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Let's get a nice soothing bath. I've got a good spring clean feeling about this one, my skeleton said so too!
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May 3, 2021 01:06
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Stabbey_the_Clown posted:Drink the water, which I imagine will be just as lethal as bathing in it. Reference 391 posted:The water is cool and refreshing. However, its silver sheen comes from mineral deposits which make it unsuitable for drinking. Lose 2 STAMINA points for the strange 'heady' feeling which comes over you. When you are ready, turn to 52 to continue. Reference 52 posted:You leave the glistening pond and continue along the path. It winds through the trees until you eventually reach a fork, where you may continue either to the left or to the right. In the centre of the fork a pole has been fixed to the ground and, hanging from the pole by his wrists, is a sight which widens your eyes. Half-dead from exposure, but looking plump and tasty, is a Hobbit! Mouth watering, you rush up to the little creature. As he hears your footsteps, his eyes open slowly. "No..." he moans, guessing that your intentions do not involve greeting him warmly. "Please let me down and leave me be. I can tell you where both of these paths lead, and how to avoid the dangers along them..." You are hungry and the sight of this tasty morsel is an unexpected treat. Will you cut him down and make a meal of him (turn to 206), or will you cut him down, listen to what he says about the paths ahead, and release him (turn to 70)? 1.28 million states now.
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May 3, 2021 01:49
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Food can't give helpful directions. Eat hobbit.
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May 3, 2021 01:55
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Let's take advantage of this offer. We can always eat him afterwards.
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May 3, 2021 02:35
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As much as we need the meal after drinking those minerals instead of bathing in them, let's let the hobbit free. We can definitely catch him after if his directions suck or he tries to run.
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May 3, 2021 02:43
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Ignatius M. Meen posted:As much as we need the meal after drinking those minerals instead of bathing in them, let's let the hobbit free. We can definitely catch him after if his directions suck or he tries to run. Reference 70 posted:A wave of relief passes through the Hobbit's face as you reach up to bite through his ties. "Oh thank you, thank you," he sobs. "I will keep my side of the bargain and tell you what lies down both of these paths. The path to the left will lead you to a dead... Wait! What are you doing? No!" The little creature has noticed the mounting frenzy in your eyes as you try to subdue your natural instinct. You have been battling valiantly against an impulse to silence the little creature for good and devour him. But it is hopeless; you cannot fight your natural passion. A single blow sends the Hobbit crashing senselessly to the ground, and soon you have picked his carcass clean. Restore your STAMINA to its Initial level and choose whether to take the fork to the right (turn to 183) or the path to the left (turn to 351). Reference 206 has the same results, minus the futile ethical struggling. 1.35 million states now. I should find some way to improve the way combat is calculated.
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May 3, 2021 03:00
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Good thing we got to eat it anyway. Take right fork.
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May 3, 2021 03:24
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Did someone say  ? the path to the left (turn to 351)
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May 3, 2021 03:52
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BraveLittleToaster posted:Good thing we got to eat it anyway. Reference 183 posted:The path winds tortuously through the forest and you follow it up hill and down dale. Although you pass many types of birds and other small animals, there seems to be nothing menacing about the wood and you are soon feeling quite carefree - until you notice that the wood has been changing very subtly. The general colour of the forest is imperceptibly changing from rich browns and greens to duller shades of the same colours. You are entering the Forest of Spiders. Reference 76 posted:You arrive back at the tree and study it incredulously. There it is standing right in the middle of a path which you walked along only moments ago. Yet it seems to be as lifeless as a gallows' pole, and its roots are well buried in the ground. Are you imagining things? Unfortunately for you, you are not, as you realize the next instant when a branch catches you on the shoulder. You recoil in fright and look up to see the branches of the tree slowly shifting round, as if blowing in the wind, and bending towards you. The tree is alive! One of the branches catches your arm and wraps its tip round like a bullwhip! You flinch and snatch your arm away... and at that very moment, the creature's eyes flick open! Reference 434 posted:The Tree Spirits are tightening the circle, moving in closer and closer. You are hopelessly trapped. They are not evil creatures, but they allow no one to pass through their forest without permission. The penalty is death! Death #25: Don't mess with the ents. Reference 102 is similar, except you run into a Tree Spirit blocking your way, it tries to compel you to walk into its grasp, and you break out of the mind control only to realize you're screwed. It feeds into 434 as well, so it doesn't count as a separate death. MaskedHuzzah posted:Did someone say Reference 351 posted:The path continues through the undergrowth, but the going becomes more difficult. You soon find it difficult to tell which way the path leads, as the whole area is so overgrown. You peer through the woods ahead and there seems to be little of interest, although an area to your left seems to be unnaturally dark. This could just be a cluster of broad-leaved trees blocking out the light, or it could be something else. Do you want to try beating your way through the vegetation towards it (turn to 381), or will you turn round, follow the path back to the fork and take the other direction Reference 381 posted:You pick your way through the woods towards the shaded area. The thick vegetation makes it impossible for you to travel in a straight line and you find yourself turning this way and that to pick out the easiest route. Eventually you reach the shadowy path and discover to your disappointment that it is a tight thicket of tall Heavenstip trees, their leaves desperately thirsting for the sunlight from above. You turn back towards the path. But where is it? You have no way of knowing which way you have come from and your eyes scan the wood for familiar signs. There are none. Acting on a hunch, you finally set off towards the spot where - you hope - you left the path. Reference 57 is where we get caught in the snare trap and wind up eaten by the crew of the Gulleykeep. We can rewind to 176, where we decided to do something by the pond, and choose to rest by it... Reference 453 posted:You spend some time watching insects scuttling about on the surface of the pond and enjoy the twittering of the birds in the branches high above. Eventually you decide to press on. Add 2 STAMINA points for the rest and ...or swim in it... Reference 26 posted:You wade slowly into the pond and relax in its cool, refreshing water. When you emerge from the water, you feel much better and may add 2 STAMINA points. But when you look down at yourself, you are astonished to see that your scales are no longer their usual dark browny-green colour, but are covered in a glistening layer of milky liquid which is drying to leave a silvery sheen. Although you try to brush it off, it will not smear - much to your annoyance! But in fact this silvery layer is a coating of a magical material that will act as thin armour. While you are covered in the silvery layer, you may add 1 to your SKILL score. But it will be washed off if you bathe in clear water. Now ..but neither helps. (And can I just say, 26, that it's a delightful gently caress-you to introduce a new mechanic for the player to track, then inevitably kill them without them having either the opportunity for a single SKILL check or the opportunity to bathe?) We rewind all the way back to 414 now, the blind fork after we left Whiteleaf, and go west instead of east. Reference 139 posted:You follow the path carefully, watching the way ahead. It seems to lead straight into the heart of the forest and the foliage gets denser as you continue. You come across a building in ruins, apparently a house in days long gone. The doorway remains, however, and a coat of arms decorates its rotting timbers. The coat of arms depicts two symbols: a mailed fist and a morning star. Do you want to search through the ruins (turn to 400), or will you ignore them and continue along the path (turn to 126)? 1.55 million states scored.
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May 3, 2021 04:45
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Loot the ruins.
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May 3, 2021 04:53
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BraveLittleToaster posted:Loot the ruins. Reference 400 posted:You step into what is left of the building. Among the debris you find a skeletal hand reaching into the air, the rest of its body buried beneath the ruined walls. In this hand is a stoppered bottle, and within the bottle is a small amount of green liquid. Around the rest of the building there are the remains of various items of furniture: a smashed table. a splintered chair and a wrecked bed, its straw mattress ripped to shreds. But your attention returns to the hand clutching the bottle of liquid. If you wish to leave and take this bottle with you,  Apropos of nothing, you remember the sack we could have gotten by killing the Rhino-Man? The one that said it'd let us carry more stuff? On the reference we could only reach if we didn't have the gift of language at that point, and therefore wouldn't be able to defeat Darramouss and escape the mines? It turns out that, even if we'd been able to take it with us, there is nowhere in the book that checks for its existence. So yeah, we can take the potion. But 126 is where we go if we ignore the ruins, so let's check for more loot. Reference 328 posted:The rest of the body is not deeply buried, but when you have finally uncovered the whole skeleton you can tell that whoever lived here certainly died a painful death: the skeleton's rib-cage has disintegrated! You look again at its outstretched hand. The liquid! Is this a warning? Or could the liquid have prevented the disaster? You puzzle over these questions, then leave the ruins. You may, if you wish, take the bottle of green liquid with you. Turn to 126. Reference 126 posted:You leave the ruins and continue along the path, heading further into the wood. The path becomes quite overgrown and it is evidently not used much. You reach a point where the overgrowth is so thick that the path continues through a sort of tunnel. Vines and creepers droop from the overhanging bush. If you were half your size, you would be able to nip through it quite easily. But you will have to crawl along it. Do you wish to get down on your knees and follow the path (turn to 343), or will you leave the path and make your way through the wood 57 is that darn lasso trap reference. Reference 343 posted:You bend down and make your way along the tunnel through the overhanging foliage. You cannot help but wonder about how such a tunnel ever came into existence. It is unlikely that it would occur naturally. But then that only leaves... Relaxing seems like a dumb idea, but how dumb is it? Reference 278 posted:You try your best to pick the sticky Gluevines from you and back out of the tangled mass of vegetation. But it is hopeless. Eventually you give up, exhausted, to recover some strength before trying again. It is then that you hear the high-pitched chattering of the Forest Imps who have come to check their traps. Death #26: Stuck like a pig. So let's not do that. Reference 4 posted:You summon up your strength and launch into battle, frantically trying to slash at the vines with your claws. But the tunnel is thick and the vines are difficult to cut (this is reflected in their high skill score). Resolve your battle with the tunnel of Gluevines: And our reward for beating this extremely difficult fight? Reference 36 posted:The struggle has been monumental and you lie down on the ground exhausted. The wrecked tunnel has collapsed and you stare at it, gasping to regain your breath. The sound of your own breathing drowns out the sound of the small creatures approaching... Death #27: You can fight, but you'll only die tired. But wait! We have a potion that might save us! Reference 214 posted:Your struggles against the sticky Gluevines are hopeless. The more you try to free yourself, the more entangled you become. But in your hand you carry the bottle of green liquid taken from the skeletal hand. The glass stopper has popped out in your struggles with the vine and you decide to take a sip. The liquid tastes sweet and you pour the remaining drops into your mouth. Miraculously, this seems to have the desired effect! One by one the vines release you! Death #28: This'll dissolve the problem! In order to get anywhere new, we have to go all the way back to when we were questioning Whiteleaf. Last time, we asked him about himself. Let's see if he has anything more pertinent to say. Reference 58 posted:"Stittle Woad is not far from here," he starts. "It is near the Rainbow Ponds. I would say it is two days' journey from here. Travel in an easterly direction, keeping the setting sun behind you. If you manage to find the vicinity of the village, do not look for it on the surface. It has remained hidden for so long because it is under the ground. More than this I may not tell." He picks himself up and stretches painfully. After dusting off his robes, he bids you good day and sets off. You watch him disappear. That's no help. What about the Galleykeep? Reference 269 posted:Whiteleaf spits in contempt. "The ground is cursed where that Ogre-breathed spirit Zharradan Marr treads!" he snarls. "It is my wish that the wind drops suddenly and he drops with it - to his death! Marr has sailed the accursed Galleykeep all his life, with its foul crew of blood-lusting beast-men. Someone should sabotage the floating hellpit, by holing its hull. I know how to get aboard. The Galleykeep comes to ground not far from here - just off to the west - when the wind dies down. Nothing would please me more than to see the accursed vessel plummet from the sky and crash to the ground, killing all on board!" The Elf finally picks himself off the ground and dusts down his robes. He thanks you again and leaves. That's no help either. So we backtrack some more, to 366, where we had the option to save Whiteleaf. What if we ignore him? Refrerence 295 posted:Moments later, the fight has ended. The white-haired creature lies unconscious on the ground, while the Brigands rise and dust their hands. They grin contentedly at each other. One of them says, "There - that will teach that puny sewer-snake to send us in the wrong direction!" The other nods and they both leave the clearing along a path to the north. You wait for them to disappear from view. Then you step up to the white-haired figure, who is badly beaten. If you are hungry, he will provide a meagre, but tender meal for you, and you may add 3 STAMINA points. Then continue by All right, let's back up some more. Reference 423 is where we met the Ophidiotaur. We tried saddling it up and have seen both the success and failure routes in that regard. Deciding to eat it right away is the same reference as failing to saddle it. That leaves avoiding it. Reference 120 posted:You set off quietly through the undergrowth and give the creature a wide berth. It stops and cranes its scrawny neck around as you rustle through some bushes, but then resumes its drinking when it can see nothing. Further downstream you rejoin the river and follow it onwards. 388 leads inexorably to 57. Let's back up even more, to 244. There was a three-way junction there, which we approached from the west and which went north and east, and we found a sign pointing to Coven (north), Bilgewater (south), and Testing Grounds (east). I don't know if any of you noticed this discrepancy - I didn't until just now - but maybe you were clued in by south leading us off-road to a snare trap and east leading us to the Bilgewater. Which means if we rotate the sign 90 degrees, the path we came from leads to Coven (though we missed it), and going north takes us to... Reference 191 posted:You press on northwards, following the trail through the wood. If you are hungry, you may try to catch some food by turning to 368. If you are not hungry, turn to 229. Reference 368 posted:There are all kinds of birds and some rabbits to be found in the wood. To catch some food, you must Test your Luck successfully. If you are Lucky, you will catch a small animal for 2 STAMINA points of nourishment. If you are Unlucky, you will not. You may try as many times as you like, but you may not gain more than 4 STAMINA points in total. Turn to 229 when you want to continue. Reference 229 posted:The trail eventually takes you to a pair of large metal gates. Through the bars of the gates you can see a large fortified building, but there are no signs of life. You are looking for some sort of clue as to what this place is when... pop! Suddenly a creature has appeared out of thin air and is opening the gate for you! In size, he is taller than a Hobbit but smaller than a human. He is thin and dark, with a withered face. Although he does not glance up at you, he is talking away: "Come in. I hope you have not been kept waiting. Oh dear, I shall be in trouble if you have been waiting long. Let me take you to Thugruff. Fine day, isn't it? Follow me. Er, do you have any smoking-weed? No, of course not. Here we are..." You follow the twittering little creature round the back of the building into an open courtyard. No word on what happens if we use our Instant Death attack. Reference 352 posted:"Enough!" shouts Thugruff. "I have seen enough." If you reduced Eleven's STAMINA to 2, turn to 118. If he reduced your STAMINA to 2, turn to 431. Eleven isn't very skilled - at best he's our equal in SKILL - but he might get lucky, especially if we've been worn down on our way here. Reference 431 posted:"A poor show," Thugruff sneers, "for one seemingly with such power. Recover your breath." While you are picking yourself up, the Half-Troll whispers quietly to the Pixie you met on the gate: "You know what to do..." 175 is the page 57 takes us to and is technically a death we've already visited, but the circumstances are different enough that I'm going to call it Death #29: It's official. You suck. Reference 118 posted:"A fine display," says Thugruff, nodding. "You will be a valuable addition to the legions. Come with me and I'll see you get some food. If I remember right, Hobbits are a favourite of your kind, no? Or maybe you'd prefer to meet some of the other legionnaires. Make this place your home. But watch out for the Rhino-Men. Thick as Zombie blood, they are. And dangerous as Dragon breath!" What do you want to do? If you want to eat, turn to 216. If you would prefer to mingle with the others, turn to 157. The solver hasn't died yet! It got to 2.57 million states overnight. FredMSloniker fucked around with this message at 18:08 on May 3, 2021 |
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May 3, 2021 18:02
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Always be networkin'
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May 3, 2021 18:35
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157 Too soon for the message.
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May 3, 2021 18:41
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Always be feastin'.
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May 3, 2021 18:46
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We gotta pass on that message. Let's mingle.
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May 3, 2021 18:57
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Arzaac posted:We gotta pass on that message. Let's mingle. Reference 157 posted:You leave Thugruff and move around the courtyard, mixing with the others. They are an unruly lot, spoiling for a fight. Each wears the studded black leather tunic which is the Galleykeep uniform. Each also wears a medallion around his neck with his number on. You decide to mix with some of the groups to try to learn what you can about the place. Will you mix with a group of Orcs and Rhino-Men squabbling in the corner of the courtyard (turn to 377), or a group of Goblins and Elves in the centre of the courtyard (turn to 284)?
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May 3, 2021 19:14
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Hang with the big boys on 377.
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May 3, 2021 19:45
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BraveLittleToaster posted:Hang with the big boys on 377. Reference 377 posted:One of the Rhino-Men is boasting that he could easily defeat Thugruff in battle. The Orcs are taunting him and the tension is mounting as the other Rhino-Men defend him. A fight may break out at any moment. If you want to stay to see what happens, turn to 124. Otherwise turn to 348. Forgive the low quality of the image, but this is the illustration that accompanies this reference: 
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May 3, 2021 20:47
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Stay and see what happens.
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May 3, 2021 20:55
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That's legionnaire 29, right? Can we give him the message right now?
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May 3, 2021 21:31
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Arzaac posted:That's legionnaire 29, right? Can we give him the message right now? We certainly can! Add 29 to 377, and we get... Reference 406 posted:One of the Rhino-Men catches your attention and you remember the message. His back is a little stooped and he is obviously past his prime. He looks at you with tired eyes as you approach him; he has seen many young, strong and ambitious legionnaires in his time and he finds them quite tedious. You step up to him and pass him the message. He steps back and looks at you incredulously. "Is this true?" he stammers. "Is my sister safe at last? Then I have no need to stay at this godforsaken castle. Thank you for this news, strange creature. I must now make my plans to leave." Will you join in with his plans to leave the Testing Grounds (turn to 449), or will you continue wandering through the groups of legionnaires The message we were given was, as a reminder, "Gat H'Oulie has escaped with the ring to the Forest of Spiders." We'll have other opportunities to get to 348, but we only have this one to ditch this popsicle stand with a Rhino-Man. Reference 449 posted:Old Twenty-nine - the legionnaires proudly refer to themselves by their numbers - has been at the fort for some time. He knows everything that happens and all the ways to escape. The two of you spend the evening together and he is happy to talk about his own past, though his stories tend to ramble. He and his sister were recruited into the service of Zharradan Marr many years ago. Rhino-Men are particularly suitable as guards and Twenty-nine can remember being a member of Marr's personal guard during the sacking of Salamonis. But he disliked Zharradan Marr. Balthus Dire is mentioned in the lore as one of the three apprentices of Volgera Darkstorm, Marr being another; the three teamed up to kill Volgera once they'd learned all they could, then went their separate ways. Reference 449 posted:This incident marked the end of this progress in Marr's army. From then on he was watched, imprisoned and punished regularly by Thugruff. His sister was held prisoner in Marr's dungeons in case he should decide to try escaping. Now that his sister is safe, he can at last be free from the Half-Troll's tyranny. Like hell we're ditching our Rhino-Man buddy! Reference 10 posted:You leave the path and make your way through the undergrowth, following the sounds of his cries. But although you can hear him, you cannot see him anywhere! Your frustration builds up and you thrash about in the foliage. An unnatural click beneath your foot should have been a warning, but in your rage, it is a warning which you choose to ignore. An instant later, the trap has sprung and you are hoisted into the air by your ankle, and dangle helplessly from the tree-top! And there, hanging a short distance away, is the old Rhino-Man! Death #30: Part of a two-course meal. ...like hell we're sticking around! Reference 174 posted:You ignore the old Rhino-Man's cries and continue northwards, following the trail through the wood. After many hours you reach a clearing. 366 is where we ran into Whiteleaf; we can't get anywhere new from there. This particular section of the book is tangled, with many ways to get to several references, so I'm going to give you these options:
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May 3, 2021 23:48
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Watch that fight on 124.
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May 4, 2021 00:09
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I see the book's spite isn't restricted to the player, since Rhino 29 absolutely can't catch a break.
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May 4, 2021 01:02
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For some reason it is extremely funny to me that this powerful wizard's primary means of dealing with stray monsters is the rope trap. Powerful looney tunes energy.
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May 4, 2021 01:38
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Oh, wow. So delivering the message is...completely pointless. Unless there's another secret path we don't know about yet. Let's watch the fight on page 124.
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May 4, 2021 01:39
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Arzaac posted:Oh, wow. So delivering the message is...completely pointless. Unless there's another secret path we don't know about yet. If you visit the Testing Grounds at all, you're walking dead. Which is a shame, because there's some interesting stuff here. And it's not the only part of the book that's a deathtrap just to see - the Yellowstone Mines come to mind. BraveLittleToaster posted:Watch that fight on 124. Reference 124 posted:Rhino-Men are rather dull, bumbling creatures, not known for sharpness of wit. Orcs, on the other hand are more quick-thinking and cannot resist the opportunity to torment. Thus the argument turns into a brawl, as one of the Orcs pushes the Rhino-Man to the limits of his temper. But before any damage has been done, Thugruff appears with armed guards to break up the fight. The two groups are separated. Thugruff takes you aside and into the castle for some food. Turn to 216. Reference 216 posted:Thugruff takes you into a room where you both sit down at a table. A short while later someone arrives with a large bowl of meaty broth and places it before you on the table. You catch the smell from the broth. Hobbit! Ravenously you grab the bowl and pour its contents into your mouth. The broth is hot and burns your throat, but you may add 5 STAMINA points for the meal. Thugruff tells you about his legions. Half of his forces are now with Zharradan Marr in a great floating ship known as the Galleykeep. It is cruising over the Forest of Spiders searching for the Rainbow Ponds, for the village of Stittle Woad is near the Rainbow Ponds. If you are lucky, he promises, you may even get to join Marr on the Galleykeep. Meanwhile you are deciding what you will do next. Thugruff takes you outside and offers to give you some instruction in weapon technique. Do you want to take him up on his offer (turn to 271), or will you make plans to leave the Testing Grounds (turn to 455)? The solver is at over three million states now. If it chokes, I'm going to switch to Monte Carlo simulation, see how that goes.
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May 4, 2021 01:59
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Take the offer we can't refuse.
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May 4, 2021 02:05
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Might as well get some weapon training.
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May 4, 2021 02:43
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Jade Rider posted:Might as well get some weapon training. Reference 271 posted:Thugruff sizes you up and picks a broad-handled axe from his armoury. You take it and admire its sharp blade. Thugruff himself picks up a much smaller axe and begins your instruction. You watch his technique attentively. By the end of the lesson, you have improved your skill considerably. Add 1 SKILL point. What are you planning for your future at the Testing Grounds? If you wish to continue improving your skills until you are chosen for duties on the Galleykeep, turn to 43. If you are plotting the right moment to attack Thugruff, turn to 82.
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May 4, 2021 02:49
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Biding our time until we can cause havoc and kill him.
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May 4, 2021 02:51
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Attack Thugruff. This will go badly.
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May 4, 2021 02:52
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BraveLittleToaster posted:Biding our time until we can cause havoc and kill him. Reference 82 posted:You remain at the Testing Grounds, learning what you can about the ways of war. While you are being trained, you are well fed on Hobbit broth. Restore your STAMINA to its Initial level, increase your Initial SKILL by 2 points and increase your current SKILL to this level. But you you have taken a dislike to the foul-breathed Half-Troll and you are already scheming how to catch him unawares. Finally, your opportunity comes one night when you spy him walking in the courtyard. You leave the castle and creep up on him. When the opportunity presents itself, you attack! Resolve this combat: Unlike previous fights that haven't had an allowance for the Instant Kill rule, because we stop at 4 STAMINA instead of 2, we can't even take him out by Testing our Luck to get a 4 STAMINA hit. Like previous fights that haven't had an allowance for the Instant Kill rule, this is because killing him would break the plot... Reference 305 posted:Thugruff recovers from the blow and staggers to his feet. "So the truth is revealed," he pants. "Our quiet friend has ambitions to replace Thugruff. But this can never be. Zharradan Marr will never let a stranger run his Testing Grounds, of this you can be certain. And though you may defeat your ageing teacher, you cannot defeat Marr's legions!" With these words he reaches into his tunic, pulls out a small whistle and blows it. You stop your attack. Within moments, the legionnaires will be upon you! From the castle they come swarming to rescue their battlemaster in numbers that you may not even hope to fend off. Mercifully, your death is swift at the hands of the frenzied legionnaires. Death #31: Klingon Promotion denied! On second thought, how bad can working for Zharradan Marr be? Reference 43 posted:The idea of serving as a guard on the Galleykeep attracts you. Sailing through the air on missions of mayhem and destruction; helping your glorious leader defeat his enemies; a life of purpose and excitement instead of one of aimless wanderings. Your mind is made up. You will make a formidable guard for Zharradan Marr; your loyalty will be assured by the generous doses of Droneweed fed to you daily in your Hobbit broth... Bad End #3: Working as a guard for Zharradan Marr completely of our own free will. So let's rewind to 216 (the meal with Thugruff) and decide to bail right away. Reference 455 posted:You slip away from Thugruff and make your way round to the front of the building, where the gates are locked shut. Once more the little Pixie appears. "What is this?" he smiles. "Leaving us so soon?" You grunt and nod your head. "But you surely cannot wish to go already. You cannot refuse our hospitality." There is a hint of menace in the little creature's voice, although there is surely nothing any creature so puny can do to harm you. He is leading you back into the Testing Grounds. Will you pull away from him and assert your wish to leave (turn to 335), or let him persuade you to return (385)? If you choose to let him lead you back... Reference 385 posted:You consider the little creature's words. What you remember of your life has been somewhat aimless. You may just as well spend some time here. He leads you back to the courtyard and explains to Thugruff your reluctance to stay. You are not keen on the villianous Half-Troll. But you must now decide your future, since you are staying. Do you want to work hard and try to earn yourself a position on the Galleykeep ...it doesn't help. So let's go! Reference 335 posted:Youa re determined to leave. "If you must leave," squeaks the little Pixie, "then so be it. But you should be warned: you will not get far." He opens the gate and lets you out. Without even looking back, you set off down the trail the way you came. Long after the castle has disappeared from sight behind you, an eerie whistling catches your ears. It seems to be coming from all around you; it is like wind, yet all is still. The whistling turns to soft voices, and you stop to listen. Darkness is closing in, and moments later it is too dark to see far in front of you. When you do peer ahead, you are startled to see a group of figures silhouetted against the dark sky in front of you, as if they have been formed from the very darkness itself! Then the spell breaks! All is now back to normal: the darkness, sounds and figures have disappeared. Realizing that something mysterious is going on, you decide to try to make the job of following you more difficult. ...right into a snare trap, apparently. Which means we back up to the Rhino-Men/Orc argument and just leave... Reference 348 posted:As you wander through the multitude of creatures, you start to consider this place. So far your life has been aimless. You have been wandering alone through the land. Here is a place where you will be fed, where you will mix with others, and where you will never be short of a good fight. On the other hand, a voice in the back of your mind is still asking the same questions: Who are you? What are you doing here? Where have you come from? The answers to these questions will probably not be found here. Thugruff comes over to you and asks you whether you would like to stay to train as one of Marr's legionnaires and serve on his Galleykeep. What will you do? Do you want to leave So that's death or dishonor either way. Rewinding some more, we can check out what the Goblins and Elves are up to... Reference 284 posted:Two Goblins and two Elves are whispering secretively to one another. You approach them and find that they are passing something among themselves. You cannot make out exactly what it is, but it is metallic and shiny. You step up to the group, but the four creatures close in to exclude you from their conversation. Will you force your way into their group (turn to 103) or leave them alone Since leaving them alone doesn't help any, let's get aggressive. Reference 103 posted:The Elves become especially agitated and all four turn on you. One of them is more courageous than the rest and tells you to "Sniff for filth in an Orc's latrine!" (mind your own business). Love the parenthetical there. Reference 103 posted:This is fighting talk and to ignore this insult would be a sign of weakness. The Elf is ready to do battle: If we kill the elf... Reference 27 posted:The other three creatures back away from you as you turn from the dying Elf to face them. They scatter into the crowd. And if we don't... Reference 243 posted:The four creatures taunt you as you back away from the Elf. Though you feel anger building up inside, you manage to contain it and walk away. Your 'cowardice' is not without its consequences. Lose 1 SKILL point for as long as you remain within the fort. You may regain the lost SKILL point if and when you leave. Now Which means we've seen all there is to see in the Testing Grounds! To get anywhere new, we have to rewind all the way... Reference 442 posted:The guard draws a bunch of keys out of his pocket and opens the metal door to let you through. You grunt in thanks, and begin climbing the steps. At the top, you find yourself in a cold, stone-walled room with a large stone platform in its centre. Carvings and symbols decorate the platform, which is lit up by a beam of light from a crack in the ceiling. You edge around the room until you reach a door, which you shove open. The sight which greets you makes your eyes open wide... ...to here. As we're still avoiding the winning path, that means we need to go to... Reference 198 posted:Hoo-oo-oo. Insert that stock owl hoot here. Reference 198 posted:A bird's cry pierces the night air as you step through the mysterious stones, looking for anything unusual. You pause by a tall, smooth, black stone and study the writing on it. "Here lies Sogarth Foulblade, smitten in the Sculliweed plague, leaving good wife Millinia and sons Chard and Seth. May Chlorissian take his soul." Not far from this is an ornate stone covered in small carvings of winged creatures and fierce-looking gargoyles. Its inscription is in smaller print and you must step right up to read it: "The ground is cursed where I, Donag, Haddurag, lie. Let not man or beast dare set foot on my grave, lest he feel my wrath and the ground open up to disembowel his miserable body. Donag Haddurag, necromancer of Coven." It's official: necromancers are all assholes. Reference 198 posted:Will you wait to see whether or not the threat is an idle boast (turn to 411), or turn and find somewhere to hide (turn to 67)?
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May 4, 2021 03:28
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Dance a jig on this grave while we wait
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May 4, 2021 03:39
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Hide. It won't help.
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May 4, 2021 03:48
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This guy's all bark, wait.
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May 4, 2021 03:50
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FredMSloniker posted:Bad End #3: Working as a guard for Zharradan Marr completely of our own free will. I don't know, compared to every other ending and death in the book, this one's comparatively pretty comfy. What's a little thing like free will when you can eat all the Hobbit you want? But seriously, let's piss off this ghost.
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May 4, 2021 04:06
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The thing that gets me about the Rhino 29 thing is that they could’ve made it actually have a point. Like, he could give you the item that makes it so that this isn’t a dead man walking scenario for the entire freaking forest. Then there’s some actual payoff for talking to the previous Rhino.
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May 4, 2021 04:23
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Keldulas posted:The thing that gets me about the Rhino 29 thing is that they could’ve made it actually have a point. Like, he could give you the item that makes it so that this isn’t a dead man walking scenario for the entire freaking forest. Then there’s some actual payoff for talking to the previous Rhino. On the other hand, I feel like this would go against the whole design philosophy of the book so far.
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May 4, 2021 04:38
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Breadmaster posted:Dance a jig on this grave while we wait Reference 411 posted:You turn to another gravestone, keeping one eye on the grave of Donag Haddurag and listening for warning signs. The next grave is that of a woman, whose inscription reads: "Here lies Sophia Whiterose. Like a rosebud she blossomed with beauty, but alas she died entwined in her own thorns." You puzzle over the words - but then a scraping sound distracts you. You look back towards the previous gravestone and a shiver runs down your back! A withered hand is pushing the stone aside! Then you hear the same sound behind you, and again to your left, as scraggy limbs slowly push gravestones aside and long-dead bodies crawl out!  Reference 411 posted:You kick the nearest gravestone closed. It slides back into position, severing the protruding forearm, and a muffled expression of pain comes from the undead creature below. Four of the living corpses rise from their graves and surround you. You must fight them all together: That's an unpleasant-looking fight. And all it gets us... Reference 226 posted:Undead creatures do not die. After the battle, their battered remains slink back into the graves from which they came and the stones shift back into position. Perhaps you have won this battle, or perhaps they are simply regenerating within their graves. Either way you decide not to wait to find out. Will you take the path to the east into the wood? If so, ...is another chance to hide from the dead and another chance to be doomed in the forest. So let's be doomed in the graveyard instead. Reference 67 posted:There are a number of crypts around, but you choose to enter one which is larger than the others. You slowly push the door open and it creaks on rusty hinges. The room inside is dark and empty except for the great stone tomb standing in the centre of the room. Your claws clatter along its surface as you walk around, studying it. But suddenly another sound catches your attention, the sound of slow shuffling feet, coming from outside the crypt. You open the door and just as quickly slam it shut again. Advancing towards you from the gravestones, with staring, lifeless faces, are a dozen living corpses. No doubt they are intent on ridding themselves of this intruder! Your eyes dart round the crypt for a hiding-place, but there is none. In desperation you grasp the lid of the tomb and heave it aside. It is empty! But something is happening on the floor of the tomb. Your removing the lid seems to have triggered a secret catch, and the base of the tomb has begun to rumble. It slowly slides aside to reveal a narrow staircase leading downwards. Do you wish to see where the staircase leads? If so, turn to 454. If you would rather take your chance with the army of Zombies arriving at the door, turn to 321. How difficult can it be to kill a mere dozen zombies? Reference 321 posted:You stand your ground and wait for the undead creatures to arrive. Soon the shuffling stops and a fist thumps the door. Claws raised, you are poised to strike. The door swings inwards and a sea of dead faces search you out with lifeless eyes. You lunge forward to attack! Your first swipe decapitates two Zombies, but the creatures do not die! You lash out furiously, but the struggle is futile. Their numbers are overwhelming. Eventually they will wear you down and tear you apart. Your journey ends here... Death #32: We aren't Ash, and we can't fight the Army of Darkness. That difficult, apparently! Reference 454 posted:You follow the staircase downwards, your huge feet desperately trying to maintain their balance on the narrow stairs. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 37. If you are Unlucky, turn to 413. Bad result first... Reference 413 posted:The creatures are now at the door of the crypt and entering. You hurry off down the staircase. Pebbles, rocks and even parts of bodies rain down on you as you descend the stairs, thrown by the hideous creatures on the surface. You try a little too hard to get away from them quickly, your foot slips on a loose rock and you tumble over and over down the stairs. Unfortunately for you, this staircase has been designed for unwanted visitors. At the bottom of the stairs a dozen sharp iron spikes protrude from the ground! There is nothing you can do to prevent yourself landing squarely in the centre of the spikes. Your death is instantaneous. Death #33: This secret passage isn't OSHA-compliant! ...then good. Reference 37 posted:The descent is long and steep, but eventually you reach the foot of the staircase, where you find a deadly cluster of iron spikes wwaiting ot greet creatures less fortunate than you in maintaining their balance. However, beyond the spikes, there appears to be no way onwards. You have reached a dead end. You step up to examine it more closely. As you are doing so, a shiver passes over you and you feel an overwhelming desire to sneeze! No matter what you do, you cannot avoid the sneeze and it eventually erupts with force enough to shake the very walls around you! You open your eyes and rub your nose with a scaly hand. Your surroundings have changed! No longer are you at the foot of a staircase with a dead end before you, but instead you are standing at a spot where the dead end is to the west! Where are you? You wander eastwards along the passage until you arrive at a junction. If you wish to walk north, turn to 443. If you want to go east, turn to 50. Wait. FredMSloniker posted:
Wait just a minute. FredMSloniker posted:
Bad End #4: Just when we thought we were out... they pulled us back in! Without the pendant, we will never escape from the caves. So let's rewind again to 442 and, at last, take the winning path to... Reference 123 posted:You walk towards the old building, still in awe of your new surroundings. As you approach, you can hear voices inside. They are faint at first, but the closer you get, the clearer their words become. "Tonight is the night, sisters of Romeena!" cackles one of the voices. "When will it come?" shrieks another, gleefully. "Quiet!" snaps a third. "Its presence is close! I can feel it!" You step up to the door of the building and shove it aside. Screams come from the three women within. But not screams of terror; these are more like screams of excitement!  Reference 123 posted:The three old women are dressed in tattered rags. Each has long white hair and a stubbly chin, and rubs her wrinkled hands together in anticipation. They are human-like, but smaller. These three ugly witches are the Women of Dree. "Come in, come in, friend," beckons one, who is blind. "We have been waiting for you." "Yes!" says another, whose mouth is toothless and black. "We are the Women of Dree. We are here to help you fulfil your destiny!" The third one steps forward and speaks with a voice which hisses like a serpent: "Yesss, missserable creature - sss! We know what you are and who you are - sss - though you do not. The godsss have chosen usss to be instrumental - sss - in your dessstiny. We cannot control your action - sss - for you mussst make the final choice. But we can ssshape your dessstiny through our knowledge - sss - and we will watch your progresss!" "Yes!" adds the blind woman. "Have you not wondered why one such as you is able to take such steps of wisdom as would befit none less than a scholar?" Okay, first, having three different people talking in a single paragraph is annoying. Second, have you been watching us, gals? We're too dumb to door. Reference 123 posted:The three hags turn to one another and chuckle like naughty children. Finally they turn to you. 44 is, as you can see, a losing path, but we've seen most of it already: Reference 44 posted:You ignore the words of the foul witches and you may continue straight away. Will you return to the stones and investigate them Reference 253 posted:The building has been disused for some time. Long benches have been smashed to provide firewood and there is the remains of an old fire in the centre of the hall. High on the walls, windows made of coloured glass have been broken and there are many holes in the roof. But apart from this there is little of interest. You leave the building and may either return to the stones So we take another step on the path to victory: Reference 324 posted:As you settle down to sleep in the run-down old building, you reflect on the words of the witches. You must find for them Sculliweed roots, from a plant you have never seen before. However, this task does seem to arouse your interest and you are aware that something of yourself is developing. Your mind goes back to the blind wizard in the room and how you would never have been able to undertake a task such as this if you now felt as you did then. It is almost as if you are developing wisdom! This notion occupies your thoughts and you drop into a disturbed sleep. When you awake the next morning, light is streaming in through coloured glass in the windows and you heave yourself to your feet. A fresh meaty meal is lying next to you and you eat it. You may add 8 STAMINA points (if you are able) for the rest and the food and 2 LUCK points for the encounter. And we end this update on a blind choice! South is correct, but we have absolutely no information to base this on. One of the three other paths leaves us almost immediately dead or worse. One swiftly leans to territory we've seen before. And the last leads us where we need to go... without what we need before we go there.
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May 4, 2021 04:54
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| # ? Jun 9, 2024 17:53 |
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Once more, eastwards.
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May 4, 2021 04:57
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