[Let's Play] Fighting Fantazine Adventure #2 - Shrine of the Salamander

[SGamerz]

COMBAT LOG:
Horntoad Guard#1 15, Horntoad Guard#2 13, John Constantine 14. Luck test roll = 6 (Lucky) HG2 is at 5, JC is at 11.
HG1 19, HG2 15, JC 15. JC is at 9.
HG1 16, HG2 14, JC 17. Luck test roll = 5 (Lucky) HG2 is at 1.
HG1 20, HG2 19, JC 15. JC is at 5.
HG1 15, HG2 16, JC 16. Luck test roll = 7 (Unlucky) HG1 is at 7.
HG1 13, HG2 13, JC 13. 3-way tie!
HG1 18, HG2 17, JC 14. JC is at 1.
HG1 19, HG2 17, JC 18. HG2 and JC are both killed.

Not too surprisingly, John Constantine fails to overcome the odds. He actually didn't do too badly, all things considering, and even took down one of his enemies with his dying blow, but dead is still dead, so we just met our first failure.

Do you guys have any particular point that you wish to rewind to (using the Galehorn boon), or would like to know where you missed something vital and get redirected there (Skullcap boon)? Or maybe you prefer to use the Galehorn boon to just get by the check for either one of the items earlier?

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to use the Skullcap boon to know where John Constantine missed something vital and get redirected there.

[Queen of Swords]

Agreed.

[SGamerz]

Here's something I should have posted at the start: the map of East Kakhabad done by the author for this book:



Anyway, with regards to rewinding to the first place where we missed something vital...it's actually not very straightforward in this case, because we missed some vital information at the Under-Temple of Throff, but at least part of the reason we missed it was because we didn't have enough gold, so there's no point just rewinding back to the library, because we still won't be able to afford another consultation. Even if we choose to forgo the information about XAK's name in order to purchase one of the other information, we'd still have to make at least one other purchase (either a consultation or a potion) to get past one of the later obstacles. Simply put, we need way more gold than what we had to get everything we need out of the temple visit.

Therefore, the only way to fix this would be to rewind even further back - all the way back to the Crystal Mines, where we choose to throw a Fireball into the Dark Goblin's Boss instead of turning him to stone, and therefore come out of that encounter with more than double the amount we got last time. It is not the only way to pick up more gold (we missed a good chunk of the mines, too), but it's the most direct one on the path we took.

Deduct 4 STAMINA points. Your spell creates a blazing fireball in your hand, which you throw at the Orc. It hits him right in the torso, hurling him backwards against the wall in a blast of flame. His charred and lifeless carcass slumps to the floor, billowing plumes of smoke. You have defeated Captain Morgul, Overseer of the Crystal Mines.

It's more costly in STAMINA, but under the circumstances, the prize may be worth it, if not essential, for us:

With the Orc boss out of the way, you search the chamber for treasure. You disdain to take the Orc's whip which is a weapon that you are unfamiliar with. However, you do find a total of 10 Gold Pieces both on the body of the Orc and around the room. You also find 2 meals worth of Provisions, five jagged lumps of coal, and a stopped Crystal Jar. Note whatever you wish to take on your Adventure Sheet. You leave the chamber.

As I mention before (though it was in hidden text), even though he accused us of wanting to steal his diamonds, there're actually no diamonds to be found in this room. We'd have to settle for the extra gold.

Now, back to the Mines area:

The mines themselves are a maze of low tunnels braced with crude beams of driftwood and bamboo. As you venture into the mines, a rusty portcullis drops from the ceiling and blocks your path of retreat. Simultaneously, you hear an alarm bell start ringing somewhere in the depths and the sounds of footsteps running down passageway towards you!

You could flee to the north, deeper underground, or cast a spell:

WOK
PEP
MUD

What do we do this time?

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Name: John Constantine
SKILL 9/9
STAMINA 18/23
LUCK 10/10
Equipment: Warhammer, Lantern, Cloth SkullCap, Small Pebbles (x3), Sand, Rope, Galehorn, Lumps of coal (x5), Crystal Jar
Provisions: 4
Gold: 10
Boons: Galehorn, SkullCap, Giant's Tooth, Potion of Firewater
Notes:
1) Anyone entering the maze of tunnels that forms the Crystal Mine itself, must first turn left and then travel in a clockwise direction if they wish to remain safe.
[/spoiler]

[Queen of Swords]

Flee to the north.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to flee to the north.

[SGamerz]

You are in an empty mine chamber where four corridors converge. A portcullis blocks the way southwards. An alarm bell rings insistently in the background, and you also hear Goblin voices yelling from somewhere nearby. You can head:

North
West
East

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to go west to resist the growing threat of fascism.

[Queen of Swords]

According to the goblins whose minds we read, once we enter the mine, we need to turn left and then travel in a clockwise direction. Left would be west, so go west.

[SGamerz]

You are in a dark, rubble-strewn corner of the mines. You also notice plenty of material here that is useful for casting spells. Add any of the following to your Adventure Sheet if you wish: two small pebbles and some stone dust. You can go:

North
East

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Name: John Constantine
SKILL 9/9
STAMINA 18/23
LUCK 10/10
Equipment: Warhammer, Lantern, Cloth SkullCap, Small Pebbles (x5), Sand, Stone Dust (x2), Rope, Galehorn, Lumps of coal (x5), Crystal Jar
Provisions: 4
Gold: 10
Boons: Galehorn, SkullCap, Giant's Tooth, Potion of Firewater
Notes:
1) Anyone entering the maze of tunnels that forms the Crystal Mine itself, must first turn left and then travel in a clockwise direction if they wish to remain safe.
[/spoiler]

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to go north.

[Queen of Swords]

Agreed.

[SGamerz]

Three tunnels meet in a rocky mine shaft where several unfortunate slaves were killed by a cave-in. Among the skeletons, you see one that appears to be that of a Giant. You may take a Giant Tooth if you wish, and add it to your Adventure Sheet. To leave this place of death, you can go:

North
East
South

Finally, a spell component we don't already have!

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Name: John Constantine
SKILL 9/9
STAMINA 18/23
LUCK 10/10
Equipment: Warhammer, Lantern, Cloth SkullCap, Small Pebbles (x5), Sand, Stone Dust (x2), Rope, Galehorn, Lumps of coal (x5), Crystal Jar, Giant's Tooth
Provisions: 4
Gold: 10
Boons: Galehorn, SkullCap, Giant's Tooth, Potion of Firewater
Notes:
1) Anyone entering the maze of tunnels that forms the Crystal Mine itself, must first turn left and then travel in a clockwise direction if they wish to remain safe.
[/spoiler]

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to go east to keep to the clockwise direction.

[Queen of Swords]

Agreed.

[Thaluikhain]

Second/third that.

[SGamerz]

The floor of this central chamber is treacherous and unstable, and dotted with pits and sinkholes. Roll two dice and Test your Skill. If you are unsuccessful, turn immediately to 20. If you are successful, you manage to navigate your way past the hazard. Which direction are you headed in?

North
South (back to 3 sections ago)
West (back to last section)
East

Dice roll = 3 (Success).

Ok, 2 things don't seem quite right:

1) The clue says that we have to follow the direction given if we are to "remain safe". What just happened wasn't exactly safe for us.
2) If we were to go south now to continue the "clockwise" rule, we will actually go back to the section where we first run north into the maze after the portcullis, essentially walking in a circle if we continue this pattern. It does makes sense direction-wise, but clearly doesn't work for getting us out of the mines.

Are we sure we're following the right direction?

EDIT: left out one of the directions

[JourneymanN00b]

I half vote to go west and then north.

[Queen of Swords]

Sure, might as well try that, since I have no idea where to go now.

[Thaluikhain]

I also have no idea where we should go (though, that's not that unusual for me), so may as well.

[SGamerz]

John Constantine heads back to the previous section, and this time goes north:

This quiet and lonely part of the mine is overgrown with rusty orange mould. You think it is harmless, but by the flickering light of your lantern it appears to be moving slowly towards you. Or maybe that's just a trick of your imagination...Hurriedly, you consider the two tunnels that lead out here:

South
East

Despite what it says in the text, this section definitely is safer that our last option, since there's no need to roll dice to determine if that mould really is moving towards us.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to go east.

[Queen of Swords]

Sure, try east.

[Thaluikhain]

May as well.

[SGamerz]

The floor of this large chamber is covered in fine sand, half-burying a selection of rusty mining equipment - shovels, picks, buckets and so on. If you want to take some sand with you to use for casting spells, then make a note of it on your Adventure Sheet. Three tunnels leave this chamber to parts unknown:

South
East
West

Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Name: John Constantine
SKILL 9/9
STAMINA 18/23
LUCK 10/10
Equipment: Warhammer, Lantern, Cloth SkullCap, Small Pebbles (x5), Sand (x2), Stone Dust (x2), Rope, Galehorn, Lumps of coal (x5), Crystal Jar, Giant's Tooth
Provisions: 4
Gold: 10
Boons: Galehorn, SkullCap, Giant's Tooth, Potion of Firewater
Notes:
1) Anyone entering the maze of tunnels that forms the Crystal Mine itself, must first turn left and then travel in a clockwise direction if they wish to remain safe.
[/spoiler]