The book is the first of a four-book series of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks, which has actually been played to completion on this site before, hosted by angelfromanotherpin. I am hosting it "again" because it occurred to me that playing as a warrior, rather than as a wizard, is presented as a serious option, and they went to all the trouble of writing an actual path through the books for a warrior which is not the same as the path for a wizard, and yet I've never heard of anyone actually playing it, which is kind of unfortunate because it appears to be that the warrior path would still be a good gamebook quadrology in its own right, if quite a bit shorter without all the "this is what happens if you cast X spell here" options.
Default Fighting Fantasy rules:
You have three stats: Skill, Stamina, and Luck. Initial Skill is generated by rolling 1d6+6. Initial Stamina is generated by rolling 2d6+12. And Initial Luck is generated by rolling 1d6+6. Your Skill, Stamina, and Luck start out equal to their Initial values, and can never exceed their Initial values; some rare bonuses will increase the Initial value as well as or instead of the current value.
When told to Test your Skill, roll 2d6. If the result is lower than or equal to your current Skill, you succeed; if it is higher, you fail.
When told to Test your Luck, roll 2d6. If the result is lower than or equal to your current Luck, you succeed; if it is higher, you fail. Either way, reduce your current Luck by 1 afterward. For obvious reasons, it is advantageous to only Test your Luck if you have to.
Most enemies you encounter will have their own Skill and Stamina scores. One-on-one combat works like this:
Each round, you roll 2d6 and add the result to your Skill to get your Attack Strength. The enemy rolls 2d6 and adds the result to their Skill to get their Attack Strength. If one of you has higher Attack Strength, the other one loses two Stamina. If both Attack Strengths are the same, both of you have avoided damage. When one reaches 0 Stamina, that one is dead.
Immediately after you win an Attack Round, you may choose to Test your Luck. If you succeed, you do a further 2 points of damage to the enemy. If you fail, the enemy gets one point of Stamina back (it turns out your hit was just a graze).
Immediately after you lose an Attack Round (before you die, if the Attack Round brought you to 0 Stamina), you may choose to Test your Luck. If you succeed, you get one point of Stamina back (the wound was just a graze). If you fail, you take 1 more point of damage.
Combat against multiple opponents works like this:
Each round, you designate which opponent you are attacking. Then you roll for your Attack Strength as if you were fighting single combats with each of however many opponents you are facing (so if you are fighting five enemies, you generate five separate Attack Strengths for yourself). Each of them rolls for their Attack Strength normally.
If your Attack Strength is higher than your chosen target’s, they lose 2 Stamina (can be increased by Luck as normal). You have no chance of wounding any other opponent that round.
For each Attack Strength higher than yours, you lose 2 Stamina (can be decreased by Luck as normal).
PROVISIONS
By default, the PC starts with ten Meals worth of unspecified Provisions. Eating a Meal without being told it’s a requirement will cure 4 Stamina points worth of damage. If a gamebook says “you must eat a Meal now,” that Meal heals no damage, and if the PC is out of Provisions and cannot eat, they take damage instead. Whether eating Provisions is at will or only when a gamebook specifies that the PC can eat if they wish to varies from gamebook to gamebook.
POTIONS
By default, the PC starts with one of three potions. A Potion of Dexterity will restore Skill to its Initial score. A Potion of Strength will restore Stamina to its Initial score. A Potion of Fortune will increase Initial Luck by 1 and then restore Luck to its new Initial score.
Individual Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks may change any of those rules.
SPECIFIC RULES FOR THIS BOOK
You start with two meals and no potion. You can only eat when the gamebook specifically gives you the option. The first time you eat in one day it will restore 2 Stamina points, no more, unless something about the current situation changes that. The second and any subsequent times you eat in one day, it will restore only 1 Stamina point. If you go an entire day without eating, you will take damage from hunger at the start of the next day. You have a sword, a backpack, and 20 gold pieces. If you have to fight with no weapon you'll have -4 to Attack Strength.
Your character is a devout worshiper of Libra, the Goddess of Justice. Her power is great but not infinite. Once per gamebook (so, once in the Shamutanti Hills, once in Khare, Cityport of Traps, once in The Seven Serpents, and once in The Crown of Kings) she can intervene, either to save you from a fatal scenario; to restore all three of your scores to their Initial values; or to remove any curses or diseases you have at the time you call upon her. She cannot act on ground sacred to another god.
You awake at sunrise. After dressing, you breakfast on bread and goat's milk and collect your belongings. Outside, the Outpost Settlement is stirring: the womenfolk emerge to wash and prepare their meals as the day's guard takes over.
Eyes follow you as you leave your hut and walk towards the Shamutanti Wall. The frontierspeople are well aware of your mission and a small crowd of well-wishers follows some distance behind you.
Before you stands the Cantopani Gate. Guarded constantly by Sightmaster Warriors, chosen for their powers of telescopic vision, the Gate is the final doorway between Analand and Kakhabad. Once more you check your pack.
Satisfied that your preparations are complete, you nod to the Sightmaster Sergeant. For the last time he glances at the look-out atop the gate, who signals the all-clear. The Sergeant orders the bolt to be withdrawn. A doorway opens up in front of you and you get your first view of the Shamutanti foothills, the first stage of your journey.
The Sightmaster Sergeant strides over and grasps your hand. 'I will not wish you a safe journey, for the way ahead will not be safe. Kakhabad is a treacherous land inhabited by devils. But this you already know.
'Take the path ahead to Cantopani, a small settlement of traders – though most are rogues and thieves – which you should reach within the hour. From Cantopani onwards there are three routes through Birritanti to Kharé, a cityport on the Jabaji river. From Kharé you must cross the Baklands, which are unknown. It is said that day and night in the Baklands are controlled not by the sun but by supernatural forces; and bear in mind also that, from Kharé onwards, your progress will be watched.'
His warnings do little to inspire confidence in you. He continues: 'But I have observed your training and you are indeed a worthy champion. I wish you luck and success with your quest. My thoughts, and the good wishes of all the peoples of Analand, will be with you. With Libra on your side you may live to lift the curse and depression which rack our kingdom.'
You shake his hand, thank him for his good wishes and step up to the Gate. Resolutely, you pass through the doorway. The faces of the folk watching your departure reveal the hopes that rest with you and with the success of your quest.
With a wave, you turn and face the hills. The early morning air is crisp and the rising sun paints the hills in colours of natural beauty which conceal the devilry ahead.
Setting off determinedly, you follow the path. Your quest has begun!
The path winds through fields of wild scrubland. The countryside is deserted and an eerie silence is broken only by the cawing of an occasional crow. The birds appear to pause in the air to examine you as they pass and you feel uneasy in their presence. You pass over a small hillock, from the top of which you can see the path continuing downwards from a small settlement of huts at the base of the Shamutanti Hills. You follow the path and, as you approach the village, noises and movements indicate that it is populated. As the path runs straight through the village, you have little choice but to follow it.
The round huts are made of a hard-baked, bright clay with thatched roofs. As you pass, eyes appear at dark doorways watching your movements. Suddenly a villager appears from one of the dwellings and stands before you. He is five feet tall with thick-set arms and thighs half clothed in tattered breeches. His eyes are wild and his long red hair and beard stand out on his face in a wiry tangle. 'Halt, stranger!' he commands. 'What business have you in Cantopani?' What is your response?
• Tell him you are a trader?
• Ask for directions onwards?
• Tell him you are hungry and need Provisions?
Stat rolls: 5, 4, 4, 3. Vote on which to add to 6 to become Skill, which to add to 6 to become Luck, and which two to add to 12 to become Stamina. Also vote on the protagonist's name and sex.
Name: ???
Sex: ???
Skill: ??/??
Stamina: ??/??
Luck: ??/??
Weapon: Sword
Backpack contents: 2 Meals
Gold Pieces: 20
Libra's Favor: Not yet used in this adventure
