Necklace of Skulls [CYOAztec]

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > Let's Play! > Necklace of Skulls [CYOAztec]

«‹›7 »

Kanthulhu: Apr 8, 2009; NO ONE SPOIL GAME OF THRONES FOR ME!

IF SOMEONE TELLS ME THAT OBERYN MARTELL AND THE MOUNTAIN DIE THIS SEASON, I'M GOING TO BE PISSED.

BUT NOT HALF AS PISSED AS I'D BE IF SOMEONE WERE TO SPOIL VARYS KILLING A LANISTER!!!

(Dany shits in a field)

Waterskin and Firebrand

and regarding your hand: Jerk Away!

# ? Oct 18, 2015 12:55

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? May 3, 2024 10:09

Dav: Nov 6, 2009

Maybe I'm missing something. Why do we think it's a good idea to grab a tarantula?

I vote to NOT grab a tarantula!

# ? Oct 18, 2015 13:16

Ramc: May 4, 2008; Bringing your thread to a screeching halt, guaranteed.

Thuryl posted:

Rope and waterskin seem like the most useful items.

In real life tarantulas are covered in irritating hairs that would make grabbing one a bad idea. Of course in real life tarantula venom isn't very dangerous, so all bets are kinda off here. Eh, might as well vote to pull away.

Same.

# ? Oct 18, 2015 17:45

Tuxedo Ted: Apr 24, 2007

Dav posted:

Maybe I'm missing something. Why do we think it's a good idea to grab a tarantula?

I vote to NOT grab a tarantula!

I think the idea is that if we grab it, it can't grab us. And tarantulas are totally a motion based hunter, so lets move slow and grab it, and buy dye and rope .

# ? Oct 18, 2015 18:37

Oblivion4568238: Oct 10, 2012; The Inquisition.
What a show.
The Inquisition.
Here. We. Go.; College Slice

Sudden movements are bad! Grab it!

# ? Oct 18, 2015 20:13

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

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.

Anyhoo, rope and waterskin it is, all our cacao spent. Onwards!

Page 94 posted:

The spider�s bristly limbs send a shiver through you as they slowly probe your outstretched hand. It takes every shred of nerve to remain motionless while you carefully reach around behind it with your other hand. Its multiple eyes gleam horribly, full of the ruthless intensity of the predator. It looks like a demon carved from polished mahogany, more nightmarish than any image on the walls of the Temple of Death.

As you take hold of it, it starts to twitch its legs furiously. With a sob of revulsion, you hurl it away. It falls with an audible thud somewhere off among the trees, but then a stab of pain convulses your hand. Did it bite you after all? You have to prise your fingers apart, but instead of a bite you find dozens of tiny pinpricks all over your palm. The tarantula�s bristles were razor-sharp, and seem to have injected a stinging chemical into your skin. Lose 1 Life Point.

�Hey, you there! What are you doing?�

You look up to see an old peasant hurrying through the dusty orchard towards the causeway.

If you want to talk to him, turn to 139 if you have the ETIQUETTE skill ~~or to 117 if you do not~~.
If you decide to leave before he gets here, turn to 163.

: Spider fuzz takes me down 10% of my max? How in the hell am I going to face sorcerer?

: Well, most sorcerers don't have bristles. So there's that.

: Odds on me having the choice of pulling away from a sorcerer's bite vs slowly reaching around and grabbing him?

: Admittedly low.

Character Sheet posted:

Evening Star 'Nesquik' Sherman the Acolyte

Skills: ETIQUETTE, FOLKLORE, SPELLS, and SWORDPLAY

Life Points: 9/10

Cacao: 0

Possessions: magic wand, sword, jade bead, waterskin, rope, maize cake

Codewords: Cenote

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

Ratatozsk fucked around with this message at 04:24 on Oct 19, 2015

# ? Oct 19, 2015 02:43

Kanthulhu: Apr 8, 2009; NO ONE SPOIL GAME OF THRONES FOR ME!

IF SOMEONE TELLS ME THAT OBERYN MARTELL AND THE MOUNTAIN DIE THIS SEASON, I'M GOING TO BE PISSED.

BUT NOT HALF AS PISSED AS I'D BE IF SOMEONE WERE TO SPOIL VARYS KILLING A LANISTER!!!

(Dany shits in a field)

We have the ETIQUETTE and wish to use it!

# ? Oct 19, 2015 02:57

Tuxedo Ted: Apr 24, 2007

"As you take hold of it, it starts to twitch its legs furiously. With a sob of revulsion, you hurl it away." This is such a beautiful line.

Also way to go whoever called the spider's bristles being dangerous.

Anyway, fist skill use! Let's wine and dine our mysterious friend!

# ? Oct 19, 2015 03:08

MysticalMachineGun: Apr 5, 2005

Chat him up, we have the etiquette to do it.

# ? Oct 19, 2015 04:35

Rogue AI Goddess: May 10, 2012; I enjoy the sight of humans on their knees.
That was a joke... unless..?

Use the proper etiquette for addressing dusty peasants.

# ? Oct 19, 2015 09:46

Wentley: Feb 7, 2012

We talk pretty, and want to show off!, turn to 139 .

# ? Oct 19, 2015 15:48

Sneaky Fast: Apr 24, 2013

Wentley posted:

We talk pretty, and want to show off!, turn to 139 .

# ? Oct 19, 2015 23:56

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

Page 139 posted:

Your bearing and accent immediately mark you as a member of the nobility. The peasant stands watching you with a sullen expression. �In these times of drought my fruit is precious to me,� he says. �But I will sell you a papaya for two cacao.�

'Your fruit is infested with poisonous spiders,� you reply proudly. 'I am doubtful whether it is worth the risk of picking it, drought or not.�

He compresses his lips, biting back an angry retort out of deference to your status. �One cacao, then,� he says.

If you wish to buy a papaya, reduce your money by 1 cacao and note the papaya among your possessions. Bidding the peasant a curt good-day, you continue along the causeway towards Yashuna.

Turn to 163.

Yes, we have no caca-o, we have no caca-o today!

Page 163 posted:

Traveling on, you see a group of small children gazing longingly at the fruit growing in the orchard beside the causeway. One of them finds a stick and goes over to prod at a bunch of juicy plums. In the light of your recent experience, you wonder if they might be in danger from tarantulas.

If you give them some food from your own pack, turn to 186.
If you stand by and watch them pick the fruit, turn to 96.

: Do I gain any traction with you if I just up and sacrifice one of them in your name?

: No!

Character Sheet posted:

Evening Star 'Nesquik' Sherman the Acolyte

Skills: ETIQUETTE, FOLKLORE, SPELLS, and SWORDPLAY

Life Points: 9/10

Cacao: 0

Possessions: magic wand, sword, jade bead, waterskin, rope, maize cake

Codewords: Cenote

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 20, 2015 01:27

Tuxedo Ted: Apr 24, 2007

Ratatozsk posted:

: Do I gain any traction with you if I just up and sacrifice one of them in your name?

: No!

In that case dole out the dried goods.

# ? Oct 20, 2015 03:45

Wentley: Feb 7, 2012

Children need to learn about bristles, turn to 96.

# ? Oct 20, 2015 15:32

Decoy Badger: May 16, 2009

We need to learn if it's actually venomous or if it's really just a tarantula! Sit and wait!

# ? Oct 20, 2015 15:39

Kanthulhu: Apr 8, 2009; NO ONE SPOIL GAME OF THRONES FOR ME!

IF SOMEONE TELLS ME THAT OBERYN MARTELL AND THE MOUNTAIN DIE THIS SEASON, I'M GOING TO BE PISSED.

BUT NOT HALF AS PISSED AS I'D BE IF SOMEONE WERE TO SPOIL VARYS KILLING A LANISTER!!!

(Dany shits in a field)

Ha ha, let's sit by idly and watch children pick fruits. It's not like we are on a mission. 96

# ? Oct 20, 2015 18:56

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

I really don't know Mayan gods that well, but I bet they don't look kindly on letting kids learn about venomous arachnids the hard way. offer up some of your food

# ? Oct 20, 2015 20:02

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

Page 96 posted:

They succeed in dislodging several fat plums without disturbing any spiders. You watch as they squabble happily over the distribution of their spoils. Apparently you were just unlucky in finding a tarantula in the fruit you tried to pick, but the incident has deadened your appetite and you continue on your way without stopping to collect any of the plums for yourself.

Turn to 350.

: What? No! I want plums! This is ridiculous!

Page 350 posted:

You get your first glimpse of Yashuna on the afternoon of the following day. Like Koba, the tall temple pyramids of the city are visible for miles across the rolling countryside. As you approach the poorer dwellings at the outskirts of the city, you notice a large number of people milling towards the raised central complex which houses the temples and the palaces of the rich.

It seems to be market day.

If you pay a visit to the market, turn to 142.
If not, you can head north out of the city (turn to 120) or take the southern road towards the forest (turn to 165).

We'll make this a bit of a longer update and visit the market, just to add a few options.

Page 142 posted:

You are surprised to find the market almost deserted. Contrary to your assumption, most of the populace are not headed here, but are streaming to the causeway that leads north out of the city.

The stalls are set up under awnings whose cool shade is welcoming after the dusty heat of the road.

You stand back and examine the wares on offer. The traders are doing so little business that you should have the chance of some real bargains.

You make a show of strolling casually past a number of stalls, careful not to give any sign of interest in the items you want most. This will help you when the haggling starts.

You find the following on sale:

A waterskin 1 cacao
A coil of rope 2 cacao
A terracotta effigy 3 cacao
A blowgun 3 cacao
A jar of incense 3 cacao

After deciding your purchases, cross off the money and note your new possessions on your Character Sheet, then turn to 188.

Page 188 posted:

As you leave the market, a tall fellow emerges from the portico bordering on the temple plaza and stands surveying the deserted marketplace. He is carrying pots that mark him as a fisherman, presumably from one of the coastal towns to the north. �Huh!� he mutters, half to himself. �Is there no demand for good fish these days?�

�Probably not when it is several days old,� you remark, grimacing at the smell wafting from his goods.

He fixes you with a stare of outrage. �Then buy one of my pots and take up fishing yourself!� he cries, thrusting a lobster pot towards you. �There! Destroy my livelihood, if you wish! I will sell you this pot for only two cacao.�

~~If you wish to buy the lobster pot, cross off 2 cacao and note it on your Character Sheet.~~

As you turn to go, he adds: �I would give anything for a taste of decent bread. I have been on the road for two days with nothing but my own fish to sustain me � and, as you so tersely put it, they are no longer of the best quality.�

If you have a parcel of maize cakes and wish to trade them, turn to 211.
Otherwise, decide if you will go north (turn to 120) or south (turn to 165).

Bear with me one more page...

Page 211 posted:

You offer to sell him your maize cakes, but he protests that his wife would not be happy if he returned home with no money to show for his journey. �On the other hand, I could give you this parcel of salt,� he suggests, taking a bundle of oiled cloth from his backpack. �It is worth nothing to me on the way back to Balak, but you may be able to get a good price for it.�

If you agree to exchange your maize cakes for the parcel of salt, alter your list of possessions accordingly.

Then decide whether to make your way north out of the city (turn to 120) or go south towards the forest (turn to 165).

So, are we trading our maize cakes for salt, and are we going north or south? In the event that it aids or hinders your decision process, here's our map!

Character Sheet posted:

Evening Star 'Nesquik' Sherman the Acolyte

Skills: ETIQUETTE, FOLKLORE, SPELLS, and SWORDPLAY

Life Points: 9/10

Cacao: 0

Possessions: magic wand, sword, jade bead, waterskin, rope, maize cake

Codewords: Cenote

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 21, 2015 02:56

Decoy Badger: May 16, 2009

Trade for the salt and go in the One True Direction (north).

# ? Oct 21, 2015 04:01

CirclMastr: Jul 4, 2010

Get salt which I hope is the first step in a massive bartering chain spanning the whole book, and head south.

# ? Oct 21, 2015 04:20

Rogue AI Goddess: May 10, 2012; I enjoy the sight of humans on their knees.
That was a joke... unless..?

Salt and NORTH.

(Are we sure it's not a Sunless Sea LP?)

# ? Oct 21, 2015 09:12

Kanthulhu: Apr 8, 2009; NO ONE SPOIL GAME OF THRONES FOR ME!

IF SOMEONE TELLS ME THAT OBERYN MARTELL AND THE MOUNTAIN DIE THIS SEASON, I'M GOING TO BE PISSED.

BUT NOT HALF AS PISSED AS I'D BE IF SOMEONE WERE TO SPOIL VARYS KILLING A LANISTER!!!

(Dany shits in a field)

North
Salt

# ? Oct 21, 2015 10:16

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

Page 120 posted:

You emerge at last from the forest beside a village where you get directions to the city of Nachan. You pass west along a wooded ridge overlooking flat plains that stretch northwards towards the sea. The journey takes you a day and a night, and you have to sleep under the stars. Arising early, you yawn and stretch your cramped limbs. The countryside is swathed in fog which lies in hollows like an ocean of whiteness. You stroll onwards until the path emerges from under a copse of trees and you stand overlooking a marvelous sight. You have arrived at Nachan just at the moment of sunrise. The palaces and temples rise from the spectral fog: man-made hilltops thrusting through cloud. Beyond them lie the suburbs of the city, where lights twinkle like fading stars under the blanket of mist.

The warmth of day burns away the fog as you make your descent from the ridge. Now you can see the scintillant colours on the walls of the ceremonial buildings � a vivid interplay of hues which is very unlike the austere white and red of Koba�s palaces.

By the time you reach the level of the streets, the mist has retreated to just a few strands hanging around the upper steps of the pyramids and veiling the tree-covered hills that form a backdrop to the city. Already there are people hurrying to and fro. Some are carrying garlands of flowers, while others in fanciful costumes are carpeting the roads with fresh wet leaves. �Is there a festival?� you ask a passer-by.

�Indeed there is,� he replies. �Tonight is the anniversary of the old king�s death.�

If you want to break your journey here, turn to 426.
If not, you can now head on overland towards Ashaka (turn to 8) or follow the river to the coast (turn to 30).

Character Sheet posted:

Evening Star 'Nesquik' Sherman the Acolyte

Skills: ETIQUETTE, FOLKLORE, SPELLS, and SWORDPLAY

Life Points: 9/10

Cacao: 0

Possessions: magic wand, sword, jade bead, waterskin, rope, salt

Codewords: Cenote

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 22, 2015 04:22

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

Gotta rest sometime.

# ? Oct 22, 2015 05:05

MysticalMachineGun: Apr 5, 2005

Take a break, I smell some sidequestin'

# ? Oct 22, 2015 05:05

Wentley: Feb 7, 2012

Well, I hope there aren't sacrifices of strangers on the anniversary of the king's death. 426

# ? Oct 22, 2015 15:42

Sneaky Fast: Apr 24, 2013

We gotta chill at this ominous party

Sneaky Fast fucked around with this message at 16:47 on Oct 22, 2015

# ? Oct 22, 2015 16:43

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

Page 426 posted:

Not far off, a young priestess is overseeing the work of a group of artisans. Out of curiosity you stroll over and see that they are decorating a temple wall with an overlay of stucco. Apprentices trowel the plaster into place and then senior artisans work with the speed and assurance of past masters, sculpting images of heroes, princes and gods as the priestess directs. Then, while the stucco is still damp, a second team steps in with pots of dye and applies bright colors. You can only marvel at the skill of the men�s work. The figures depicted in the frieze look so startlingly vivid that you could almost imagine them coming to life and stepping out of the stucco.

If you want to go over and talk to the priestess, turn to 54.
~~If you have money and want to find a place to stay, turn to 101.~~
If you seek an audience with the King of Nachan, turn to 77.

: Nachan!

: Gesundheit!

: Ok, that was a bit of a low-lying papaya...

Character Sheet posted:

Evening Star 'Nesquik' Sherman the Acolyte

Skills: ETIQUETTE, FOLKLORE, SPELLS, and SWORDPLAY

Life Points: 9/10

Cacao: 0

Possessions: magic wand, sword, jade bead, waterskin, rope, salt

Codewords: Cenote

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 23, 2015 02:34

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

We are going to put that Etiquette skill to good use even if it kills us. See the king!

# ? Oct 23, 2015 03:05

Wentley: Feb 7, 2012

Priestess is more likely to talk to us than a king, turn to 54.

# ? Oct 23, 2015 03:07

Sneaky Fast: Apr 24, 2013

Talk with the girl

# ? Oct 23, 2015 14:16

Ghostwoods: May 9, 2013; Say "Cheese!"

Priestess first, king later.

# ? Oct 23, 2015 14:28

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

Page 54 posted:

You pause to admire the details of the frieze. It is divided into two long panels. In the upper part, two jaunty heroes are shown striding towards a gate where four stern sentinels await them. The faces of the heroes are identical. The lower panel is separated from this by a cornice, and the figures there are shown upside-down as though walking across the bottom of the world. You crane your neck to make out the picture, which the artisans have only half finished coloring in. It depicts a rich man and his servant trudging towards a pair of arches. Their crouched stance and tightly drawn features suggest an air of nervousness which contrasts with the bold manner of the two heroes in the upper mural.

The priestess smiles at you. �You�re a connoisseur of temple art? We�re having to hurry to get it finished before the festivities tomorrow, of course.�

If you ask her what the scene with the hero-twins represents, turn to 123.
If you ask about the noble and the servant, turn to 146.
If you are more interested in finding out about the festival, turn to 169.

: Hey there sister, I've got a waterskin and a block of salt. Is that enough to buy a frieze of me and Morty here?

Character Sheet posted:

Evening Star 'Nesquik' Sherman the Acolyte

Skills: ETIQUETTE, FOLKLORE, SPELLS, and SWORDPLAY

Life Points: 9/10

Cacao: 0

Possessions: magic wand, sword, jade bead, waterskin, rope, salt

Codewords: Cenote

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 24, 2015 19:41

Ghostwoods: May 9, 2013; Say "Cheese!"

Festivus?

# ? Oct 24, 2015 20:26

Comstar: Apr 20, 2007; Are you happy now?

Ask about the noble and the servant because we're going straight to hell, and would like directions.

# ? Oct 25, 2015 00:45

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

Assuming it doesn't prevent us from asking about the other two, just do them all in order, otherwise What's with the festival?

# ? Oct 25, 2015 03:07

Wentley: Feb 7, 2012

We're probably not a hero, so we need some rich people advice, turn to 146.

# ? Oct 25, 2015 20:24

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

Ghostwoods posted:

Festivus?

Would have been a tie if you had worded things otherwise

Page 169 posted:

She tells you that the present king�s father, Sky Shield, died exactly twenty sacerdotal years ago after a long and prosperous reign. �You see that pyramid there � that�s where he�s buried,� she says, indicating a tall stepped structure adjoining the royal palace. Of all the buildings of Nachan, only this one is painted entirely red, with monochrome images outlined in white up its steep stairway. Now that the sun has fully risen, the pyramid is beginning to shimmer in the heat like an image daubed in fresh blood.

�His tomb is in the shrine at the top?� you ask.

�No, that lies deep within the pyramid. When the tomb was sealed, the builders left a hollow tube extending up from the sarcophagus; it emerges in the shrine.�

You raise your eyebrows quizzically. �What is the purpose of that?�

�It�s a speaking tube, of course. King Cloud Jaguar uses it when he wishes to commune with the spirit of his dead father.�

She turns away to give instructions to the artisans, leaving you to decide what to do next.

Record the codeword Psychoduct on your Character Sheet, then you can either seek an audience with the King (turn to 77) or spend some money to arrange a place to stay (turn to 101).

While we're not explicitly asked if we're able to spend money, 101 would require us to do so. As such:

Page 77 posted:

If you have ETIQUETTE you will naturally be recognized and welcomed as a noble of Koba, in which case turn to 192.
~~If you do not have ETIQUETTE but you have the codeword Poktapok, turn to 215.~~
Otherwise, you will either have to present the King with a lavish gift (turn to 238) or else give up any hope of being granted an audience (turn to 262).

: Well, time to show off my highfalutin' ways!

Page 192 posted:

You are invited to join King Cloud Jaguar and the nobles of his court in the steam-bath adjoining the palace. This is a domed room which is entered through an aperture so low that each bather has to crawl through on hands and knees.

Inside are rows of stone benches, and the middle of the floor is taken up by a pit filled with pebbles which have been warmed earlier in a fire until they are red-hot. Servants bring pitchers of scented water which sizzles on contact with the hot pebbles, releasing clouds of steam that make the sweat pour from your skin. At first you can hardly stand to draw a breath, but gradually you get used to the sweltering heat and start to enjoy the cleansing feeling. An old nobleman nudges you and hands you some herbs. �Rub these on your body,� he grunts. �Most invigorating!�

If you are injured you can now regain 2 Life Points owing to the restorative effect of the herbs and the steam-bath. You also get the chance to ask about the next day�s festivities, and you are told that this is the anniversary of the old king�s death. When Cloud Jaguar learns of your quest, he is very impressed by your bravery. �The pillaging of the Great City will have dire consequences,� he says. �I have heard tales of demons and werewolves ransacking the temples. Perhaps you can find out the truth on the matter.�

You bow respectfully. �I will try, your Majesty.�

�You will spend the night in the shrine atop my father�s pyramid,� he continues. �A tube connects the shrine to the tomb chamber. If it is the will of the gods, my father�s spirit may appear to you and offer guidance.�

You cannot refuse without giving offense. Whatever you think of meeting the late king�s ghost, you must do as Cloud Jaguar has commanded. You spend the rest of the day in a mood of excitement tinged with dread, and at nightfall you are taken up to the top of the pyramid and left alone to await the ghost�s appearance.

Turn to 415.

: WooooOOOoooOOO!

: Oh do shut up, unless you're volunteering to get crammed down the 'spirit tube'.

Page 415 posted:

The shrine at the top of the pyramid is a small dark chamber fronted by a portico supported by strong square pillars. You can see the mouth of the spirit tube, fashioned in the shape of a slim snake. You know that the hollow tube extends all the way down through the interior of the pyramid to the tomb chamber deep in its heart. It is an eerie feeling to think that when you speak into the tube your words echo down into the ear of the dead king.

You keep a lone vigil long into the night. As the moon reaches its zenith, there is a soft soughing of wind up the spirit tube. Suddenly you realize you are unable to move. You will not admit to fear, but you are struck with awe to see a long curl of glowing green mist ooze out of the mouth of the tube. It hangs there in the shadows of the shrine, slowly curling in the air, gradually coming into focus in the form of a translucent snake. As you watch, the snake opens its jaws and the head of a man pushes into view, extruding from inside the snake�s body until he has entirely emerged except for his left leg, which remains within its throat. He is a glistening red color, as though covered in fresh blood, and as nude as a newborn baby.

You bow your head humbly to the cold flagstones, knowing that this is the spirit of King Sky Shield.

Turn to 335.

Page 335 posted:

�You seek to enter the underworld,� says the spirit. �The way will not be easy. But I perceive your cause to be honourable, so I shall aid you.�

You do not dare to answer. He goes on: �You must place a jade bead under your tongue and keep it there until you reach the four paths, not speaking whatever the temptation. Once you are at the four paths, you may remove the bead from your mouth but you should retain it until you see a kapok tree. Before any of this you must cross Death Canyon, however. If you have no other option, seek the dragon Kawak who lies across the canyon with one of his two heads on either side. Others have passed through his jaws and emerged at the far end, and if you are dauntless you may be able to do this too.�

There is deep silence after he finishes speaking. You wait with lowered gaze. It is not seemly to look upon even a living king unless invited to. Suddenly there is a flash and an immediate peal of thunder, followed by a deluge of heavy tropical rain.

You look up. King Sky Shield and the phantom snake have vanished, but the shrine is not as it was before. Now a pit has opened in the floor, revealing stairs down into the pyramid. It is your route to the underworld.

If you venture down the steps, turn to 9.
If not, you can leave the shrine and wait until morning to resume your journey � either overland to Ashaka (turn to 8) or downriver to the coast (turn to 30).

: Rats. I was hoping for a spirit tube slide.

Character Sheet posted:

Evening Star 'Nesquik' Sherman the Acolyte

Skills: ETIQUETTE, FOLKLORE, SPELLS, and SWORDPLAY

Life Points: 10/10

Cacao: 0

Possessions: magic wand, sword, jade bead, waterskin, rope, salt

Codewords: Cenote, Psychoduct

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

Ratatozsk fucked around with this message at 01:55 on Oct 26, 2015

# ? Oct 26, 2015 01:52

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? May 3, 2024 10:09

Oblivion4568238: Oct 10, 2012; The Inquisition.
What a show.
The Inquisition.
Here. We. Go.; College Slice

The path is open, and we've been given as good directions as we can get without any more currency on us. Let's head down.

# ? Oct 26, 2015 02:10

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > Let's Play! > Necklace of Skulls [CYOAztec]

«‹›7 »