[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 69 – Crystal of Storms

[JourneymanN00b]

Vote recognized; heading north into the maze of workshops and laboratories.

111
You decide to head toward the maze of workshops and laboratories, even though you’re not sure where to start. As you walk through the bustling alleyways, you listen to the gossip to see if you can find a lead. Sure enough, you hear talk about a strange piece of metal which fell on one of the old workshops to the east.
     If you want to head off to investigate for yourself, turn to 325. If you want to head towards where the residents of Asperitas live, if you haven’t done so already, turn to 293.
     If you are ready to leave the island and return to Incus, turn to 379.

Icarus Morningstar has not yet headed towards where the residents of Asperitas live already. Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PDT or a choice receives 3 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

[pragma]

Investigate for ourselves

[Thaluikhain]

Investigate.

[Beroli]

Head towards where the residents live.

[deaddmwalking]

It looks like visiting the residents is likely a one-time thing, but we can potentially do it in the future as long as we don't do it now. I'd like to save visiting the residents for the future, so I vote investigate ourselves (325), now.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes tallied; Icarus Morningstar will head off to investigate for himself, as that won over heading towards where the residents live by a 3-1 vote.

325
You head for the old workshop, suspecting that maybe this fallen object came from the Nimbus explosion. It takes you a while to find it, but when you do there’s a small crowd gathered nearby. The object looks like a larger metal boulder. A Goblin is trying to attach some kind of device to it. The device has a charged storm crystal inside it.
     You ask a bystander what’s going on.
     “It’s technomancy, but nothing like anyone’s seen before,” they explain. “Nix is going to give it a charge up and see what happens. It has already half-destroyed his workshop, so he’s keen to get rid of it.”
     Will you:

Tell Nix this isn’t a good idea?       Turn to 19.
Let Nix charge the metal boulder and see what happens?       Turn to 250.

Please make your votes before 7:00 PM PDT or a choice receives 3 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

[deaddmwalking]

It may be a bad idea, but I like watching train wrecks. I vote for letting him charge the metal boulder and seeing what happens.

[Beroli]

Tell him this isn't a good idea.

[JourneymanN00b]

Thank you for voting. I am going to break the 1-1 tie by having Icarus Morningstar let Nix charge the metal boulder and see what happens.

250

It skitters crab-like across the ground towards you

The crowd stands back as Nix places the charger against the large metal boulder and pulls the lever on the device. There’s a humming noise. Nothing happens. He pulls the level up another notch. The humming gets louder.
     Suddenly the boulder rises into the air. It looks like it’s floating, but then it sprouts legs. Oddly, there are five of them. The boulder flips over and you realize what it is – a giant metal hand. The crowd screams and immediately flees at great speed, as does Nix.
     You’re left alone with the Giant Metal Hand. It skitters crab-like across the ground towards you. It suddenly rears up and you realize it’s going to attack.

GIANT METAL HAND     SKILL 8     STAMINA 11

Each time you make a successful hit against the Giant Hand it does its battle move, which is to leap at you with all five digits outstretched. Roll one die for each digit; if you roll 1 or 2, the digit hits you for 1 extra STAMINA point of damage, but if you roll a 3 to 6, you deflect the blow and the Giant Metal Hand loses 1 STAMINA point.
     If you win the battle, turn to 108.

The fight:
Round 1: Giant Metal Hand Attack Strength: 16, Player Attack Strength: 17, Digit Rolls: 5, 6, 1, 6, 1, Helmet Rolls: 2, 2
Giant Metal Hand Stamina: 5, Player Stamina: 13
Round 2: Giant Metal Hand Attack Strength: 11, Player Attack Strength: 19, Digit Rolls: 3, 2, 6, 5, 1, Helmet Rolls: 1, 3
Giant Metal Hand Stamina: -1, Player Stamina: 11

Icarus Morningstar destroys the Giant Metal Hand after its digits deal 4 Stamina damage to him.

108
You dispense the last destructive blow. The five digits of the hand shudder and go still. To your surprise, a dead Goblin falls out of it. You notice the creature is wearing a belt with an ornate brass buckle with a letter P engraved on it.
     There’s an anguished cry. Another Goblin rushes up and kneels beside the body. He has tears in his eyes and is wearing the same kind of belt with a matching P. He shakes the dead Goblin’s body.
     “Why did you do it? Why wouldn’t you listen to me? I told you it was too dangerous!”
     You give the Goblin space to grieve for a moment, and then ask to speak to him. He suddenly throws a handful of powder in your face and you black out.
     Lose 2 STAMINA points and, if you are still alive, turn to 198.



198
By the time you come round, both the Goblins have vanished.
     You inspect the Giant Metal Hand, which is now thankfully inert. There’s an interesting-looking part dangling off the side of it. You give it a tug, and it comes away in your hand. You’re no expert, but you think that this might well be a Thingie. (Add the Thingie to your Adventure Sheet.)
     You decide what to do next.
     You can head to the west towards where the residents of Asperitas live, if you haven’t explored that area already (turn to 293), or you can go to the nearest storm crystal charging station. If you decide to do this, make a note of this section number, as you will be able to return directly to this location if you decide to revisit Asperitas, and turn to 379.

Icarus Morningstar has not explored the Asperitas area already. Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PDT or a choice receives 3 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet
Icarus Morningstar
SKILL: 11 INITIAL SKILL: 12
STAMINA: 9 INITIAL STAMINA: 20
LUCK: 12 INITIAL LUCK: 12
ITEMS:
Clothes
Backpack
Lantern
Hovers
Healing Potion (+4 STAMINA)
Calming Potion
Coin Bag
Dried Fish (+2 STAMINA)
Dried Cuttlefish (+2 STAMINA)
Methedus’s Shard
Dried Stink Fruit (+2 STAMINA)
Aeronaut’s Helmet (+1 SKILL, can go above Initial level, -1 damage taken on a roll of 5 or 6)
2 Cabbage Leaves (+2 STAMINA)
Hand Axe
Incus Ledger Page
Fire Oil (3 STAMINA damage to opponent if used at start of battle)
Corrosive Grapes
Crab Meat (+3 STAMINA)
Thingie
GOLD: 12
PROVISONS: 0
WEAPONS:
Short Sword
Ornate Dagger (+1 Attack Strength)
War-Hammer (-1 Attack Strength, +1 Damage)
Crab Pincer (-1 Attack Strength, +1 Damage)
CODEWORDS:
Hazi
Bubble
HOME ISLAND: Cumulus
RESURRECTION USED: No

[Beroli]

Head toward where the residents of Asperitas live.

[Thaluikhain]

May as well.

(The weird hand mechanic where it or us takes extra damage if we hit it seems weird, but at least a bit different.)

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered; heading to the west towards where the residents of Asperitas live.

293
You decide to head west to the residential area. Everywhere you go there are groups of Goblins, humans, the occasional Stormborn, and other species, discussing what happened at the Nimbus. The Goblins are taking what happened very personally, as it seems to be their technomancy which somehow failed and caused the crash.
     You are moving down and alleyway when you hear a buzzing sound.
     If you have the codeword Eye-Spy written on your Adventure Sheet, turn to 317. If not, turn to 357.

Icarus Morningstar does not have the codeword Eye-Spy written on his Adventure Sheet.

357
You stare at the thing making the buzzing noise. It looks like a metal eye, about the size of a grapefruit, and instead of an iris, you realize that the metal contraption has a large lens. It is held up by small wings, reminiscent of your hovers. The eye zips around, blinking at you. It’s unnerving and you can’t shake the feeling that you’re being spied on. Suddenly it flies off.
     You decide to follow it.
     Roll one die. If you roll a 1 or 2, turn to 76. If you roll 3 or 4, turn to 142. If you roll a 5 or 6, turn to 339.



Rolling the die yielded a 6.

339
You attempt to track the flying eye from below on the streets of Asperitas. You manage to follow it surreptitiously to a cluster of houses on the outskirts of the residential area. Turn to 38.

38
You observe the flying eye zipping into the small hatch in the side of a ramshackle wooden house. You have no idea who it belongs to. Do you want to:
     Knock on the front door of the house? Turn to 102.
     Quietly go round to the back of the house and see if you can find another way in? Turn to 287.



Please make your votes before 7:00 PM PDT or a choice receives 3 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

[deaddmwalking]

Recommend consuming 1 cabbage leaf (+2 stamina).

In this case I like the idea of quietly going to the back of the house and looking for another way in.

[Beroli]

Eat a dried stink fruit and go to the back of the house to look for another way in.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered; quietly going around to the back of the house and seeing if Icarus Morningstar can find another way in. He will also eat a cabbage leaf and a dried stink fruit, since there were votes to do so.

287
You slip round to the back of the house. The door is slightly ajar. You push it open forcefully and see a terrified Goblin almost jump out of his skin. He’s dressed in Asperitas worker clothes and you also notice he’s wearing a belt with an ornate brass buckle with a P engraved on it. You tell him to stay still, but he shouts out a few strange words, unlocks the front door and bolts outside.
     You hear something clattering down the rickety wooden stairs, accompanied by high-pitched laughter. Suddenly you see two disc-like creatures, each with four hands sprouting from their sides. They are holding little knives and are cartwheeling towards you with murder in their eyes.

First WHEELIE     SKILL 6     STAMINA 6
Second WHEELIE     SKILL 6     STAMINA 6

If you win, turn to 358.

The fights:
(First Wheelie)
Round 1: First Wheelie Attack Strength: 8, Player Attack Strength: 17, Second Wheelie Attack Strength: 16, Player Attack Strength: 13
Helmet Roll: 6, First Wheelie Stamina: 3, Player Stamina: 12
Round 2: First Wheelie Attack Strength: 9, Player Attack Strength: 13, Second Wheelie Attack Strength: 14, Player Attack Strength: 17
First Wheelie Stamina: 0, Player Stamina: 12

(Second Wheelie)
Round 1: Second Wheelie Attack Strength: 16, Player Attack Strength: 22
Second Wheelie Stamina: 3, Player Stamina: 12
Round 2: Second Wheelie Attack Strength: 17, Player Attack Strength: 17
Second Wheelie Stamina: 3, Player Stamina: 12
Round 3: Second Wheelie Attack Strength: 14, Player Attack Strength: 21
Second Wheelie Stamina: 0, Player Stamina: 12

Icarus Morningstar kills the two Wheelies, with the Second Wheelie getting a lucky hit of 1 Stamina damage to our Hero that was partially blocked by his helmet.

358
The Wheelies crash to the floor, rock back and forth for a bit, and then lie still. You wonder what they were guarding.
     The ground floor of the house is so full of hoarded objects that it’s hard to see what might be useful to your investigation. You discern that the house has at least two messy occupants. Your eye is drawn to a leather bag hanging off a hook. The Goblin was in such a hurry to get away form you that he must’ve forgotten it. The name inscribed on the bag reads “Paxlo”.
     You search Paxlo’s bag and find a Potion of fire oil, a piece of dried fruit, and 2 Gold Pieces. This will be some compensation for the assault you suffered at the hands of the Wheelies. Add these to your Adventure Sheet.
     (The fire oil can be used to light fires but it can also be used against an opponent at the start of an Attack Round and will automatically cause your enemy 3 STAMINA points of damage. The Dried Fruit will restore up to 3 STAMINA points, when eaten.)
     If you want to explore the upper floor of the house, turn to 350. If you want to leave the property, turn to 149.

Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PDT or a choice receives 3 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet
Icarus Morningstar
SKILL: 11 INITIAL SKILL: 12
STAMINA: 12 INITIAL STAMINA: 20
LUCK: 12 INITIAL LUCK: 12
ITEMS:
Clothes
Backpack
Lantern
Hovers
Healing Potion (+4 STAMINA)
Calming Potion
Coin Bag
Dried Fish (+2 STAMINA)
Dried Cuttlefish (+2 STAMINA)
Methedus’s Shard
Aeronaut’s Helmet (+1 SKILL, can go above Initial level, -1 damage taken on a roll of 5 or 6)
Cabbage Leaf (+2 STAMINA)
Hand Axe
Incus Ledger Page
2 Fire Oils (3 STAMINA damage to opponent if used at start of battle)
Corrosive Grapes
Crab Meat (+3 STAMINA)
Thingie
Dried Fruit (+3 STAMINA)
GOLD: 14
PROVISONS: 0
WEAPONS:
Short Sword
Ornate Dagger (+1 Attack Strength)
War-Hammer (-1 Attack Strength, +1 Damage)
Crab Pincer (-1 Attack Strength, +1 Damage)
CODEWORDS:
Hazi
Bubble
HOME ISLAND: Cumulus
RESURRECTION USED: No

[Thaluikhain]

Explore the upper floor.

(Hey, Wheelies, don't seem them that often)

[deaddmwalking]

Explore upstairs.

[pragma]

Explore upstairs

[JourneymanN00b]

Exploring the upper floor of the house received 3 votes, so Icarus Morningstar will do this.

350
As you climb the wooden stairs you can hear a rhythmic metallic grating sound. You reach the upper room and see two beds. They are both unmade and unoccupied. Near the end of the room is a hatch connected to a large cage in which you can see three of the metal Eye-Spy creatures, sitting on perches like birds. They seem to be sleeping, making small snoring noises, as they dream of … whatever it is that large metal eyeballs dream of.
     Nearby is a large crystal ball and surrounding it are pages and pages of notes and sketches.
     You look harder at the sleeping Eye-Spies and see that there are tiny storm crystals inside them. You can also see that the perch is made of metal and wires, connected to a box-like device with a prominent lever. The Eye-Spies are perching on little nests which you realize must be charging the crystals.
     If you have the codeword Eye-Spy on your Adventure Sheet, turn to 29. If you do not have the codeword on your Adventure Sheet, turn to 315.

Icarus Morningstar does not have the codeword Eye-Spy on his Adventure Sheet.

29
You pick up the sketches and realize with a shiver that they’re drawings of you. There’s one of you sleeping at the Cirrus Watchhouse, and another of you walking around Asperitas.
     You can also see notes detailing your movements around the islands. Whoever lives in this house has been very interested in what you’ve been up to.
     You’re filled with rage. You look at the contraption charging the Eye-Spies and see that it regulates the level of charge the storm crystals are receiving.
     Do you want to try to overload the charge and destroy the Eye-Spies (turn to 389), or would you prefer to explore the ground floor, if you haven’t already done so (turn to 182)? Alternatively, you can leave the house by turning to 149.


Icarus Morningstar has not already explored the ground floor yet. Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PDT or a choice receives 3 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

315
You pick up the sketches and realize with a shiver that they’re drawings of you. There’s even one of you walking around Asperitas that must have been drawn quite recently.
     You can also see notes that detail your movements around the islands. Whoever lives in this house has been very interested in what you’ve been up to.
     You’re filled with rage. You look at the contraption charging the Eye-Spies and see that it regulates the level of charge the storm crystals are receiving.
     Do you want to try to overload the charge and destroy the Eye-Spies (turn to 389), or would you prefer to explore the ground floor, if you haven’t already done so (turn to 182)? Alternatively, you can leave the house by turning to 149.

EDIT: Correct section has been listed.

[Thaluikhain]

Overload the explodey thingy!

Also:

As you climb the wooden stairs you can hear a rhythmic metallic grating sound. You reach the upper room and see two beds.

[JourneymanN00b]

Vote acknowledged; trying to overload the charge and destroy the Eye-Spies.

389
You pull the lever. There’s a whirring and a thrumming, then all three Eye-Spies emit a piercing shriek and explode, showering you in bits of metal and wire.
     (Roll one die and divide the result by 2, rounding halves up; deduct this many STAMINA points.)
     You pick up an interesting-looking part from the device, which seems to be undamaged. It looks like it could be a Wotsit. (Add the Wotsit to your Adventure Sheet.)
     If you haven’t explored the ground floor yet, and want to, turn to 182. If you want to leave the property, turn to 149.
     Alternatively, you can go to the nearest storm crystal charging station. If you decide to do this, make a note of this section number, as you will be able to return directly to this location if you decide to revisit Asperitas, and then turn to 379.



Rolling the die yields a 4, so Icarus Morningstar loses 2 Stamina points.

Icarus Morningstar has not already explored the ground floor yet. Please make your votes before 7:00 PM PDT or a choice receives 3 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

EDIT: Read the replies. Going to check what happened as soon as I get back from work, as I think a mistake was certainly made. Sorry about this.

Adventure Sheet
Icarus Morningstar
SKILL: 11 INITIAL SKILL: 12
STAMINA: 10 INITIAL STAMINA: 20
LUCK: 12 INITIAL LUCK: 12
ITEMS:
Clothes
Backpack
Lantern
Hovers
Healing Potion (+4 STAMINA)
Calming Potion
Coin Bag
Dried Fish (+2 STAMINA)
Dried Cuttlefish (+2 STAMINA)
Methedus’s Shard
Aeronaut’s Helmet (+1 SKILL, can go above Initial level, -1 damage taken on a roll of 5 or 6)
Cabbage Leaf (+2 STAMINA)
Hand Axe
Incus Ledger Page
2 Fire Oils (3 STAMINA damage to opponent if used at start of battle)
Corrosive Grapes
Crab Meat (+3 STAMINA)
Thingie
Dried Fruit (+3 STAMINA)
Wotsit
GOLD: 14
PROVISONS: 0
WEAPONS:
Short Sword
Ornate Dagger (+1 Attack Strength)
War-Hammer (-1 Attack Strength, +1 Damage)
Crab Pincer (-1 Attack Strength, +1 Damage)
CODEWORDS:
Hazi
Bubble
HOME ISLAND: Cumulus
RESURRECTION USED: No

[deaddmwalking]

Quick question - I assume that we went to the right page (315), but it sorta looks like we went to page 29:

     If you have the codeword Eye-Spy on your Adventure Sheet, turn to 29. If you do not have the codeword on your Adventure Sheet, turn to 315.

Icarus Morningstar does not have the codeword Eye-Spy on his Adventure Sheet.

29

This book is lethal! I vote to drink a healing potion and eat the dried fish. Afterward, I think we should go to a charging station and spend 1 gold to charge up and head to another island.

[Beroli]

Yes, I'll second that question...and not vote until I'm certain we're supposed to be on a page gotten to by "they've been spying on you" and not one we would have gotten to by "there's no evidence they've previously seen you."

[JourneymanN00b]

Ack! I posted the wrong section, and have corrected this. The choices remain the same, though.

Knowing the content of the correct section however, I will allow any re-voting you wish to do from that last post as well as votes of the current post, assuming they stand. Please submit your votes before 9:00 AM PDT or a choice receives 3 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

[Beroli]

Leave the Eye Spies exploded, eat crab meat and dried fruit, don't drink a potion, and explore the ground floor.