[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 50 – Return to Firetop Mountain

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, Dickblade Cockbiter will fight his new adversary with his eyes closed.

31
You turn your head away before the hideous creature can look you in the eyes, knowing that catching her glance for just a second will be enough to turn you to stone. You must act quickly to defeat her. Will you attack her with your sword, with your free hand covering your eyes (turn to 393), or search your backpack for an item to use against her (turn to 66)?

[spoiler][/spoiler]

Please make your votes before 6:00 PM PDT to guarantee that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet
[spoiler]Dickblade Cockbiter
SKILL: 12 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 8 Initial Stamina = 17
LUCK: 10 Initial Luck = 11
WEAPONS:
3 Steel Daggers
Darkblade’s Sword
ARMOUR:
Shield
TREASURE:
3 Gold Pieces Stamped With “Z”
6 Gold Pieces
Gold Dragon Tooth Stamped With “315” and Heart Symbol Inside Flaming Circle
Gold Ring Stamped With “30” and Inscribed With “Seeing Is Believing”
EQUIPMENT:
Backpack
Lantern
Mushroom
Ring of Invisibility
Iron Key With “142” Stamped
Wooden Ball
Leather Pouch
Rope
Magnifying Glass
Silver Dagger
Leather Gloves
Mirror
Tin Whistle
Onyx Egg
BOONS:
1 Restoration
2 Item Wishes[/spoiler]

[Darth Rabbitt]

Search our backpack for our mirror.

[SGamerz]

Use item.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, Dickblade Cockbiter will search his backpack for an item to use against her.

66
If you are carrying any of the following items, you have time to grab just one before the advancing Gorgon is upon you. Will you choose:

Garlic? Turn to 15
A mirror? Turn to 231
A whistle? Turn to 334

If you have none of these articles, you will have to attack the Gorgon with your sword after all (turn to 393).

[spoiler][/spoiler]

Since there are already 3 existing votes asking to use the mirror, I will go ahead and have our hero get it out from his backpack.

231
You hurriedly take the mirror out of your backpack and, with eyes tight shut, hold it out in front of you, hoping the reflect the Gorgon’s deadly gaze back at her. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 96. If you are Unlucky, turn to 256.

Rolling the dice yielded an 11, meaning that Dickblade Cockbiter was Unlucky.

256
Your shaking hands fail to hold the mirror at the correct angle to reflect the Gorgon’s gaze back at her. The towering monster is almost on top of you, and now you will have to defend yourself with your sword (turn to 393).

393
Hampered by having to cover your eyes, you must temporarily reduce your SKILL by 2 while fighting the Gorgon. As you stand your ground before the advancing monstrosity, her frenzied snakes lash out and try to bite you. Roll one die to find out how many snakes bite the hand covering your eyes, then reduce your STAMINA by this number. If you are still alive and the number you rolled is 1-3, turn to 25. If the number is 4-6, turn to 145.

Rolling the die yielded a 3, and Dickblade Cockbiter is still alive by 1 Stamina.

25
Although in pain, you fight blindly on, swinging your sword from side to side.

GORGON SKILL 10 STAMINA 8

Each time you lose an Attack Round, you will also suffer bites from the Gorgon’s snakes. Roll one die and deduct that number of points from your STAMINA. If you win, turn to 79.

Before Dickblade Cockbiter can even begin his battle, Zagor’s demon’s breath curse finally kills him by bringing his Stamina down to 0. His sole restoration will kick in and bring him back to his initial Stamina after setting it to 15. It will also remove the curse from Dickblade Cockbiter in order to truly bring him back to full health before he fights the Gorgon.

The fight:
[spoiler]Round 1: Gorgon Attack Strength: 19, Player Attack Strength: 18;
Gorgon Snake Damage Roll: 4
Gorgon Stamina: 8, Player Stamina: 9
Round 2: Gorgon Attack Strength: 21, Player Attack Strength: 20;
Gorgon Snake Damage Roll: 4
Gorgon Stamina: 8, Player Stamina: 3[/spoiler]

Dickblade Cockbiter got another massive dose of bad luck and lost the two starting Attack Rounds, with the Gorgon’s snakes dealing 8 additional Stamina damage in addition to the 4 Stamina lost from her blows.

Should Luck be used for the rest of the fight? If so, should it be used to reduce the damage that our hero takes or to inflict additional damage?

The first choice to receive two votes (or two votes over all other choices) will be used to resolve the rest of the battles. If no option has a winning margin before 9:00 AM PDT, I will make the choice based on which votes are cast.

Adventure Sheet
[spoiler]Dickblade Cockbiter
SKILL: 12 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 3 Initial Stamina = 15
LUCK: 9 Initial Luck = 11
WEAPONS:
3 Steel Daggers
Darkblade’s Sword
ARMOUR:
Shield
TREASURE:
3 Gold Pieces Stamped With “Z”
6 Gold Pieces
Gold Dragon Tooth Stamped With “315” and Heart Symbol Inside Flaming Circle
Gold Ring Stamped With “30” and Inscribed With “Seeing Is Believing”
EQUIPMENT:
Backpack
Lantern
Mushroom
Ring of Invisibility
Iron Key With “142” Stamped
Wooden Ball
Leather Pouch
Rope
Magnifying Glass
Silver Dagger
Leather Gloves
Mirror
Tin Whistle
Onyx Egg
BOONS:
2 Item Wishes[/spoiler]

[SGamerz]

If our STAMINA is down to 3, we're probably dead anyway unless we immediately find ways to restore STAMINA after the fight.

Use LUCK to increase damage. There's zero point in using it to reduce damage because normal damage + snake bites + plus curse damage immediately after the fight means that we can't afford to lose a single round anyway (and will probably still die even if we don't lose another round).

[Thaluikhain]

Can we rewind to the luck test to see if the mirror works, cause I think we're a bit dead here otherwise.

(Also, there should be a question mark in there, but never know where to put it if that's one sentence)

[JourneymanN00b]

As a reminder, I had the restoration lift the curse from Dickblade Cockbiter upon its use. This is because I felt that the Zagor's curse was harsh enough as it was, and did not feel that it should continue to plague our hero after he already died to it once.

Thank you for your vote. Luck will be used to increase damage for the rest of the fight.

The fight, continued:
[spoiler]Round 3: Gorgon Attack Strength: 15, Player Attack Strength: 17;
Luck Roll: 9, Player is Lucky and deals 2 extra Stamina damage
Gorgon Stamina: 4, Player Stamina: 3, Player Luck: 8
Round 4: Gorgon Attack Strength: 17, Player Attack Strength: 17;
Gorgon Stamina: 4, Player Stamina: 3
Round 5: Gorgon Attack Strength: 19, Player Attack Strength: 22;
Luck Roll: 7, Player is Lucky and deals 2 extra Stamina damage
Gorgon Stamina: 0, Player Stamina: 3, Player Luck: 7[/spoiler]

Fortunately for Dickblade Cockbiter, he manages to score two Lucky hits to kill the Gorgon without taking any further damage.

79
You uncover your eyes and see the hideous creature lying in a pool of green slime which oozes from its wounds. Bathed in sweat, you slump against a wall to recover, not daring to take your eyes off the Gorgon and the snakes on her head, which continue to writhe around. A minute or so later, you feel you are ready to move on. If you want to open the new door, turn to 347. If you would rather look inside the adjoining chamber from where the Gorgon emerged, turn to 352.

Please make your votes before 6:00 PM PDT to guarantee that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet
[spoiler]Dickblade Cockbiter
SKILL: 12 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 3 Initial Stamina = 15
LUCK: 7 Initial Luck = 11
WEAPONS:
3 Steel Daggers
Darkblade’s Sword
ARMOUR:
Shield
TREASURE:
3 Gold Pieces Stamped With “Z”
6 Gold Pieces
Gold Dragon Tooth Stamped With “315” and Heart Symbol Inside Flaming Circle
Gold Ring Stamped With “30” and Inscribed With “Seeing Is Believing”
EQUIPMENT:
Backpack
Lantern
Mushroom
Ring of Invisibility
Iron Key With “142” Stamped
Wooden Ball
Leather Pouch
Rope
Magnifying Glass
Silver Dagger
Leather Gloves
Mirror
Tin Whistle
Onyx Egg
BOONS:
2 Item Wishes[/spoiler]

[Thaluikhain]

Huh, still alive. Explore the gorgon's room, I guess.

[Queen of Swords]

Agreed, explore the adjoining chamber.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Ouch. Anyways, check out the gorgon's room. We've earned her loot. Hopefully there's some healing items in there. It seems like Livingstone decided his books weren't meatgrinder enough.

[JigokuBosatsu]

Gorgon room!

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, Dickblade Cockbiter will look inside the adjoining chamber from where the Gorgon emerged.

Important Note: According to publicly available errata, the book should direct the player to paragraph 209 instead of paragraph 352 if the player wishes to look inside the adjoining chamber from where the Gorgon emerged. So, we will head to paragraph 209 instead.

209
Although it has a high ceiling, the chamber is surprisingly small; there is nothing inside it apart from two clay pots, standing in a domed recess in the far wall. A burning candle separates the two pots, filling the recess with a warm glow. You shake the stoppered pots but can hear nothing moving inside the red pot, whereas the brown pot rattles as though a stone were rolling around inside it. If you want to smash open the red pot, turn to 41. If you would rather smash open the brown pot, turn to 397.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

Important Note: The number references were mixed up in terms of which pot rattles. The red pot is supposed to rattle when shaken, while the brown pot has nothing for the hero to hear moving inside.

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

[Queen of Swords]

Smash open the brown pot.

[SGamerz]

Sure, why not? Brown.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, Dickblade Cockbiter will smash open the brown pot.

397
You throw the pot on the floor and watch it shatter. A small ball of straw tied with string lies among the broken pieces. You cut the string and open up the straw ball. Hidden in the middle of the straw ball you find a silver ring with the number ‘69’ stamped on it. If you want to put the ring on one of your fingers, turn to 277. If you would rather leave it on the floor you may now smash the red pot, if you have not done so already (turn to 41); otherwise you will have to walk across to the new door in the room of statues (turn to 347).

[spoiler][/spoiler]

Please make your votes before 11:00 AM PDT to guarantee that they will be counted.

[JourneymanN00b]

Since nobody voted, I will have Dickblade Cockbiter leave the ring on the floor and walk across to the new door in the room of statues.

347
[spoiler][/spoiler]

The door is chained and padlocked; but, using a spear taken from one of the statues, you soon force the lock open. The door looks as if it has been closed for years and you have to tug hard on the handle. Slowly you manage to drag the door open while its rusty hinges creak noisily; beyond, you see a torchlit tunnel. About ten metres ahead there is a door with a barred window in it. You tiptoe quietly along the tunnel and peep through the window.

Sitting at a rough wooden table, an Orc is being served what looks like rat stew by a grisly-looking hunchbacked Dwarf. An ugly purple scar runs down the Dwarf’s face from his left eyebrow to his chin. The Orc is as ugly and brutal-looking as they come. You keep watching as the Orc pulls a rat carcass out of the stew with his fingers and eats it, head and all. Under the table you spot a wooden crate. If you wish to open the door and attack the Orc, turn to 227. If you would rather walk on down the tunnel, turn to 13.

Please make your votes before 1:00 PM PDT to guarantee that they will be counted.

[Queen of Swords]

I didn't have time to vote earlier because I was at work, but I would have voted to try on the ring (numbered item!) and smash the red pot.

Open the door, attack the Orc.

[JourneymanN00b]

Vote registered, Dickblade Cockbiter will open the door and attack the Orc.

227
On seeing you barge into the room, the Orc immediately kicks over the table, sending its stew bowl flying. Grabbing its sword, the Orc leaps at you while the Dwarf runs into the back room.

ORC SKILL 6 STAMINA 5

If you win, you take the Orc’s sword; however, you hardly have time to catch your breath before the Dwarf runs back into the room, swinging a warhammer.

DWARF SKILL 6 STAMINA 4

If you win, turn to 243.

Given that Dickblade Cockbiter is at 3 Stamina, should Luck be used for these two fights? If so, should it be used to reduce the damage that our hero takes or to inflict additional damage?

The first choice to receive two votes (or two votes over all other choices) will be used to resolve the rest of the battles. If no option has a winning margin before 3:00 PM PDT, I will make the choice based on which votes are cast.

[Queen of Swords]

I think we should be able to win without using Luck, which is getting low.

[JourneymanN00b]

Thank you for voting. Luck will not be used in the two fights.

The fights:
[spoiler](Orc)
Round 1: Orc Attack Strength: 13, Player Attack Strength: 18;
Orc Stamina: 3, Player Stamina: 3
Round 2: Orc Attack Strength: 12, Player Attack Strength: 18;
Orc Stamina: 1, Player Stamina: 3
Round 3: Orc Attack Strength: 10, Player Attack Strength: 14;
Orc Stamina: -1, Player Stamina: 3

(Dwarf)
Round 1: Dwarf Attack Strength: 10, Player Attack Strength: 14;
Dwarf Stamina: 2, Player Stamina: 3
Round 2: Dwarf Attack Strength: 15, Player Attack Strength: 17;
Dwarf Stamina: 0, Player Stamina: 3[/spoiler]

Dickblade Cockbiter manages to flawlessly kill the Orc and the Dwarf.

243
If you are suffering from Zagor’s Curse of the Demon’s Breath, turn to 197. Otherwise will you:

Leave the room and turn right into the tunnel? Turn to 13
Open the wooden crate? Turn to 375
Enter the back room? Turn to 132

Thanks to the resurrection restoring Dickblade Cockbiter’s health upon use, he is no longer suffering from Zagor’s Curse of the Demon’s Breath. Please make your votes before 7:00 PM PDT to guarantee that they will be counted.

[SGamerz]

Since don't need his fleas anymore, we should loot the crate so that we didn't fight for nothing.

[JourneymanN00b]

Vote registered, Dickblade Cockbiter will open the wooden crate.

375
You soon prise the lid off the crate and find that it is filled with cabbage leaves, most of which are rotten; the smell rising up from the crate is horrible. You rummage distastefully through the leaves and find a small silver bell; you put it in your backpack and consider what to do next. If you want to leave the room and turn right into the tunnel, turn to 13. If you want to enter the back room and have not done so already, turn to 132.

Please make your votes before 8:30 PM PDT to guarantee that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet
[spoiler]Dickblade Cockbiter
SKILL: 12 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 3 Initial Stamina = 15
LUCK: 7 Initial Luck = 11
WEAPONS:
3 Steel Daggers
Darkblade’s Sword
ARMOUR:
Shield
TREASURE:
3 Gold Pieces Stamped With “Z”
6 Gold Pieces
Gold Dragon Tooth Stamped With “315” and Heart Symbol Inside Flaming Circle
Gold Ring Stamped With “30” and Inscribed With “Seeing Is Believing”
EQUIPMENT:
Backpack
Lantern
Mushroom
Ring of Invisibility
Iron Key With “142” Stamped
Wooden Ball
Leather Pouch
Rope
Magnifying Glass
Silver Dagger
Leather Gloves
Mirror
Tin Whistle
Onyx Egg
Silver Bell
BOONS:
2 Item Wishes[/spoiler]

[JigokuBosatsu]

It gives me the heebie jeebies a little but check the back room.

[SGamerz]

Check the back room.

[Queen of Swords]

Yes, check the back room.