Coils of Hate [CYOAntisemitism]

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Veyrall: Apr 23, 2010; The greatest poet this
side of the cyberpocalypse

Hesitation is sure to lead to good things!!!!!!!!!!! :downs:

# ? Oct 2, 2015 02:27

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# ? May 3, 2024 12:05

CzarChasm: Mar 14, 2009; I don't like it when you're watching me eat.

Smashy-Smashy

# ? Oct 2, 2015 04:12

That Italian Guy: Jul 25, 2012; We need the equivalent of the shrimp = small pastry avatar, but for ambulances and their mysteries now.

Are you sure? Y/N

# ? Oct 2, 2015 09:35

Lacedaemonius: Jan 18, 2015; Rub a dub dub

That Italian Guy posted:

Are you sure? Y/N

Y

Also, I think our author is a weeaboo. On a whim I tried the phonetic of the thief guy Skakshi　巣隠し　(Sukakushi) and it translates more or less as "hiding den". I wonder if there's any other foreshadowing by way of google translate.

# ? Oct 2, 2015 12:34

That Italian Guy: Jul 25, 2012; We need the equivalent of the shrimp = small pastry avatar, but for ambulances and their mysteries now.

In my native language, the phonetic alliteration in Mameluke spells "Lizard Jewlluminati".

I also think that the main antagonist being a giant tentacle-~~rape~~hate monster could be considered another sign of weeaboo-ness :can:

# ? Oct 2, 2015 16:16

Thuryl: Mar 14, 2007; My postillion has been struck by lightning.

Mameluke's name literally means "slave", which is maybe a little unfortunate for what appears to be the only black guy in the book.

# ? Oct 3, 2015 01:20

Ratatozsk: Mar 6, 2007; Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...

Page 147 posted:

You cleave the great tentacle in two, missing Lucie as though by a miracle. You have done it. Leaping to the top of the parapet of the , Bargello, you grab the Jewel of Sunset Fire from inside your jerkin and climb up into the last rays of daylight. As you do so you see the world's most terrifying sight. Rising slowly out of the hole that was once the old quarter of the city is the head of Hate itself. Two baleful green eyes twice the height of a man glare at you as the slow bulk of Hate starts to ooze towards the parapet. The eyes are ringed by faces of the most depraved lost souls, all beckoning you to join them. They still love on, crushed side by side and looking out to see what Hate sees. They have quite lost their minds.

~~If you have the codeword Gordian, turn to 107.~~
If not, turn to 375.

Page 375 posted:

You have the Jewel of Sunset Fire with which to focus the rays of the setting sun on the monster but you have no way of tethering Hate so that it must suffer the searing agony of the jewel until death wracks it. You stand alone upon the parapet of the Bargello, focusing the jewel, and Hate writhes in anguish. But the monster raises itself up, towering above you into the midst of a mound of rubble that was once the strongest building in the city. The monster carries all before it. You lose the sword inside its flesh and soon you are all partners in the eternal orgy of despair. The city crumbles and is lost for ever beneath the waves. Hate has completed its work.

Death: Eternal orgy of despair, etc

Not quite sure what's up with the sword in that description, but whateva. We were pretty close to the right idea in votes, so let's see what happens if we lead with the chains:

Page 392 posted:

You must try to bind the monster long enough to find a way to destroy it.

If you have ~~ROGUERY or~~ CUNNING, turn to 89.
~~Otherwise, turn to 224.~~

Page 89 posted:

You draw Hate's attention by waving your arms as you retreat to the back of the plaza. Two tentacles sweep towards you, but you evade them by ducking into the pillared portico of a church. As the tentacles snake around on either side of the pillar, feeling for you, you slip the chains around the slimy purple flesh and lock them into place.

Hate gives a roar of rage as you stand safely back to survey your handiwork. You have tethered Hate to the portico of the church. If only the chains hold, you may be able to destroy your enemy once and for all. Note the codeword Gordian.

If you wish to use the Jade Warrior's sword, turn to 230.
If you wish to use the Jewel of Sunset Fire, turn to 349.
~~If you have neither of these items, turn to 187.~~

The Jewel link is the same we've already visited, and since we've just encountered the triggerpoint for Gordian, let's just jump back to earlier in this same update to see what happens when we actually have it.

Page 107 posted:

The jewel sparkles in the rays of the setting sun and then kindles into a blinding aura. There is a flaring sound and a beam of ruby light strikes Hate between the eyes like a mace blow. The monster squirms and writhes, desperate to free itself from the chains that have bitten deep and scored its soft purple flesh, but it cannot break free. With a last great spasm it starts to rip the chains away from their anchorage in the plaza and prepares to fall upon the parapet and smash you and the Bargello into the water.

The chains are pulling apart. A link snaps with a sound like a pot of Greek fire exploding and plumes of water turn to steam in the ruby beam. The sun is about to slip from the heavens and dusk is upon you. If Hate is not destroyed before nightfall you have no hope.

If you have the codeword Satori, turn to 401.
If not but you have the codeword Hecatomb, turn to 77.
~~If you have neither codeword, turn to 364.~~

The text is nearly identical between these two options, so I'll go with the slightly more verbose #2.

Page 77 posted:

Hate has been grievously wounded fighting the Jade Warrior tomb guards of the Megiddo dynasty burial vaults. It cannot tear itself free from the chains and caltrops which bind and gall it.

Hate thrashes wildly and a tidal wave erupts from the canal, smashing against the Bargello keep, but it is the monster's death throes. Just as the sun sinks beneath the horizon the jewel glows white hot and the ruby light becomes a coruscating fan of many colored motes that disintegrate the soft purple flesh. The monster falls and makes its own grave as the catacombs open up beneath its bulk to welcome it to its final rest. The sun sets and the city is quiet.

Turn to 416.

Page 416 posted:

Then there is a murmuring from the catacombs: a sound that grows and swells from a hum to a roar. The lost souls are free once more and they climb into the street to hail you as their savior. You are a hero and you will be feted for a hundred days. Now is the time for the banquet at the Overlord's palace that you have promised your people. Together you will rebuild Godorno and make it once more the jewel of the east. You are carried aloft to the palace and set on the throne despite all your protestations. The city is yours. At last the Judain need have no fear.

It's over! At least, almost over! We still have a few gems of side bits to cover as well as the best ending, plus hitting whatever questions or curiosities may remain. Let me know what else to cover!

Character Sheet posted:

Jay 'The Hammer' Sherman the Nazirite

Skills: CHARMS, CUNNING, SWORDPLAY and WILDERNESS LORE

Life Points: 2/12

Gleenars: a large, meaningless number

Possessions: Amulet, sword x2, wand, elfin boots (x1 use of AGILITY), incense censer, throwing daggers, healing salve (restore all Life Points), evidently a dagger (?), one slightly used crossbow bolt, sack full of slime and vomit-soaked sawdust, sucking chest wound, a broken-off spear shaft, a severe case of time-sickness, a gargoyle-shriek migraine, The Jewel of Sunset Fire, Jade Warrior's Sword, plumed helm, some chains that are ensorceled or something

Codewords: Satori, Codex, Hecatomb, Gordian

Kills: Embracer, a guard, an Infernal Machine and the tiny man inside it, a pointy-toothed native, Ejada, the Moon Dog, Skarvench, our credibility as a tactician, any chance of furthering whatever the gently caress kind of relationship we had with Lucie, some unlucky guard, an enormous ceiling spider, a particularly punitive yet otherwise non-descript Judain, the physical manifestation of Hate

Failures: Root'd to death, despair!'d, swallowed and digested by a Colossus beetle, ate a pig and failed to avert an ecological cataclysm, slave'd and toil'd to death, pulmonary arrownation, stabbed in the eyes and left to "live" off the land, lightly dragon'd, tree'd from a great height x2, Countless Swords of the Westermen'd, gale'd, yardam'd, rack'd, pulp'd, flatten'd, eat'd (nobley), rubble'd, cul-de-sac'd, what-once-used-to-be-the-harbor'd, three magical bodyguards'd, orgy'd

# ? Oct 3, 2015 03:57

I dont know: Aug 9, 2003; That Guy here...

Can you kill hate with the jade sword if you don't have the jewel? If so, is it a lesser ending?

# ? Oct 3, 2015 05:27

MysticalMachineGun: Apr 5, 2005

How is this most complicated, difficult route not the best ending? :psyduck:

# ? Oct 5, 2015 01:04

Ratatozsk: Mar 6, 2007; Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...

I dont know posted:

Can you kill hate with the jade sword if you don't have the jewel? If so, is it a lesser ending?

Yes, no. You need SWORDPLAY and Satori to survive, and you also need to lead with the chains. However, chains->sword->swordplay+Satori(+ a healing potion because you take 11-17 damage spaced over two pages depending on your skillset) does lead to victory. If you're loaded up with Life, you jump straight to 416. I'm actually very glad you brought this up, because it reminded me to show that if you die on the second hit, you get this:

Page 17 posted:

At the last, you seem to hear a high-pitched uncanny whispering coming from Hate�s black maw. As it shudders in its death throes and you sink into the oblivion of death, you imagine that you hear its word: �To the last I grapple with thee, Judain. From hell�s heart I stab at thee. For Hate�s sake I spit my last breath at thee!�

It pulls you close to its rancid maw as the two of you die. But you have died a true hero�s death, bringing salvation to the city of your birth. In days to come, when Godorno is rebuilt, a statue will be erected to honor your memory. You have triumphed.

Make of that what you will. Let's hit a few spots we missed. Choosing to be a jerk here is particularly colorful:

Page 240 posted:

You grab Ruth and shove her roughly out into the street. The guards laugh as they take her in. 'Tryin' to make a run for it, were you darlin'?' sneers one as he manhandles her.

She screams out that she is pregnant, but they only sneer, 'Two for the price of one.' They drag her away and her distraught screaming is a torment you will never forget. It will trouble your conscience and wake you from your dreams till the day you die.

If you have the codeword Satori, delete it. You return to your cellar hideout.

Turn to 414.

# ? Oct 5, 2015 01:20

Lacedaemonius: Jan 18, 2015; Rub a dub dub

What happens if you kill the overlord when you infiltrate his castle?

# ? Oct 5, 2015 04:54

That Italian Guy: Jul 25, 2012; We need the equivalent of the shrimp = small pastry avatar, but for ambulances and their mysteries now.

Lacedaemonius posted:

What happens if you kill the overlord when you infiltrate his castle?

I'd also like to know this.

Also, why the hell is a giant monster in its death throes going all Achab on us and not the other way around? :confused:

# ? Oct 5, 2015 09:36

Ratatozsk: Mar 6, 2007; Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...

That Italian Guy posted:

I'd also like to know this.

Also, why the hell is a giant monster in its death throes going all Achab on us and not the other way around?

I think it's more that Ahab's a character largely built around his hate for the White Whale than that it's a particularly cool waste-'em line. At least that'd be my take on things. Anyhow, regarding the Overlord...there's really nothing to be gained from that little side-jaunt. If you attempt to go further and have CHARMS, your amulet overloads on the danger in the area and melts, losing the player 1 Life Point in the process. Otherwise, you can die by guards, wire trap on the carpet, poison from a magic manta ray thing that hangs out on the ceiling, or lose Satori if you throw the Overlord's lady to the ray thing. We picked the least bad path by avoiding any further exploration of that little bit.

Let's explore the Silver Eel a bit more.

Page 113 posted:

The landlord is ignoring you, cleaning glasses that already sparkle in the somber red light. The pipesmoker gives you a glance, then turns away. You can hear two women gossiping about the fate of some of their Judain acquaintances. 'It wouldn't do to call them friends in these times - well, would it, darling?'

At the far end of the tavern the tall stranger is staring morosely at his drink, while Lucie watches him fondly.

Will you tolerate the landlord's rudeness (turn to 158) or force him to serve you (turn to 169)?

We will, because it leads to this:

Page 158 posted:

As a Judain in Godorno you have become used to being treated with disdain. You didn't want to drink anyway. The two women favor you with glances dripping with disdain, as if you were something someone had scraped off the heels of their boots. Try as you can to keep calm, this kind of prejudice is really upsetting. They are street sluts, no better, perhaps worse than slaves, yet here they are treating you like a worm. Still if you are to be tolerant then you must apply that understanding to members of their ancient profession just as you would with them to extend it to all Judain.

Determined to find out what Lucie is up to you walk over to the couple, who are watching you intently. Lucie smiles as she did when you met her in the Garden of Statues.

Turn to 227.

I can't tell whether this paragraph reflects well or poorly on us. Suffice it to say, it probably doesn't reflect very well on the book. So there's that.

# ? Oct 6, 2015 01:31

Elric: Mar 31, 2011

So. What is the best ending?

# ? Oct 6, 2015 01:49

Tuxedo Ted: Apr 24, 2007

Is wilderness lore ever used outside that spot at the beginning where we briefly flee the city?

# ? Oct 6, 2015 01:59

Ratatozsk: Mar 6, 2007; Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...

Tuxedo Ted posted:

Is wilderness lore ever used outside that spot at the beginning where we briefly flee the city?

It's present a second time when wandering around outside the city. Bad choices end up with us lying in a cabin in a fever long enough to lose the AGILITY skill and 2 Life Points. Upon leaving there, we see a cloud of dust. WILDERNESS LORE (also known as common sense) informs us that the dust comes from horses and we hide in the brush as some brigands ride past. This takes it at least one step above SEAFARING which gets a single, stupid use when trying to flee the city via a boat.

HOWEVER, that second use of WILDERNESS LORE removes from the player the chance to join the brigands. This leads to what is quite clearly the best ending in the book:

Page 64 posted:

The brigands accept you into their band and through the life is hard you flourish. Within the year you lead your own band, preying on the rich and overlooking the psychopathic excesses of your men. You are a successful brigand leader, but the Judain perish in Godorno.

The next time you see the city it has sunk into the sea leaving only the tops of the fortresses and towers piercing the waves to show where the city that once was the jewel of the east now lies.

: And good riddance, jerk-town!

Thanks for accompanying me on this bewildering journey. It is completely unlike any other CYOA I have ever encountered and was a very interesting thing to explore over the last few months. Pod Your Own Adventure covered this book a few months back, and it may amuse you to listen to the slow dawning of the book's true nature upon the players.

The series will continue with Necklace of Skulls:

Back of the book posted:

Learning of the disappearance of your twin brother in the trackless desert, you resolve to set out and discover his fate. Leaving the hub of your elaborate Mayan civilization behind, your quest takes you to lost jungle cities, across mountains and seas, and even to the baleful depths of the underworld. If you are lucky enough to survive the treacherous desert journey, you must still confront the wizard called Necklace of Skulls in a deadly contest whose stakes are nothing less than your own soul.

We're back with David Morris as author for the next installment. If this thread was your first foray into the series, Morris authored book #2, Down Among the Dead Men also. His writing style is quite distinct from Mark Smith's, and if past reads are any indicator, we're in for another excellent CYOA. I'll throw a link in here once that thread is underway. Thanks again for reading!

# ? Oct 7, 2015 01:42

That Italian Guy: Jul 25, 2012; We need the equivalent of the shrimp = small pastry avatar, but for ambulances and their mysteries now.

Thanks for all the good work, Ratatozsk!

Let's hope the next book will be as crazy as this one :allears:

# ? Oct 7, 2015 10:24

Tuxedo Ted: Apr 24, 2007

Just a heads-up to fans of the thread, Ratatozsk started the fourth Virtual Reality Adventure book, Necklace of Skulls. It's by the same guy as the second book, so hopefully it should prove more coherent. Come and give your input!

# ? Oct 16, 2015 02:44

Ratatozsk: Mar 6, 2007; Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...

Tuxedo Ted posted:

Just a heads-up to fans of the thread, Ratatozsk started the fourth Virtual Reality Adventure book, Necklace of Skulls. It's by the same guy as the second book, so hopefully it should prove more coherent. Come and give your input!

Oh, yeah, forgot to drop the plug in here. Thanks!

# ? Oct 16, 2015 02:46

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# ? May 3, 2024 12:05

Ratatozsk: Mar 6, 2007; Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...

Not to dabble overly in thread necromancy, but it seems this (from the next thread) belongs here for the sake of completion:

CzarChasm posted:

Agree with rope, pick a pack of peppers while you are at it. That way we have at least one bean to last us.

Also, the market description reminded me, in the last story did you explain how we were supposed to know which Jade Warrior we were supposed to go after?

FOLKLORE lets you know that one of the warriors controls the others. If you take a moment to look at them first (and not just jump the nearest one), you can see one sword has a brighter halo than the others->correct dude to grab. Jump the nearest one, lose 4 Life Points.

# ? Oct 19, 2015 02:31

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