: Pot-Bellied Cut-Throat Attack Strength: 12, Player Attack Strength: 21;
Pot-Bellied Cut-Throat Stamina: 2, Player Stamina: 13
Round 3: Pot-Bellied Cut-Throat Attack Strength: 13, Player Attack Strength: 19;
Pot-Bellied Cut-Throat Stamina: 0, Player Stamina: 13[/spoiler]

Jang Mistral flawlessly takes down Captain Big-Ears and the Pot-Bellied Cut-Throat.

136
The crew manage to repulse the attackers after a fierce struggle. But your ship is crippled and must soon put you down to lighten its load. Turn to 32.

32
The enemy’s barge eventually disappears from sight over the dunes, and you continue your journey in peace. Late in the day, only a few miles from the city, you come upon a tall metal structure. At first glance this resembles a peculiar, mushroom-shaped sculpture. Then you realize it is creaking; expanding out and up – it is alive! On a boulder near by squats an odd toad-faced creature, half your size. In a dignified voice, it speaks to you, ‘Ah, sir, would you be so kind as to assist me? A precious heirloom of minr has been stolen by a scurrilous bandit – a human, in fact. He is locked in his dwelling yonder’ pointing to the metal mushroom, ‘and will not come out.’ At some small inconvenience, you agree to aid the creature. Turn to 92.

92
The toady creature points out to you the heavily barred entrance to the strange dwelling. In a short time, you cut the bars and enter a dim passage. Suddenly, you hear a high-pitched whine from the darkness ahead. Will you kneel down and draw your laser-pistol (turn to 183), or brace yourself, ready to throw your electro-javelin (turn to 220)?

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

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Jang Mistral
SKILL: 12 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 13 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 11 Initial Luck = 12
RATING: 6
CREDITS: 10 Initial = 10
OXYGEN SUPPLY POINTS: 10 Initial = 10
NOTES AND ITEMS:
10 Provision Tablets
RESURRECTIONS: 4[/spoiler]

Space Combat Sheet:
[spoiler]STARSHIP: STARSPRAY
DATA: 4 HIGH POWER LASERS L
8 FORCE SHIELD PODS S
YOUR VEHICLES:
None[/spoiler]

[SGamerz]

Laser pistol....partly because I think kneeling down may help us avoid any attack that may be coming as well.

[Thaluikhain]

Electro javelin, because it's a bit different, but only half vote to avoid tie.

(Vaguely remember having the option between these two, so must have gotten this far. Lot of random stuff not related to our main quest keeps coming up, though I like spiders making shields out of webs to resist laser fire)

[Darth Rabbitt]

The kneeling sounds wiser and I’m not sure if an “electro-javelin” can be used more than once, so we may want to save it for future use.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes counted, Jang Mistral will kneel down and draw his laser-pistol, as that option won over bracing himself and preparing to throw his electro-javelin by a 2-0.5 vote.

183
[spoiler][/spoiler]

The whining ceases, and there is an explosion as an invisible spectron-pellet explodes over your head. Deduct 2 points from your STAMINA. Turn to 243.

243
Now you can hear the bandit laughing, further along the passage. There is also a loud click: he is loading another spectron-pellet into a projector. Quickly you rush around the bend towards him. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 343; if you are Unlucky, turn to 331.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

The Luck roll yielded a 2, meaning that Jang Mistral was Lucky.

343
You attack the bandit with your javelin.

BANDIT SKILL 7 STAMINA 8

If you win, turn to 293.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

The fight:
[spoiler]Round 1: Bandit Attack Strength: 12, Player Attack Strength: 20;
Bandit Stamina: 6, Player Stamina: 11
Round 2: Bandit Attack Strength: 17, Player Attack Strength: 15;
Bandit Stamina: 6, Player Stamina: 9
Round 3: Bandit Attack Strength: 13, Player Attack Strength: 24;
Bandit Stamina: 4, Player Stamina: 9
Round 4: Bandit Attack Strength: 12, Player Attack Strength: 21;
Bandit Stamina: 2, Player Stamina: 9
Round 5: Bandit Attack Strength: 14, Player Attack Strength: 18;
Bandit Stamina: 0, Player Stamina: 9[/spoiler]

Jang Mistral takes out the bandit, but not before the bandit scores a lucky hit of 2 Stamina damage to our hero.

293
[spoiler][/spoiler]

Now the toad-faced creature appears behind you. ‘Right, that’s mine. My heirloom!’ he says, greedily eyeing the spectron projector and its bag of explosive pellets. But a spectron projector may be very useful to you on your mission. Will you hand it to him (turn to 88), or do you prefer to keep it yourself (turn to 381)?

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

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Jang Mistral
SKILL: 12 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 9 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 10 Initial Luck = 12
RATING: 6
CREDITS: 10 Initial = 10
OXYGEN SUPPLY POINTS: 10 Initial = 10
NOTES AND ITEMS:
10 Provision Tablets
RESURRECTIONS: 4[/spoiler]

Space Combat Sheet:
[spoiler]STARSHIP: STARSPRAY
DATA: 4 HIGH POWER LASERS L
8 FORCE SHIELD PODS S
YOUR VEHICLES:
None[/spoiler]

[SGamerz]

Keep it.

[Thaluikhain]

Half vote for handing it back to it's rightful owner.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes counted, Jang Mistral will keep it himself, as that narrowly won over handing it to him by a 1-0.5 vote.

381
‘What!’ exclaims the toad, grabbing at the bag of pellets. During your tussle, you drop the pouch. The pellets detonate, there is a terrific roar, and you are both consumed in a huge ball of fire.

Yikes. Getting greedy caused our hero to use a resurrection to continue the adventure. He will be sent back to the previous decision where he will wisely hand it to the toad instead.

88
Although you must part with the spectron projector, you do find a flask of strong acid (in face, this is the bandit’s homemade drink!). Add it to your Adventure Sheet. The toady creature is grateful and leads you to a secret passage running beneath the outer walls of the city. With a wave goodbye, you dive into the well-lit tunnel and continue on. Turn to 323.

323
After a while, you located a signboard.

‘LOCATION: RED DOG CENTRAL … VAULT 1 … BUILDING 13’

it reads, and below this:

‘RESTRICTED AREA AHEAD. DANGER!’

Boldly, you follow a wide corridor into this area, passing numerous side-passages before arriving at a large, closed air-hatch. Projecting from the hatch are two handles, one with a round, red pommel, the other with a square, blue pommel. You recall that you must reach the defence centre in Vault 6 in the Dome of Marvels, and that the hatch before you probably leads to Vault 2. Will you:

Turn the red and blue handles clockwise? Turn to 93
Turn red clockwise, blue anti-clockwise? Turn to 386
Turn red and blue anti-clockwise? Turn to 118
Turn red anti-clockwise, blue clockwise? Turn to 192

[spoiler][/spoiler]

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

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Jang Mistral
SKILL: 12 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 9 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 10 Initial Luck = 12
RATING: 6
CREDITS: 10 Initial = 10
OXYGEN SUPPLY POINTS: 10 Initial = 10
NOTES AND ITEMS:
10 Provision Tablets
Flask of Strong Acid
RESURRECTIONS: 3[/spoiler]

Space Combat Sheet:
[spoiler]STARSHIP: STARSPRAY
DATA: 4 HIGH POWER LASERS L
8 FORCE SHIELD PODS S
YOUR VEHICLES:
None[/spoiler]

[Darth Rabbitt]

Die roll suggests red clockwise, blue anti clockwise.

[JourneymanN00b]

Vote registered, Jang Mistral will turn red clockwise, blue anti-clockwise.

386
A stale yellow gas hisses from the air-seal, but the hatch will not budge. You may twist the handles in any combination you have not yet tried – either:

Turn red and blue handles clockwise Turn to 93
Turn red and blue anti-clockwise Turn to 118
Turn red anti-clockwise, blue clockwise Turn to 192

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

[angelfromanotherpin]

Red anti, blue clock.

[JourneymanN00b]

Vote registered, Jang Mistral will turn the red handle anti-clockwise, blue clockwise.

192
The hatch explodes, blowing apart not only a large portion of the passage but yourself as well.

Gee whiz, Jang Mistral seems to keep running into fatal explosions in this adventure. Another resurrection will thus be consumed to send him back to the previous decision. He will then turn the red and blue handles anti-clockwise in order to stay alive.

118
Disconcertingly, a small hatch in the ceiling clicks open, revealing two lamps: one red and one blue. These focus a purple heat-beam on you, shrivelling your skin as you beat a hasty retreat back along the tunnel. Deduct 2 points from your STAMINA. You decide to look for an easier entrance to Vault 2. Turn to 238.

238
[spoiler][/spoiler]

You are undecided as to which side-passage you should take when suddenly a spindly metallic contraption with springs, cogs, wheels and iron claws comes bounding along the tunnel. Atop it, sitting on a high wooden seat, is perched a decrepit little creature with a large blue head. ‘Whoa, there!’ he croaks, and his machine halts before you. ‘I am Zud the lockmaster. Perhaps you wish to reach the second vault? Come now, they all do! Well, fortune has smiled on you. I have a key in my chambers which will help. Follow me, if you will.’ Do you wish to follow Zud (turn to 16), or, mistrusting him, go your own way (turn to 7)?

Please vote before 5:00 PM PDT to guarantee that it will be counted.

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Jang Mistral
SKILL: 12 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 7 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 10 Initial Luck = 12
RATING: 6
CREDITS: 10 Initial = 10
OXYGEN SUPPLY POINTS: 10 Initial = 10
NOTES AND ITEMS:
10 Provision Tablets
Flask of Strong Acid
RESURRECTIONS: 2[/spoiler]

Space Combat Sheet:
[spoiler]STARSHIP: STARSPRAY
DATA: 4 HIGH POWER LASERS L
8 FORCE SHIELD PODS S
YOUR VEHICLES:
None[/spoiler]

[Beroli]

Don't trust him, but do follow him.

[JourneymanN00b]

Vote registered, Jang Mistral will follow Zud.

16
You follow Zud and his machine through a maze of corridors, room and tunnels before, eventually, you arrive at his chamber: a small laboratory with racks laden with bottles, flasks, mirrors and many indescribable gizmos. Without a word, Zud manoeuvres his craft to an old oak desk, where he uses a long-armed grabber to extract a curious metal tube from the top drawer. The tube is sealed; at one end there is a keyhole. ‘Here, take a closer look!’ cries Zud, and the grabber thrusts the cylinder straight at your chest. Horrifyingly, it merges painlessly into your flesh; only the keyhole is visible! (Add Zud’s cylinder to your Adventure Sheet.) Zud is bleating with delight. ‘Fell right into my little trap!’ he snaps. ‘Oh, don’t worry, the tube’s quite harmless, really it is – though what’s inside it may not be! Ha, ha!’ After a long-winded cackle, Zud continues. ‘I will explain: the tube is made of titanium, it’s specially coated and is virtually indestructible. Have no fears about losing it – it will not easily come loose, I assure you! Within it resides my stout little friend, Gnasha. Unfortunately, I’ve spoilt Gnasha by feeding him too much good food; now he will eat only the choicest metals and, occasionally, flesh. He has quite an appetite; if you listen carefully, no doubt you will hear him gnawing at the end of the tube – the end closest to your heart,’ Zud pauses long enough for you to verify his statement, before he continues. ‘How long it will take him to chew his way out, I am not sure; it could be hours, or …’ This is too much for you to handle! Furious, do you tug at the cylinder’s exposed end with all your might (turn to 79), or hurl a flask of acid at the despicable Zud (turn to 102)?

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

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Jang Mistral
SKILL: 12 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 7 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 10 Initial Luck = 12
RATING: 6
CREDITS: 10 Initial = 10
OXYGEN SUPPLY POINTS: 10 Initial = 10
NOTES AND ITEMS:
10 Provision Tablets
Flask of Strong Acid
Zud’s Cylinder
RESURRECTIONS: 2[/spoiler]

Space Combat Sheet:
[spoiler]STARSHIP: STARSPRAY
DATA: 4 HIGH POWER LASERS L
8 FORCE SHIELD PODS S
YOUR VEHICLES:
None[/spoiler]

[angelfromanotherpin]

Dissolving Zud would be satisfying, but I don't see how it gets the blackmail horror out of us.

[SGamerz]

Tug at the exposed end.

[Beroli]

Throw the acid at him.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes tallied, Jang Mistral will tug at the cylinder’s exposed end with all his might, since that narrowly won over throwing the acid at him.

79
Try as you may, the cylinder will not budge. After a pause, Zud continues, ‘Or, as I was saying, it might take Gnasha several days to break out. But I know that I wouldn’t want that tube buried inside me when he escapes, no sir! No doubt you wouldn’t like it either. Well, this is your lucky day! My generosity knows no bounds; I also have a key to remove the cylinder. I will offer you both keys you require in return for, er, a small task I would like you to perform for me.’ Will you help Zud (turn to 270), or do you prefer to throw the nearest flask of acid at him instead (turn to 102)?

Please vote before 8:30 PM PDT to guarantee that it will be counted.

[Queen of Swords]

Help him, because I'm guessing the acid option ends with us not finding the key and dying horribly.

[JourneymanN00b]

Vote registered, Jang Mistral will help Zud.

270
‘Splendid!’ Zud exclaims. ‘This is what I have in mind: not far from here is a drinking tavern, frequented by many of the brigands, wayliffs and unscrupulous profiteers who infest this planet. Within the tavern, adorning its walls and spaces, you will see many wondrous curios which belong to the tavern’s owner: an old purple Deik. I am particularly interested in one of the objects he possesses. It is an enormous brain of a Bulb-Headed Bicephalon of Atranda-Red, the most intelligent creatures in the known multiverses. The brain has been perfectly preserved in a crystal decanter. I need the brain, in good condition, to power my craft, and since the miserable old Deik refuses to part with it, you will steal it for me!’ Surely Zud must be mad! Will you draw your laser pistol and threaten Zud (turn to 162) or obey his request (turn to 315)?

[spoiler][/spoiler]

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

[angelfromanotherpin]

I am certain that threatening him will get us the old 'killing me won't get you the key' gag, because threatening to laser bits off of this jerk until he doesn't want to live is too hardcore for FF. So let's give in to coercion and dissolve him later.