[Let's Play] ACE Gamebook 01 – Alice’s Nightmare in Wonderland

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes recognized; preparing Alice to defend herself.

375

Arming herself, as best she can, Alice prepares to fight the feisty Frog. (Alice has the initiative.)

FROG COMBAT 7 ENDURANCE 6

If Alice bests the ferocious Frog in battle, turn to 395.

The fight:
Round 1: Alice’s Combat Rating: 6+9+1 = 16, Frog Combat Rating: 5+7 = 12;
Mallet Roll: 8, Alice’s Endurance: 20, Frog’s Endurance: 3
Round 2: Alice’s Combat Rating: 8+9+1 = 18, Frog Combat Rating: 10+7 = 17;
Mallet Roll: 8, Alice’s Endurance: 20, Frog’s Endurance: 6

As expected, Alice flawlessly defeats the Frog.

395

Alice covers up any sign of her latest struggle by making sure that all the incriminating evidence ends up in the pond.

Not wanting to linger here a moment longer, she hurries on her way, but does she go east (turn to 210) or west (turn to 510)?

I will assume that the choice is to go east.

210

At yet another turn in the path, Alice comes upon the statue of two parrot-like birds. One has been painted red, the other yellow.

“Red lory, yellow lory,” considers Alice as she walks past. “Red lory, yellow lory. Red lory, yellow lory.”

Which way now?

North? Turn to 180.

West? Turn to 304.

I will assume that the choice is to go north.

180

Every turning seems to bring Alice to yet another branching of the ways. Which way should she go now?

North? Turn to 160.

South? Turn to 210.

West? Turn to 4.

Please make your votes before 7:00 PM PDT or a choice receives 2 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

[deaddmwalking]

This is actually n interesting choice. 160 gets us to one of the places we had the option to go to when we first entered the maze but hadn't checked out. That means from 160 we can get to any place we know in the maze, but we'd have to go through the Croquet Field or the Pond a second time, which will yield a different result (hopefully just the same thing but without combat).

My personal preference would be to go West to 4. I'm kinda assuming that 160 is another 'choose which way to go but otherwise unremarkable space' - and if it's just North/South it'll definitely be to a place we've already been.

I think there's a pretty good chance that we'll eventually have to explore every corner of the maze

Call it a half-vote for West.

[JourneymanN00b]

Vote registered, going west.

4

Heading west Alice soon comes to a dead-end. She is just about to turn back when she notices the entrance to a rabbit-hole underneath the hedge.

“I wonder where this one leads?” she says to herself, recalling what happened the last time she crawled into a rabbit’s burrow.

If you think Alice should crawl into the rabbit-hole, regardless of what might happen to her dress, turn to 14. If not, she will have to retrace her steps – turn to 180.

Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PDT or a choice receives 2 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

[Thaluikhain]

Keep going...at least this is new.

[deaddmwalking]

There are some spots we didn't visit in the maze, but I suspect that there wasn't anything major we're missing. Finding this is probably the goal of the maze so I agree with going through the rabbit-hole.

[JourneymanN00b]

Crawling into the rabbit-hole received 2 votes, so Alice will do so.

14

Ignoring the worms and woodlice and other creep-crawlies that tickle the back of her neck as she crawls along the rabbit-dug tunnel, Alice keeps shuffling forward, using her knees and elbows to help her on her way.

The tunnel twists and turns, but fortunately does not suddenly become the vertical shaft of a well, and then Alice sees a circle of daylight up ahead. The sight giving her the motivation to keep going, and it is not long before the child pulls herself from the tunnel to find that she is still inside the maze, only she is not sure exactly where.

The only way onward is a path leading east, but, if you prefer, Alice could crawl back along the burrow to where she first entered the rabbit-hole.

To send Alice back down the rabbit-hole, turn to 34. If you want Alice to continue by heading east into the maze, turn to 360.

Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PDT or a choice receives 2 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

[Thaluikhain]

Keep going

(This book likes "Are you sure?" sections.)

[deaddmwalking]

When we originally started the maze, our option to 'go back' to the starting square used a different page number than we were originally on because returning gave us a new result (+1 Insanity). I notice that going back through the rabbit hole also uses a different page number so we'd get a different experience. I suspect that this is 'maze level 2' and there are no connections back to 'maze level 1' except through this rabbit hole. I also suspect that the different result for backtracking is somewhat negative (likely another +1 Insanity). Totally possible I'm wrong and we'll find a connection to the map I've been working on, but that's the theory I'm using.

Agree with Going East (360).

Going forward I'm going to be more inclined to finish mapping the maze before we go through any more tunnels, even if it means going through a bunch of repetitive sequences that simply ask us which direction we want to go as long as backtracking means going to a page number we're sure of.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes acknowledged; heading east into the maze.

360

No matter which path Alice takes, there is always another branching of the ways, and another decision to be made. Which way should she go now?

North? Turn to 254.

South? Turn to 400.

West? Turn to 44.

Please make your votes before 7:00 PM PDT or a choice receives 2 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

[deaddmwalking]

Once again the way back isn't the same number as it was before. The first time through assumed coming out of the rabbit hole, so it makes sense that it's a slightly different description, but I'm leery of being hit with a 'you're lost in a maze so +1 insanity).

There's really no reason to choose either North or South as far as I'm concerned except that I have more room to map North of my current piece of paper before I'll have to either copy it to a new sheet or add a second piece of paper. Call it a half vote for North (254).

[JourneymanN00b]

Vote registered; going north.

254

Blocking Alice’s way onwards through the maze is a stone archway set within which is a heavy iron portcullis. Approaching the gate, Alice grabs hold of the portcullis and tries to lift it. She feels the heavy gate move slightly, but it will take all her strength to lift it.

Take an Endurance test. If Alice passes the test, she manages to raise the portcullis with her bare hands (turn to 264). If she fails the test, she cannot shift it, and will have to retrace her steps (turn to 360).

Rolling the dice yielded a 12, so Alice passed the Endurance test.

264

Raising the portcullis above her head, Alice passes beneath it before it can drop again. Safely on the other side, the child sets off once more through the maze. Turn to 320.

320

The deeper Alice ventures into the maze the more overgrown its paths become until she is having to push past brambly tangles just to keep moving forward. It is one of these protruding thorny creepers that snags her leg, tearing her stockings and drawing blood. (Lose 1 Endurance point.)

At another right-angled turn in the labyrinth, do you want Alice to go south (turn to 224) or west (turn to 300)?

Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PDT or a choice receives 2 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

Alice’s Adventure Sheet
AGILITY: 9
LOGIC: 9
INSANITY: 2
COMBAT: 9
THE PEN IS MIGHTIER: 2 uses
CURIOUSER AND CURIOUSER: 3 uses
ENDURANCE: 19
EQUIPMENT:
Scissors (Deals 3 damage in combat)
Jar of Marmalade (3 portions, +4 Endurance per portion)
Golden Key
Shrinking Potion
Bread-Knife (Deals 3 damage in combat)
Mallet (Deals 3 damage in combat if 2-10 is rolled, knocks out opponent if 11-12 is rolled)

[deaddmwalking]

Well, turns out I was wrong. We're not in a new level of the maze at all. If we go West (300) we'll connect to the maze very close to the Arbor and the Croquet field. While we haven't explored 300 and there are a couple of other pages that we haven't seen in that area, it doesn't look like we'll be able to come through this space again without losing Endurance. For that reason I recommend we go South (224). Pages ending in 4 have usually been unlucky (pit, portcullis, +1 insanity, description if you fall in the pit) but they've also been 'passage' squares (gazebo, rabbit hole, end of rabbit hole).

My map has South crossing over a path we've already come but that may be because the size of each area isn't consistent. From the end of the rabbit hole we went East, then North. Going South ought to hit one of those spots.

Anyways, call it a half vote for South.

[JourneymanN00b]

Vote recognized; going south.

224

Blocking Alice’s way onwards through the maze is a stone archway, within which is set a heavy iron portcullis. Approaching the gate, Alice grabs hold of the portcullis and tries to lift it. She feels the heavy gate move slightly, but it will take all her strength to lift it.

Take an Endurance test. If Alice passes, she manages to raise the portcullis with her bare hands (turn to 244). If she fails, it will not budge, and she is forced to retrace her steps (turn to 320).

Rolling the dice yielded a 12, so Alice passed the Endurance test.

244

Heaving the portcullis up over her head, Alice shuffles underneath before letting it fall again, only with her now on the other side. Shaking the lactic acid burn from her arms, she sets off again through the maze. Turn to 360.

With Alice back at section 360, please make your votes on where Alice should go next (north, south, or west) before 7:00 PM PDT or a choice receives 2 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

[deaddmwalking]

South (400).

Edit - Anyways, it makes sense that South is back to where we came from. From the description and the fact it had a different page number that wasn't obvious, but at least it means that we haven't abandoned Euclidean Geometry yet!

[JourneymanN00b]

Going south received enough votes, so Alice will do this.

400

At yet another turn in the path, Alice comes upon the statue of a duck of all things! Which way now?

North? Turn to 360.

West? Turn to 390.

I will assume that going west is the next choice.

390

A little further on the path forks again. Should Alice go east (turn to 400), south (turn to 410) or west (turn to 370)?

Please make your votes before 7:00 PM PDT or a choice receives 2 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

[deaddmwalking]

There's a good chance that we get a connection from 370 (West) to other parts of the maze we've had the chance to go to. I vote West to see if we can connect to 160.


160 is just south of the white rose and just north of a branching passage after we exited the rabbit hole. If we do end up connecting, I want to go back to 510 to get another +2 Endurance if that's an option. It looks like it would be with going through the Pond space again. That's a lot of speculation, but the map supports it as at least being likely. I at least think we're reasonably close to finishing the maze and will have a chance to make some more interesting choices in the near future...

[JourneymanN00b]

Vote registered; going west.

370

The air is thick with the distinctive aroma of the evergreen boughs all about Alice. Reaching another junction, Alice comes to a bubbling fountain and is glad to take a drink of the refreshing water. (Add 2 Endurance points.)

Choosing a way onward, do you want Alice to head north (turn to 350), go east (turn to 390), or make her way south through the maze (turn to 405)?

Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PDT or a choice receives 2 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

Alice’s Adventure Sheet
AGILITY: 9
LOGIC: 9
INSANITY: 2
COMBAT: 9
THE PEN IS MIGHTIER: 2 uses
CURIOUSER AND CURIOUSER: 3 uses
ENDURANCE: 21
EQUIPMENT:
Scissors (Deals 3 damage in combat)
Jar of Marmalade (3 portions, +4 Endurance per portion)
Golden Key
Shrinking Potion
Bread-Knife (Deals 3 damage in combat)
Mallet (Deals 3 damage in combat if 2-10 is rolled, knocks out opponent if 11-12 is rolled)

[deaddmwalking]

Based on the map, there's a relatively small area where we either have to reach a dead-end or connect to our prior path. Since it is a relatively small area, I vote North first (350).

There's a decent chance that we connect to areas we explored previously going South (405), but I expect we'll be retracing our steps and closing off this salient seems worthwhile. I think there's a maximum of 5 spaces (and 1-3 seems more likely) to the North before we must reach a dead-end or connect to an area we are familiar with. The area to the South of us (now with two unexplored squares) is potentially 2x larger and is likely 6 spaces beyond the 2 we're aware of but haven't visited. It looks very much like the maze might correspond to a 6x6 or 6x7 grid. We have 32 identified locations (26 visited, 6 yet to visit), which is why I think we're very close to wrapping this part of the adventure. *crosses fingers*

[JourneymanN00b]

Heading north received enough votes, so Alice will go that way.

350

A red rose bush has been planted at the next junction in the path. Now which way should Alice go?

North? Turn to 274.

South? Turn to 370.

West? Turn to 340.

Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PDT or a choice receives 2 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

[deaddmwalking]

Based on my mapping I'm surprised that we have the option to go West without connecting to a place we've previously been. Still, there's a small corner to the North that I want to finish mapping first. Let's go North again (274).

[JourneymanN00b]

Vote registered; going north.

274

At another junction in the path Alice is following through the maze, tucked away in the corner, is a quaint potting shed. If you think Alice should take a look inside, turn to 294; if not, turn to 284.

Please make your votes before 7:00 PM PDT or a choice receives 2 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

[deaddmwalking]

Well, it looks like SOMETHING is going to happen either way. Alice is a curious child - I don't think we can NOT look in the shed. I vote we look inside (294).

[JourneymanN00b]

Vote recognized; taking a look inside.

294

Opening the creaky wooden door, Alice steps into the musty gloom of the shed. The air is thick with the smell of compost and spider-webs curtain the small cracked window.

On a bench Alice finds several items of interest. One is a stoppered bottle containing a dark brown liquid. A label, written on card, is tied to the neck of the bottle. On it, in a spidery hand, have been written the words ‘Bloom’s Patent Plant Provender’. There is also a jar containing bright blue pellets labelled ‘Slug Knacker’. Hanging from a nail on the wall is a Spade, its blade shaped like a spade on a playing card.

If Alice doesn’t already have one, the Spade might prove an effective weapon, causing 3 Endurance points damage every time she makes a successful strike against an opponent. If you want Alice to take the Slug Pellets or Bloom’s Patent Plant Provender with her, record whatever she takes on Alice’s Adventure Sheet.

Now turn to 284.

284

Leaving the potting shed behind, which path should Alice take to continue on her way through the labyrinth? Should she go:

East? Turn to 330.

South? Turn to 350.

Please make your votes on where to go next and what to take from the shed before 9:00 AM PDT or a choice receives 2 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

[deaddmwalking]

Let's go East (330). I will be surprised if that doesn't connect to an area I've mapped.

And let's take everything. The Vial of liquid, the Slug Knacker, and the Spade.

[JourneymanN00b]

Vote acknowledged; going east and taking the Spade, Slug Pellets, and Bloms Patent Provender.

330

The statue of a tortoise, its shell covered with patches of moss, has been positioned at another of the maze’s interminable turnings. Its head seems to be pointing westwards.

Which way should Alice go now?

North? Turn to 300.

West? Turn to 274.

I will assume that the choice is to go north.

300

Some call the yew tree the Tree of Death, since it grows abundantly in graveyards. Some people even believe that its shadow is particularly dark and potent. Perhaps that is why the paths of the maze are so shaded, and the way ahead so obscured.

Coming to another junction, which way do you want Alice to go now?

East? Turn to 320.

South? Turn to 330.

West? Turn to 270.

I will assume that the choice is to go west.

270

A little further on the path forks again. Should Alice go east (turn to 300), south (turn to 250) or west (turn to 280)?

Please make your votes before 7:00 PM PDT or a choice receives 2 votes to guarantee that they will be counted.

Alice’s Adventure Sheet
AGILITY: 9
LOGIC: 9
INSANITY: 2
COMBAT: 9
THE PEN IS MIGHTIER: 2 uses
CURIOUSER AND CURIOUSER: 3 uses
ENDURANCE: 21
EQUIPMENT:
Scissors (Deals 3 damage in combat)
Jar of Marmalade (3 portions, +4 Endurance per portion)
Golden Key
Shrinking Potion
Bread-Knife (Deals 3 damage in combat)
Mallet (Deals 3 damage in combat if 2-10 is rolled, knocks out opponent if 11-12 is rolled)
Spade (Deals 3 damage in combat)
Slug Pellets
Bloom’s Patent Plant Provender