[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 6: Deathtrap Dungeon Redux

[Thaluikhain]

Assuming you mean once Hai Tien reaches below 7 (which I think you do, but it's a bit ambiguous), that seems reasonable.

Oh, and it seems the ninja also ignored the no weapons rule.

[Queen of Swords]

Maybe his weapons are everything that exists.

[Beroli]

Round One: Hai Tien 16, Ninja 17. Hai Tien is at 11 Stamina.
Round Two: Hai Tien 21, Ninja 19. The ninja, whose behavior suggests that if he is from Orb he is a worshiper of Vile, is at 7 Stamina.
Round Three: Hai Tien 19, Ninja 18. The ninja is at 5 Stamina.
Round Four: Hai Tien 19, Ninja 14. The ninja is at 3 Stamina.
Round Five: Hai Tien 21, Ninja 20. The ninja is at 1 Stamina.
Round Six: Hai Tien 22, Ninja 20. Victory.

As you still have your weapons, you do not take the ninja's perfectly good but not better-than-you-have sword. (And yes, the sole effect of obeying the sign, is that you fight the ninja at -4 Skill, automatically taking his sword should you win the fight.)

You decide to search the Ninja and find a cloth bag in the folds of his robes. Inside it is a flask of water, some rice wrapped in a palm leaf, a jar of ointment and a beautiful diamond.

You automatically take the diamond.

Eat the rice and drink the water?
Rub the ointment into your wounds?
Leave them and continue?

Adventure Sheet:
Hai Tien
Skill 11/12
Stamina 11/18
Luck 8/10
Gold Pieces 2
Provisions 2/10
Sword
Leather armor
Shield
Backpack
Hollow wooden tube
Left emerald eye
Ring of demon banishing
Dagger
Ruby
Mallet
10 iron spikes
Sapphire
2 daggers
Mirror
Pouch with brass bell
Diamond
Amulet of strength (worn)
Immune to melting-point temperatures
Will detect hidden traps
Number of deaths: 1

[Queen of Swords]

Mmm, rice.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to eat the rice and drink the water.

[Beroli]

The Ninja's rations are basic but welcome. Add 1 STAMINA point.

Rub the ointment into your wounds?
Leave?

Adventure Sheet:
Hai Tien
Skill 11/12
Stamina 12/18
Luck 8/10
Gold Pieces 2
Provisions 2/10
Sword
Leather armor
Shield
Backpack
Hollow wooden tube
Left emerald eye
Ring of demon banishing
Dagger
Ruby
Mallet
10 iron spikes
Sapphire
2 daggers
Mirror
Pouch with brass bell
Diamond
Amulet of strength (worn)
Immune to melting-point temperatures
Will detect hidden traps
Number of deaths: 1

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to rub the ointment on Hai Tien's wounds.

[Queen of Swords]

Sure, let's try that. I'm liking the Ninja's belongings so far; Avenger would have been carrying Spiderfish and needles instead.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Rub ointment on our wounds.

[Beroli]

You empty the contents of the jar into your hand and apply them to your wounds. Their healing powers take immediate effect and you feel yourself growing stronger. Add 3 STAMINA points.

The only possible way out of the hall as far as you can see is by using the chute in the northern wall. You decide to give it a go and climb into the chute. You slide gently down and emerge into another room, landing on your back.

As soon as you stand up, you are confronted by the most repulsive sight you have ever laid eyes on. There in front of you, wallowing in a circular pool of fetid slime, is a bulbous creature too horrible to be believed. Its body is green and covered all over with fearsome-looking spikes. Its face is a mass of crimson blisters, one of which suddenly bursts to reveal yet another of its many sinister, all-seeing eyes. A narrow path runs around the edge of the pool and leads into another tunnel in the far wall.

You have read about the Bloodbeast.

Remembering the description of the vile Bloodbeast and the warning about toxic gas rising from its pool, you cover your mouth with your sleeve and step forward with your sword drawn, wary of the Bloodbeast's tongue. As you step round the side of its pool, it rolls forward and flicks out its tongue, but you are ready for it and cleave it with one swipe of your sword. The beast howls in pain and stretches forward frantically, trying to clasp you between its blood-filled jaws. You start hacking at its hideous face in an attempt to pierce its real eyes.

BLOODBEAST Skill 12 Stamina 10

Something happens when you win your second Attack Round.

Round One: Hai Tien 21, Bloodbeast 17. Bloodbeast is at 8 Stamina.
Round Two: Hai Tien 17, Bloodbeast 20. Hai Tien is at 13 Stamina.
Round Three: Hai Tien 17, Bloodbeast 17.
Round Four: Hai Tien 16, Bloodbeast 19. Hai Tien is at 11 Stamina.
Round Five: Hai Tien 18, Bloodbeast 20. Hai Tien is at 9 Stamina.
Round Six: Hai Tien 14, Bloodbeast 21. Hai Tien is at 7 Stamina.
Round Seven: Hai Tien 13, Bloodbeast 19. Hai Tien is at 5 Stamina.

Pausing for votes on whether to use Luck to prevent damage for the rest of the fight; since winning one more round takes you to "something happens," there's probably little reason to use it to inflict damage.

[Thaluikhain]

Our luck isn't great, start using it to reduce damage but only after we've taken one normal hit. Eat provisions after battle.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Agreed.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to start using Luck to reduce damage after Hai Tien reaches 3 Stamina.

[Beroli]

Round Eight: Hai Tien 21, Bloodbeast 19. Bloodbeast is at 6 Stamina and:

Your blade strikes one of the Bloodbeast's real eyes with devastating effect. It slumps back into its pool, thrashing about in a frenzy. You seize your opportunity and run round the side of the pool to the tunnel exit.

Sitting in the tunnel exit, you contemplate whether and how much to eat before you continue, as there is already one vote for an unspecified amount of eating. Unfortunately, there is not all that much to choose between. Vote on whether to eat 0, 1, or 2 meals before you continue.

Adventure Sheet:
Hai Tien
Skill 11/12
Stamina 5/18
Luck 8/10
Gold Pieces 2
Provisions 2/10
Sword
Leather armor
Shield
Backpack
Hollow wooden tube
Left emerald eye
Ring of demon banishing
Dagger
Ruby
Mallet
10 iron spikes
Sapphire
2 daggers
Mirror
Pouch with brass bell
Diamond
Amulet of strength (worn)
Immune to melting-point temperatures
Will detect hidden traps
Number of deaths: 1

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to eat 2 Provisions.

[Queen of Swords]

Yes, finish off the food. Eat all our sandwiches at once.

[Beroli]

You eat two meals and head into the tunnel.

The tunnel leads into a large room, its ceiling supported by several marble pillars. As you enter the room, you suddenly see a strange beast to your right. It has the body of a lion with dragon-like wings attached to it, but its head is like that of an old bearded man.

You have read the parchment which mentions a Manticore.

Manticore.PNG (147.59 KiB) Viewed 1950 times

You recognize the beast - it is a MANTICORE. Taking heed of the poem's warning, you watch out for its tail which sprouts a profusion of sharp spikes, thick and hard as iron bolts, at its tip.

You did not lose your shield at the pit.

You raise your shield in front of you just in time to protect yourself from a volley of spikes released from the Manticore's tail and aimed straight at your heart. They sink into your shield and you remain unharmed. Swiftly you draw your sword and advance on the Manticore.

MANTICORE Skill 11 Stamina 11

...and pause for votes on how to use Luck here.

Adventure Sheet:
Hai Tien
Skill 11/12
Stamina 13/18
Luck 8/10
Gold Pieces 2
Provisions 0/10
Sword
Leather armor
Shield
Backpack
Hollow wooden tube
Left emerald eye
Ring of demon banishing
Dagger
Ruby
Mallet
10 iron spikes
Sapphire
2 daggers
Mirror
Pouch with brass bell
Diamond
Amulet of strength (worn)
Immune to melting-point temperatures
Will detect hidden traps
Number of deaths: 1

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to start using Luck to deal extra damage and to reduce the damage that Hai Tien takes when he reaches 5 Stamina.

[Darth Rabbitt]

We tie this guy for Skill, and have *slightly* higher Stamina. So probably we only want to start burning Luck if the RNG is unfavorable to us. So basically JN's plan.

[Thaluikhain]

Yeah, second that

(Also, the texts says it's a spiky tail manticore, and the picture is a scorpion tail manticore)

[Beroli]

Round One: Hai Tien 15, Manticore 20. Hai Tien is at 11 Stamina.
Round Two: Hai Tien 18, Manticore 16. Manticore is at 9 Stamina.
Round Three: Hai Tien 21, Manticore 19. Manticore is at 7 Stamina.
Round Four: Hai Tien 20, Manticore 17. Manticore is at 5 Stamina.
Round Five: Hai Tien 20, Manticore 18. Manticore is at 3 Stamina.
Round Six: Hai Tien 22, Manticore 22.
Round Seven: Hai Tien 16, Manticore 15. Manticore is at 1 Stamina.
Round Eight: Hai Tien 22, Manticore 21. Victory.

Rather amazing rolls there.

As you are wiping the Manticore's blood from your sword, you are surprised to see a small man with a large nose suddenly jump out from behind one of the marble pillars. He is dressed in a tight-fitting green tunic and looks quite harmless, although you are wary of the way he is holding an opaque glass ball with a shimmering green light. 'Greetings,' he says cheerfully. 'My name is Igbut the Gnome, and I am the Trialmaster for your final test. Needless to say, my magical powers are great, so you should not try to attack me. You may have learnt during your quest that gems play an essential part in the Trial of Champions. The iron door in front of you is the victory exit, but there is only one way of opening it. Three gems have to be put into the lock mechanism, in a particular order, for the door to open. Each gem radiates a unique energy which will trigger the mechanism--if you do it correctly, that is. I will help you to a degree, but first we need the correct gems. Have you an emerald?'

You do have an emerald.

The Gnome smiles and says, 'Good. Now, have you a sapphire in your possession?'

You do have a sapphire.

The Gnome, still smiling, says excitedly, 'Excellent! Just one to go. Do you possess a diamond?'

You do have a diamond.

The Gnome jumps in the air, yelling, 'Well done--nobody has ever managed to find all three gems before! Now get ready for the final test, which I will explain once and once only. As you can see, the lock on this door has three slots, labelled A, B and C, each of which is built to accept a specific gem. You have to put one of your three gems in each of the slots in the correct order. If you manage this at the first attempt, fine. However, if you put the gems in the wrong slots, you will be blasted by a bolt of energy from the lock, causing you injury. Anyway, as I said, I am allowed to help you a little. If you place one gem in its correct slot but get the other two wrong, I shall shout, "One crown and two skulls." If you place all three gems incorrectly, I shall shout, "Three skulls." You will be allowed to try again and again until you either succeed or die. Are you ready?' You signal your readiness with a nod of the head, and walk forward to place the three gems in the slots. Decide which gems you will place in the labelled slots. Which goes in A, which goes in B, and which goes in C?

Adventure Sheet:
Hai Tien
Skill 11/12
Stamina 11/18
Luck 8/10
Gold Pieces 2
Provisions 0/10
Sword
Leather armor
Shield
Backpack
Hollow wooden tube
Left emerald eye
Ring of demon banishing
Dagger
Ruby
Mallet
10 iron spikes
Sapphire
2 daggers
Mirror
Pouch with brass bell
Diamond
Amulet of strength (worn)
Immune to melting-point temperatures
Will detect hidden traps
Number of deaths: 1

[Darth Rabbitt]

So, it's probably not just going to be Emerald->Sapphire->Diamond since that was the order we got them in (and coincidentally the order of how valuable the gems are). Reverse order seems the next most obvious. Which makes me think it's either SED, SDE, EDS, or DES...but all of those are pretty much random.

Go with SED; if we get it right we win, if we get 1 crown/2 skulls we know it's either SDE or DES, if we get 3 skulls we know it's EDS.

[Queen of Swords]

Agreed, let's go with that.

[Thaluikhain]

In lieu of a better idea, may as well

(We seem to be carrying an awful lot of useless or at least unused junk with us)

[JourneymanN00b]

Sure, I also vote putting the Sapphire, Emerald, and Diamond in this order, given no other hints.