[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 53 – Spellbreaker

[Queen of Swords]

OK, the text says the creature has a swollen belly (it's pregnant???) but the illustration shows nothing of the sort.

Regardless, try to talk to it.

[SGamerz]

Try to communicate.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered; Ariel Faust Constantine will try to communicate with it.

307
Speaking slowly and clearly, you offer the creature greetings and introduce yourself. ‘And I am Sam Bogart, one of the Fen Folk,’ the creature replies in your own tongue. ‘I apologize for failing to use your language, but I have little need of it here. Have you come to beg my assistance?’ Following Sam into the hut, you ask him what he means. He explains that he is a herbalist and one reason for living in Blackmire is that all the ingredients necessary for his work grow within its marshy reaches. ‘I must admit, most people have forgotten that I am still here and so do not come asking for my help very often.’ You have nothing to lose in telling this kind marshman of your mission; as you do so, he listens intently, watching you with his great saucer eyes. When you are finished, Sam offers his help: ‘If you wish, and if you have any plants, herbs or fungi, I could make you a potion that may aid you in your quest.’ If you have any plants, herbs or fungi and want to accept Sam’s kind offer, turn to 380. If you lack these ingredients, or if you do not want to entrust the success of your adventure to herbal remedies, turn to 236.

Ariel Faust Constantine has a lot of plants, herbs, and fungi. Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PST or a 3-vote majority is reached to ensure that they will be counted.

[Queen of Swords]

We've been building up our botanical collection for a while now, so use it to make a potion.

[Thaluikhain]

Oh, ask for a potion.

[SGamerz]

"not want to entrust the success of your adventure to herbal remedie" is kind of a silly reason to not make more potions. It's not like we're losing points for carrying extra potions even if they turn out to be useless. Definitely make the potions.

(Realistically, the only valid reason I can think of to refuse is if we suspect this creature of trying to trick us and will run away/eat all our herbs if we give them to him. Of course, for this gamebook it's not entirely impossible that Green might have the guy concoct a potion that explodes 20 sections later and kill us.)

[Queen of Swords]

(Realistically, the only valid reason I can think of to refuse is if we suspect this creature of trying to trick us and will run away/eat all our herbs if we give them to him.

LOL, now I'm imagining a next section that reads, "You bring out the herbs you have bought or collected. Immediately Sam crams them all into his mouth and bolts off."

[JourneymanN00b]

Accepting Sam’s kind offer received 3 votes, so Ariel Faust Constantine will do this.

380
Sam opens a battered old book and thumbs through its dog-eared pages, finding several concoctions that may be of use to you. Of course, if you do not have the correct ingredients for a potion, Sam cannot make it for you. He also explains that, if mistletoe is to be used in a mixture, it must have been cut with a Golden Sickle for it to keep its magical properties. There is only time for Sam to make up a maximum of two potions before you will have to be on your way. The mixtures you may choose from are listed below, with their ingredients and page numbers in Sam’s book, but each ingredient can be used only once.

Boggart’s Brew – if taken after a battle, it will restore half the STAMINA points lost in the fight. Page 74. Ingredients: Madder, Glebe Balm, Mudcap.

Salamander – this concoction protects the user from fire, just as the salamander is unaffected by burning. Page 116. Ingredients: Skullsgrig, Drake Nettle, Phoenix Grass.

Chillwarm – anyone taking this potion will be able to resist cold. Page 167. Ingredients: Frostflower, Toadwort, Driggen.

Aylmer’s Elixir – this powerful preparation helps the user commune with his or her gods by inducing a trance-like state for a few moments. The effect is to increase their FAITH by 2 points. Page 239. Ingredients: Mistletoe, Spriteweed, Scrallus.

Venom’s Bane – this is an antidote to the poison of the venomous bites of creatures such as snakes and spiders. Page 331. Ingredients: Malague, Death’s Shroud, Mistletoe.

Clearsee – this potion allows the user to see through any magically created illusions. Page 385. Ingredients: Phoenix Grass, Eyebright, Spriteweed.

Make a note of the potions you have chosen on your Adventure Sheet, with their page numbers from Sam’s book, then turn to 236.

With the ingredients that Ariel Faust Constantine possesses, Sam can make the Salamander and Venom’s Bane potions.

236
The marshman presents you with wild duck, roasted over an open fire, which you devour hungrily (restore up to 4 STAMINA points). When you have eaten your fill, Sam offers to show you the way out of Blackmire. ‘However, if you wish, I could first take you to the tomb of Enthus the Martyr, if you think it will help you. It is located on an island in Miremere, the lake in the heart of the swamp.’ Do you want to visit Enthus’s tomb (turn to 31), or do you want to leave Blackmire as quickly as possible (turn to 79)?

Please make your votes on which potions to have Sam make and where to go next 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: 18 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 9 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
Scarlet Lady
Drake Nettle
Ilithorn Rose
Phoenix Grass
Charmed Pipes
Jar of Powder
Golden Sickle
Skullsgrig
Shield
Deliverer
Necklace of Elven Prayer-Beads
Shackles
Mistletoe (cut with the Golden Sickle)
Malague
Death’s Shroud
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]

Make the two potions and visit Enthus's tomb.

[Thaluikhain]

Huh, we have just enough ingredients to make the maximum number of potions time permits, nice. Anyway, have those made and then to the tomb.

[SGamerz]

Make the potions and visit the tomb.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered; Ariel Faust Constantine will have Sam make the Salamander and Venom’s Bane potions, and visit Enthus’s tomb.

31
You and Sam board his raft and soon you are gliding along the marshy waterways of the fens. It is not long before the tributary you are on runs into a large, mist-covered lake – Miremere. Sam steers the raft out across the still waters towards the middle of the lake. Through the mist a small, wooded island appears. Soon you reach the island and, while Sam waits by the shore, you disembark to look for Enthus’s tomb.

At the foot of a wooded hill you find what must be the entrance to the tomb: a moss-covered granite door set into the hill. No one has been here in years. Pushing hard against it, the granite slab eventually swings open with a hollow boom. Lighting your lantern, you step through the stone doorway and proceed down a steep spiral staircase. At the bottom of the steps is a high-ceilinged rectangular chamber. Light enters the cold room by a single tiny window and you can see no other exits. In the centre of the chamber is a stone sarcophagus bearing the life-size effigy of a priest lying with his hands together as if at prayer. Two granite candlesticks stand on either side of the sarcophagus, although the candles have long been extinguished. Carefully you heave the lid to one side. Lying with hands folded, like the statue, and still wearing the martyr’s priestly robes, are the earthly remains of Enthus, Servant of Good. There is nothing else to be found in the tomb. Will you leave now (turn to 112), or will you try to invoke the spirit of the priest so that he may aid you in your quest (turn to 105)?

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: 18 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 9 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
Scarlet Lady
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)
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]

[Omegonthesane]

We went to the tourist trap tomb of the martyr, buy the souvenir beseech his aid.

[Queen of Swords]

Agreed, try to speak to the priest’s spirit.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Invoke the spirit of the priest.

[SGamerz]

Why would we come here and then leave without doing anything? Invoke the spirit!

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered; Ariel Faust Constantine will try to invoke the spirit of the priest so that he may aid her in her quest.

105
Enthus died centuries ago. How will you summon the spirit of the dead priest? Will you use:

The candles and prayer? Turn to 360
The blood of a priest? Turn to 296
A Heal-all? Turn to 265

Ariel Faust Constantine does not have a Heal-all or the blood of a priest, so she will use the candles and prayer.

360
You light the candles and begin to pray. If you have some of the herb Scarlet Lady, you can burn it as incense to aid your praying. Roll one die and add 8 (subtract 2 from this total if you are burning Scarlet Lady). If the total is less than, or equal to, your FAITH, turn to 137. If the total is greater than your FAITH, turn to 268.

Ariel Faust Constantine does have Scarlet Lady, and I assume that it will be used for this Faith check.

Rolling the die and applying the modifications yielded a 10, which is less than Ariel Faust Constantine’s Faith.

137
[spoiler][/spoiler]

As you pray, you sense the presence of another in the room. Opening your eyes, you see that a shimmering haze has appeared in the air over the sarcophagus. As you watch, a ghostly figure, looking just like the effigy, materializes in the chamber. It is the Spirit of Enthus. ‘Heroic adventurer,’ the spirit intones in a sonorous voice, ‘Evil is on the rise and the forces of Order are threatened. In one day’s time the Infernal Beast is to be unleashed upon the world again. Hundreds of years have passed since I trapped the Kurakil in the Casket of Shadows. I did not possess the power to destroy the Beast and could only send it into limbo, through the Demafrauge. Once the gateway is reopened, the Demon will escape and hundreds will die. You are now the only hope for the kingdom.’

The candles suddenly gutter, although there is no breeze in the chamber, and black smoke starts to fill the sepulchre. The dark cloud hovers over the open sarcophagus then pours into it. As you watch, Enthus’s bones join together and the skeleton jumps out of the coffin. The skeleton is surrounded by a shadowy body sprouting two small horns, with glowing coals of pure malevolence in the eye-sockets of the skull. ‘An evil spirit has invaded this place!’ cries Enthus’s Spirit. ‘It must be very powerful to be able to enter consecrated ground. Destroy it, quickly!’ The Revenant steps towards you, claws raised.

REVENANT       SKILL 9       STAMINA 8

If you win, turn to 24.

The fight:
[spoiler]Round 1: Revenant Attack Strength: 13, Player Attack Strength: 21;
Revenant Stamina: 6, Player Stamina: 18
Round 2: Revenant Attack Strength: 17, Player Attack Strength: 21;
Revenant Stamina: 4, Player Stamina: 18
Round 3: Revenant Attack Strength: 14, Player Attack Strength: 25;
Revenant Stamina: 2, Player Stamina: 18
Round 4: Revenant Attack Strength: 18, Player Attack Strength: 21;
Revenant Stamina: 0, Player Stamina: 18[/spoiler]

As expected, Ariel Faust Constantine flawlessly destroys the Revenant.

24
With the Revenant destroyed, the evil spirit animating Enthus’s bones is banished from this place. ‘Thank you for freeing my earthly remains,’ says the Spirit of Enthus. There is a click, and a secret compartment opens at the base of the sarcophagus. Inside you find a silver amulet and an ancient piece of parchment which looks like a page from a book. ‘Take my Holy Amulet and that page torn from the Black Grimoire itself. On it is the Spell of Locking I used to close the casket, but let us hope you will not need it.’ You observe that the page number of the parchment is 376 (note this down). Add 1 FAITH point and restore 1 LUCK point for acquiring these items. ‘Now I may once again rest in peace, and you must be on your way if the Kurakil is to be defeated.’ With these words the spirit fades and you are alone in the tomb. Quickly you leave the sepulchre. Turn to 112.

112
On your return, you and Sam board the raft again, which he guides round the island and across the lake, to the western shore. Sam tells you the quickest and safest route out of the marsh and, thanking him again for his help, you wave goodbye to your new friend.

You emerge from Blackmire on the road to Selwick. Dusk is falling when you catch sight of the village in the distance. You suddenly hear the pounding of hoofs on the road behind you, and a horse appears out of the darkness. The animal is a fine, black stallion; mounted on its back is a well-dressed man wearing a hooded cape. If you have the potion Clearsee, you may drink it now, if you wish, by turning to the paragraph with the same number as the page on which the recipe for Clearsee can be found in Sam’s book. If you do not have it, or if you do not want to drink it, turn to 66.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

Ariel Faust Constantine does not have the potion Clearsee.

66
‘Greetings, traveller,’ says the man. ‘I am on my way to Selwick. May I take you there on my horse? You do not want to be out on the road after dusk in these parts, I can assure you.’ Do you wish to accept the rider’s offer (turn to 233), or will you politely decline (turn to 385)?

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: 18 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]

If we're given the option to drink a potion, something's not right here. Decline the man's offer.

[SGamerz]

If we're given the option to drink a potion, something's not right here. Decline the man's offer.

Agreed, especially when the potion is called "Clearsee", which indicates that our eyes are being deceived by some form of illusion or magical disguise.

[Thaluikhain]

It would be impressive trolling to use up the potion and see that the guy is perfectly normal, though.

But yeah, decline.

[JourneymanN00b]

Politely declining received 3 votes, so Ariel Faust Constantine will do this.

385
[spoiler][/spoiler]

The man and his steed begin to transform before your very eyes. Their skin contracts, becoming taut over their bones, then pales to a deathly grey. Gone are the man’s fine clothes, to be replaced by tattered rags, and in his eyes is a look of pure hatred. ‘Fool!’ he rasps. ‘You shall pay for your impudence with your soul!’ Do you have Gwythain’s sword, Deliverer? If you have, turn to 141; if you haven’t, turn to 54.

Ariel Faust Constantine does have Gwythain’s sword, Deliverer.

141
The Blessed Blade glows with a blue light as you defend yourself against the hellish Wraith Rider and his undead steed.

WRAITH RIDER       SKILL 10       STAMINA 9

If you defeat the spectral fiend, both the horse and it dissolve into thin air, leaving you to finish your journey to Selwick. Turn to 19.

The fight:
[spoiler]Round 1: Wraith Rider Attack Strength: 15, Player Attack Strength: 20;
Wraith Rider Stamina: 7, Player Stamina: 18
Round 2: Wraith Rider Attack Strength: 18, Player Attack Strength: 19;
Wraith Rider Stamina: 5, Player Stamina: 18
Round 3: Wraith Rider Attack Strength: 17, Player Attack Strength: 19;
Wraith Rider Stamina: 3, Player Stamina: 18
Round 4: Wraith Rider Attack Strength: 14, Player Attack Strength: 20;
Wraith Rider Stamina: 1, Player Stamina: 18
Round 5: Wraith Rider Attack Strength: 16, Player Attack Strength: 24;
Wraith Rider Stamina: -1, Player Stamina: 18[/spoiler]

To nobody’s surprise, Ariel Faust Constantine flawlessly annihilates the Wraith Rider.

19
The people of Selwick know that many evil things stalk the hours of darkness so they have already bolted their doors and settled down for the night. However, a light is still shining in the window of one farmhouse, at the edge of the village, and you decide to ask if they will give you a bed for the night. The young farmer and his wife, whose names you learn are Liam and Isa, invite you in warmly and share their meal of rabbit stew with you (restore 4 STAMINA points). ‘It’s nice to ‘have someone come visit us,’ says Liam. ‘You see, people have stayed clear of the farm since it ‘appened.’ Since what happened you ask.

‘Since we were cursed by Mistress Crowfoot, the local witch. Everyone in the village is frightened of ‘er,’ he continues. ‘Two weeks ago she come to see us, sayin’ she wanted to buy our south field; only that’s our best bit of land, so we said no. She went off saying if we didn’t sell it to ‘er in a week, we’d be sorry. We didn’t give in – but then last Earthday things started goin’ wrong. First my best ploughshare broke, then the milk started to go off, and now some of my cattle are dying.’

Just then, out of the corner of your eye you glimpse something moving in the shadows of the kitchen. As you watch, a tiny humanoid covered in bright red fur runs out from behind a chair. It has two small horns growing out of its forehead, an ugly snout, clawed hands and a tail. It scampers over to a bucket of milk against the wall and dips a claw into it. You jump up, and the creature runs back into the shadows.

‘It’s a Grimalkin,’ says Isa. ‘It taints anythin’ it touches. Now you see how Mistress Crowfoot torments us!’

Ture enough, the milk has curdled and now tastes sour. Suddenly the imp leaps out of the shadows at you. Test your Skill. If you succeed, turn to 89. If you fail, turn to 167.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

Rolling the dice yielded a 9, which is obviously less than Ariel Faust Constantine’s Skill.

89
You dodge out of the way just in time. The Grimalkin flies over your shoulder and slips under the kitchen door. You open the door and run out into the yard, just in time to see the Imp wriggle under the stable door. You fling open the door just in time to see the creature sinking its teeth into the rump of the horse standing there. The animal kicks out with its hind legs in pain. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 291. If you are Unlucky, turn to 399.

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

291
The flailing hoofs miss your chest by a hair’s breadth. Dashing round the stall, you see a flash of red disappear into the shadows. Turn to 72.

72
[spoiler][/spoiler]

You find the Grimalkin, trapped in a corner of the stable. It hisses as you approach and lashes out at you with its claws. You have no choice but to fight the Imp.

GRIMALKIN       SKILL 6       STAMINA 3

If you win, turn to 121.

The fight:
[spoiler]Round 1: Grimalkin Attack Strength: 18, Player Attack Strength: 21;
Grimalkin Stamina: 1, Player Stamina: 22
Round 2: Grimalkin Attack Strength: 13, Player Attack Strength: 22;
Grimalkin Stamina: -1, Player Stamina: 22[/spoiler]

To nobody’s surprise, Ariel Faust Constantine easily kills the Grimalkin.

121
If the Grimalkin hit you three times or more, you must also lose 1 SKILL point, due to the Imp’s tainted touch. Beside the creature’s rapidly decaying body you glimpse a strange symbol written in the dirt on the stable floor. Clearing the straw away, you find the cause of the farm’s curse: drawn on the ground is a hex-mark, a magical sigil which attracts ill to a place, anything from bad luck to disease. You rub out the hex-mark, lifting the curse from the farm (regain 1 LUCK point).

Back at the kitchen of the farmhouse, you tell Liam and Isa of your find. ‘That’s the work of Mistress Crowfoot all right,’ says Liam. ‘Her cottage is west of Selwick, in Paddocks Wood. If you could capture her, so she can be brought to trial, all of Selwick will reward you.’ Will you help the people of Selwick? If you will, turn to 46; if you won’t, turn to 61.

The Grimalkin did not hit Ariel Faust Constantine three times or more. 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: 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]

[Thaluikhain]

Go visit Mistress Crowfoot, cause it's the right thing to do, cause it's a sidequest, and cause her Grimalkin nearly got us kicked by a horse.

No guarantees on teh capture bit, though.

[Omegonthesane]

All sidequests must be completed. Go find the witch. I'm sort of assuming this doesn't include a DestinyQuest style twist where it turns out she wasn't by any means the actual problem, but I guess we'll find out.

[SGamerz]

Go visit the Baba Yaga parody.

[Darth Rabbitt]

What everyone else said.