Let's Play - The Eye of the Dragon (Golden Dragon Fantasy Gamebooks 4)

[deaddmwalking]

129


What will you cast:
Your Deadly Swarm spell? Turn to 298
Your Mirage spell? Turn to 150
If you do not wish to use either of these, turn to 110.


150

You use the spell to fashion an illusory copy of yourself. The Kraken blinks its hideous eyes as it tries to distinguish the two. Roll one die. If you roll a 1, 2 or 3 then the Kraken attacks your illusory duplicate, giving you time to race up the cellar steps to safety (turn to 107). If you roll a 4 or higher then the Kraken disregards your illusion and attacks the real you (turn to 110).

Using an online roller...

Mirage versus Kraken: 1d6 3

The kraken attacks the duplicate.

The following doesn't seem to follow directly from before but I checked and there are multiple pointers to here from the kraken encounter - take the lack of narrative description as the result of multiple different ways of getting to this result...

107

The white-haired man ventures a nervous glance
as you pass. ‘You don’t understand,’ he whines. ‘If you step outside you'll end up like Wulfric!'

You reach down angrily and grab the front of his tunic. ‘What do you suggest instead?’ you snarl. “Should I cower here all night? Should I allow the Kappa to make off with the Eye of the Dragon?’ He
whimpers and you let him go. You regret losing
your temper, but his cringing manner strains your
patience. You turn and march out into the garden.
Turn to 299.

299

As you cross the lawn, you have a sudden feeling
that something is amiss. Thoughts racing, you look
around you. The pedestal by the door is empty — the statue has moved! A shouted warning from the
mansion comes just in time; you throw yourself flat
on the grass as a huge bronze fist cleaves the air
just above your head. You look up to see the statue
towering over you, grim and black against the cloudy sky. It raises a heavy armoured foot to crush you. You will die if you do not roll aside in time — but you find you cannot move. Fear has drained your strength from you.

A bellowing white-maned warrior charges from the darkened portico and swings his sword against the statue’s metal spine. It turns ponderously to deal with this distraction — a distraction which buys you the seconds you need to recover and leap to your feet. The white-haired adventurer is battering furiously at the statue, though each blow shatters slivers from his sword and does no harm at all to his opponent. He is mad with battle-lust. You damned devil!’ he roars. ‘I'll not stand idly by and watch you take another life!’ Even when the statue lifts its massive fists, he does not flinch. He is utterly transformed now — you no longer recognize him as the cringing figure you scorned. As the death blow descends, his expression is one of defiant rage.

The statue lumbers around to face you once more. It's hands are wet with blood and brains. You have seen the futility of swords against this foe - will you run from it (turn to 223) or, if you still have the spell, will you cast Burning Tiger (turn to 140)?

Alcina does not have the Burning Tiger spell available, so she must run.


223

You rush over to the wall and scramble through the breach. Behind you, the bronze statue comes to a halt; it is too big to get through the narrow gap. Relieved at your lucky escape, you peer around you at the empty moonlit streets. No Kappa in sight you can continue south.

A low, deep creaking sound makes you turn. The bronze statue is pushing against the wall with its metallic sinews. Its blank eyes return your gaze with an implacable stare. Unbelievably, the wall is starting to topple! Cracks appear and spread across the grey-white stone. With a groan of ancient rock, the wall collapses. Blocks of masonry cascade at your feet as you jump back, and the bronze warrior advances through the debris. Terror transfixes you. Your only hope is the Burning Tiger spell. If you have not used this yet, now is the time to cast it (turn to 140). If you used the spell earlier, turn to 117.


117
The unstoppable warrior holds you in a vice-like grip and lifts you up as though you were a toy Your faces are inches apart — the grim eternal countenance of the statue and the terror-contorted features of the all-too-frail human. With unhurried movements, it clamps its unyielding finger around your neck and a black haze descends on
your mind...

[deaddmwalking]

Well folks, what now?

[Beroli]

I suggest we 1) rewind and don't get the shield but do keep Burning Tiger, and 2) go through the double doors here.

[JourneymanN00b]

I agree with this plan.

[deaddmwalking]

Alcina finds herself once again awaking from a recurring nightmare. Blinking her eyes she realizes the ship has arrived and she disembarks and approaches Thalios....

1
....

Something in their manner makes you suspicious. Will you go with them (turn to 31), decline, saying you will find Master Giru yourself (turn to 227), or draw your sword and attack them (turn to 53)?

227

The warriors stare blankly back at you as though they do not understand. As you move to pass them, they crouch down in fighting posture and close in on you. Your hand is on your sword-hilt, and the black blade leaps from its scabbard with a
metallic whisper. Will you fight them (turn to 53), or first try one of your spells (turn to 282)?

282
You may cast either Burning Tiger (turn to 207) or The Deadly Swarm (turn to 75).

75

You weave your spell with arcane words and ritual gestures, and suddenly the air is alive with an angry droning as hundreds of large hornets appear from nowhere. The four warriors are swiftly engulfed by a writhing cloud of the insects, and they duck low and try to fend off the attack as they flee. The Sergeant stumbles as he runs, catching his foot on the edge of a tipped flagstone, and falls under a buzzing mass. The others run across the plaza and disappear into a ruined building. Strangely, it is only now that they begin to scream. You dispel the hornets, but it is too late to save the Sergeant. He is already fatally stung. His swollen lips move feebly, as though he is trying to tell you something. If you wish to bend down and catch his dying words, turn to 29. If you would rather continue on into the city, turn to 48.

You already know that after hearing the Sergeant's dying words you'll move to section 48, so there's no reason not to do so.

29
The Sergeant's fingers close spasmodically on the collar of your robe. His voice is hoarse and barely audible as he relates his tale. ‘Evil creatures — Kappa — came out of the sea and attacked us... many slain . . . Master Giru set up a camp in the old Consul’s Palace, south-west of here ... The Kappa patrols are scouring the city . . . we were sent to escort you to Master Giru, but the Kappa spotted us and one of them used hypnosis .. .’ With the last of his strength, the Sergeant pulls you closer. ‘Don’t let them get the Eye!’ he gasps, and then the life goes from him and he falls back.

You cover his body with his cloak as you ponder his last words. You have heard of the Kappa - a heartless eerie race who dwell in undersea fortresses. They hate all other life-forms, and only the opportunity for plunder and killing would bring them on to land. Some high-ranking Kappa can control men’s minds with a hypnotic sorcery, which explains why the unfortunate warriors attacked you. You stand and look out across the city. You will make the Kappa pay for what they have done — but first you must find Master Giru.

Turn to 48.

48

You move hastily across the plaza. The ancient flagstones are cracked and broken and slimy with algae, and there are numerous shallow pools of water where the ground has subsided. Sunset is no more than a crimson blaze in the western sky. The lengthening shadows are turning to night. Soon the moon will be up — bringing with it, of course, the tides. At high tide many of the streets will lie underwater, making your passage through Thalios much more difficult. You must hope to find Master -Giru within a few hours.

You stop and shrink back into the darkness beside a fallen column as you catch sight of a tall figure in the distance. It is very thin, vaguely manlike but with many-jointed limbs which posture jerkily as it moves. In the twilight you can see that its huge eyes are lambent white pearls, and its body is an open latticework of coral. A Kappa!




It is moving straight towards where you are hiding. Will you dodge through the gateway of the building next to you (marked on your map as the Temple of Swords — turn to 18), or will you wait for the Kappa to draw level with you and then attack it (turn to 268)?


18

You pass through the gateway in the high wall into a courtyard. Bamboo grows thickly here above the level of your head, and you easily conceal yourself until the solitary Kappa has gone by. If you now wish to struggle through the overgrown courtyard
towards the main building, turn to 36. If you would rather go back out on to the deserted plaza, turn to 274.

274

The moon is rising above the shattered city walls, sketching out the ruins of Thalios with wan bars of light. A cold wind blows across the open plaza. Your eyes fall upon the constellation known to your people as the Thurifer, or the Pious Acolyte. It is high in the sky — a good omen. You feel exposed out on the vast empty plaza, and you are anxious to reach somewhere more secluded before another Kappa comes along. Will you head directly south across the Bridge of Blue Skulls (turn to 108), or will you make for the warren of narrow streets to the west (turn to 258)?

Going to the Bridge of Blue Skulls leads to the Citadel, so Alcina chooses the narrow streets.

258

You start to make your way along a narrow alley. The buildings to either side lean crazily together so that only a narrow chink of coal-black sky is visible above. The darkness here is absolute. It occurs to you to use light from your Orb of Illumination — but that could attract decidedly unwanted attention if there are more of the appalling Kappa about. You resort to feeling your way slowly along the rough stone wall. The alley twists and turns and is joined by innumerable side streets, but you head doggedly west.

Suddenly you hear the sound of a sword being drawn - right behind your back. You freeze and an icy tingle runs down your spine. A gruff voice says, ‘Now then, matey, just drop your moneybag and you won't get hurt.’ Will you:

Do as you are told? Turn to 165
Cast a spell? Turn to 21
Draw your sword and turn to face the man? Turn to 218

218

You whirl, risking a brief burst of light from the magic Orb to show you the face of your waylayer. To your surprise, the alleyway is empty. Then your eyes fall upon a slumped figure half hidden in a nearby doorway. You approach cautiously. When the Orb’s grey light falls on the figure’s face, you realize that he has been dead for several days.

‘Weigh anchor, me hearties!’ Another voice, different from the first, rings out. You start in alarm before noticing the emaciated mynah bird perched on the dead man’s shoulder. It continues to talk as you inspect the body, and you realize that the phrases it is repeating could only have been picked up in a life of seafaring and petty villainy. The man was surely a pirate, though you cannot guess how he came to meet his end in these godforsaken ruins. His polished mahogany pegleg shines as if new in the magical light, but the rest of him is a far from pretty sight. The fingers of his left hand are closed around a green wine bottle. He seems to have nothing else of interest and you choose not to search him thoroughly. If you wish to take the bottle, turn to 273. If not, turn to 243.

273
You uncork it and sniff at the contents. The smell is not of wine, but vinegar. A curious thing for a man to carry around with him. Will you risk a drink from the bottle? If so, turn to 294. If not, turn to 243.


243

You may take his pegleg if you wish — who knows, it may come in handy. Remember to note it down on your Character Sheet if you do so. As you turn to go on your way, the scrawny mynah bird flutters up to alight on your shoulder. Will you brush it away and leave alone (turn to 144), or continue with it as a companion (turn to 257)?

144

You step out of the alley into a large quadrangle dominated by the ruins of a huge domed building - the Amber Pantechnicon. Around the perimeter of the quadrangle, the cobblestones are littered with broken tiles which have fallen from the crumbling roofs. About fifty metres away, their thin coral bodies gleaming darkly in the moonlight, two Kappa are patrolling the quadrangle. They begin to move in your direction, and you quickly hide in the shadows. They come to a halt in front of the gated archway of the Pantechnicon and begin to consult a plaque that one of them carries at its belt.

Occasionally you hear them exchanging words in their strange fluting speech. It occurs to you that the plaque may be a map of some sort — a sea-dwelling species like the Kappa are hardly likely to use paper, after all. Perhaps they are discussing which part of the city to patrol next. If you wish to, you can edge around the quadrangle and head south along the Avenue of Sphinxes without being spotted (turn to 304). Otherwise, you could wait where you are until the Kappa move on (turn to 170).





304

You stand at the end of the Avenue of Sphinxes. The night is cold, and you can smell salt-spray on the breeze. Crouched beside the pedestal of a fallen monument, you tensely watch the silent ruins around you. To your right there stands a particularly imposing edifice, once the mansion of a wealthy noble. If you wish to investigate this mansion, turn to 300. If you would rather head quickly south along the Avenue of Sphinxes, turn to 120.

300

You find a breach in the high wall that encloses the mansion grounds. Scrambling over the chunks of weathered rubble, you enter a weed-choked garden. The long grass sways eerily, tinted an unnatural swart hue by the cold moonlight. You tread across a marshy lawn towards the mansion. Beside the crooked portico, like a grim and implacable sentinel, stands the bronze statue of a muscular warrior. It is pitted and eaten by centuries of corrosion; the face stares out, pock-marked and blind, as you draw near. You look past the statue into the gaping black doorway of the mansion. A tangle of vines overhangs it like a giant cobweb.

You need no sorcery to sense the danger here. If you wish to enter the mansion, turn to 216. If you wish to investigate the statue more closely first, turn to 61. If you would rather leave and head along the Avenue of Sphinxes, turn to 120.

216

216

In the darkened entrance hall, a wedge of moonlight falls upon the cringing figure of a whitehaired man. He looks up and whimpers as you approach. You soon see that he is no older than yourself. From his wide staring eyes you guess that he has suffered a shock — something so terrible that it turned his hair stark white.




‘Mercy,’ he implores, holding forth a trembling hand. ‘I am an adventurer like yourself. I came here with my friend Wulfric Stormrider. We only came in to shelter from a storm, but when we tried to leave. . .’ He buries his face in his hands. ‘Alas! poor Wulfric,’ he sobs. It does not seem you will get more out of him for the moment, so you turn your attention to the hallway in which you stand. A wide marble staircase sweeps up to the next floor, and below this a set of copper-bound double doors leads to the back of the mansion. At the other end of the hall, steps lead down to a cellar door.

Will you:

Climb up to the next floor? Turn to 99
Go through the double doors? Turn to 256
Explore the cellar? Turn to 211

256

You almost trip over something in the gloom — a large, badly chipped battleaxe. It is not this which draws your attention, however, but the corpse lying on the floor in front of you. A few days ago he must have been a burly armour-clad mountain of a man. Now he is nothing but dead meat. The white-haired adventurer groans as you activate the Orb of Ilumination and reluctantly stoop to
inspect the body. The sight makes your gorge rise.

It has no head. Turn to 135.

135

*Wulfric!’ howls the white-haired adventurer. ‘It got him. I couldn’t have done anything. What could I do? It would’ve got me too if I’d crossed that threshold into the garden. We're trapped in here, I tell you! O gods, gods!’ He rakes at his hair and gibbers until you none-too-kindly snarl at him to shut up.

Ahead of you lies a wide pit spanned by a single narrow plank. You discover that the pit opens on to a sluggish underground stream some distance below. Several spikes of rusty iron thrust up from the black water, making the prospect of crossing the plank somewhat daunting. If you wish to chance it anyway (and for this you must have a current AGILITY of at least 4 - anything less and you would certainly fall), turn to 17. If you return to the entrance hall, turn to 152.

Character Sheet
Character's Name: Alcina Kakarot
Vigour: 28
PSI: 8
AGILITY: 8
Items:
-Orb of Illumination
-Sword
-10 Gold Pieces
-Hipflask of Freshwater
-Pegleg
-Bottle of Vinegar
-Shield (deflects a hit on a roll of 6)
Spells::
1)Burning Tiger
2) Befuddle
3) Gust of Wind
4) ESP
5) Mind Shield
6) Mirage
7) The Deadly Swarm
8) Seance
9) Dagger of the Mind
10) Invulnerability
11) Dodge
12) Healing

[Thaluikhain]

Chance it.

[JourneymanN00b]

I also vote to chance it.

[deaddmwalking]

Alcina's AGILITY is sufficient to chance it, so she does.

17

The plank creaks alarmingly as you cross, but manages to bear your weight. There is a trickle of cold sweat on your brow by the time you reach the other side of the pit. Your magical illumination pushes back the shadows. A large white mask hangs ahead of you at the end of a gallery of polished blue-black stone. It wears a tragic expression. However, as you move along the gallery towards it, the blindly staring eyes of the mask suddenly glow and the expression changes from tragedy to hellish glee. Its chilling battle-shriek roots you to the spot, and in that moment you know it for what it is. You are under attack from a Dungeon Devil — not a mask at all, but a huge flying parody of a human head. It comes rushing through the air towards you, rapidly extending the mane of sharp corundum spines with which it intends to slash you to ribbons. Will you meet it with drawn sword (turn to 43), or will you cast a spell (turn to 26)?

Congratulations on finding a disembodied head!

Edit - if you cast a spell you may either cast Gust of Wind or the Deadly Swarm. Since Alcina has cast the Deadly Swarm already, Gust of Wind will be the only spell choice. If, after considering a spell, you decide NOT to cast one, you would turn to 43 and fight it exactly the same way as if you didn't even think about casting a spell.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to cast Gust of Wind.

[Thaluikhain]

Gust of Wind against a flying thing makes sense.

[Beroli]

Wind the mask.

[deaddmwalking]

26

Which spell will you try:

Gust of Wind? Turn to 292
The Deadly Swarm? Turn to 245

If you have already cast both of these, turn to 43.


292

As you planned, the sudden blast of wind catches the flying creature unawares and dashes it against the obsidian wall. You give it no chance to recover. Reversing your grip on your sword, you plunge it down deep into the creature’s forehead. A fleeting scream of thwarted bloodlust rings out, and then the monstrous thing is still. Under your incredulous gaze it crumbles like a weathered alabaster bust. Turn to 119.



This image appears under 292 (reversed) but also several other times in the text and I only copied it once
119

On a whim, you reach down and snap off one of the spines from the creature’s petrified mane. It reminds you of a sharp stalactite. You see nothing else of interest, so you put the stony spine in your backpack and return to the entrance hall. Turn to 152.


152

The adventurer looks up as you pass and whines, saying, “You don’t understand. If you step outside you'll end up like Wulfric.’ “What do you propose I do?’ you snap. His cringing manner strains your patience. ‘Should I cower here all night while the Kappa execute their nefarious plans?’ You consider taking him with you on the principle that two swords are better than one, but you know he would be of no use. His spirit is broken. You regret losing your temper with the poor man, but you can think of nothing to say to him. You shake your head and march out into the garden without a backward glance. Turn to 73.


73

You take a few purposeful strides across the lawn and stop. Something is wrong. You scan the moonlit garden with thoughts awhirl, and your gaze immediately alights on an empty pedestal. The bronze statue has moved. A shout from the mansion warns you, and you throw yourself flat on the grass just as a huge bronze fist slices through the air above your head. You look up to see the statue towering over you, grim and black against a cloudy sky. It raises its heavy armoured foot to crush you.

You want to roll aside, but you find you cannot move. Fear has drained all strength from you. A bellowing white-maned warrior charges from the darkened doorway and swings his sword against the colossus. It turns ponderously, distracted by no more than a gnat’s sting -— but distracted all the same. You leap to your feet as the panic-weakness leaves you. The white-haired warrior is battering furiously at the statue, though each blow breaks a fragment from his blade. ‘You damned devil!’ he roars. ‘I'll not stand by and watch you take another life!’ Even when the statue lifts its massive fists, he does not flinch. He is completely transformed now — you can no longer recognize the cringing figure whom you so despised. As the death-blow descends, his last expression is one of defiant rage.

The statue lumbers around to face you once more. Its hands are wet with blood and brains. You have seen the futility of swords against this foe — will you retreat before it (turn to 83) or, if you still have the spell, will you cast Burning Tiger (turn to 140)?

***************

Important note guys, and this is subtle. Last time you saw Wulfric's friend die you were on 299, not 73. When you were given the option to run, you were advised to go to 223, not 83. No guarantee that these are meaningfully different (anymore than 299 is different from 73), but this book is tricky where sometimes something is a good option at one point and a very bad option at another. All that said, I am not trying to push you toward running. Personally, I think that this module is being unfair not letting you explore the ENTIRE mansion and forcing you to exit. I suspect (but am not sure) that you are in a walking dead state regardless of what decision you make.

Character Sheet
Character's Name: Alcina Kakarot
Vigour: 28
PSI: 8
AGILITY: 8
Items:
-Orb of Illumination
-Sword
-10 Gold Pieces
-Hipflask of Freshwater
-Pegleg
-Bottle of Vinegar
-Demon Spine
-Shield (deflects a hit on a roll of 6)
Spells::
1)Burning Tiger
2) Befuddle
3) Gust of Wind
4) ESP
5) Mind Shield
6) Mirage
7) The Deadly Swarm
8) Seance
9) Dagger of the Mind
10) Invulnerability
11) Dodge
12) Healing

[Beroli]

Cast Burning Tiger. Let's see what if anything it does here.

[Thaluikhain]

May as well.

[deaddmwalking]

140

It is the first time you have even seen the savage tiger of flame reluctant to tackle a foe. Nonetheless, it slinks forward and leaps upon the statue as you command. The fiery claws have some effect on the bronze body of the statue — but not enough, and you quickly see that the tiger is bound to lose this battle. You hurry south along the Avenue of Sphinxes. Turn to 28.


28

You push your way south against a gale that throws sharp needles of icy rain into your face. To either side, a line of carven sphinxes face one another across the avenue. Their marble bodies are palely luminous in the watery moonlight; their chiselled faces seem grim and brooding. The raindrops could almost be tears on those stone cheeks. You begin to imagine what they must have stared down on through the ages — what secrets would pass their lips if they could talk. But you have no time for such idle fancies now. You hurry on without stopping. Turn to 210.

210

You reach the end of the avenue. Wide broken steps descend majestically to a plaza which is almost completely submerged. Shattered columns protrude from the shimmering moonlit surface. From its height on the columns, you judge the water to be no more than waist deep. You are about to go down the steps when a party of Kappa come into view, wading across the plaza. You can hear their voices on the wind, like the notes of a reed flute. Heart pounding, you hurry away from the top of the steps. A hollow wail pierces the night and tells you that you were seen! More patrols will be converging on this area, and you must get off the streets quickly. Not far to your left is the huge gaping archway that gives access to the Arena. It is not an especially inviting prospect, but at least it is preferable to staying in the open to face the spears of a hundred Kappa soldiers. With the rain in your face, you sprint towards the Arena. Turn to 12.





The entrance to the Arena is a massive arched tunnel. It is said that competitors in the chariot races could ride in three abreast, and looking at the size of the tunnel you find this easy to believe. You head along it, feeling sheltered by the darkness. Doors on either side lead up to the stands, but you carry straight on to the end and emerge into the Arena. On the far side — almost a hundred metres from where you are standing — is another, identical funnel. Your map suggests you have found an ideal short cut to the Palatine Bridge. You glance around at the monumental sweeping tiers of marble seats, imagining the cheering crowds that once pressed into them. You can almost hear the echo of their surging roar as they thrilled to the Arena’s spectacular displays. Could anything in hose far-off days compare to the adventure in which you are now embroiled? You shrug. They are all dust on the wind now, those teeming multitudes of ancient Thalios. Not even theirghosts remain. The only symbol of that lost glory is a giant winged statue on a soaring pedestal above the Judicial Box.

No Kappa are in sight. You slip from the shadows and dash across the floor of the Arena. Turn to 2.

2

Do you have a small ivory Arena ticket? If so, turn to 178. If you are not a ticket holder, turn to 203.

203

Your sense of unease grows as you cross the Arena. About halfway, something makes you stop. You turn and look around you, noticing at once that the pedestal rising up from the Judicial Box is empty — the winged statue that stood atop it is gone. You drop low and start to run for the tunnel. A shadow covers the moon and you instinctively throw yourself flat as a huge winged shape hurtles overhead. You hear a hoarse saurian screech and see the ungainly bulk of a Flying Reptile. It is slowly climbing into the night sky for another pass, flapping its wings as though clambering up a cliff face. You realize that your fingers are closing on the hilt of your sword. A futile reflex — you have no hope of fighting the creature while it is up in the air. It has reached the zenith of its awkward ascent and is wheeling around for the attack. Beady red eyes, filled with mindless hostility, fix their gaze on yours. Will you run (turn to 94), or stand your ground and prepare a spell (turn to 283)?


Proactively in case you decide to cast a spell:

283
Will you cast:
Your Befuddle spell? Turn to 173
Your Gust of Wind spell? Turn to 190
Your Mirage spell? Turn to 272
If you have used all of these already, you had better run for it (turn to 94).

Alcina has cast Gust of Wind against the demon. In this alternate universe she has not fought the Kraken so has not cast Mirage. She also hasn't had her orb stolen and used Befuddle to get it back...


*****************

TL;DR version - I probably won't post again for ~36 hours.

I will be taking 4 kids to the Renaissance Faire tomorrow - leaving early and probably getting back late. The local Faire lost their space due to some weird dispute with the town so I'll be heading to Nashville which is 2 hours each way. I did download the book to my phone so there's a small chance I find myself with time to update, but I wouldn't count on it. Sunday is Mother's Day and I don't think that will keep me occupied all day, but it'll probably have me away from my computer through the morning.

Character Sheet
Character's Name: Alcina Kakarot
Vigour: 28
PSI: 8
AGILITY: 8
Items:
-Orb of Illumination
-Sword
-10 Gold Pieces
-Hipflask of Freshwater
-Pegleg
-Bottle of Vinegar
-Demon Spine
-Shield (deflects a hit on a roll of 6)
Spells::
1)Burning Tiger
2) Befuddle
3) Gust of Wind
4) ESP
5) Mind Shield
6) Mirage
7) The Deadly Swarm
8) Seance
9) Dagger of the Mind
10) Invulnerability
11) Dodge
12) Healing

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to use Befuddle, but I could be convinced otherwise.

Enjoy the Renaissance Faire, deaddmwalking.

[Beroli]

I vote to use Mirage.

Have fun at the Renaissance Faire!

[JourneymanN00b]

If there are no other votes, please make my vote a half one.

[Thaluikhain]

I second using Befuddle, hoping to cause it to crash.

I also second having fun at the Renaissance Faire.

[deaddmwalking]

Thank you for the kind wishes. I'm back from the Faire and I think everyone had a relatively enjoyable time. It was two of my kids and each of them brought a friend. I would have enjoyed watching more performances but one of the friends had a relatively short attention span. Still, fun to check out a Faire I haven't been to before. I think they've become more popular over the years - my first Faire was the Southern California Faire at Glen Helen Pavilion in San Bernadino County (that was the original Faire at its second location). Anyways, this Faire reminded me of those from the mid-90s in So Cal.

Back to the game! Since there was another vote, I think that puts Befuddle at 2 to 1 over Mirage. That may put you in a bind if a Mynah bird steals your orb, but it's optimistic to think you'll live that long. No matter what happens, you'll have learned something, no?

173
You cast your spell right into the face of the hellish monster. The malicious red eyes swivel inwards as if trying to focus on several things at once. Wildly swinging its great leathery wings, the Flying Reptile tries to pull up. It succeeds only in tilting out of its gliding position and crashing to the Arena floor. You draw your sword and run to attack it while it is still dazed. Turn to 49.


49

The leathery monster cannot manoeuvre on the ground, but its panic drives it into a frenzied bloodlust and it fights you with all the savagery of a primitive beast at bay.

FLYING REPTILE VIGOUR 12

Roll two dice:

Score 2 to 5: You are wounded and lose 3 VIGOUR
Score 6 to 12: The Flying Reptile loses 3 VIGOUR

If you kill it, you continue across to the opposite side of the Arena. Turn to 240.


Alcina begins this fight at full Vigour.

Round 1: 8 (5,3) The Flying Reptile loses 3 Vigour (9)
Round 2: 8 (6,2) The Flying Reptile loses 3 Vigour (6)
Round 3: 8 (6,2) The Flying Reptile loses 3 Vigour (3)
Round 4: 6 (4,2) The Flying Reptile loses 3 Vigour (0)

Flawless victory!

240

You glance again at your map. You have only to go along a narrow cobbled passage between two buildings and you should be at the Palatine Bridge. The passage is roofed over, but the cold wind that howls through it means that there is little shelter here from the insistent drizzle. The passage is draped in a sepulchral gloom, and echoes eerily to the sound of your boots on the damp cobblestones. You are drawing close to the end when a tall figure drifts into view in front of you. She wears extravagant robes of grey and blue; billowed up by the wind, the folds of her dark mantle almost brush your face. Her expression and bearing are serene, yet somehow terrible. You sense no human soul in her, and your hand goes automatically to your sword.

‘Well, little mortal,’ she says, her voice like a javelin of ice. ‘Where are you going in such a hurry? To stop the coral men from finding what they seek? You alone, against their legions?’ Her pitiless laughter rings out along the passage.

You draw the sword. Moonlight sends a shiver of ebon light along its blade. ‘Madam, my mission is important and I must not be delayed. Please stand aside.’ You try to sound stern and implacable, but the effect is spoiled somewhat by a nervous quaver in your voice.

‘Your mission is futile. Embrace despair. Learn to love her!’ As you raise your sword defiantly, she begins a strange lilting chant. You know who she is now — Ligea, demi-goddess of despair! Her mournful song drives all hope from your heart. With each sad note that escapes from her lips, you become more convinced that your quest is futile. Your sword clatters on the ground and you slump beside it. You must do something, while you still have the will to act. Will you:

Opena mother-of-pearl snuffbox? Turn to 254
Cast a Mind Shield spell? Turn to 279
Eat a pomegranate? Turn to 13

If you have none of these, you give in completely to Ligea's insidious song and lie here until you rot....




Alcina has only the Mind Shield spell, so she necessarily casts it.

279

You can still hear Ligea’s eldritch song, but you are protected from it now by the spell. You retrieve your sword and stride past her. She sweeps regally away and begins to fade, returning to her own dismal realm. Her last words stay to vex you: ‘Foolish mortal! I brought you Truth . . .’ Turn to 284.


284

The Palantine Bridge, which once spanned one of the magnificent canals of ancient Thalios, is now a ruined structure of weathered marble. It is the only link between the city and the Consul’s Palace, from where Thalios was ruled in ages past. You gaze out towards the Palace. Giru is there; you can feel it. Picking your way carefully around the yawning cracks in the stonework, you begin to cross the bridge.

There is a blur of motion ahead. Something flashes in the moonlight. Your instinct takes over and you hurl yourself to one side. Your lightning reactions save you from certain death, but the hurtling spear still catches you a glancing blow across the shoulder. Lose 3 VIGOUR points. If you are still alive, you prepare to battle two Kappa that are rushing towards you. Hard on their coral heels come three Sentinel Crabs, scuttling along eagerly to assist their unhuman masters at the kill. You seem to be badly outnumbered. Will you cast a spell to even the odds (turn to 33), or trust to your warrior skills (turn to 309)?

If Alcina wanted to cast a spell, she would have a choice of The Burning Tiger or The Deadly swarm. Since both spells have been cast she would be redirected back to 309 to trust her warrior skills.

309

The Kappa order their Sentinel Crabs back. They want the pleasure of slaying you themselves.

First KAPPA VIGOUR 12
Second KAPPA VIGOUR 12

Roll two dice:
Score 2 to 4: You are hit twice; lose 6 VIGOUR
Score 5 to 7: You are hit once; lose 3 VIGOUR
Score 8 to 12: One of the Kappa (you decide which) loses 3 VIGOUR

If you kill one, turn to 8.

Round 1: 8 (5,3) Kappa 1 loses 3 Vigour (9)
Round 2: 11 (6, 5) Kappa 1 loses 3 Vigour (6)
Round 3: 11 (6, 5) Kappa 1 loses 3 Vigour (3)
Round 4: 9 (5, 4) Kappa 1 loses 3 Vigour (0)

A second flawless victory... That feels improbable but I bet if I calculated it, it wouldn't really be that surprising.

8

The other Kappa screams as it presses the attack. It is an unearthly and desolate sound.

Roll two dice:
Score 2 to 5: You are hit; lose 3 VIGOUR
Score 6 to 12: The Kappa loses 3 VIGOUR

If you win, turn to 44.

Round 5: 7 (6,1) The Kappa loses 3 Vigour (9)
Round 6: 8 (6,2) The Kappa loses 3 Vigour (6)
Round 7: 4 (3, 1) Alcina loses 3 Vigour (22)
Round 8: 11 (6, 5) The Kappa loses 3 Vigour (3)
Round 9: 7 (4, 3) The Kappa loses 3 Vigour (0)

44

You have dealt with their sadistic masters, but you still have the Sentinel Crabs to contend with. Their eyes wave eerily on stalks as they watch you clacking their giant pincers together impatiently. As they cluster in towards you, you step back and then suddenly run towards them, leaping so that you land on the back of the nearest one. The other two sweep their claws at your ankles — but the Crab on which you are standing, already confused by the weight on its back, assumes they are attacking; it! Enraged, it turns on the other two. You make an easy escape, chuckling to yourself at the thought how simple it was to confound the stupid creature once their Kappa handlers were out of the way. You reach the end of the bridge. Turn to 128.

128

Silent and stealthy, you creep along the outer wall of the Palace and into the courtyard. The ancient buildings tower up on all sides. An ornamental fountain, choked with moss and rainwater, stands in the centre of the courtyard. The statue above it has crumbled away, though some of the long-dead sculptor’s genius is still there to be glimpsed in the weathered lines. Wary in case there are Kappa soldiers about, you move out of sight into the deep shadows opposite the gate. You literally stumble upon a broken skeleton half-buried in the wet gravel. A few fragments of rusted armour still enclose it like tenacious, grasping fingers. An adventurer who came here before you. Perhaps decades before.

You must find Master Giru, and you sense he is somewhere in the Palace. To explore it, you will need your Orb of Illumination. If you still have this item, turn to 62. If you have lost it, turn to 114.

Since Alcina hasn't been near the Amber Pantechnicon yet, she hasn't had the orb stolen and hasn't needed to use Befuddle (which she cast on the flying reptile), so she still has it.

62

The task of searching for Giru through the labyrinth of halls and corridors within the Palace will not be easy. Like all the nobles of your race, you have a limited sixth sense. This may guide you, but it is neither precise nor reliable. Now is the time to use your Séance spell, if you still have it. Whose ghost will you summon:

One of the warriors who met you at the gates of the city? Turn to 264
The man whose mortal remains lie at your feet? Turn to 89

If you have already cast the spell, turn to 242.

Character Sheet
Character's Name: Alcina Kakarot
Vigour: 28 22
PSI: 8
AGILITY: 8
Items:
-Orb of Illumination
-Sword
-10 Gold Pieces
-Hipflask of Freshwater
-Pegleg
-Bottle of Vinegar
-Demon Spine
-Shield (deflects a hit on a roll of 6)
Spells::
1)Burning Tiger
2) Befuddle
3) Gust of Wind
4) ESP
5) Mind Shield
6) Mirage
7) The Deadly Swarm
8) Seance
9) Dagger of the Mind
10) Invulnerability
11) Dodge
12) Healing

[Beroli]

Summon the ghost of the long-dead adventurer.

[Thaluikhain]

Long dead adventurer

[JourneymanN00b]

I also vote for the long-dead adventurer.

[deaddmwalking]

I think you're trying to get yourself killed - the surest way to survive perhaps...

89

The wind howls around the courtyard as you chant
your spell. Suddenly it dies down. But in the dead
calm that ensues, the howling noise still hangs in
the air . . . Suddenly there is a scream that makes
your hair stand on end. A cackling spectral figure
rises from the skeleton on the ground, extends its
flickering hands like claws, and flies shrieking
straight towards you. The ghastly sight strikes
terror into your heart. You have summoned a
malignant ghost, and must pay the price by endur-
ing its fright attack. Roll two dice, multiply the
score by two, and compare the total to your current
VIGOUR. If the number is equal to or less than
your VIGOUR, you survive the ghost’s fright
attack; shaken, you watch as it fades away (turn to
242). If the number is greater than your VIGOUR,
however, then the terrible scare stops your heart,
and your quest ends here.

Alcina rolls an 8 which doubled is less than her Vigour, so she survives.

Fright: 2d6 8

242

You step through open doors into the building.
You are in a large hall. The sprawling Palace
corridors stretch off into the distance to either side.
Will you turn right, and make your way towards
the west tower (turn to 168), or left, and make your
way towards the south tower (turn to 101)?

We should all pretty much know where we go from here, but I have to step away. Let me know if you'd like to reset back to a different point or see the inevitable end if we continue forward.

[deaddmwalking]

Back.

Might as well see move this along.

168

Your fruitless search takes you through scores of forlorn empty rooms and twisting corridors. Finding a grand staircase, you ascend to the upper apartments of the west tower. A startling sight awaits you — a disembodied yellow hand which is floating towards you through the air! When it sees (?) you, it splays its fingers in mimed surprise and then begins to drift away along the passage, beckoning you to follow. It leads you through a series of echoing corridors and hallways and up several flights of stairs before finally coming to a halt in front of a sturdy bronze door. An impatient jerk of its thumb indicates that it wants you to go through. If you wish to open the door, turn to 228. If you would rather use an ESP spell first to find out what is on the other side, turn to 194.

228

The door opens and, with an elegant gesture, the hand motions you to step inside. You enter a room lit by a single lantern. Two guards wearing the livery of the Academy flank the door. They turn to face you, hands flying to their swords, but the third man in the room waves them away. He is in his sixties and wears the austere robes of the Academy. He has a heavy build that suggests he may have been a fighter in his youth, but he has the kindly eyes of a scholar. It can be none other than Master Giru.

The hand smugly points you out to Giru, then flits over to him and shrinks until it is small enough to enter a ring on his finger. He snaps the clasp of the ring shut to seal it in. ‘Welcome!’ says Giru, taking you by the hand. ‘We feared the Kappa had got you.” He sees you staring at his ring. ‘Ah, you are bewildered by the scout I sent looking for you. That was Sinistrum. He’s a genie — or rather, the last bit of one. The rest of him was destroyed in a magical duel six centuries ago, but I found the hand in a jar I dug up on one of my archaeological expeditions. He is a good servant for simple tasks, though he will spitefully misinterpret any complex or important command. Still, come and sit down. You look as though you've been through hell to get here!’


Master Giru, I presume.

You gratefully take a swig from the brandy flask he pushes into your hand. ‘Did you meet up with the four men I sent to bring you here?’ he continues. The look in your eyes gives him his answer, and he hangs his head sadly. The guards’ faces are dark and grim.

‘Tomorrow there will be time for mourning,’ you tell them. ‘Our immediate priority is to escape from the ruins with the Eye.’

Giru surprises you by telling you that he does not have the Eye here. ‘It is still in its casket atop the Vault of Heroes, on a promontory to the west. I considered it dangerous to move even the unopened casket before you got here.’

You jump to your feet. ‘What are we sitting around here for, then?’ you cry. ‘We must get to the Eye quickly, before the Kappa find it.’

Giru shakes his head and waves you back to your chair. ‘Too late for that, I’m afraid. They found it hours ago, when they first came out of the ocean and surprised us. Still, that isn’t as bad as it sounds. The last thing I did was to activate a force field device that I'd already set up around the Eye as a safety measure. That force field will prevent the Kappa from reaching the Eye, and the device is not set to turn itself off until several hours after sunrise. We may as well get some sleep now. The Kappa are accustomed to a dim, watery light, so dawn will give us at least one advantage over them.’

You are forced to admit that Giru’s suggestions make sense. The four of you settle down as comfortably as you can in the spartan room. You find, however, that sleep does not come easily. Your mind is awhirl with thoughts of the coming day.
You may be facing the greatest battle of your life — and, as yet, you have no inkling of how you are going to win it. You yawn, feeling all the fatigue of the last few hours. Turn to 277.



277

‘It is time to leave,’ says Master Giru, waking you. You have been asleep for several hours and a wan, grey predawn light now filters into the room. “We have a problem,’ he continues. ‘The promontory on which the Vault of Heroes stands is completely . cordoned off by a force of at least fifty Kappa. I have just been up to the roof of the tower and seen them for myself. The only way we could reach the Eye would be to fly across.’

You explain that none of your spells gives the power of flight, but you may have an item that will help. You lay out all the items you have collected in the course of your adventure and go over them one by one with the knowledgeable old scholar. Do you have a ship in a bottle and a sheet of strange fabric? If so turn to 198. If you do not have both of these items, turn to 35.

This time Alcina has neither item.

35

Do you, in that case, have a golden apple? If so, turn to 68. If not, turn to 55.

Alcina does not have a golden apple, either.

55

Giru places his hands on the table in a gesture of resignation. ‘There is nothing here that we can use to reach the Eye,’ he says sadly. ‘The Kappa will soon claim it and take it back to their undersea kingdom. We have failed.’

The four of you sit in silence, heads bowed dejectedly. In a few hours the Kappa will have left Thalios and you can return home safely. But that is small compensation for the fact that, despite the many dangers you have faced and overcome, you have not been able to prevent the evil Kappa from getting the Eye of the Dragon. Your mission ends in bitter failure.