[Let’s Play] ACE Gamebook 05 - 'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas

[Thaluikhain]

Half vote for taking magical sword.

[deaddmwalking]

Let's eat one ration (we're at 19 endurance, and we started with 20).

As much as I would like the sword, we already have a magical spear. I don't think we need both. We know there was a silver sword we missed along the way. I suspect this one is a trap.

EDIT

But I want to know what it does. Vote to take it.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes recognized; attempting to reach into the beam of moonlight and taking the sword. Clark will also eat a Meal to go to 20 Endurance.

336

Tentatively, you reach into the beam and, feeling no ill-effects, take hold of the pommel of the ice sword. There is a moment’s resistance, and then you pull the blade free.

You marvel at the intricate patterns adorning the blade, wondering who made it, and how it ended up hidden within a cave inside the glacier.

A sound like someone shuffling through the snow takes your attention from the blade and back to your immediate surroundings.

As you watch, the drifts of snow form themselves into two roughly humanoid shapes. Despite having no obvious legs, these crude snowmen shuffle towards you. As they do so, spears of ice emerge from the ends of snow-formed arms and appear within the gaping maws yawning in their blunt heads, and you realise that by taking the Ice Sword you have provoked the ire of the elemental spirits that guard this place.

What do you want to do? Will you:

Try to return the Ice Sword to the shaft of moonlight?     Turn to 348.
Use a lantern to keep the snowmen back (if you have one?)     Turn to 297.
Use the Box of Delights (if you have it)?     Turn to 468.[/b]
Use the Naughty or Nice special ability (if you still can)?     Turn to 368.
Use The Pen is Mightier special ability (if you still can)?     Turn to 428.
Fight the snowmen?     Turn to 489.



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

TWAS – The Krampus Night Before Christmas Adventure Sheet
Clark
Agility: 11
Combat: 11
Endurance: 20
Equipment:
Pyjamas
Dressing-gown
Bed Socks
Pair of Slippers
Blacksmith’s Axe (+1 Combat Rating in battle)
Key Embossed With ‘37’
Mistletoe Spear Circled By Twelve Bands
Special Abilities:
The Pen Is Mightier: 0 uses
Naughty or Nice: 1 use
Meals: 3
Codewords:
Kold
Kruel
Kind
Krowned
Kurious

[deaddmwalking]

I think we can take them. Vote to fight.

[JourneymanN00b]

Vote registered; fighting the snowmen.

489

Taking a firm grip on the Ice Sword, you prepare to defend yourself from the Snowmen’s icicle claws and teeth with the frozen blade. (In this battle, the Snowmen have the initiative, but you can fight them one at a time. However, if you have the code word Kursed recorded on your Adventure Sheet, you must reduce your Combat score by 2 points for the duration of this battle.)

First SNOWMAN     COMBAT 6     ENDURANCE 7
Second SNOWMAN     COMBAT 7     ENDURANCE 7

If you manage to put an end to both of the abominable Snowmen, turn to 408.

Clark does not have the code word Kursed recorded on his Adventure sheet.

The fight:
(First Snowman)
Round 1: Clark’s Combat Rating: 4+11=15, First Snowman’s Combat Rating: 11+6+1=18;
Clark’s Endurance: 18, First Snowman’s Endurance: 7
Round 2: Clark’s Combat Rating: 6+11=17, First Snowman’s Combat Rating: 7+6+1=14;
Clark’s Endurance: 18, First Snowman’s Endurance: 5
Round 3: Clark’s Combat Rating: 8+11+1=20, First Snowman’s Combat Rating: 4+6=10;
Clark’s Endurance: 18, First Snowman’s Endurance: 3
Round 4: Clark’s Combat Rating: 11+11+1=23, First Snowman’s Combat Rating: 7+6=13;
Clark’s Endurance: 18, First Snowman’s Endurance: 1
Round 5: Clark’s Combat Rating: 11+11+1=23, First Snowman’s Combat Rating: 8+6=14;
Clark’s Endurance: 18, First Snowman’s Endurance: -1

(Second Snowman)
Round 1: Clark’s Combat Rating: 7+11=18, Second Snowman’s Combat Rating: 7+7+1=15;
Clark’s Endurance: 18, Second Snowman’s Endurance: 5
Round 2: Clark’s Combat Rating: 9+11+1=21, Second Snowman’s Combat Rating: 8+7=15;
Clark’s Endurance: 18, Second Snowman’s Endurance: 3
Round 3: Clark’s Combat Rating: 6+11+1=18, Second Snowman’s Combat Rating: 10+7=17;
Clark’s Endurance: 18, Second Snowman’s Endurance: 1
Round 4: Clark’s Combat Rating: 4+11+1=16, Second Snowman’s Combat Rating: 6+7=13;
Clark’s Endurance: 18, Second Snowman’s Endurance: -1

408

Having reduced the snowmen to piles of crumbling ice crystals, with the sword indisputably in your possession now, you go to leave the chamber. But as you do so, you suddenly hear a voice inside your head, as sharp and clear as ice.

My name is Frostbite, the voice says, and I am anathema to all demonkind.

Record the Ice Sword on your Adventure Sheet. Whenever you use Frostbite in battle against an imp, a devil, or a demon, you may add 2 points when calculating your Combat Rating, and any successful hit you deliver with the sword will cause 1 additional point of damage.

Now turn to 363.

363

On the other side of the ice cave, the tunnel continues on its undulating way through the glacier, and you follow it until you eventually emerge on the far side, at the northern edge of the mountain pass.

You make your way through the mountains until the ground underfoot starts to slope downwards and you find yourself looking out across a vast ice-sheet. And there, not half a league away, you see the flickering of candle-light coming from the windows of a vast structure of stone and wood. It must be Santa’s workshop!

Turn to 100.

100

You rush towards the edifice, your heart pounding in your chest, running as fast as the deep snow will allow. Before you stands the impressive entrance to the workshop – with lanterns hanging beside the huge, carved double doors – but off to the left you can see what appear to be the stables where Father Christmas must keep his reindeer.

Do you want to approach the workshop via the main entrance (turn to 119), or would you rather sneak around the side of the building and try to gain access through the stables (turn to 162)?



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

TWAS – The Krampus Night Before Christmas Adventure Sheet
Clark
Agility: 11
Combat: 11
Endurance: 18
Equipment:
Pyjamas
Dressing-gown
Bed Socks
Pair of Slippers
Blacksmith’s Axe (+1 Combat Rating in battle)
Key Embossed With ‘37’
Mistletoe Spear Circled By Twelve Bands
Ice Sword (+2 Combat Rating and +1 Damage against imps, devils, and demons)
Special Abilities:
The Pen Is Mightier: 0 uses
Naughty or Nice: 1 use
Meals: 3
Codewords:
Kold
Kruel
Kind
Krowned
Kurious

[Thaluikhain]

Always sneak when given the option. EDIT: Half vote to avoid tie.

[Beroli]

Approach by the main entrance.

[deaddmwalking]

Vote for sneaking.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes counted; sneaking around the side of the building won by a 1.5-1 vote.

162

Avoiding the main entrance, you make your way round to the side of the building and, easing open the large wooden door, enter the reindeer stables.

Inside, there are a number of stalls – eight altogether – and on the gate of each is a name plaque, painted in red, white and green. The one closest to you reads ‘Comet’.

It is warm in the stables, and the air is thick with the smell of manure, mouldering straw, and the animals themselves. However, your arrival has clearly unsettled the beasts, as they start to snort and stamp the floor in agitation. But then, all things considered, it’s hardly surprising they’re on edge.

If you have some Carrots, turn to 191. If not, turn to 211.

Clark does not have some Carrots.

211

The reindeer become more and more agitated by your presence, and start to upset each other, stamping their hooves and snorting in distress. And it is not long before you hear the grating of a door handle turning, and the creak of hinges.

Opening the gate to one of the stalls you dart through, and find yourself in what must be the only empty pen in the place.

Hearing the jangling of bells, cautiously peering out from your hiding place, you see a number of stunted figures enter the stable. From their brightly-coloured garb and pointed hats, at first you take them for Santa’s little helpers – the elfin folk that populate the legends about Father Christmas. But then you catch sight of their hideous faces and spiteful leers, and you realise they look more like demonic imps, doubtless in the service of the Christmas Devil himself.

The imps are coming closer with every step, as they search the stable, trying to get to the bottom of what has upset the reindeer. It can only be a matter of time before they find you.

What do you want to do? Will you:

Use the Naughty or Nice special ability (if you still can)?     Turn to 231.
Use The Pen is Mightier special ability (if you still can)?     Turn to 21.
Take the initiative and attack the imps?     Turn to 251.

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

[deaddmwalking]

Since we have the ice sword, I want to take the initiative and attack.

[Beroli]

Attack.

[Thaluikhain]

Attack!

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes recognized; taking the initiative and attacking the imps.

251

Leaping out from the stall, you take the imps by surprise, the creatures crying out in alarm as you attack. (In this battle, you have the initiative, and in the confines of the stable you may fight your opponents two at a time.)

First IMP     COMBAT 6     ENDURANCE 6
Second IMP     COMBAT 5     ENDURANCE 5
Third IMP     COMBAT 6     ENDURANCE 5

If you win the fight, turn to 41.

I assume that the Ice Sword will be used to fight the imps.

The fight:
(First and Second Imp)
Round 1: Clark’s Combat Rating: 6+11+2+1=20, First Imp’s Combat Rating: 3+6=9, Second Imp’s Combat Rating: 8+5=13;
Clark’s Endurance: 18, First Imp’s Endurance: 3, Second Imp’s Endurance: 2
Round 2: Clark’s Combat Rating: 7+11+2+1=21, First Imp’s Combat Rating: 2+6=8, Second Imp’s Combat Rating: 8+5=13;
Clark’s Endurance: 18, First Imp’s Endurance: 0, Second Imp’s Endurance: -1

(Third Imp)
Round 1: Clark’s Combat Rating: 7+11+2+1=21, Third Imp’s Combat Rating: 9+6=15;
Clark’s Endurance: 18, Third Imp’s Endurance: 2
Round 2: Clark’s Combat Rating: 7+11+2+1=21, Third Imp’s Combat Rating: 6+6=12;
Clark’s Endurance: 18, Third Imp’s Endurance: -1

41

The imps dealt with, you make for the door by which they entered, and which you imagine must lead into the workshop itself.

So intent are you on the door, you do not notice the trapdoor hidden beneath a scattering of straw, halfway along the length of the stable. But you notice it when you step onto it, and it springs open beneath you!

Turn to 275.

275

You slide down a chute only a short distance before dropping into an underground chamber, where your fall is broken by a pile of reindeer dung! What an unpleasant place to find yourself, but it least it means you are unhurt.

If you have the code word Kold recorded on your Adventure Sheet, turn to 316. If not, turn to 296.

Important Note: According to errata for this book, the Turn To numbers are reversed, so we will go to section 296 instead of 316.

296

It is much warmer here than it was outside.

(Restore up to 2 Endurance points, 1 Agility point, and 1 Combat point.)

Now turn to 316.

Important Note: I am ruling that because of the word “Restore”, Clark will only gain points if they were previously deducted in the first place and not previously restored by an earlier event. So Clark will only gain 2 Endurance points, and not gain any Agility or Combat points.

316

Climbing down from the top of the mound of manure, you make your way along an underground passageway which ends at a small chamber. The only interesting features of the room are the two doors leading from it.

Both bear painted wooden plaques, but the one on the left hand door reads ‘TOYS’ while the sign on the door on the right reads ‘GAMES’.

You doubt you could climb the slippery chute back up to the trapdoor, so the only way onwards is through one of the doors in front of you. But which door will you choose? The one marked ‘TOYS’ (turn to 432), or the one marked ‘GAMES’ (turn to 142)?

Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PST or a choice receives 2 votes to guarantee that they will be counted. However, you will realistically have much more time than this from this point forward, as I will be out of town with family until further notice and not have reliable access to the Internet during that time. Enjoy your holidays!

TWAS – The Krampus Night Before Christmas Adventure Sheet
Clark
Agility: 11
Combat: 11
Endurance: 20
Equipment:
Pyjamas
Dressing-gown
Bed Socks
Pair of Slippers
Blacksmith’s Axe (+1 Combat Rating in battle)
Key Embossed With ‘37’
Mistletoe Spear Circled By Twelve Bands
Ice Sword (+2 Combat Rating and +1 Damage against imps, devils, and demons)
Special Abilities:
The Pen Is Mightier: 0 uses
Naughty or Nice: 1 use
Meals: 3
Codewords:
Kold
Kruel
Kind
Krowned
Kurious

[deaddmwalking]

Guessing we would fight some constructs through the 'toys' door and we'll get some meta-puzzle foe us, the players, if we choose Games.

I vote for Games.

[Thaluikhain]

Makes sense, to the Games!

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered; choosing the one marked ‘GAMES’.

142

You boldly step through the door, which slams shut again behind you.

Roll one die (or pick a card). If the number rolled is odd (or the card is red), turn to 253. If the number rolled is even (or the card is black), turn to 343.

Rolling the die yields a 6.

343

You are standing in a tiny room with pine-clad walls. Checking the door by which you entered, you discover that it is locked – and there is no keyhole!

In front of you, however, are two more doors, identical in every way except that on one has been painted the word ‘Six’ and on the other is the word ‘Seven’. Above the doors, a colourful sign reads:

How many Swans-a-Swimming?

Clearly only one of the answers presented on the doors can be correct and you imagine it would be wise to choose the door bearing the right one. So which door is it to be?

‘Six’?     Turn to 436.
‘Seven’?     Turn to 372.

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

[deaddmwalking]

I'm pretty sure it's Six Geese A-Laying and Seven Swans A-Swimming.

Although it's probably my least favorite Christmas song it's pretty catchy.

Vote for Seven.

[Thaluikhain]

I'll second that.

[JourneymanN00b]

Choosing the ‘Seven’ door received 2 votes, so Clark will that that door.

372

As soon as you are through the door, it slams shut behind you. You are in another small room with two more near-identical doors in front of you, but this time, the question painted on the facing wall reads:

What were the names of the three Kings?

Three names are painted on each of the doors, but which door will you choose?

‘Melchior, Caspar, Balthazar’?     Turn to 392.
‘Melchior, Caspar, Balthazzar’?     Turn to 456.

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

[deaddmwalking]

A spelling test?

I was just at a Spanish language service and Bethlehem is Bethél. Which just goes to show you can transliterate things many different ways. I think there's only one Z in English, but I'm probably basing that on English subtitles in Neon Genesis: Evangelion.

Maybe a better example is Shaka/Chaka Zulu. In school we watched a film with an S in the title but an English officer who was showing hum writing used the Ch spelling.

Anyways, vote to go with 1 z barring anyone with a really good reason to the contrary like Australian authors and them using an alternate spelling. Though they probably use an s and no z.

[Thaluikhain]

Anyways, vote to go with 1 z barring anyone with a really good reason to the contrary like Australian authors and them using an alternate spelling. Though they probably use an s and no z.

Jonathan Green is British, though the British also use correct spelling with s instead of z.

There's a long rant into how canon those 3 names should be, but I'll skip that and go for one z.

[JourneymanN00b]

Choosing the door named ‘Melchior, Caspar, Balthazar’ received 2 votes, so Clark will do that.

392

Another room, another two very similar doors, and another question. This one reads:

What is myrrh anyway?

Which of the following options will you go with?

‘An incense that gives off a bitter-smelling smoke’?     Turn to 416.
‘An incense that gives off a sweet-smelling smoke’?     Turn to 18.

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

[deaddmwalking]

I'm thinking they're referring to frankincense, which isn't bitter. So half vote for sweet.

[JourneymanN00b]

Choosing ‘An incense that gives off a sweet-smelling smoke.’

18

You enter a much larger room, dominated by a table that has been laid for Christmas dinner, with place settings for twelve people. There are bowls of crispy roast potatoes, succulent pigs-in-blankets, sprouts by the bucket-load, and, at the centre of the table, a magnificent turkey. The aroma that assails you is the very definition of Christmas!

If you want to sit down at the table and help yourself to some of the food, turn to 103. If you can resist the tempting smells, you leave the dining room through a door on the far side – turn to 492.

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

[deaddmwalking]

Half vote to continue on.