[Let's Play] Fighting Fantazine Adventure #1 - Resurrection of the Dead

[JourneymanN00b]

Carrying on west received two votes, so Jurgen Rijks will do this.

95
The often barely noticeable path suddenly broadens out into an area devoid of vegetation, forming a large, rough circle. The ground shows signs of much disturbance, and you are getting a horrible sensation crawling up and down your spine. You are fairly sure that this place plays a part in whatever it is that is happening out here. Will you perform a circuit of the area (turn to 22), take a closer look at the churned up soil (turn to 186), or look for tracks to follow that may lead to a culprit (turn to 120)?

Please make your votes before 7:00 PM PDT or a choice receives more than 1 vote to guarantee that they will be counted.

[Thaluikhain]

Hmmm...circuit first?

[deaddmwalking]

I like making a circuit.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes registered, performing a circuit of the area.

22
You complete one circuit of the area without any drama, noting the dead plants and absence of any animal or bird life on your way. Back where you started, you can now, if you have not already done so, investigate the disturbed soil (turn to 186), look for tracks (turn to 120), or head back down the path to the east (turn to 11).

Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PDT or a choice receives more than 1 vote to guarantee that they will be counted.

[Beroli]

Look at the soil.

[deaddmwalking]

Yep, that seems the next most likely to provide a clue without forcing us to leave the area.

[Thaluikhain]

Look at the dirt.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes recognized; investigating the disturbed soil.

186
Going in for a closer look, your foot stubs against something poking out from the cracked and broken ground. You prod the cream-coloured, egg-like projection sprouting from the ground with a finger, and at first, nothing appears to happen. Then the ground trembles slightly and the “egg” appears to grow before your eyes, rising out of the ground. You realise that it is not an egg, but the head of a skeleton. Its jaw flaps and the head swivels to fix upon you as the undead creature rises from the soil. Once the hands come free, one draws a sword from the rusty scabbard and the other flashes a shield with the insignia of a cockatrice upon it. With lurching steps, it pulls itself free of the ground at last and moves to attack. Remember your -3 SKILL handicap if unarmed. If you are armed, a mace does regular damage while any sharp weapons will only do 1 STAMINA point of damage per round of battle.

SKELETON     SKILL 7     STAMINA 8

If you wish to Escape at any time you can, retreating down the path (turn to 11). If you win, turn to 86.



Jurgen Rijks is armed, but only with the rune-covered sword, which is a sharp weapon. I will assume that Luck will only be used if Jurgen Rijks is hit.

The fight:
Round 1: Skeleton Attack Strength: 12, Player Attack Strength: 21
Skeleton Stamina: 7, Player Stamina: 2
Round 2: Skeleton Attack Strength: 16, Player Attack Strength: 17
Skeleton Stamina: 6, Player Stamina: 2
Round 3: Skeleton Attack Strength: 14, Player Attack Strength: 21
Skeleton Stamina: 5, Player Stamina: 2
Round 4: Skeleton Attack Strength: 15, Player Attack Strength: 19
Skeleton Stamina: 4, Player Stamina: 2
Round 5: Skeleton Attack Strength: 16, Player Attack Strength: 16
Skeleton Stamina: 4, Player Stamina: 2
Round 6: Skeleton Attack Strength: 11, Player Attack Strength: 20
Skeleton Stamina: 3, Player Stamina: 2
Round 7: Skeleton Attack Strength: 13, Player Attack Strength: 18
Skeleton Stamina: 2, Player Stamina: 2
Round 8: Skeleton Attack Strength: 19, Player Attack Strength: 16
Luck Roll: 8, Skeleton Stamina: 2, Player Stamina: -1

Jurgen Rijks manages to bring the Skeleton to 2 Stamina, but the Skeleton manages to score a blow against our hero. Using Luck unfortunately made the wound a serious one, which is enough to kill Jurgen Rijks, so a resurrection will be used to bring our hero back and rewind him back to the point where he completed one circuit of the area. Instead of investigating the disturbed soil, he will look for tracks.

120
You make a search of the ground for tracks and find literally hundreds of them, mostly marching off in the same direction. It is hard to tell when they were all made or even if they were made at the same time, but they are all moving off in a southwesterly direction, off the beaten path into the unforgiving wilds of the heath, away from travel routes. Will you follow the tracks (turn to 157), or, if you have not already done so, investigate the disturbed soil (turn to 186), or head back down the path to the east (turn to 11)?

Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PDT or a choice receives more than 1 vote to guarantee that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet
Jurgen Rijks
SKILL = 12
INITIAL SKILL = 12
STARTING SKILL = 9
STAMINA = 2
INITIAL STAMINA = 18
LUCK = 7
INITIAL LUCK = 10
GOLD: 14
PROVISIONS REMAINING: 0
ITEMS AND EQUIPMENT CARRIED:
Backpack
Paper with the note: Thgier enrocs’ regrop, Eerhtd liug’sev eihteno
Rune-covered sword
Amulet of protection
Piece of chalk
Rope
Note: Hparga raptah totnru, Tdnaet ons’xin navfor, Ebmune htotyt fifdda
Ornate ring
Blood-red gem
Notebook filled with tiny writing
Silver Dagger
NOTES:
One thieves guild three porger's corner eight
Ask Lefty for directions to the pawn broker’s in the Thieves’ District
Vannix’s Sticky Fingers is at 6 Gutfish Lane off the Black Narrow in the Thieves’ District
Rosie Fletcher can be found at 147 King’s West
Add 30 to the paragraph at Narron’s grave to find the sorcerer’s gem
Add fifty to the number of Vannix's note and turn to that paragraph
RESURECTIONS: 4

[Beroli]

Follow the tracks.

[Thaluikhain]

May as well.

[deaddmwalking]

Following is interesting. Vote to follow the tracks.

[JourneymanN00b]

Votes acknowledged; following the tracks.

157
You follow the tracks but eventually lose them at a small copse of trees. If you have a sharp weapon, you may carve a marking on one of the trees to mark the extent of your search. With not more tracks to follow, you will have to return to the clearing, and if you have not done so already, make a circuit of the area (turn to 22), investigate the disturbed soil (turn to 186), or head back down the path to the east (turn to 11).

Whether or not he marks one of the trees, the only thing to do is to head back down the path of the east, so Jurgen Rijks will do this.

11
Heading east, you reach the bodies of the slain goats. Here you can, if you have not already done so, head north (turn to 185), or head right back down the path and go to the battle site (turn to 131). If neither of these options appeal, you can return to Bandur Green to follow up other avenues of investigation by going, if you have not already done so, in search of a blacksmith to supply you with a weapon (turn to 74), to the cemetery (turn to 190), to The Frantic Rat tavern for information (turn to 107), or to visit Karl at the abbey (turn to 149). If you have already tried all of these options, you have reached the end of the day and must either drop by The Frantic Rat for a last drink (turn to 97), or retire to your home for sleep (turn to 35).

Please make your votes on whether to make a marking on one of the trees at the copse and what to do next before 7:00 PM PDT or a choice receives more than 1 vote to guarantee that they will be counted.

[Beroli]

Mark one of the trees, return to the goats, and head north.

[deaddmwalking]

Mark tree, go to battle site. Or did we already do that? If we did, North is fine

[Thaluikhain]

I agree with marking a tree and going to battle site, or north if we already have.

[JourneymanN00b]

Jurgen Rijks will carve a marking on one of the trees in the copse to mark the extent of his search. He already went to the battle site, so he will head north upon returning to the bodies of the slain goats, as the votes indicated.

185
The trail meanders northwards, and you spot the occasional wild sheep that has escaped the farms that surround the heath to the west and north. All of this wandering is energetic work and you must stop to rest and eat a Provision (do not add any STAMINA points). If you do not have any Provisions, deduct 2 STAMINA points. You are beginning to think that you are wandering away from the potential source of the problems on the heath when you spot a figure up ahead. The figure is revealed, as you come closer, to be a Xoroa Warrior guarding one of the entrances to their underground colony. He challenges you verbally through a series of clicks and hums at your approach, and even though you try to show through gesture that you are not a threat to him or the colony, he attacks! You must defend yourself. Remember your -3 SKILL deficit if you are unarmed.

XOROA WARRIOR     SKILL 10     STAMINA 11

If you win, you decide that it is best to retreat back down the path before the other Xoroa discover the body. You return south where you can, if you have not already done so, head west (turn to 95), or head right back down the path to the intersection where you can then go to the battlefield (turn to 131)? If neither of these options appeal, you can return to Bandur Green to follow up other avenues of investigation by going, if you have not already done so, in search of a blacksmith to supply you with a weapon (turn to 74), to the cemetery (turn to 190), to The Frantic Rat tavern for information (turn to 107), or to visit Karl at the abbey (turn to 149). If you have already tried all of these options, you have reached the end of the day and must either drop by The Frantic Rat for a last drink (turn to 97), or retire to your home for sleep (turn to 35).

Unfortunately, Jurgen Rijks dies of hunger and exhaustion on the trail since he has no Provisions and is very low on Stamina. Another resurrection will therefore be used to send him back to the place where he killed the goats. He will decide to return to Bandur Green and having reached the end of the day by exhausting all of his avenues of investigation, he will decide to drop by The Frantic Rat for a last drink.

On paragraph 97, Jurgen Rijks pays 1 Gold Piece to drink a mug of Crun Cider, which gives him 1 STAMINA point. He then decides to talk to the Dryaden nursing a potent brew and goes to paragraph 184. He met Vannix before when he bought the rune-covered sword from him, so we will proceed to paragraph 156.

156
‘Oh, it’s you,’ Vannix groans, before taking a large swig of his drink. ‘I hope you’re not looking for a refund, ‘cause I don’t do refunds.’ You indicate that you are happy with your weapon and ask if he knows anything about events on the heath that might help you. He tells you that word has reached him that a group of travellers taking a less known route from Flickling spotted a camp out on the heath with large numbers of people. They didn’t get too close and so saw nothing of detail. On a crude map drawn onto the tavern tabletop with his knife, Vannis gives you directions to the supposed camp site. Should you have the chance to explore the heath, when you have a chance to follow some tracks add 60 to the paragraph you are on at the time and turn to the new reference. He then gives you a piece of paper with the following note on it:

Etonen ins’xin
Naven osis ihteno

‘That might prove useful if you need some equipment to help in your mission.’ Thanking the Dryaden, you leave him to his drink. Will you now, if you have not already done so, talk to the older man (turn to 2), or to the town guard (turn to 55), or will you head home to sleep (turn to 35)?

Jurgen Rijks will next head home to sleep. On paragraph 35, he discovered that everyone else in the household abandoned him, so he loses 1 Luck. He then spends the morning cooking and eating a breakfast before packing the leftovers into 1 Provision. I will pause here in order to take in any votes on what Jurgen Rijks should do next. Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PDT or a choice receives more than 1 vote to guarantee that they will be counted.

Adventure Sheet
Jurgen Rijks
SKILL = 12
INITIAL SKILL = 12
STARTING SKILL = 9
STAMINA = 3
INITIAL STAMINA = 18
LUCK = 6
INITIAL LUCK = 10
GOLD: 13
PROVISIONS REMAINING: 1
ITEMS AND EQUIPMENT CARRIED:
Backpack
Paper with the note: Thgier enrocs’ regrop, Eerhtd liug’sev eihteno
Rune-covered sword
Amulet of protection
Piece of chalk
Rope
Note: Hparga raptah totnru, Tdnaet ons’xin navfor, Ebmune htotyt fifdda
Ornate ring
Blood-red gem
Notebook filled with tiny writing
Silver Dagger
Paper with the note: Etonen ins’xin, Naven osis ihteno
NOTES:
One thieves guild three porger's corner eight
Ask Lefty for directions to the pawn broker’s in the Thieves’ District
Vannix’s Sticky Fingers is at 6 Gutfish Lane off the Black Narrow in the Thieves’ District
Rosie Fletcher can be found at 147 King’s West
Add 30 to the paragraph at Narron’s grave to find the sorcerer’s gem
Add fifty to the number of Vannix's note and turn to that paragraph
Marked a tree in the heath
Add 60 to the paragraph upon having the chance to follow some tracks on the heath
RESURECTIONS: 3

[Beroli]

Eat the Meal immediately.

[deaddmwalking]

Might as well. Still upset that the guy who jumped us didn't have a non-weapon penalty nor could we take his weapon.

With this info are we able to try following the tracks again?

[JourneymanN00b]

This is the paragraph we are at:

35
After a night’s sleep you look for breakfast only to find that your cook and the rest of your servants abandoned you and the town in fear of their lives while you spend the day investigating (lose 1 LUCK point). You spend the morning cooking and eating a breakfast before fashioning the leftovers into enough for 1 Provision (add this to your Adventure Sheet). If you are currently afflicted by the rotting disease of a Decayer, this would be a good time to seek out a cure. If you know of one, turn to the reference contained in the shop address. If you have help from someone, turn now to the paragraph referencing that help. If you are still weaponless, you need to head out onto the town now to try to find one; turn to 76. If you do not have the means or wish to use any of these options, you can collect together your equipment and head out onto the heath to end the problems once and for all. Turn to 180.

So no, following the tracks isn’t an option at this point.

[deaddmwalking]

Do we have anyone's help? It seems like heading out to the heath may be our only option?

[Beroli]

Turn to 169.

[Thaluikhain]

Turn to 169.

Don't know what that is, but probably better than our other options.

[JourneymanN00b]

Heading to paragraph 169 after eating the Provision. For reference, the note that Vannix gave us at the Frantic Rat tavern says, “one this is one vannix’s nine note” when translated, giving our hero the number 119 and “this is Vannix’s note”. It was given to our hero with the words “That might prove useful if you need some equipment to help in your mission,” which is the reference that paragraph 35 refers to when it asks if our hero has help from someone. Jurgen Rijks also acquired another note instructing him to add fifty to the number of Vannix's note and turn to that paragraph, which gives a total of 169.

169
Thanks to the information you have gathered, you are able to make use of the hidden private entrance to the Thieves’ Guild. Slipping inside, you find yourself in a corridor facing the choice of left or right. Which will it be?

     Left.     Turn to 144.
     Right.     Turn to 25.

Please make your votes before 9:00 AM PDT or a choice receives more than 1 vote to guarantee that they will be counted.

EDIT: You probably will have a lot more time than the imposed deadline, as I need to be out of town for about a week to handle some family stuff.

Adventure Sheet
Jurgen Rijks
SKILL = 12
INITIAL SKILL = 12
STARTING SKILL = 9
STAMINA = 7
INITIAL STAMINA = 18
LUCK = 6
INITIAL LUCK = 10
GOLD: 13
PROVISIONS REMAINING: 0
ITEMS AND EQUIPMENT CARRIED:
Backpack
Paper with the note: Thgier enrocs’ regrop, Eerhtd liug’sev eihteno
Rune-covered sword
Amulet of protection
Piece of chalk
Rope
Note: Hparga raptah totnru, Tdnaet ons’xin navfor, Ebmune htotyt fifdda
Ornate ring
Blood-red gem
Notebook filled with tiny writing
Silver Dagger
Paper with the note: Etonen ins’xin, Naven osis ihteno
NOTES:
One thieves guild three porger's corner eight
Ask Lefty for directions to the pawn broker’s in the Thieves’ District
Vannix’s Sticky Fingers is at 6 Gutfish Lane off the Black Narrow in the Thieves’ District
Rosie Fletcher can be found at 147 King’s West
Add 30 to the paragraph at Narron’s grave to find the sorcerer’s gem
Add fifty to the number of Vannix's note and turn to that paragraph
Marked a tree in the heath
Add 60 to the paragraph upon having the chance to follow some tracks on the heath
RESURECTIONS: 3

[Beroli]

Oh boy, random choices. Left.

[Thaluikhain]

May as well.