[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 56 – Knights of Doom

[JourneymanN00b]

Important note: Since the spoiler tags still do not work, some of my posts in this thread will be a little hard to read. I hope that everyone can bear with the clutter as I run this Let's Play, since the issues are apparently not getting resolved anytime soon.

Cover
[spoiler][/spoiler]

This is it, everyone. With this FF Let’s Play, we will now have a thread for each of the 59 books published by Puffin Books from 1982 to 1995. That is a huge accomplishment for any forum to have, so I think that in of itself is worth a huge accolade. The book that we will be playing to conclude this batch will be Book #56. Anyone interested in joining our attempt to complete this adventure is welcome. The plan is to update this thread on a twice per day basis, with the exception of Sundays, where I will try to update more frequently on those days. The exception will be during the Chinese New Year weekend, as I will not have reliable access to the Internet during that time.

Preface

For years the brave Knights Templar of the Demonkeep and the Citadel have kept the peace in Ruddlestone, protecting it from the constant ravages of Orcs and Beast Men. But now an ancient evil has reawakened in the land. The sorcerer Belgaroth has returned from the dead to reclaim his throne at Caer Skaal. His aim is simple: he will settle for nothing less than total dominion of Ruddlestone. His fanatical Knights of Doom will ensure that his evil plans do not fail. One heroic knight – YOU – must sneak through a land plunged into war, penetrate the teeming enemy lines and overcome the deadliest foe of them all.

Two dice, a pencil and an eraser are all you need to embark on this awesome adventure, which comes complete with its own elaborate combat system and a score sheet to record your progress. Uncountable dangers lie ahead and your success is anything but certain. It’s up to YOU to decide which route to follow, which dangers to risk and which foes to fight. The future of Ruddlestone is in your hands!

Introduction

It has taken several years for you to become a member of the holy order of the Templar Knights of Telak the Swordbearer, in the northern kingdom of Ruddlestone. After your initial training as a Warrior-Priest at the Citadel, you served in the Demonkeep Outpost on the border with war-like Brice. There you rose swiftly through the ranks, undertaking many hazardous missions into enemy territory and becoming renowned not only for your fighting prowess but also for your mastery of the arcane secrets taught by your order, achieved through long hours of study. In time, you were invited to return to the Citadel to continue your training and studies in order to become one of the elite Templar Knights. There you swore the Oath of the Templars: to strive to wipe out Evil and Chaos wherever they may be found and always to uphold the honour of your order.

Since that time, you have faced many foes and completed many dangerous quests to the benefit of your country, overcoming seemingly impossible odds by using your heightened warrior’s skills and your mystic priestly powers. You have become one of the most trusted and respected of your order, having recently returned from leading a force against a horde of Orcs and Beast Men whom you succeeded in driving back into the mountains.

Before embarking on your latest adventure, you must first discover your own strengths and weaknesses. You use dice to determine your initial scores. On pages 20-21 there is an Adventure Sheet which you may use to record the details of your adventure. On it you will find boxes for recording the scores of your attributes. You are advised either to record your scores on the Adventure Sheet in pencil or to make photocopies of the sheet for use in future adventures.

For the purposes of this thread, the Adventure Sheet will be hand-made and will be periodically displayed.

Skill, Stamina and Luck

Roll one dice. Add 6 to the number rolled, then enter this total in the SKILL box on the Adventure Sheet.

Roll two dice. Add 12 to the number rolled, then enter this total in the STAMINA box.

Roll one dice. Add 6 to the number rolled, then enter this total in the LUCK box.

For reasons that will be explained below, your scores will change constantly during the adventure. You must keep an accurate record of these scores, and for this reason you are advised to write small in the boxes or to keep an eraser handy. But never rub out your Initial scores. Although you may be awarded additional SKILL, STAMINA and LUCK points, their totals may never exceed their Initial scores, except on those very rare occasions when the text specifically tells you so.

Your SKILL reflects your expertise in combat, your dexterity and agility. Your STAMINA score is a measure of how healthy and physically fit you are. Your LUCK score indicates how lucky you are. In all these cases, the higher the score, the better!

Normally, I would make the appropriate rolls and modifications to generate our hero’s Skill, Stamina, and Luck. However, players with maximum stats will already have a difficult enough time attempting to successfully complete this adventure, although not to Spellbreaker’s level. Because I want us to have a fulfilling experience in this Let’s Play, I will set our hero’s initial scores to the maximum allowed values. Our hero therefore begins with the following scores:

SKILL: 12
STAMINA: 24
LUCK: 12

Battles

During your adventure you will often encounter hostile creatures which will attack you, and you yourself may choose to draw your weapon against an enemy you chance across. In some situations you may be given special options allowing you to deal with the encounter in an unusual manner, but in most cases you will have to resolve battles as described below.

Enter your opponent’s SKILL and STAMINA scores in the first empty Encounter Box on your Adventure Sheet. You should also make a note of any special abilities or instructions that are unique to that particular opponent. Then follow this sequence:

1. Roll both dice for your opponent. Add its SKILL score to the total rolled, to find its Attack Strength.

2. Roll both dice for yourself, then add your current SKILL score to find your Attack Strength.

3. If your Attack Strength is higher than your opponent’s, you have wounded it: proceed to step 4. If your opponent’s Attack Strength is higher than yours, it has wounded you: proceed to step 5. If both Attack Strength totals are the same, you have avoided or parried each other’s blows: start a new Attack Round from step 1, above.

4. You have wounded your opponent, so subtract 2 points from its STAMINA score. You may use LUCK here to do additional damage (see below). Proceed to step 6.

5. Your opponent had wounded you, so subtract 2 points from your STAMINA score. You may use LUCK to reduce the loss of STAMINA (see below).

6. Begin the next Attack Round, starting again at step 1. This sequence continues until the STAMINA score of either you or your opponent reaches zero, which means death. If your opponent dies, you are free to continue with your adventure. If you die, your adventure ends and you must begin all over again by creating a new character.

Fighting More Than One Opponent

In some situations you may find yourself facing more than one person or creature in combat. Sometimes you will treat them as a single opponent; at other times you will be able to fight each in turn; and then again, at other times you will have to fight them all at the same time! If they are treated as a single opponent, the combat is resolved normally. When you are instructed to fight your opponents one at a time, the combat is again resolved normally – except that, once you defeat an enemy, the next steps forward to fight you! When you find yourself under attack from more than one opponent at the same time, each adversary will make a separate attack on you in the course of each Attack Round, but you can choose which one to fight. Attack your chosen target as in a normal battle. Against any additional opponents you throw for Attack Strengths in the usual way. If your Attack Strength is greater than your opponent’s, in this instance you will not inflict any damage; you can regard it as having parried an incoming blow. If your Attack Strength is lower than your adversary’s, however, you will be wounded in the usual way. Of course, you will have to settle the outcome against each additional adversary separately.

Luck

At various times during your adventure, either in battle or when you find yourself in another situation in which you could be either Lucky or Unlucky (details of these are given in the relevant paragraphs), you may use LUCK to make the outcome more favourable to you. But beware! Using LUCK is a risky business and, if you are Unlucky, the results could be disastrous.

The procedure for Testing your Luck works as follows: roll two dice. If the number rolled is less than or equal to your current LUCK score, you will have been Lucky and the outcome will go in your favour. If the number rolled is higher than your current LUCK score, you will have been Unlucky and will be penalized.

Each time you Test your Luck, you must subtract 1 point from your current LUCK score. Thus you will soon realize that, the more you rely on your LUCK, the more risky this procedure becomes.

Using Luck in Battles
From time to time you will be told to Test your Luck, and you will then learn the consequences of being Lucky or Unlucky. However, in battles you always have the option of using your LUCK, either to inflict more serious damage on an opponent you have just wounded or to minimize the effects of a wound you have just received.

If you have just wounded an opponent, you may Test your Luck, as described above. If you are Lucky, you have inflicted a severe wound; deduct 2 extra points from your opponent’s STAMINA score. If you are Unlucky, however, your blow only scratches your opponent; you may deduct only 1 point from your opponent’s STAMINA (so that, instead of inflicting the usual 2 points of damage, you now inflict only 1).

Whenever you yourself are wounded in combat, you may Test your Luck to try to minimize the wound. If you are Lucky, your opponent’s blow only grazes you; deduct just 1 point from your own STAMINA. If you are Unlucky, your wound is a serious one and you must deduct 1 extra STAMINA point (i.e. deduct a total of 3 points from your STAMINA).

Remember: you must subtract 1 point from your LUCK score each time you Test your Luck.

For the purposes of this Let’s Play, the attack rounds will be resolved all at once. I will generally only consider using Luck in battles if the character has less than 7 Stamina points. For such battles, I will ask whether Luck should be used to improve the odds of winning the fight. In battles where special options are available and the character has less than 7 Stamina points, I will also ask whether the character should use said special options.

More About Your Attributes

Skill
Your SKILL score will not change much during the course of your adventure. Occasionally a paragraph may give instructions to increase or decrease your SKILL score, but it may not exceed its Initial value unless you are specifically instructed to the contrary.

At various times during your adventure, you will be told to Test your Skill. The procedure for doing this is exactly the same as for Testing your Luck. Roll two dice. If the number rolled is less than or equal to your current SKILL score, you have succeeded in your test and the result will go in your favour. If the number rolled is higher than your current SKILL score, you have failed the test and will have to suffer the consequences. However, unlike Testing your Luck, you do not have to subtract 1 point from your SKILL each time you Test your Skill.

Stamina
Your STAMINA score will change a lot during your adventure. It will drop as a result of wounds gained through combat or by falling foul of traps and pitfalls, and it will also drop after you perform any particularly arduous task. If your STAMINA score ever falls to zero, you have been killed and should stop reading the book immediately. Brave adventurers who wish to pursue their quest must roll up a new character and start all over again.

You can restore lost STAMINA by eating meals or Provisions. You start the game without any Provisions, but during your adventure you will be able to obtain meals. You must keep track on your Adventure Sheet of how many meals’ worth of Provisions you have left. Each time you eat a meal, you may restore up to 4 points of STAMINA, but at the same time you must remember to deduct 1 meal from your stock of Provisions. You may pause to eat Provisions at any time, except when you are engaged in a battle.

Luck
Additions to your LUCK score may be awarded in the adventure when you have been particularly lucky or have created your own luck by some action. Details are given, where appropriate, in the relevant part of the book. Remember that, as with SKILL and STAMINA, your LUCK score may never exceed its Initial value.

Special Skills

As part of your training as a Templar Knight, you have acquired certain Special Skills appropriate to both a warrior and a priest, and these have proved invaluable on many a perilous adventure. Choose four Special Skills from the list below and make a note of them in the Special Skills box on your Adventure Sheet. You must have at least one Warrior Skill and one Priest Skill.

Warrior Skills

Battle Tactics
As well as being a highly skilled warrior yourself, you are also used to commanding dozens of soldiers in battle. With your superior experience in the art of warfare, a force led by you is all but unbeatable.

Ride
You are an exert horseman, able to remain in the saddle and guide your steed in even the most adverse conditions. This skill means that you are also likely to be able to ride other mounts, even unlikely and unfamiliar ones.

Target
This skill allows you to use weapons that are thrown or fired (such as bows, spears and throwing-knives) with greater accuracy than normal.

Tracking
As long as there is a trail to follow, you can track humanoid or beast anywhere. Your success in tracking depends on the nature of the trail and how old it is.

Weapon
You are not only an expert swordsman, you have also specialized in the use of another weapon in close combat. Choose one weapon from the following list and record it on your Adventure Sheet: axe, lance, mace, spear.

Priest Skills

Arcane Lore
Having spent many hours poring over ancient tomes, you are more knowledgeable than most concerning the history and legends of Ruddlestone, and you understand many of the secret symbols and other mysteries of your order.

Banish Spirit
By brandishing holy symbols and using certain esoteric phrases, you are able to free one ghostly undead spirit from its earthly constraints at a time.

Commune
Through hours of concentrated meditation you have heightened your mystical powers so that you are able to pick up the psychic vibrations given off by the inhabitants of the Spirit World and, sometimes, beings from higher planes.

Holy Strike
You are able to hit evil creatures such as undead and Demons with a blast of holy power that will drain their evil energies. You may make only one strike at a time.

Honour

As a Knight of Telak you are bound by HONOUR. Your HONOUR is a measure of your unselfishness, your sense of duty and allegiance to the path of Goodness. At the start of your adventure your HONOUR score is 6 (you do not need to roll dice to discover this). You may increase your HONOUR score by undertaking heroic deeds and destroying especially evil opponents. However, you can also lose HONOUR points by acting in an evil or selfish way that is more benefiting to your enemies, or by breaking the Oath of the Templars. Keep track of your HONOUR in the appropriate box on your Adventure Sheet and do all you can not to dishonor yourself or your order.

Time

As you pursue your quest, it is important that you keep track of the passage of time. Regularly throughout the adventure, whenever a day draws to an end, you will be instructed to add 1 day to the Time Elapsed. This should be done in the Time Elapsed box which you will find on your Adventure Sheet.

Equipment

You start your adventure with the possessions and uniform you would expect of a Knight of Telak: you are dressed in a fine chainmail coat and a white tunic with the design of a golden sword embroidered on it, and you carry a magic sword, a weapon made of the finest steel and cast with a mystical enchantment. This weapon does not give you any bonus to your Attack Strength but it will harm the undead and Demons because of its holy nature. You travel through the kingdom of Ruddlestone on your steed Firemane, a dark roan with a blazing red mane. As yet you do not have a backpack or any Provisions or Gold Pieces.

You should record your magic sword in the Weapon box on your Adventure Sheet; everything else goes in the Equipment box. During the adventure you may only ever carry and use one weapon at a time. However, for as long as you have your horse Firemane with you, you may also carry another weapon on his saddle. If you do this, make a note of it in the Equipment box. If you lose a weapon and Firemane is still carrying the other, then you may use this one. However, you may do this only if Firemane is with you at the time. For example, if you lose your sword in a dungeon, until you get out of that dungeon (or you find another weapon there) you must carry on weaponless. While you are fighting without a weapon, you must reduce your Attack Strength by 2 points. If you ever want to change a weapon during combat and are in a position to do this, you must forfeit one Attack Round and suffer the consequences. Also, whenever you acquire a weapon (or armour) you should record on the Adventure Sheet any bonuses that go with it and whether or not it is magical.

Map of Ruddlestone

Please keep all spoilers covered out of respect to those of us who want to have a blind experience. Any ties will be broken by me based on my personal instincts.

As I said in the Skill, Stamina and Luck section, this adventure is a difficult one to complete. I will thus give our hero 6 resurrections, just like I did when I ran the Spellbreaker gamebook. Upon dying, our hero will use a resurrection to be sent back to the point where the first critical mistake was made in order to make the adventure winnable once more. The Adventure Sheet will also be reverted to what it was at that point in the story. This makes resurrections more powerful than any boon employed in many of my previous Let’s Plays. Resurrections can also be used to grant our hero additional Special Skills at the start of the adventure at the rate of one resurrection per Special Skill beyond the four normally allowed.

Before we formally get started with the final Fighting Fantasy adventure from the Puffin Books series, please vote for the following decisions:

What name do you want to give our hero?
Which Special Skills do you want to take out of the nine available?
Do you wish to spend any of the 6 resurrections to grant our hero additional Special Skills?

Please make your decisions before 8:00 AM PST to guarantee that they will be counted.

[Queen of Swords]

For the Special Skills, I'd go with Battle Tactics, Ride, Arcane Lore and Holy Strike. Not sure if I want to use up resurrections to get more skills, so I'll wait to see what others think.

[pragma]

Name: Belushi Jackson. we're (probably) on a mission from God, after all, and we will almost certainly strike down with great vengeance and furious anger.

Special skills: I'd go Ride, Tracking, Commune and Arcane Lore. I'm trying to pick ones that will be blue options rather than combat bonuses. Battle tactics was a near miss for me.

I'm not bold enough to commit to additional special skills, but I wouldn't be opposed to spending 1-2 resurrections.

[SGamerz]

This is one of the few books where I'm going in 100% blind:

Special skills: Ride, Weapon (lance), Banish Spirit (I feel most strongly for this one) and Arcane Lore.

I vote to spend 1 Resurrections on extra Special skills. If Banish Spirit doesn't get enough votes to be one of the default 4, then I vote for that as the additional skill. If it already has enough, I vote Battle Tactics for the additional skill.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Ride, tracking, banish spirit, arcane lore. Would be willing to pay for either battle tactics or commune, but not both.

[Thaluikhain]

1 vote for Arcane lore and tracking, half vote for holy strike

[JourneymanN00b]

Alright, everyone. I have counted the votes, and it looks our hero will spend one resurrection to start out with a fifth Special Skill, since that had at least 2 votes. From the most votes to least number of votes, the Special Skills will be Arcane Lore, Ride, Tracking, Banish Spirit, and Battle Tactics. Since there is currently only one vote for naming our hero, I will leave our hero’s name blank for now.

Background

‘The kingdom is sick and I am mortally ill.’ Gasps of dismay come from the crowd; the leaders of all the major religious and secular orders of Ruddlestone are assembled here in the hall that is bedecked with the banners of those orders. You are standing in front of the king’s ornately carved oak throne. You are suddenly aware how weak and tired King Rannor looks. Having regained his breath, the king speaks again: ‘My physicians tell me that I am suffering from no ordinary illness, and that there is only one cure. The land and the king are one and, because there is chaos in the land, I am dying. If the kingdom is to survive, then the source of this disruption must be destroyed, for without a true king the land itself will die.’

‘What is the source of this chaos?’ you ask.

Aranandus, the court wizard and adviser to the king, answers your question. ‘Several weeks ago, during a terrible storm over the Banarask Hills, a gateway opened between our world and the Spirit Planes, centred upon the ruins of the fortress of Caer Skaal. My fellow sorcerers and I detected the disturbance it was causing on the magical ether, and for kilometres around people saw a great, swirling vortex form amidst the boiling storm-clouds. Eye-witness accounts say that while the portal remained open, terrible screaming spirits could be seen flying across the night sky throughout the land. It was a truly terrifying spectacle to behold. However, before the vortex closed again, something else was detected escaping from the Ethereal Plane – something of the utmost evil that exuded corruption. Recently reports have been coming from the south concerning a band of dark warriors who are terrorizing the countryside and carrying banners that bear the motif of a metal gauntlet holding a black sword.’ You gaze at the old wizard in horror. ‘Yes,’ he says gravely, ‘the arms of the Chaos Knights of Caer Skaal.’

Every Templar knows about that terrible period in Ruddlestone’s history. One hundred years ago, the king and head of your order at that time, Chivalras IX, had a brother, Belgaroth, who was also one of the Knights of Telak. But Belgaroth was consumed with jealousy for his brother and desired to be king himself. Although Chivalras was in truth a worthy monarch, Belgaroth considered him a weak king and thought that Ruddlestone should be ruled with an iron fist. As the years passed, Belgaroth spent more and more time away from the Citadel at his own castle on the edge of the Banarask Hills. During that time, he became corrupted by his own hatred and jealousy, so that eventually he rejected Telak and turned to worshipping the Dark Gods of Chaos, that they might grant him the power to destroy Chivalras. As part of his service to his dark masters, Belgaroth founded an order of Chaos Knights to lead his hordes of evil against the Citadel. However, Chivalras’s spies uncovered Belgaroth’s plans, and so the Crusade against Chaos began. The war raged on for several months until the Knights of Telak at last stood before Belgaroth’s castle, the fortress of Caer Skaal, and besieged it. Within two weeks the battle was won and the Chaos Knights were no more. From that time, the ghost-haunted ruins of Caer Skaal were left to the inhabitants of those wild lands.

‘Belgaroth must have returned from the Lands of the Dead and resurrected his dark order,’ Aranandus continues. ‘His servants strive for disruption and confusion so that Chaos may tighten its grip upon our world. There is talk of witchcraft in the north; the dead are rising from their graves, and there have been many dark portents seen across the land. There are even rumours that in places the ancient Forest of Lein has begun to wither and die. If the land, and the king, are to be saved, then this chaos must be stopped. The Knights of Caer Skaal must be destroyed.’

Addressing you directly, the king takes up the story. ‘My advisers tell me that a single skilled warrior would have greater success in this quest than a large force, as a lone knight will be able to travel faster and will find it easier to penetrate the enemy’s lines without being detected. We need to strike as quickly as possible, and to prepare an army would take several days,’ King Rannor adds. ‘You have been chosen to be that knight, for you are one of the greatest of all the Knights of Telak. Your courage, your prowess in battle, and your command of the mystic powers taught by your order are known of throughout the kingdom. You will accept the quest, of course?’

‘Yes, my liege,’ you reply. ‘If my kingdom is in danger then I must do all I can to stop these Knights of Chaos.’

‘Good,’ says the king, with a sigh of relief. ‘You must head south for Caer Skaal and try to stop this evil; this will also give us time to prepare a force, were you to fail in your mission. However, I pray that you do not: should Belgaroth seek his revenge on the royal line of Chivalras, then all Ruddlestone may be doomed!’

You bow to King Rannor and turn to leave the audience chamber. As you do so, the large double doors at the far end of the hall burst open and a chill gust of wind blows through the chamber. From beyond the open portal you can hear the clip-clop of a horse’s hoofs on the flagstones. The noise draws closer until it sounds as if it was inside the hall, but you can see nothing. Then it stops and, at the same moment, the temperature in the hall drops. As you watch, a phosphorescent green glow begins to appear in front of you. Something is materializing in the audience chamber. Something not of this world ...

Turn to paragraph 1.

1
[spoiler][/spoiler]

The phosphorescence rapidly increases in size, making a recognizable shape. Directly in front of you a ghostly armoured knight forms, surrounded by an eerie green glow and mounted on a phantom steed. Inside the helmet the knight’s face is that of a fleshless skull, its empty eye-socket staring down at you. The ghost points at you with its sword; its jaw drops open and the dead knight lets out a ghastly moan: ‘Beware, mortals. Beware!’ Before you can react, the horse rears up on its hind legs and tries to crush you beneath its hoofs. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 57. If you are Unlucky, turn to 145.

Rolling the dice yielded a 9, meaning that our hero was Lucky, to nobody’s surprise.

57
You throw yourself out of the way as the phantom horse’s hoofs crash down on the flagstones where you had been standing just a moment before. Ignoring you, the ghostly knight urges its mount towards the king, raising its weapon, ready to strike. You must act quickly. Will you:

Use the Banish Spirit Special Skill, if you have it? Turn to 105
Use the Holy Strike Special Skill, if you have it? Turn to 303
Attack the ghost? Turn to 255

Our hero has the Banish Spirit Special Skill.

Please make your votes on how to deal with the ghost and what to name our character before 6:00 PM PST.

Adventure Sheet
[spoiler]???
SKILL: 12 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 24 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 11 Initial Luck = 12
SPECIAL SKILLS:
Battle Tactics
Ride
Tracking
Arcane Lore
Banish Spirit
HONOUR: 6
TIME ELAPSED: 0 days
WEAPON: Magic Sword (can harm undead and Demons)
GOLD PIECES: 0
EQUIPMENT AND NOTES:
Chainmail Coat
Horse named Firemane
RESURRECTIONS: 5[/spoiler]

[Beroli]

We unfortunately do not have Holy Strike and if the spirit is anything but evil it's doing a bang-up job of hiding it, so Banish Spirit.

[Thaluikhain]

We have the option, so may as well use it.

Half vote for Brave Sir Robin as name.

(Also, a knight called Chivalras? That's like "Paladine" lazy)

[Beroli]

Second vote for Belushi Jackson, of the two proposed options.

[Queen of Swords]

Let's try Banish Spirit. Might as well get the hang of our skills as soon as possible.

[SGamerz]

Banish!

[JourneymanN00b]

I have tallied your votes, and it looks like our hero will be named Belushi Jackson, since that won over Brave Sir Robin by a 2-0.5 vote. Belushi Jackson will use the Banish Spirit Special Skill against this ghost, since everyone voted for that.

105
Hurriedly, you make the necessary arcane gestures to banish the ghost. The dead knight lets out a baleful shriek, and both it and its phantom mount fade away before your very eyes. Turn to 356.

356
As the ghost is sent on its way to its final astral destination, it cries out, ‘Beware! Belgaroth livesss ...’ Then it is gone.

The king thanks you for delivering him from the spirit but, once you have recovered, he urges you to be on your way. ‘The dead knight was a portent, maybe of what was, what is, or what is to come. Since Belgaroth himself has returned to our world, your mission becomes of the utmost urgency and importance. Equip yourself from the armoury, but go with all haste.’

Bidding the king and his council farewell, you leave the audience chamber and make for the Citadel’s ancient, and much renowned, armoury. Inside the vast cellar beneath the castle Werne the Armourer and his team of weaponsmiths, metallurgists and engineers are busy making and repairing weapons for the Knights of Telak. Werne, a broad, well-built man stripped to the waist and wearing a leather apron, puts down the tongs he has been using and leads you to a large iron door at one end of the armoury. He unlocks it with a key selected from a large bunch hanging from his belt and leads you inside. ‘This,’ he says, ‘is where we keep the more precious weapons. Some once belonged to the crusaders and heroes of the past.’

Looking around the vault, you see row upon row of racks, heavy with gleaming weapons and polished armour. With Werne’s help you pick out several weapons and pieces of armour that may be of use to you. From the list of items below choose a maximum of two to take on your quest (record them in the appropriate boxes on your Adventure Sheet), then turn to the paragraphs listed by them to find out more about your choice. (Remember: you can only use one weapon at a time and carry another on your steed, Firemane. If you wish to take two weapons from the armoury, you must discard your own magical sword.)

Havgar’s Mace Turn to 336
Paladin’s Lance Turn to 9
The Crossbow of Shamar the Shield-Maiden Turn to 230
The Axe of Lothar of Crun Turn to 71
The Griffin Shield Turn to 32
Dwarven Breastplate Turn to 177
The Helmet of Ventarc Turn to 91
Iron Gauntlets Turn to 389

Once you have chosen your equipment, turn to 80.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

80
[spoiler][/spoiler]

Armed and ready for your quest, you hurry to the stables, where you find that Firemane has already been saddled and is eager to be on his way. You are handed a backpack and inside it you find enough Provisions for five meals, a lantern and tinderbox, and a purse containing 20 Gold Pieces. There is also a flask marked with the Rune of Healing which contains some of Aranandus’s Restorative Potion. There is enough here for two tots, and each tot will restore your STAMINA to its Initial level. Urging your trusty steed forward, you gallop through the main gates and leave the Citadel. Taking the main road south, towards the town of Havalok which lies two days’ ride away, you pass through well-cultivated fields and pleasant hills. However, as you travel further away from the capital, you begin to see some of the results of the disruption in the kingdom: a distinct atmosphere of gloom is hanging over the hamlets and farmsteads, and you pass many beggars on the road. There is a sharp chill in the air as the month of Close tightens its grip on the land, and you fear for those people whose crops have not been as plentiful as they might have hoped.

It is early afternoon when you catch sight of a strange-looking procession coming towards you along the road. It seems to be composed of a motley crowd of peasants and farmers, but at their head are three bizarre figures. The first is tall and dressed in a long black habit. In one hand he holds a scythe, its blade gleaming dully, and beneath his hood you see that he is wearing a wolf-skull mask. The next is of average height but is swathed in torn rags and bandages. As he trudges along the road he rings a bell warning that he is unclean – a leper! The third figure is a gaunt woman, her almost skeletal body covered by a tattered cloak. It looks as if she has not eaten for weeks.

The first man stops and raises his hand for the procession to halt. ‘What have we here?’ he says. ‘I do believe it is a knight errant, or should I say an errant knight?’ The crowd laugh at their leader’s remark and begin to jeer you. ‘Enough!’ he shouts. ‘This is the epoch of our damnation. While the common people starve, our blessed Templars live in splendour and plenty! We three are the Prophets of Doom, come to save the people. The doom we prophesy shall be yours!’ At these words the crowd cheers and several raise pitchforks and other improvised weapons, ready to fulfill their leader’s prophecy. Some have already begun to edge round you. You are going to have to act fast to get out of this unpleasant situation. Will you try to ride through the mob (turn to 114), attack the prophets (turn to 154) or try to talk your way out (turn to 197)?

Please make your votes on what to take from the armoury and how to deal with the mob before 9:00 AM PST to be sure that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet
[spoiler]Belushi Jackson
SKILL: 12 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 24 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 11 Initial Luck = 12
SPECIAL SKILLS:
Battle Tactics
Ride
Tracking
Arcane Lore
Banish Spirit
HONOUR: 6
TIME ELAPSED: 0 days
WEAPON: Magic Sword (can harm undead and Demons)
GOLD PIECES: 20
EQUIPMENT AND NOTES:
Chainmail Coat
Horse named Firemane
Backpack
5 Provisions
Lantern
Tinderbox
Purse
Aranandus’s Restorative Potion (two tots, restores STAMINA to Initial level)
RESURRECTIONS: 5[/spoiler]

[Queen of Swords]

I vote to take the helmet and the shield, and to talk to the people.

[SGamerz]

We probably can't take full advantage of the weapons since we don't have the Weapon skill, so definitely stick with armour items. Agree with taking the shield, but I'd prefer the breastplate (Dwarven-made armour has to be good, right? I guess there may be some danger of the author trolling us and telling us that it won't fit us, but then what the hell is it doing in our armoury?) as second item. I'm willing to go with helmet or gauntlet in the case of any ties.

And certainly try to talk our way out. Knight Templars aren't supposed to be killing or attacking random peasants. Even stupid ones.

[Thaluikhain]

Talk to them

And I vote to take the shield and helmet

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes counted; Belushi Jackson will take the Griffin Shield and the Helmet of Ventarc from the armoury, and to try to talk his way out.

32
Werne tells you that the Griffin Shield used to be granted to knights for acts of extreme loyalty and bravery. Whenever you are carrying the shield in battle, you may reduce an enemy’s Attack Strength by 1 point. Return to 356.

91
This splendid helmet is surmounted by a polished eagle with wings outstretched at is crest. It was taken at the sacking of Ventarc during the Second Ruddlestone War, in 1805 Old Time, and yet time has not tarnished it. Return to 356.

197
‘Wait, good people,’ you call out over the hubbub. ‘What is it that you want?’

‘We have travelled from village to village, gathering those worthy of our cause to us,’ says the first prophet. ‘We seek to petition the king, that he may give food to the starving and healing to the sick, for is he not the divine representative of our gods on this Earthly Plane? The end is nigh. Our priest-king need only see the truth, and the land shall be healed. But it is the likes of you who keep the truth from him!’ You are going to have to say something quite amazing to deter the mob. Test your Skill, adding 1 to the dice roll. If you succeed, turn to 348. If you fail, turn to 261.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

Rolling the dice and applying the appropriate modification yielded an 11, meaning that Belushi Jackson has succeeded in deterring the mob.

348
‘Have faith,’ you say. ‘At this very moment I am on a quest to rid the kingdom of this sickness and to save Ruddlestone from bitter war and certain destruction. The Knights of Telak are not petty rogues and saboteurs. We seek only peace and hope for the people of Ruddlestone and, with courage, we shall overcome this threat to the security of our country.’ You continue for several minutes in this vein, your speech slowly restoring the people’s confidence in your order. When at last you stop talking, the crowd cheers and parts to let you pass, while the prophets bow and wish you well on your quest. Turn to 200.

200
The afternoon winds on as you and Firemane head south. While you ride along, undisturbed, you consider the different paths that you could take that may lead to success in your quest. The most direct form of action will be to make your way to Caer Skaal as quickly as possible. However, if you are going to have to face Belgaroth’s Chaos Knights and Warriors, it may be wise to try to recruit your own small force as you proceed. Aranandus’s words about the Forest of Lein also interest you; you know that the vast expanse of woodland is a mysterious place, protected by ancient elemental powers, powers which may be able to help you in your quest. There is also another option open to you: to find the legendary Elf-Spear, Aelfgar. Stories about this mystical weapon pre-date the Crusade against Chaos. Forged by the Elves of Lein, centuries ago, it is rumoured to be imbued with the power of the gods themselves. Legends tell how it has been wielded many times against the forces of darkness and has saved the land from eternal night. To find Aelfgar would be a momentous undertaking but could prove to be the way to victory.

Night falls and, having tethered Firemane to a tree stump, you settle down for the night in the shade of a copse just off the road. With a gentle breeze blowing through the leaves of the trees you are soon lulled to sleep. If you have the Commune Special Skill, turn to 75. If you do not, Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 75; if you are Unlucky, turn to 228.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

Belushi Jackson does not have the Commune Special Skill. Rolling the dice yielded an 8, meaning that Belushi Jackson was Lucky.

75
During the night you wake up, sensing that all is not well. Hovering above you you see a ghostly white hand clutching a dagger, the blade glinting in the moonlight, poised and ready to strike. What will you do to defend yourself? Will you use the Banish Spirit Special Skill, if you have it (turn to 141), or unsheathe your weapon, ready to fight it (turn to 43)?

Belushi Jackson does have the Banish Spirit Special Skill. Please make your votes before 6:00 PM PST to be sure that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet
[spoiler]Belushi Jackson
SKILL: 12 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 24 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 10 Initial Luck = 12
SPECIAL SKILLS:
Battle Tactics
Ride
Tracking
Arcane Lore
Banish Spirit
HONOUR: 6
TIME ELAPSED: 0 days
WEAPON: Magic Sword (can harm undead and Demons)
GOLD PIECES: 20
EQUIPMENT AND NOTES:
Chainmail Coat
Horse named Firemane
Backpack
5 Provisions
Lantern
Tinderbox
Purse
Aranandus’s Restorative Potion (two tots, restores STAMINA to Initial level)
Griffin Shield (-1 to enemy Attack Strength)
Helmet of Ventarc
RESURRECTIONS: 5[/spoiler]

[Darth Rabbitt]

Banish this spirit.

[Thaluikhain]

Banish spirit, yeah.

Also, we were just told we should go alone so we won't be spotted, now we want to recruit more help?

[Queen of Swords]

Agreed, banish it.

[Beroli]

I actually vote to unsheathe weapon and prepare to fight.

[SGamerz]

Banish it, because it fits the description of the Assassin's Dagger Spell in the Blacksand AFF handbook, and according to the descriptions cannot be defeated in normal combat because it won't have a STAMINA score.

[Thaluikhain]

Banish it, because it fits the description of the Assassin's Dagger Spell in the Blacksand AFF handbook, and according to the descriptions cannot be defeated in normal combat because it won't have a STAMINA score.

Oh, it does, well spotted.

(I'm still going to get round to finishing reviewing that sometime...I think...)

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes tallied; Belushi Jackson will use the Banish Spirit Special Skill, as that won over unsheathing his weapon by a 4-1 vote.

141
Hurriedly, you make the signs and mutter the words that will banish your supernatural assailant. As you complete your incantation, the ghostly hand drops the dagger to the ground and dissolves into the cold night air. If you wish, you may take the dagger (if you do so, add it to your Adventure Sheet). The Assassin’s Dagger is a favourite weapon of vindictive practitioners of the occult. Someone obviously knows about your quest and does not want you to complete it, but you have halted their evil scheme, for now at least (regain 1 LUCK point). The rest of the night passes without incident, and at dawn you are on your way again (add 1 day to the Time Elapsed and restore 2 STAMINA points). Turn to 285.

I assume that the Assassin’s Dagger is taken and put into Firemane’s saddle unless somebody objects.

285
It is mid-morning when you enter a pleasant valley, at the bottom of which nestles the settlement of Wendeford. To the west lies an area of woodland, while on the distant horizon you can make out the dark edge of the Forest of Lein. The road on which you are travelling runs on southwards, out of the village, to Havalok; but you feel you may gleam information here that could be of use to you on your quest. For a start, you know that the reclusive sage, Herluin, lives not far from the village. Do you want to try to find out more here in Wendeford (turn to 317) or, as time is precious, will you ride straight through (turn to 49)?

[spoiler][/spoiler]

Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PST to be sure that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet
[spoiler]Belushi Jackson
SKILL: 12 Initial Skill = 12
STAMINA: 24 Initial Stamina = 24
LUCK: 11 Initial Luck = 12
SPECIAL SKILLS:
Battle Tactics
Ride
Tracking
Arcane Lore
Banish Spirit
HONOUR: 6
TIME ELAPSED: 1 day
WEAPON: Magic Sword (can harm undead and Demons)
GOLD PIECES: 20
EQUIPMENT AND NOTES:
Chainmail Coat
Horse named Firemane
Backpack
5 Provisions
Lantern
Tinderbox
Purse
Aranandus’s Restorative Potion (two tots, restores STAMINA to Initial level)
Griffin Shield (-1 to enemy Attack Strength)
Helmet of Ventarc
Assassin’s Dagger (weapon in Firemane’s saddle)
RESURRECTIONS: 5[/spoiler]

[Darth Rabbitt]

Try to find out more. Sages are generally worth the detour in these books.