[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 53 – Spellbreaker

[Queen of Swords]

Yes, let's bring Mistress Crowfoot to justice.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered; Ariel Faust Constantine will help the people of Selwick.

46
[spoiler][/spoiler]

Leaving the farmhouse, you trek across country, following Liam’s directions, until you reach Paddocks Wood. Creeping through the trees, you come to a moonlit clearing and one of the most unusual sights you have ever seen. In the middle of the clearing stands Mistress Crowfoot’s cottage, perched on a single, gigantic bird’s foot. The only way in that you can see is through a trapdoor under the cottage. No one seems to be on guard, so you step into the clearing towards the bizarre structure. Suddenly the crow’s foot spins around to face you. Frozen with surprise, you watch the cottage hop towards you across the clearing. You shake yourself out of your trance and draw your sword, ready to defend yourself against the talons of the cottage.

CROW’S FOOT       SKILL 8       STAMINA 8

If you win, turn to 228.

The fight:
[spoiler]Round 1: Crow’s Foot Attack Strength: 19, Player Attack Strength: 20;
Crow’s Foot Stamina: 6, Player Stamina: 22
Round 2: Crow’s Foot Attack Strength: 14, Player Attack Strength: 21;
Crow’s Foot Stamina: 4, Player Stamina: 22
Round 3: Crow’s Foot Attack Strength: 15, Player Attack Strength: 22;
Crow’s Foot Stamina: 2, Player Stamina: 22
Round 4: Crow’s Foot Attack Strength: 13, Player Attack Strength: 23;
Crow’s Foot Stamina: 0, Player Stamina: 22[/spoiler]

To no one’s surprise, Ariel Faust Constantine flawlessly chops down the Crow’s Foot.

228
[spoiler][/spoiler]

Now that any element of surprise you may have had has gone, you clamber up the now immobile crow’s foot to the trapdoor and enter the cottage. The interior of the cottage is just what you would expect of a witch: rickety shelves are packed with jars and bottles, herbs hang from the rafters, a small cauldron bubbles over a fire in the hearth and several musty books lie on a table. The room is also full of Mistress Crowfoot’s familiars! A black cat is sitting on the table watching you with its green eyes, while a large, warty toad squats on the wooden floor croaking. A Grimalkin sits above the hearth, while a rat without a tail scampers round the room. Perched on the back of a chair is a large raven, and a bat flits from one side of the room to the other. If you have a Jar of Powder, turn to 388. If you haven’t, turn to 132.

Ariel Faust Cosntantine has a Jar of Powder.

388
Remembering the words of Tira, Mistress Crowfoot’s apprentice, you assume that one of these creatures could be the transformed witch. If so, then sprinkling the powder on her will make her resume her human form – that is, if Tira was telling the truth. Which familiar will you sprinkle the powder on? Will it be:

The black cat? Turn to 40
The warty toad? Turn to 156
The impish Grimalkin? Turn to 84
The tailless rat? Turn to 63
The raven? Turn to 185
The bat? Turn to 239

[spoiler][/spoiler]

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

Adventure Sheet
[spoiler]Ariel Faust Constantine
SKILL: 14 Initial Skill = 14
STAMINA: 22 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 10 Initial Luck = 12
FAITH: 13
GOLD PIECES: 15
PROVISIONS: 7
INFECTION: 0
Turn to 13 if INFECTION is 15 or more
EQUIPMENT AND TREASURE:
Sword
Lantern
Tinderbox
Backpack
Silver Key With ‘252’ Engraved
Shroud
Falcon
Protective Leather Gauntlet
Ilithorn Rose
Charmed Pipes
Jar of Powder
Golden Sickle
Shield
Deliverer
Necklace of Elven Prayer-Beads
Shackles
Salamander Potion (Page 116)
Venom’s Bane Potion (Page 331)
Holy Amulet
Black Grimoire Page 376 With Spell of Locking
Notes:
Knows Demonic Word of Command
Say ‘One, two, away’ to send a falcon with SKILL 7 STAMINA 5 against an opponent
Reduce any additions to INFECTION by 1 point
Password is ‘The four phases of the moon’
RESURRECTIONS: 4[/spoiler]

[Queen of Swords]

“And like a rat without a tail.” I remember that line from Macbeth.

Go for the tailless rat.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Yeah, the tailless rat seems the most likely; we’ve seen why she’s named “Crowfoot” so her name’s probably not a hint that she likes transforming into corvids.

[SGamerz]

Tailless rat it is, then!

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes acknowledged; Ariel Faust Constantine will sprinkle the powder on the tailless rat.

63
The instant the powder touches the rat, the creature begins to swell and change shape rapidly. Sitting, dazed, on the floor in front of you is a middle-aged woman wearing a hooded robe – Mistress Crowfoot! Do you have a set of shackles? If you have, turn to 350; if you haven’t turn to 181.

Ariel Faust Constantine does have a set of shackles.

350
Heeding the Witch-hunter’s advice, you chain the old woman’s thumbs and toes together in order to stop her casting any spells. Before you can do anything else, you are assailed by the witch’s familiars. You must fight them all at the same time.

BLACK CAT SKILL 5 STAMINA 4
TOAD SKILL 2 STAMINA 2
GRIMALKIN SKILL 5 STAMINA 3
BAT SKILL 3 STAMINA 2

If the Grimalkin hits you more than twice, you must lose 1 SKILL point. If you win, turn to 190.

The fight:
[spoiler](Targeting Grimalkin)
Round 1: Black Cat Attack Strength: 13, Player Attack Strength: 16, Toad Attack Strength: 8, Player Attack Strength: 18, Grimalkin Attack Strength: 12, Player Attack Strength: 25, Bat Attack Strength: 7, Player Attack Strength: 18;
Grimalkin Stamina: 1, Player Stamina: 22
Round 2: Black Cat Attack Strength: 12, Player Attack Strength: 22, Toad Attack Strength: 9, Player Attack Strength: 21, Grimalkin Attack Strength: 9, Player Attack Strength: 22, Bat Attack Strength: 10, Player Attack Strength: 23;
Grimalkin Stamina: -1, Player Stamina: 22

(Targeting Black Cat)
Round 3: Black Cat Attack Strength: 14, Player Attack Strength: 22, Toad Attack Strength: 8, Player Attack Strength: 23, Bat Attack Strength: 6, Player Attack Strength: 20;
Black Cat Stamina: 2, Player Stamina: 22
Round 4: Black Cat Attack Strength: 11, Player Attack Strength: 17, Toad Attack Strength: 8, Player Attack Strength: 21, Bat Attack Strength: 13, Player Attack Strength: 21;
Black Cat Stamina: 0, Player Stamina: 22

(Targeting Bat)
Round 5: Toad Attack Strength: 11, Player Attack Strength: 21, Bat Attack Strength: 15, Player Attack Strength: 20;
Bat Stamina: 0, Player Stamina: 22

Round 6: Toad Attack Strength: 12, Player Attack Strength: 23;
Toad Stamina: 0, Player Stamina: 22[/spoiler]

As expected, Ariel Faust Constantine flawlessly kills all of the witch’s familiars.

190
As the last familiar falls, you see Mistress Crowfoot whisper something to her raven and it flies towards an open window. If you have a falcon and want to send it after the raven, repeat the command the falconer told you. If you don’t have a falcon, or if you don’t want to send it after the raven, turn to 50.

Ariel Faust Constantine has a falcon. Please make your votes on whether to send it after the raven or not before 9:00 AM PST or a 3-vote majority is reached to ensure that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet
[spoiler]Ariel Faust Constantine
SKILL: 14 Initial Skill = 14
STAMINA: 22 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 10 Initial Luck = 12
FAITH: 13
GOLD PIECES: 15
PROVISIONS: 7
INFECTION: 0
Turn to 13 if INFECTION is 15 or more
EQUIPMENT AND TREASURE:
Sword
Lantern
Tinderbox
Backpack
Silver Key With ‘252’ Engraved
Shroud
Falcon
Protective Leather Gauntlet
Ilithorn Rose
Charmed Pipes
Jar of Powder
Golden Sickle
Shield
Deliverer
Necklace of Elven Prayer-Beads
Salamander Potion (Page 116)
Venom’s Bane Potion (Page 331)
Holy Amulet
Black Grimoire Page 376 With Spell of Locking
Notes:
Knows Demonic Word of Command
Say ‘One, two, away’ to send a falcon with SKILL 7 STAMINA 5 against an opponent
Reduce any additions to INFECTION by 1 point
Password is ‘The four phases of the moon’
RESURRECTIONS: 4[/spoiler]

[Queen of Swords]

We bought that expensive falcon and so far it hasn't done a whole lot, so send it after the raven.

[Beroli]

Send the falcon after the raven.

[Thaluikhain]

Send the falcon, yeah.

[SGamerz]

‘One, two, away!’

[JourneymanN00b]

Sending the falcon after the raven received 4 votes, so Ariel Faust Constantine will do this by repeating the “One, two, away” command.

12
The falcon flies out of the window, catching the raven in its talons and tearing it wing from wing before it can escape. Note down the word ‘Raven’ on your Adventure Sheet then turn to 50.

50
With her familiar’s defeated, Mistress Crowfoot cowers before you, unable to move because of the Shackles. ‘Where is the Black Grimoire?’ you ask, drawing your sword to help the witch remember.

‘Nazek has it in Claybury,’ Mistress Crowfoot whimpers. ‘He’s going to use it at the Sabbat tomorrow night.’

‘Tell me what the Sabbat is!’ you demand.

‘It’s a meeting of the Cauldron of Midnight, Nazek’s coven, and it’s going to be held at the ruined monastery.’

You have found out what you wanted to know (regain 1 LUCK point). A swift search of the cottage turns up a rune-carved bone ring which you may take if you wish. Unshackling Mistress Crowfoot’s toes, you take her back to Selwick, where Liam and Isa are waiting with the other villagers. They hurriedly secure the evil witch in the village lock-up then celebrate until well past midnight. You are given a Healing Salve by the local wise man which you may use once, at any time, except during combat, to restore up to 6 STAMINA points. You excuse yourself and retire for the night; tomorrow will undoubtedly be a hard day.

At first light you leave Selwick. The road leads to a junction with another from the south; here you take the turning westwards. Turn to 280.

280
[spoiler][/spoiler]

It is midday when you reach Tallow, at the foot of the western hills. Entering the village, the place seems to be deserted. However, walking between the empty houses, you can hear shouting coming from the heart of the village. Tallow’s market-place is full of a jostling crowd. On the far side of the square a large stake has been erected. Tied to the stake is a haggard-looking young woman and round her feet fa*ggots (note, this is what the orginal text says) of wood have been heaped. A hush descends over the crowd as the people strain to listen to a figure standing in front of them. The man is wearing heavy travelling clothes and a thick, hooded cloak which hides his face completely. The man faces the crowd and speaks: ‘The times are troubled. Crops wither and die, animals and people sicken, the sun has been hidden for days, dark stormclouds gather over the hills – and why? These things are all omens of bewitchment. All manner of devilry is abroad. Did not the wells of Graman dry up after the people shunned the Nighthag, while last Stormsday it rained blood in Addersfield! I tell you, these are portents of damnation to come, brought on you by creatures like her!’ he shouts, pointing at the girl.

‘Burn the witch!’ shouts a man, and soon the whole crowd has taken up the cry: ‘Burn the witch! BURN THE WITCH!’

An old woman at the edge of the square turns, hearing you approach, and you see she is almost hysterical, in floods of tears. Recovering herself for a moment she sobs, ‘Oh, stranger, you looks like an honest person. Please help my grand-daughter. She is a healer by trade, but she has been falsely accused of witchcraft and found guilty by the Inquisitor. She is innocent! Please help her.’

You cannot stand by and see such injustice pass unchallenged. (If you want to, and if you have one, you may drink a potion now.) ‘Stop!’ you shout over the top of the crowd; in an instant there is silence. ‘This girl has done no wrong. You cannot allow her to be killed.’

‘So,’ says the Inquisitor, ‘one stands there, defending the witch. Why, they must be a witch too! They must face the Ordeals!’ You are grabbed from all sides, your sword is taken from you and you are hurriedly searched. If you have the Witch’s Mark or a Crescent Moon Amulet, turn to 256. Otherwise, turn to 220.

Ariel Faust Constantine does not have the Witch’s Mark or a Crescent Moon Amulet. Please make your votes on whether to take the rune-carved bone ring and whether to drink a potion before 9:00 AM PST or a 3-vote majority is reached to ensure that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet
[spoiler]Ariel Faust Constantine
SKILL: 14 Initial Skill = 14
STAMINA: 22 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 11 Initial Luck = 12
FAITH: 13
GOLD PIECES: 15
PROVISIONS: 7
INFECTION: 0
Turn to 13 if INFECTION is 15 or more
EQUIPMENT AND TREASURE:
Sword
Lantern
Tinderbox
Backpack
Silver Key With ‘252’ Engraved
Shroud
Falcon
Protective Leather Gauntlet
Ilithorn Rose
Charmed Pipes
Jar of Powder
Golden Sickle
Shield
Deliverer
Necklace of Elven Prayer-Beads
Salamander Potion (Page 116)
Venom’s Bane Potion (Page 331)
Holy Amulet
Black Grimoire Page 376 With Spell of Locking
Healing Salve (+6 Stamina)
Notes:
Knows Demonic Word of Command
Say ‘One, two, away’ to send a falcon with SKILL 7 STAMINA 5 against an opponent
Reduce any additions to INFECTION by 1 point
Password is ‘The four phases of the moon’
Raven
RESURRECTIONS: 4[/spoiler]

[SGamerz]

We obviously need to drink the Salamander Potion for fire protection to save the "witch" from the fire.

[Queen of Swords]

Agreed, this seems a good time to drink the Salamander potion.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered; Ariel Faust Constantine will drink the Salamander Potion. Since nobody voted whether to take the rune-carved bone ring or not, I will have her take it.

220
‘The stranger carries no symbol of the dark goddess,’ one villager calls back to the Inquisitor.

‘Then they must face the second Ordeal!’

You are carried to a stinking pond at the edge of the village and your wrists and ankles are bound. ‘If the accused floats, then Shekka is looking after her own and they must be a witch. If they do not surface for three minutes, then they have passed the second Ordeal and must face the last,’ the Inquisitor pronounces. Several men pick you up and hurl you into the pond. You hit the water and sink beneath it. Before you float back up to the surface, you clutch at a clump of weed and hold yourself under – you are not going to be found guilty of witchcraft by such an unjust trial, especially after all you have been through! Roll one die. If you roll 1-3, turn to 338. If you roll 4-6, turn to 368.

Rolling the die yielded a 1.

338
You hold your breath for as long as you can, but at long last you are forced to release your hold on the weed and you float up to the surface of the pond. You gulp in fresh air – but unfortunately the three minutes is not up. Rocks, pitchforks and other farm implements are showered upon you, until your lifeless body floats, face down, in the pond. Your adventure is over.

Ow. A resurrection will be used to reroll the second Ordeal outcome.

Rolling the die yielded a 6, meaning that Ariel Faust Constantine manages to survive the second Ordeal this time.

368
You hold your breath until your lungs feel as if they will burst, then you surface, gasping for air. Fortunately, the three minutes is up and many of the villagers actually thought you had drowned. ‘The third Ordeal,’ commands the Inquisitor. You are dragged from the pond and led back to the Market Square. The Inquisitor is standing beside a burning brazier, holding an iron horseshoe in one hand. ‘This fire has been blessed and so shall not harm the pure-hearted,’ he says and, to prove the point, plunges the horseshoe and his hand into the flames. The crowd gasp, first in horror then in amazement, as the Inquisitor withdraws his hand from the brazier, unmarked. ‘If the accused is not a witch, then they shall be able to retrieve the horseshoe.’ You are surrounded. You have no choice but to put your hand into the fire. If you have drunk the Salamander potion, turn to the paragraph with the same number as the recipe for that potion. If you have not, turn to 260.

Ariel Faust Constantine has drunk the Salamander potion, so we will turn to paragraph 116.

116
The Salamander potion works perfectly. You reach into the fire, feeling nothing more than a warm glow, and pull out the horseshoe, which has reddened in the head. The crowd lets out a gasp. ‘Trickery!’ the Inquisitor yells. ‘This is witchcraft!’ The man advances towards you, and the crowd backs away as he does so. Under the hood of the cloak you can see the man’s eyes burning with insane fury. The Inquisitor opens his mouth to speak again but, rather than his own voice, a rasping growl issues from his throat: ‘So … You must be the one spoken of. The Spellbreaker.’ The crowd does not seem to be aware of what is going on. If you know a Demonic Word of Command, you had better say it now (turn to 327); if you do not, turn to 225.

Ariel Faust Constantine does know a Demonic Word of Command.

327
You shout the Demonic Word of Command then say, ‘Begone, Demon!’ The Inquisitor puts his hands to his head as if he is wrestling with something in his mind. He suddenly lets out a terrible scream and falls to the ground, unconscious. As you watch, a trail of mist rises from his mouth and forms into the shape of a nightmarish creature, before it is carried away on the breeze. You have released the man from possession by a Demon. However, the Demonic Word of Command was not a holy incantation but black magic (lose 1 FAITH point). Turn to 193.

193
With the Demon banished, the spell the Inquisitor had the villagers under is broken. They make no move to stop you as you bend over the unconscious man and pull out a pendant from under his robes. The pendant is made of a ring of black metal etched with runes and demonic sigils – a Chaos Talisman! You throw the talisman into the brazier, then help some of the villagers free the girl at the stake. She gives you a look of great relief and her grandmother hurries over to you thanking you over and over again for saving her grand-daughter. The people of Tallow, realizing now that they had been fooled by the Inquisitor, beg your forgiveness for their harsh actions and offer you the freedom of their village. However, you must be on your way, for tonight Shekka’s Moon will rise and the Infernal Beast is to be freed. Before you go, the girl you rescued recovers sufficiently to offer her skills as a healer to you (restore up to 5 STAMINA points). With your wounds tended and your belongings returned, you set off into the hills for the remote village of Claybury. If you have the word ‘Raven’ noted down on your Adventure Sheet, turn to 28. If you haven’t, turn to 297.

Ariel Faust Constantine does have the word “Raven” noted down on her Adventure Sheet.

28
It is late afternoon when you reach Claybury, but the sky over the village is almost black with boiling stormclouds. The Demafrauge is supposed to be hidden in the monastery here, so Nazek must be here too, with the Black Grimoire. Only a few hours remain until nightfall, when Shekka’s Moon will rise once more, so you must meet up with Karad and the Resistance as quickly as possible. But where will you look for them, at a circular tower standing on the outskirts of the village (turn to 336) or somewhere else (turn to 289)?

Please make your votes before 6:00 PM PST or a 3-vote majority is reached to ensure that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet
[spoiler]Ariel Faust Constantine
SKILL: 14 Initial Skill = 14
STAMINA: 24 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 11 Initial Luck = 12
FAITH: 12
GOLD PIECES: 15
PROVISIONS: 7
INFECTION: 0
Turn to 13 if INFECTION is 15 or more
EQUIPMENT AND TREASURE:
Sword
Lantern
Tinderbox
Backpack
Silver Key With ‘252’ Engraved
Shroud
Falcon
Protective Leather Gauntlet
Ilithorn Rose
Charmed Pipes
Jar of Powder
Golden Sickle
Shield
Deliverer
Necklace of Elven Prayer-Beads
Venom’s Bane Potion (Page 331)
Holy Amulet
Black Grimoire Page 376 With Spell of Locking
Healing Salve (+6 Stamina)
Rune-carved Bone Ring
Notes:
Knows Demonic Word of Command
Say ‘One, two, away’ to send a falcon with SKILL 7 STAMINA 5 against an opponent
Reduce any additions to INFECTION by 1 point
Password is ‘The four phases of the moon’
Raven
RESURRECTIONS: 3[/spoiler]

[SGamerz]

Somewhere else, wherever that may be.

****

You are given a Healing Slave by the local wise man which you may use once, at any time, except during combat, to restore up to 6 STAMINA points.

Strong contender for the most useful companion in FF history.

[JourneymanN00b]

You are given a Healing Slave by the local wise man which you may use once, at any time, except during combat, to restore up to 6 STAMINA points.

Strong contender for the most useful companion in FF history.

Stupid, stupid autocorrect. Fixed the typo.

Vote registered; Ariel Faust Constantine will look for them somewhere else.

289
Searching the streets of Claybury, everything seems to be normal except that the villagers watch you suspiciously and avoid you as they go about their business. At last, down an alleyway you find what you are looking for. Above a sturdy door, the outline of a tower has been carved into the lintel. You knock on the door and immediately a panel slides back at eye-level. Karad’s face appears at the opening: ‘What do you want?’

‘But it’s me,’ you say, taken aback.

‘How do I know you’re who you say you are? You could be a Demonic Shape-shifter,’ he says. ‘What’s the password?’ If Karad is to believe you, you must repeat the password. If you can remember what it is, multiply the number in the password by 50 and turn to the paragraph which is the same as the total. If you cannot remember the password or if you get it wrong, turn to 371.

The password is “The four phases of the moon”, and multiplying 4 times 50 equals 200, so we will turn to paragraph 200.

200
[spoiler][/spoiler]

The door opens and you are pulled inside. The room is dark and musty; Karad stands in the middle and all round him, sitting on chairs and tables or leaning against the walls, are some fifty men and women, armed ready for battle and all doughty-looking warriors. Karad once more apologizes for his caution then introduces you to the band of Resistance fighters. You briefly exchange details of your adventures since your meeting in Fenford. ‘The Resistance has been busy too,’ Karad explains, ‘and has discovered two important facts. First, the Cauldron of Midnight is holding its Sabbat meeting tonight, somewhere in Claybury, where Nazek will open the Casket of Shadows. There are several possible locations for the Sabbat, but rumour has it that it will be either at the stone circle to the north of the village or in the Withered Wood to the south. The second fact is that the coven has spies everywhere – that is why I had to be so careful letting you in. I just hope you were not seen on your …’

At that moment, the light in the room fades and the temperature drops. Materializing in the centre of the room is a shadowy, cowled figure. The manifestation complete, you find yourself facing little more than a dark shroud which is floating, half a metre above the ground. Through holes in the shroud you can see the remains of a ribcage while under the hood there is nothing but utter darkness. The Dread Demon, which sometimes appears to evil wizards at the moment of their death, holds out its taloned hands to you and hisses, ‘Your sssoul …’ Roll one die and add 4. If the total is less than, or equal to, your FAITH, turn to 255. If the total is greater than your FAITH, turn to 323.

Rolling the die and applying the modification yielded a 9, which is less than Ariel Faust Constantine’s Faith.

255
By the power of your faith you resist the strength of the Demon. Unsheathing Deliverer, you prepare to do battle against the hellspawn. It is only then that you realize: no one else in the room can see the fiend! This is a battle you must fight alone.

DREAD DEMON       SKILL 9       STAMINA 8

If you kill the Demon, turn to 217.

The fight:
[spoiler]Round 1: Dread Demon Attack Strength: 18, Player Attack Strength: 17;
Dread Demon Stamina: 8, Player Stamina: 22
Round 2: Dread Demon Attack Strength: 15, Player Attack Strength: 17;
Dread Demon Stamina: 6, Player Stamina: 22
Round 3: Dread Demon Attack Strength: 13, Player Attack Strength: 24;
Dread Demon Stamina: 4, Player Stamina: 22
Round 4: Dread Demon Attack Strength: 12, Player Attack Strength: 23;
Dread Demon Stamina: 2, Player Stamina: 22
Round 5: Dread Demon Attack Strength: 20, Player Attack Strength: 19;
Dread Demon Stamina: 2, Player Stamina: 20
Round 6: Dread Demon Attack Strength: 15, Player Attack Strength: 18;
Dread Demon Stamina: 0, Player Stamina: 20[/spoiler]

Ariel Faust Constantine takes 4 Stamina damage from the Dread Demon’s lucky blows before she manages to kill it.

217
Cries of surprise and horror go up from the assembled Resistance as, with your killing blow, Nazek’s assassin is revealed to them. The cowled shroud falls to the ground and crumbles to dust, and the taloned hands shrivel away. Your wounds tended to, Karad speaks to the Resistance. ‘It is time,’ he says. ‘Dusk is falling and the Cauldron will be gathering at the site of the Sabbat. We shall leave in small groups and meet again at the site. May Cheelah go with you.’ Karad turns to you. ‘We do not have time to make mistakes in finding the site. Where do you advise us to look?’ With the knowledge you have gathered, will it be:

The stone circle? Turn to 326
The Withered Wood? Turn to 95
The monastery? Turn to 159

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

Adventure Sheet
[spoiler]Ariel Faust Constantine
SKILL: 14 Initial Skill = 14
STAMINA: 20 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 11 Initial Luck = 12
FAITH: 12
GOLD PIECES: 15
PROVISIONS: 7
INFECTION: 0
Turn to 13 if INFECTION is 15 or more
EQUIPMENT AND TREASURE:
Sword
Lantern
Tinderbox
Backpack
Silver Key With ‘252’ Engraved
Shroud
Falcon
Protective Leather Gauntlet
Ilithorn Rose
Charmed Pipes
Jar of Powder
Golden Sickle
Shield
Deliverer
Necklace of Elven Prayer-Beads
Venom’s Bane Potion (Page 331)
Holy Amulet
Black Grimoire Page 376 With Spell of Locking
Healing Salve (+6 Stamina)
Rune-carved Bone Ring
Notes:
Knows Demonic Word of Command
Say ‘One, two, away’ to send a falcon with SKILL 7 STAMINA 5 against an opponent
Reduce any additions to INFECTION by 1 point
Password is ‘The four phases of the moon’
Raven
RESURRECTIONS: 3[/spoiler]

[Queen of Swords]

The monastery, according to the witch.

[SGamerz]

Agreed, we got the clue and we should follow it.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered; Ariel Faust Constantine will advise the Resistance to look at the monastery.

159
The monastery at Claybury has been a ruin for many years. Entering its crumbling gatehouse, you see that the walls have been defiled with evil runes and graffiti. This sanctuary of Good has been desecrated to serve the purposes of Evil! An unnatural stillness pervades the ruins even while black stormclouds are writhing overhead. Hanging in the night sky over the monastery is the blood-red crescent of Shekka’s Moon. There is no sign of the coven, but they must be here because the monastery is the resting place of the Demafrauge – at least you hope it is. You hear an owl hoot and look around to see Karad and the other Resistance members hidden behind some broken columns.

‘They are here for sure,’ Karad whispers, pointing down a flight of worn stone steps to the heavy double doors of the crypt. ‘We can hear them, somewhere beyond those doors.’ You and Karad descend the stops and push open the doors. The small room beyond is lit by torches; in the distance, from another part of the crypt, you can hear chanting. Suddenly two ghostly bats fly down from the vaulted ceiling, their bodies and wings covered in dancing wisps of flame. Shrieking, the Demon Bats attack you both; you must fight one each.

DEMON BAT       SKILL 7       STAMINA 8

If the bat hits you successfully twice in a row, it grasps you in its claws, its next successful strike causing 5 extra points of damage to your STAMINA as it delivers a massive blast of fire from its body. If you kill the Demon Bat, Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 308; if you are Unlucky, turn to 394.

The fight:
[spoiler]Round 1: Demon Bat Attack Strength: 15, Player Attack Strength: 24;
Demon Bat Stamina: 6, Player Stamina: 20
Round 2: Demon Bat Attack Strength: 14, Player Attack Strength: 20;
Demon Bat Stamina: 4, Player Stamina: 20
Round 3: Demon Bat Attack Strength: 10, Player Attack Strength: 19;
Demon Bat Stamina: 2, Player Stamina: 20
Round 4: Demon Bat Attack Strength: 13, Player Attack Strength: 25;
Demon Bat Stamina: 0, Player Stamina: 20[/spoiler]

As expected, Ariel Faust Constantine flawlessly kills the Demon Bat.

Rolling the dice yielded a 7, which means that Ariel Faust Constantine was Lucky.

308
The creature dies in an explosion of flame, before its spirit returns to its supernatural home, the Elemental Plane of Fire, but you manage to avoid being hit by the resulting fireball. Karad has also destroyed his opponent, so you hurry into the crypt, followed by the Resistance. Turn to 150.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

150
[spoiler][/spoiler]

Crouching behind a pillared cloister and filled with trepidation, you gaze into the vast chamber beyond. The crypt is crammed with the assembled Cauldron of Midnight. Wherever you look, you can see witches and warlocks and even other, more inhuman creatures such as beast-headed Demons and horned Devils. Running around at the feet of the throng or flapping through the air above them are the coven’s familiars: cats, rats, imps, birds, flying mammals, reptiles and slimy amphibians. Standing on a plinth at the far end of the hall is Nazek the Warlock, now dressed in a plain black cowl, with the Black Grimoire open in front of him on a lectern, the dark wood of which is carved to resemble writhing centipedes. In front of Nazek is a huge black chest adorned with reliefs of some of the foul creatures of the Pit – the Demafrauge! On either side of the chest stand two brass incense-burners, their smoky vapours filling the chamber with a noxious stench. In the roof of the vaulted crypt is a gaping hole, through which you can see the sinister red crescent of Shekka’s Moon amid the boiling stormclouds. The coven are repeating their esoteric chant over and over while Nazek reads the spell that will open the Casket of Shadows. The Ritual of Unlocking has already begun! What will you do? If you have the spell of Locking, you may try to read it now, in order to counteract Nazek’s magic (turn to 102); alternatively, you can lead the Resistance into battle against the Cauldron of Midnight, using your sword to stop the Warlock (turn to 319).

Ariel Faust Constantine does have the Spell of Locking. Please make your votes before 6:00 PM PST to ensure that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet
[spoiler]Ariel Faust Constantine
SKILL: 14 Initial Skill = 14
STAMINA: 20 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 10 Initial Luck = 12
FAITH: 12
GOLD PIECES: 15
PROVISIONS: 7
INFECTION: 0
Turn to 13 if INFECTION is 15 or more
EQUIPMENT AND TREASURE:
Sword
Lantern
Tinderbox
Backpack
Silver Key With ‘252’ Engraved
Shroud
Falcon
Protective Leather Gauntlet
Ilithorn Rose
Charmed Pipes
Jar of Powder
Golden Sickle
Shield
Deliverer
Necklace of Elven Prayer-Beads
Venom’s Bane Potion (Page 331)
Holy Amulet
Black Grimoire Page 376 With Spell of Locking
Healing Salve (+6 Stamina)
Rune-carved Bone Ring
Notes:
Knows Demonic Word of Command
Say ‘One, two, away’ to send a falcon with SKILL 7 STAMINA 5 against an opponent
Reduce any additions to INFECTION by 1 point
Password is ‘The four phases of the moon’
Raven
RESURRECTIONS: 3[/spoiler]

[Queen of Swords]

Use the Spell of Locking.

[Thaluikhain]

If it asks if we have it, it's generally best to use it, so use spell of locking.

[SGamerz]

Yes, use the spell.

[JourneymanN00b]

Using the Spell of Locking already received 3 votes, so Ariel Faust Constantine will use it.

102
Speaking in a low murmur, you start to read the spell that will prevent the release of the Kurakil. As if in response, Nazek looks up and shouts, ‘Brothers and sisters! We are attacked!’ Karad and the Resistance do not hesitate. Pouring into the crypt, they engage the coven in battle before spells can be cast. You start to read the spell once more. A stabbing pain sears through your chest and you cry out and double up in agony (lose 3 STAMINA points and 1 SKILL point). Standing a few metres away, a young witch is holding a crudely shaped wax doll, into which she is sticking a long pin. Before she can cripple you further, you run at her with your sword.

WITCH       SKILL 6       STAMINA 7

If you kill the witch, will you try and use the doll against Nazek (turn to 245) or fight your way through the mêlée to reach the Warlock (turn to 319)?

[spoiler][/spoiler]

The fight:
[spoiler]Round 1: Witch Attack Strength: 16, Player Attack Strength: 19;
Witch Stamina: 5, Player Stamina: 17
Round 2: Witch Attack Strength: 11, Player Attack Strength: 23;
Witch Stamina: 3, Player Stamina: 17
Round 3: Witch Attack Strength: 15, Player Attack Strength: 19;
Witch Stamina: 1, Player Stamina: 17
Round 4: Witch Attack Strength: 12, Player Attack Strength: 21;
Witch Stamina: -1, Player Stamina: 17[/spoiler]

As expected, Ariel Faust Constantine flawlessly kills the Witch.

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

Adventure Sheet
[spoiler]Ariel Faust Constantine
SKILL: 13 Initial Skill = 14
STAMINA: 17 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 10 Initial Luck = 12
FAITH: 12
GOLD PIECES: 15
PROVISIONS: 7
INFECTION: 0
Turn to 13 if INFECTION is 15 or more
EQUIPMENT AND TREASURE:
Sword
Lantern
Tinderbox
Backpack
Silver Key With ‘252’ Engraved
Shroud
Falcon
Protective Leather Gauntlet
Ilithorn Rose
Charmed Pipes
Jar of Powder
Golden Sickle
Shield
Deliverer
Necklace of Elven Prayer-Beads
Venom’s Bane Potion (Page 331)
Holy Amulet
Black Grimoire Page 376 With Spell of Locking
Healing Salve (+6 Stamina)
Rune-carved Bone Ring
Notes:
Knows Demonic Word of Command
Say ‘One, two, away’ to send a falcon with SKILL 7 STAMINA 5 against an opponent
Reduce any additions to INFECTION by 1 point
Password is ‘The four phases of the moon’
Raven
RESURRECTIONS: 3[/spoiler]

[Darth Rabbitt]

Pop our Healing Slave Salve and then use the doll; hopefully the pain will distract him long enough for us to cast the Locking Spell on him while our reinforcements hold off his.

[SGamerz]

I don't recall our character learning to use Voodoo, so I don't see it going well for us. In fact I can see something like that hurting our Faith. I vote to just fight our way to him.