Necklace of Skulls [CYOAztec]

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

Our late friend/cautionary-example rushed in after dodging once and look what happened to him. Dodge again.

# ? Nov 15, 2015 08:55

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# ? May 3, 2024 06:53

MysticalMachineGun: Apr 5, 2005

Keep dodging!

# ? Nov 15, 2015 10:29

Sneaky Fast: Apr 24, 2013

Let's not make the same mistake as hommie bleedin out on the sand. Dodge back

# ? Nov 15, 2015 20:03

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

Page 314 posted:

Again you avoid the monster�s bites by a hair�s breadth. Spitting with fury at its failure to trap you, it slithers forward with all four necks extended. Decide your next move.

Will you continue to jump away from the hydra (turn to 360), rush in to strike a blow (turn to 381), or try a feint (turn to 419)?

Sorry the pacing in this section sucks, but we're almost through!

Character Sheet posted:

Evening Star 'Nesquik' Sherman the Acolyte

Skills: ETIQUETTE, FOLKLORE, SPELLS, and SWORDPLAY

Life Points: 3/10

Cacao: 0

Possessions: magic wand, sword, waterskin, rope, salt, wad of dragon phlegm, your brother's skull, a heap of questionable wisdom, >3 bootsfull of sand

Codewords: Cenote, Psychoduct, Pakal, Salvation

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, a particularly bulbous cactus

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, bitter life-sucking cold'd

# ? Nov 16, 2015 02:04

Decoy Badger: May 16, 2009

Feint!

# ? Nov 16, 2015 02:25

No Gravitas: Jun 12, 2013; by FactsAreUseless

Ratatozsk posted:

Sorry the pacing in this section sucks, but we're almost through!

Yup, almost done! Only three HP left!

Jump away!

# ? Nov 16, 2015 03:09

MysticalMachineGun: Apr 5, 2005

It's pissed off and extending it's necks at us now - time to strike!

# ? Nov 16, 2015 05:42

Inflammatory: Apr 22, 2014

Hey, remember this?

Ratatozsk posted:

�Buy a waterskin,� the giant tells you.

�Others have suggested the same thing.�

�Buy two, then. And a knife or sword. There is a four-headed serpent in the desert, and its one weak spot is at the branching of its four necks. You�ll need to get close to land a killing blow, and my advice is to pretend to retreat at first. Dodge back a couple of times and the serpent will rush at you headlong � er, heads-long. Then you can slay it.�

gently caress that thing up.

# ? Nov 16, 2015 06:01

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

Between that and watching that other person die, it's a fair bet that now is the time to strike.

# ? Nov 16, 2015 06:12

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

STRIKE

# ? Nov 16, 2015 07:54

dscruffy1: Nov 22, 2007; Look out!; Nap Ghost

Now is the time to STRIKE! HAI-KEEBA!

# ? Nov 16, 2015 08:56

Wentley: Feb 7, 2012

Inflammatory posted:

Hey, remember this?

gently caress that thing up.

Good advice.

# ? Nov 16, 2015 17:02

Alumnus Post: Dec 29, 2009; They are weird and troubling. We owe it to our neighbors to kill them.; Pillbug

Stick that sword into that snake!

# ? Nov 17, 2015 01:23

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

Page 381 posted:

If you possess a sword, a hammer or a flint knife, turn to 429.
~~If you do not have any of those items, turn to 402.~~

Page 429 posted:

Your thrust skewers the hydra at the junction of its four necks. A ghastly multiple shriek splits the air. You are jerked off its feet by its death-throes and its blood gushes out into your face. It snaps feebly at you, but you cling on and sink the weapon deeper until finally it gives a last spasm and falls lifeless.

As you withdraw the weapon, a large drop of its green life-fluid oozes out of the wound and falls to the ground, congealing to form a rubbery ball such as one might use in the ritual ball contest of your people. If you wish to keep this hydra blood ball, remember to note it among your list of possessions.

~~If you have the codeword Angel, turn to 15.~~
If not, turn to 38.

: You don't need a blood ba-

: I'LL TAKE THE DAMNED BLOOD BALL! IT'S THE CLOSEST I'M GOING TO GET TO A GOLDEN MAN!

: I'll grant that a blood ball is similar to a golden man in that it is also a thing, but-

: BLOOOOOOOOOOD LOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!

Page 38 posted:

The servant falls to his knees with his arms clasped around your legs. He is racked with grief for his dead master, and begs you to restore the man to life. He must think you are some kind of miracle-worker. Understandable, since he has just seen you slay a monster that seemed more than a match for any ten normal men.

If you have SPELLS (and a wand) you might be able to revivify the dead man, though it would probably use up all your magical power. Turn to 108 if you want to try.
~~Alternatively, you could use a gold diadem (turn to 130) or the Chalice of Life (turn to 153) if you have them and want to expend their magic on a man you don�t know.~~
Failing any of the above, turn to 176.

: Ooh, look at Mr Hoighty Toighty too good to be revived with a block of salt.

: Revived with a what?

: Well, if you got a better idea what I could use it for, I'd be happy to hear it!

Character Sheet posted:

Evening Star 'Nesquik' Sherman the Acolyte

Skills: ETIQUETTE, FOLKLORE, SPELLS, and SWORDPLAY

Life Points: 3/10

Cacao: 0

Possessions: magic wand, sword, rope, salt, wad of dragon phlegm, your brother's skull, a heap of questionable wisdom, >3 boots full of sand, hydra blood ball

Codewords: Cenote, Psychoduct, Pakal, Salvation

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, a nightcrawler, a particularly bulbous cactus

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, bitter life-sucking cold'd

# ? Nov 17, 2015 03:44

CirclMastr: Jul 4, 2010

Just Say No to necromancy, kids.

# ? Nov 17, 2015 03:46

Alumnus Post: Dec 29, 2009; They are weird and troubling. We owe it to our neighbors to kill them.; Pillbug

Wait, we can just bring people back from the dead? Maybe we should save it for our brother.

# ? Nov 17, 2015 04:34

No Gravitas: Jun 12, 2013; by FactsAreUseless

CirclMastr posted:

Just Say No to necromancy, kids.

Necromancy isn't the answer.
Necromancy is the question.
The answer is YES.

# ? Nov 17, 2015 06:47

MysticalMachineGun: Apr 5, 2005

We might end up with a skelly buddy! Wise from your gwave!

# ? Nov 17, 2015 09:34

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

We did stand around and watch him get killed instead of helping. We kinda bear a degree of responsibility here. Revive him.

# ? Nov 17, 2015 09:54

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

Death, where is thy sting? Turn to 108 to find out.

# ? Nov 17, 2015 13:10

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

Page 108 posted:

You get the servant to help you build a mound of sand roughly as long as a man�s body. On top of this you sprinkle some of the dead warrior�s blood, then you cover it with his jaguar-skin cloak and place his sword on top of this. At one end you carefully set his severed head. The dead eyes stare up at the stars.

�What are you going to do?� says the servant in a frightened voice.

�His spirit has but recently departed,� you reply as you take up your wand. �I shall recall it and so rekindle the spark of life.� So you begin what you know will be the hardest incantation of your life. For hours you continue the chant, never faltering, continually tracing occult designs in the sand around the head. The moon is dipping low across the dunes when you hoarsely utter the last syllables of the spell and slump to the ground in exhaustion.

There is a groan, but not from your lips. You look up to see the fallen warrior rising, the body beneath the cloak transformed from gore-soaked sand to living flesh and blood.

�Master,� you hear the servant saying, �this kind magician brought you back from the dead.�

�Nonsense!� scoffs the warrior. �I must have been knocked out for a while, that�s all.�

He comes over and helps you to your feet. Acquire the codeword Angel. However, you must lose the SPELLS skill as you have now used up all your sorcery in a final miracle.

When you have amended your Character Sheet, turn to 15.

: This had better be a damned nice codeword.

Page 15 posted:

The warrior stands looking at the hydra�s body for a few moments in frank astonishment, then turns and nods to you. �Well done,� he says. �Few men could have equaled that feat.�

�My name is Evening Star,� you tell him. �I am from the city of Koba, and I have traveled the breadth of the world in search of my brother.�

�I am Stooping Eagle, until recently a lord of the Great City. I had been on a voyage, and returned to discover my home had been ransacked by werewolves and night demons. All my people are either slain or fled, and the Great City is now a sad empty ruin. Thus I have come to wreak vengeance on the one responsible: a sorcerer known as Necklace of Skulls.�

�Then we are partners in the same quest, for I too desire the sorcerer�s death.�

�I had heard he was already dead, but none the less active for that,� says Stooping Eagle. He turns and surveys the moonlit dunes. �But the desert is wide, and I have been searching for his palace since the morning star last rose.�

You smile at the unconscious aptness of his remark. �It is close,� you assure him. �I feel sure of it.�

You walk through the night, sheltering by day in the shade of a crag before heading on at sunset. After several hours Stooping Eagle unstoppers his waterskin and rations out a few sips. It is barely enough to moisten his lips, but he looks like a man who is used to austerity.

~~If you have a waterskin, turn to 220.~~
If not but you have the ETIQUETTE skill, turn to 223.
~~If you have neither, turn to 246.~~

Who'da thunk ETIQUETTE would be one of the most prompted skills in the book?

Page 223 posted:

Seeing you have no water of your own, Stooping Eagle says, �You have not come well prepared into this desert, my friend.�

�It seems not.� You wipe a dusty trickle of sweat off your sunburnt brow.

He hands you the waterskin. �We are both nobles � even though from different cities and of different races. It would be churlish of me not to share my rations, since we share a thirst for vengeance.�

You are careful to take only a little of the water. It is warm and tastes stale. There is not much left anyway, but you may be glad of the last drop before you reach the palace of Necklace of Skulls.

Turn to 220.

Page 220 posted:

The sun rises again, flooding the sands with the stifling heat of day. You realize that soon you must find shade, or the sun will bake you alive. Stumbling wearily up to the top of the next dune, however, all such thoughts fly from your mind to be replaced by a feeling of exhilaration. You have found it! The wizard�s palace lies just ahead across a stretch of brown-gold sand. The dawn light makes it seem to shimmer like a mirage in the deep blue shadows between the dunes, but you know it is real.

Double doors swing open in the wall as you approach. Confronting you are a horde of men in ragged animal skins. Their long thin faces and downcast smiles give them a canine appearance. All of them bear stone axes which they lift when you walk through the palace gates � not a gesture of immediate attack, but just to warn you where you stand.

�I have come,� you say, �to speak to Necklace of Skulls.�

One of the men gives a bark of laughter. �It�s not as easy as that. Do you think our master sees every stray mongrel who wanders to his door? First you will have to pass five nights among us, his faithful courtiers.�

You decide to change tack. �What of my brother, Morning Star?� you ask.

�He�s been here. Perhaps you�ll get to meet him �later.�

If you have the codeword Angel, turn to 269.
~~If not, turn to 292.~~

Page 269 posted:

Stooping Eagle and his servant are led off across the courtyard towards a group of buildings. �They will be our guests also, but in another part of the palace from you,� says the chief of the courtiers, smiling to display a sharp set of teeth.

�Do not worry, friend,� Stooping Eagle calls back to you, �we have only to persevere and our swords shall drink the fiend�s blood eventually!�

You would like to resist the courtiers, but there are too many to fight in your weakened state. �After five nights I will be taken to Necklace of Skulls?� you ask. It occurs to you that five nights� rest will leave you all the fitter to deal with the wizard.

The chief courtier dips his head. �Exactly. Our master lives in the inner precinct of the palace.� He gestures with a thin hairy hand towards a pyramid that towers over the inner courtyard. The black coloring of the pyramid makes it look like a crack of the night sky that has lingered on after sunrise.

�Take me to my quarters, then,� you tell him.

The assembled courtiers give a high howling laugh at this. �Not so fast,� titters their chief when he has recovered himself �First you have to choose your route to our compound.�

Turn to 315.

: Is that a black pyramid...?

: Have we-

: SAVE YOURSELVES! TURN BACK!!

: Uhhhh...

: I'm sure that's nothing, you should probably just keep going.

Page 315 posted:

You are taken to the back wall of the courtyard, where a colonnade gives respite from the intense sun. Beneath a frieze patterned like a rattlesnake�s skin, four archways lead on from here to the next courtyard of the palace. The courtiers give you wide grins and invite you to make a choice.

You look into the first archway. A short flight of steps leads up to the edge of a pit about two meters across. The purpose of the steps is apparently to ensure that you cannot take a running jump. The bottom of the pit is filled with smoking coals.

Beyond the next arch is a tunnel blocked by an artful tangle of wooden beams, some of which seem to be shoring up the walls. �The trick there is to remove the right combination of beams in the right order,� says the chief courtier, leaning over your shoulder. �You want to clear enough space to get past without causing the tunnel to collapse.�

The third route is a passage with no obstacles � just a triangular vault leading through to the next courtyard. Then you notice the sigils inscribed along the corbels of the vault: sigils indicating calamity and catastrophe. Is the vault designed to cave in when someone walks along it?

The passage beyond the last archway is guarded by a large pallid hound with narrow pink eyes. It greets you with a threatening growl as you poke your head around the corner, but makes no move to attack. �My second cousin twice removed,� says the chief courtier in your ear. �Nasty temper. His bite�s worst than his bark, of course.�

It is time for you to decide.

Will you cross the pit (turn to 338), attempt to clear the blocked tunnel (turn to 361), walk along the unguarded tunnel (turn to 382), or brave the albino hound (turn to 420)?

: How could I possibly choose wrong?

Character Sheet posted:

Evening Star 'Nesquik' Sherman the Acolyte

Skills: ETIQUETTE, FOLKLORE, and SWORDPLAY

Life Points: 3/10

Cacao: 0

Possessions: magic wand, sword, rope, salt, wad of dragon phlegm, your brother's skull, a heap of questionable wisdom, >3 boots full of sand, hydra blood ball

Codewords: Cenote, Psychoduct, Pakal, Salvation [url=http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3746291&pagenumber=5#post452858436Angel[/url]

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, a nightcrawler, a particularly bulbous cactus

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, bitter life-sucking cold'd

# ? Nov 18, 2015 04:33

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

Unguarded tunnel. Hopefully our FOLKLORE will help us with those symbols.

# ? Nov 18, 2015 10:06

MysticalMachineGun: Apr 5, 2005

Our low life points worries me vis a vis the hot coals, trapped tunnel and dog. Let's go with the blocked tunnel puzzle!

# ? Nov 18, 2015 11:40

Sneaky Fast: Apr 24, 2013

Hound we still have swordplay

# ? Nov 18, 2015 16:18

CirclMastr: Jul 4, 2010

Jenga blocked tunnel gets my vote.

# ? Nov 18, 2015 21:40

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

Page 361 posted:

You advance into the passage and start to examine the perplexing structure of wooden beams. The trick is to clear enough of them out of the way so as to be able to get past, but without bringing the whole passage down on top of you. It is like a child�s puzzle, only this is a puzzle with a deadly twist.

You select one of the beams and dislodge it. As you haul it out of position, there is a crack and a thin trickle of plaster dust sifts down from the roof of the passage. You look up in alarm, heart skipping a beat, but the roof holds. This time.

~~You can use ROGUERY (turn to 86) or SPELLS with a wand (turn to 109), if you have them.~~
~~Or you perhaps could try using the Man of Gold (turn to 131)?~~
If you have none of these, turn to 154.

Page 154 posted:

You remove a second beam without mishap � and a third. Just as you are beginning to feel confident, a deep crack appears instantaneously across the roof of the passage. It is accompanied by a growl of breaking rock. Your body stiffens. You are on the point of jumping back, but it is too late. A cascade of rubble knocks you flat. You lie with your hands over your head as rocks batter you, bruising and scraping your flesh. You wince as you feel a rib cracking. Lose 3 Life Points.

If still alive, you crawl on to the end of the passage where the dog-like courtiers await you. �I had a lucky escape,� you say as you stagger to your feet.

The chief courtier sniggers. �That was just a little practical joke of ours,� he says. �I thought you�d have no trouble! You�ll have to buck your ideas up if you�re going to survive the real tests.�

Turn to 431.

Death: choosing...unwisely

OK, let's take this opportunity to reset things a bit. First, let's eat the right cactus.

Page 276 posted:

You get water from the bush by biting the tips off the hard sharp-tipped leaves and sucking the moisture out of them. It is barely enough to slake your thirst. You head on across the barren and blistered rocks, knowing that your ordeal will continue for many grueling days yet.

Lose 2 Life Points and, if you are still alive, turn to 152.

This leaves us at 7/10 Life Points. Then, let's stick our neck out for our buddy:

Page 175 posted:

You rush down the side of the dune and past the warrior, ignoring his gasp of surprise. You are eager to have the glory of killing this creature.

Note the codeword Angel on your Character Sheet and then turn to 222.

And then let's follow the advice of the giant stone head stuck in the ground and kick things off dodging. So that brings us to this same juncture with SPELLS intact and a few more Life Points to...potentially get shaved off.

So, blocked->SPELLS (turn to 109), the pit (turn to 338), the unguarded tunnel (turn to 382), or the dog (turn to 420)?

: How could I possibly choose wrong again?

: How much detail would you like me to go into on this one?

Character Sheet posted:

Evening Star 'Nesquik' Sherman the Acolyte

Skills: SPELLS, ETIQUETTE, FOLKLORE, and SWORDPLAY

Life Points: 7/10

Cacao: 0

Possessions: magic wand, sword, rope, salt, wad of dragon phlegm, your brother's skull, a heap of questionable wisdom, >3 boots full of sand, hydra blood ball

Codewords: Cenote, Psychoduct, Pakal, Salvation Angel

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, a nightcrawler, a particularly bulbous cactus

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, bitter life-sucking cold'd, cascade of rubble'd

Ratatozsk fucked around with this message at 05:08 on Nov 20, 2015

# ? Nov 19, 2015 03:11

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

I guess the smart move would be to magic our way through the blocked tunnel, but I'm really curious about that unguarded tunnel.

# ? Nov 19, 2015 05:05

MysticalMachineGun: Apr 5, 2005

Thuryl posted:

I guess the smart move would be to magic our way through the blocked tunnel, but I'm really curious about that unguarded tunnel.

Yeah, let's see what happens down there - looks like we may just lose some life points no matter what.

# ? Nov 19, 2015 06:38

Wentley: Feb 7, 2012

I'm a sucker for magic. (turn to 109)

# ? Nov 19, 2015 17:00

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

Page 382 posted:

You pause at the archway and look along the passage. It looks deceptively easy � just half a dozen paces would take you to the far end, where you can see a dusty sun-bleached courtyard. You take one cautious step. Another. Then there is an ominous creak from the lintel above, and a fine sift of rock dust falls from the passage roof�

If you have CHARMS and an amulet, turn to 177.
If you have AGILITY, turn to 201.
If you have neither, turn to 224.

: BUT I HAVE SPELLS I JUST GOT SPELLS BACK WHAT WHAT WHAT WHY?!?!?!

Page 224 posted:

The corbels of the roof produce a heart-stopping groan of cracking masonry. Cracks spread across the stone with terrifying speed. You throw yourself forward just as it gives way completely, pelting you with falling rubble. Lose 3 Life Points.

If you survive, you stagger out into the open in a suffocating cloud of rock dust. You are badly bruised and you are bleeding from several deep cuts. You cough the dust out of your lungs and take a look back along the tunnel. It is now buried under tons of fallen masonry. Another second�s hesitation and you�d be buried too.

The courtiers join you. �That was nothing,� sneers their chief. �We have much more entertaining challenges lined up for you.�

Turn to 431.

Well, we managed to artfully sidestep a relatively safe choice there.

Page 431 posted:

This courtyard is surrounded by low grey walls that lie like borders of soot around a plaza ablaze in the blistering sunshine. In the far wall is a massive gateway of intertwined human bones and skulls. �They are the previous victims of our master,� says the chief courtier with a leer when he sees you blanch. �Soon your own bones with be added to that gate.�

Ignoring him, you turn your attention to five windowless buildings standing in the wide plaza. �And those?� you ask.

�They are the Five Houses of Destiny,� he says. �If you can pass one night in each, the gate will open. Then you will gaze on the countenance of Necklace of Skulls.�

You wait through a long afternoon until the sun dips into a red hot shimmer along the western horizon. The heat of the day has left you giddy, but you do your best not to show it as the courtiers come to lead you to the first of the buildings. As they open the door, you are confronted by a wave of fiery heat as though from an open kiln. The interior of the building is a single stone hall with a blazing channel of smoldering charcoal set along it. Large stones warmed to red heat surround it. Sweat erupts from your pores as you are ushered inside.

�This is the House of Fire,� says the chief courtier. �Have a good night. I�ll come for you in the morning � should you survive.�

The door closes and you are left sealed within the House of Fire. Its smoky confines are swelteringly airless, and your only rest is not true sleep, but a listless swoon brought on by heat exhaustion.

Lose 2 Life Points, and if you are still alive turn to 403.

Page 403 posted:

The intense fire has burned down to a sullen cindery glow by daybreak. You are dimly aware of the door being swung open, and you begin to crawl feebly across the floor towards the flow of cool morning air. In doing so, your hand brushes against a large lump of charcoal which must have fallen out of the fire during the night. You also notice that one of the round stones which formed the sides of the fire‑trough has worked itself loose. It is still warm to the touch, but not unbearably so. You can add the charcoal and the stone to your list of possessions if you wish.

�Come along,� snaps the chief courtier impatiently. He sends in a couple of his men, who drag you outside. Staring down at you as your strength returns, he says nastily: �Did you have a pleasant night?�

�Very comfortable,� you mutter through parched lips. �What�s next?�

�Next,� he says, �is the House of Bats.�

Turn to 225.

Better than the House of Cats, but not by much.

Page 225 posted:

You spend the day crouched in the meager shade afforded by the walls of the courtyard. At sunset, the courtiers lead you to the second of the five windowless buildings. When they open the door, you can see nothing but blackness inside. A waft of acrid air touches your face as you step inside. You get the impression of a high-ceilinged hall whose dark recesses are filled by rustling and high-pitched squeaks. Something like dust brushes your face. You put up your fingers and run them through your hair, then grimace when you see what is falling from the roof: lice.

�The bats are our master�s second favorite pets, after ourselves. They are vampire bats, of course,� says the chief courtier. He peers in and calls up to the rafters: �Suppertime, gentlemen!� Then he leaves and the door is slammed shut, blotting out all light.

If you have an owl, turn to 421.
If not but you have the codeword Zotz, turn to 432.
If neither, turn to 17.

Page 17 posted:

Your eyes can make out nothing in the inky darkness that engulfs you. As you squat down on the guano-crusted floor, there comes a flapping of leathery wings and the first of the bats comes swooping down towards you. You throw up your arm, fending it off with a sob of horror.

Although you try to stay alert throughout the night, fatigue finally overcomes you and you sink into a fitful sleep. Lose 1 Life Point. If you survive, you awaken hours later to discover that the bats have been gorging on your blood. You are covered with tiny sores where they have chewed into your veins. You huddle miserably against the wall to wait for dawn.

Turn to 41.

Page 41 posted:

You are waiting by the door when the dog-like courtiers come to release you in the morning. The chief is not with them, but later in the day he comes over to where you are sitting at the edge of the plaza and asks: �How are you enjoying your stay?�

�If I were to be candid, I would say your hospitality leaves much to be desired,� you reply, forcing a note of flippancy into your voice with some effort. �But I feel this can be excused on the grounds that you receive few visitors in these parts.�

�On the contrary,� he says with a broad smile, �we often have people for dinner.�

Stifling a shudder at this veiled threat, you ask what your next ordeal is to be.

He glances at the sun, which is already declining in the sky. �You will shortly discover that for yourself. We call it the House of Knives.�

Soon afterwards you are taken to the third building. Here the floor is covered with knives of sharp green obsidian. As the sun sets, the knives come to life, springing up to slice at the air expectantly. The door crunches solidly into place behind you. �Now,� the chief courtier calls through it, �I expect you�ll be cut down to size.�

~~If you have a haunch of venison, turn to 64.~~
If not but you have a stone and want to use it, turn to 87.
If you have neither item (or decide against using them), turn to 110.

: Well, I do have a stone, but I don't have very much blood. This strikes me as a problem.

: That's what you get for artfully avoiding invulnerability.

: WHAT?!?

Character Sheet posted:

Evening Star 'Nesquik' Sherman the Acolyte

Skills: SPELLS, ETIQUETTE, FOLKLORE, and SWORDPLAY

Life Points: 1/10

Cacao: 0

Possessions: magic wand, sword, rope, salt, wad of dragon phlegm, your brother's skull, a heap of questionable wisdom, >3 boots full of sand, hydra blood ball, stone, charcoal

Codewords: Cenote, Psychoduct, Pakal, Salvation Angel

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, a nightcrawler, a particularly bulbous cactus

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, bitter life-sucking cold'd, cascade of rubble'd

# ? Nov 20, 2015 05:08

CirclMastr: Jul 4, 2010

We're just a stone's throw from death!

# ? Nov 20, 2015 06:08

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

Might as well use the stone, and if we don't die here somehow and we lose our last HP in the House of Tickling Fronds (or if we do die here), I preemptively vote that we go back to Jenga tunnel and use the Magic we went through some lengths to get back.

# ? Nov 20, 2015 13:23

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

Page 87 posted:

You wedge yourself into a corner of the hall and watch the hovering knives with a wary eye. As they come sweeping through the air towards you, you thrust out the stone. Sparks fly as the first of the knives strikes it, chipping its edge of volcanic glass.

The knives go darting away like startled birds, retreating to float around uncertainly in the center of the hall. After a while they seem to recover themselves and again start to approach. Again you strike out with the stone, blunting one of the knives and sending them veering away � but this time the attack took a chip out of the stone.

This continues throughout the night. You get no sleep, but at least you have kept the enchanted knives from your own flesh. Your stone shrinks to the size of a pebble, and finally a concerted attack by the knives shatters it entirely. (Cross it off your Character Sheet.) You are waiting nervously for the knives� next assault when they suddenly drop lifeless to the floor with the coming of the dawn.

The courtiers cannot disguise their ill temper when they open the door to find you unscathed. �You�re a cool customer,� snaps one, �so you�re probably looking forward to the House of Cold tonight.�

Turn to 132.

: Nicely done.

: But where am I ever going to get a stone again?

Page 132 posted:

The following evening you are shown into the House of Cold, where sparkling sheets of ice encase the walls and long icicles form pillars from floor to ceiling. Your breath curls like smoke in the freezing air as you stand shivering and watch the courtiers swing the heavy door shut.

~~If you have a stone and a lump of charcoal, turn to 155.~~
~~If you have a firebrand, turn to 319.~~
Otherwise, turn to 178.

Page 178 posted:

You feel yourself getting drowsy as the chill seeps into your bones. If you fall asleep here you will certainly perish, so you force yourself to pace up and down the long hall. Ice crunches underfoot as you walk, and your limbs are soon blue with cold. Lose 3 Life Points. ~~(Exception: if you have WILDERNESS LORE, lose only 2 Life Points as your natural resilience helps you resist the cold.)~~

If you survive it can only be raw determination that sustains you. When the courtiers come to open the door, you note with satisfaction that you have only one more ordeal to face. Then you will be taken to meet the one whom you hate more than any in the world, and yet have never seen. The sorcerer Necklace of Skulls.

Turn to 202.

Death: frozen, which in all honesty is a bit tame given what else we've been through

So, let's see what happens if we don't ask Olmek for anything...

Page 113 posted:

�You have done me a service, and yet you ask no favor in return,� rumbles the giant. �Hence I shall bestow my best gift: immortality.�

You wait, but nothing happens. You don�t feel any different. You raise your hands; you still look the same. �Is that it?�

�Yes. Now your natural lifespan is infinite.�

�My natural lifespan?� you say. A point like this is worth getting exactly right.

�You will never die a natural death,� the giant clarifies.

You don�t know what to say. �Er� well, thank you.� Uppermost in your thoughts is that adventurers rarely die natural deaths in any case.

�Also, you cannot suffer gradual injury,� adds the giant. �A single fatal accident can kill you outright, but that is all.�

That sounds better. It means that from now on you cannot lose Life Points. You will not need to keep track of your Life Points for any reason, so cross that box off your Character Sheet. As the giant said, the only thing that can now kill you is an overwhelming catastrophe like falling into a volcano.

Now turn to 135.

With that in hand, we can waltz through these various trials with our precious inventory intact. Back to where we were-

Page 202 posted:

When it is time for you to be taken to the House of Gloom, the courtiers summon you with surly grunts. It is obvious from their glowering looks that they did not expect you to endure this long. As they prod you through the doorway, the chief courtier is struck by inspiration.

�You have been cheating in the ordeals,� he says. �Using items to help you. Give me your travelling pack.� He takes the pack containing your belongings and places it outside the door. �It will be returned to you tomorrow. If you survive.�

You glance around at the interior of the House of Gloom. It is a dingy cobweb-strewn chamber with many shadowy recesses. The packed-earth floor rises at intervals in long low mounds. Something about the place stirs the hairs on the nape of your neck. You feel the tingle of awakening dread as you ask: �What is the ordeal here?�

The chief courtier places a single short candle on the floor just inside the door. �This is the place where our ancestors are buried. See those mounds? Their graves. If you can keep the candle alight until morning, they�ll leave you alone. But if it goes out then their ghosts will be sure to pay you a visit.�

The door grates shut, leaving just the trembling flame of the candle between you and eldritch terror.

~~If you have the codeword Ignis, turn to 248.~~
~~If not but you have CUNNING, turn to 271.~~
Otherwise turn to 294.

: Fellas!

: Great! Can you get me through this?

: *morphs into an unfathomable horror too terrible to perceive and high-fives an unspeakable shape in the shadows*

: *sigh*

Page 294 posted:

The candle looks as though it will last for about an hour. Just as you are thinking this, a draft of cold air suddenly blows it out, plunging you into darkness.

Silence hangs like a waiting presence in the air. The darkness dances in front of your eyes, causing your imagination to paint pictures of horror on the back of your mind. Your flesh creeps with unidentifiable fears.

You hear a noise that sets your heart pounding and every nerve shrieking. It was the sound of something dragging itself across the dry earthen floor. It stops beside you and you feel it reach out to stroke your leg: a thin dry hand with no flesh on it�

And then you scream.

All through the night you are beset by gibbering phantoms that come prancing out of the darkness, running their unseen hands over your skin and whispering horrible things in your ears. Lose 1 Life Point for this harrowing ordeal.

When dawn arrives you stagger out on shaking legs to retrieve your pack of belongings. No matter what dangers you have to face now, you cannot conceive of anything more unpleasant than another night in the House of Gloom.

Turn to 40.

: Thoughts on immortality thus far?

: Not all it's cracked up to be. But better than dead!

Page 40 posted:

�I have survived all the ordeals,� you say to the courtiers, �and now I demand to see your master �the sorcerer Necklace of Skulls.�

They watch you with smoldering eyes, but the cocksure sneering looks with which they first greeted you are gone now. By passing the five tests you have earned their respect � perhaps even their fear. As they escort you to the gateway of bones at the rear of the courtyard, the chief courtier studies you with a long sidelong stare before saying, �You have got further than any mortal I can remember. But our master will crush you as I might crack a flea between my fingernails.�

With a hollow rattling noise, the great gates swing inwards to reveal an avenue whose walls slope outwards on either side of you. The black pyramid stands at the far end of the avenue, its steep flanks clad in a block of cold shade that defies the harsh sunlight. The courtiers scatter at a signal you do not hear, rushing off with loping gaits that betray their half-canine ancestry. Climbing stone staircases, they take up positions along the top of the sloping walls.

As you take a step forward along the avenue, you notice stone rings set high up on the side walls. It is like the arena in which the sacred ball contest is played, and those stone rings are the goals.

You round angrily on the chief courtier, who is still standing close at your shoulder. �What is this?� you shout. �I haven�t come to play games! You told me I was going to meet Necklace of Skulls at last!�

�I am here,� echoes a sepulchral voice from the depths of the shrine atop the pyramid. �Now let the game begin.�

Turn to 317.

Page 317 posted:

You squint in the shimmering glare of the sun, but your eyes cannot make out any shape within the black void of the shrine entrance. The soot-colored pillars give its darkened interior the look of a fleshless mouth. Again Necklace of Skulls�s voice rolls along the avenue, each syllable driving like a grave-cool gust of wind through the blistering desert heat. �Your brother came here before you.�

Red rage seethes in your heart. �That�s right, you � �

The sorcerer�s words continue, unperturbed by your outburst. �He played the ritual ball contest and he lost. His life was forfeit. Now you will play for the same stakes. Behold your antagonists.�

Two long rivulets of shadow flow out of the shrine and down the pyramid steps, looking like spreading pools of black blood against the ebon stone. Reaching the bottom, they rise up in obscenely palpitating columns which gradually take solid form. Human form. Confronting you now are your opponents in the ball contest: two creatures of living shadow fashioned by the sorcerer�s magic.

If you have your brother�s skull, turn to 340.
~~If not but you have the codeword Angel, turn to 363.~~
~~If you have neither, turn to 384.~~

Page 340 posted:

If you have them, you can now use a gold diadem (turn to 404), the Chalice of Life (turn to 422) or SPELLS and a wand (turn to 18).

If you have none of those, turn to 363 if you have the codeword Angel ~~or to 384 if you do not.~~

Canny readers may anticipate what could come from using SPELLS along with our brother's skull, but I'll allow you to choose Angel instead if you'd prefer.

Character Sheet posted:

Evening Star 'Nesquik' Sherman the Acolyte

Skills: SPELLS, ETIQUETTE, FOLKLORE, and SWORDPLAY

Life Points: ∞/∞

Cacao: 0

Possessions: magic wand, sword, rope, salt, wad of dragon phlegm, your brother's skull, a heap of questionable wisdom, >3 boots full of sand, hydra blood ball, stone, charcoal

Codewords: Cenote, Psychoduct, Pakal, Salvation Angel, Shade

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, a nightcrawler, a particularly bulbous cactus

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, bitter life-sucking cold'd, cascade of rubble'd, cold'd

# ? Nov 22, 2015 09:21

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

Call on our Angel.

# ? Nov 22, 2015 11:02

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

Wait, is that seriously the god's reward for not asking for a favour? You didn't make it up? Considering that all our deaths in this book so far have been from Life Point attrition, that seems kinda ridiculously good.

Anyway, use Spells. We set out on this journey to avenge our brother, so we may as well give him the chance at a rematch against the guy who killed him.

# ? Nov 22, 2015 15:44

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

We came here to avenge or save our brother, so let's Spell him back to life.

# ? Nov 22, 2015 18:55

Decoy Badger: May 16, 2009

Spell the skull to make the ultimate brother-brother half-skeleton team!

# ? Nov 22, 2015 19:12

MysticalMachineGun: Apr 5, 2005

Resurrect our brother! (not sure why we didn't try this earlier, considering)

# ? Nov 23, 2015 00:15

Sneaky Fast: Apr 24, 2013

I'd like to see what angel does

# ? Nov 23, 2015 01:24

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? May 3, 2024 06:53

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

Page 18 posted:

You set the skull gently on the dusty ground and take a few paces back, raising your wand.

Necklace of Skulls sees what you are planning and speaks in protest from the inner recesses of his shrine: �You cannot resurrect him. You do not have that power!'

�Raw determination is the basis of all magic,� you counter. �My love for my brother will bring him back.�

This is the hardest spell you will ever cast. For almost an hour you continue the chant. The wolfish courtiers do not intervene, fearing your power. For his part, Necklace of Skulls is happy to indulge you. He wants to see you fail. You are determined to disappoint him.

Searingly bright light envelops the skull like a phosphoric bubble from which long green sparks go crawling out along the ground. The wand grows hot in your hand as it channels more magical force than it was ever intended to contain. At last you know you can do no more. Hoarsely uttering the last syllables of the spell, you slump to your knees.

There is a gasp from the watching courtiers, a howl of spite from the sorcerer. You look up. An hour of staring into the heart of the spell-glare has left a flickering after-image across your vision, but you are sure you can see something stirring. It looks like a man. He rises to his feet and steps towards you. You rub your eyes, then a familiar voice brings tears of joy to them. �Evening Star,� he says. Your brother is alive once more!

You must forfeit the SPELLS skill as you have used up all your sorcery in working this miracle. Get the codeword Venus, but delete the codeword Angel if you had it.

When you have amended your Character Sheet, turn to 42.

: Bro!

: ...what is that you're holding?

: Your skull, bro!

: Never got the word that we no longer have it.

: Shouldn't that be in MY inventory?

Page 42 posted:

The ball contest is played in every city of the civilized world. It is much more than just a game. Its exponents travel far and wide, earning fame for themselves and glory for their home cities. The priests say that the origins of the contest lie rooted in ancient tradition, and it is said that the playing of each game is like the unfolding of a mighty spell. Portents for the future are read in the outcome. Losers are often sacrificed to the gods.

The contest involves two players on each side. The aim is to bounce a large rubber ball off the sloping side walls of the arena using only your wrists, elbows and knees. At the same time you have to avoid the opposing players, who are allowed to ram into you with stunning force. You have seen men carried off with broken necks after a vicious tackle.

The side walls are marked into zones. You score points for hitting these with the ball, and the winning team is the first to score seven points. Alternatively, you can win an immediate victory by getting the ball to go through one of the stone rings set high up in the middle of each wall. This is a very difficult feat, rarely achieved by even the best players.

~~If you have the codeword Poktapok, turn to 65.~~
If not, turn to 88.

We could have picked this up from the priest of the War God way back when. Oh well.

Page 88 posted:

The chief courtier comes forwards and puts the ball into your hands. �So we get to launch the first round?� you say. �Very sporting.�

�We are nothing if not magnanimous,� he replies with a vaunting leer. �Later, when you have lost, we will be equally generous in dividing your carcass.�

You watch him dart back to the sidelines. At the other end of the arena, the two shadow men stand ready.

�Begin,� commands Necklace of Skulls.

You throw the ball against the side wall and run forward to intercept it on the rebound. The nearer of the shadow men charges towards you.

Will you tackle him head-on (turn to 111), weave around him towards the rear shadow man (turn to 133), or try to score a point immediately (turn to 156)?

: Bro!

: Hey guys, I'm open! I'm open!

: _{Who's the boney guy?}

: _{He just started following me earlier. And I needed a pack mule.}

: Guys! GUYS! I'm OOOOOOOOPPPEEEENNNN!

: _{I think he's a bit jealous with you back in the picture.}

Character Sheet posted:

Evening Star 'Nesquik' Sherman the Acolyte

Skills: ETIQUETTE, FOLKLORE, and SWORDPLAY

Life Points: ∞/∞

Cacao: 0

Possessions: magic wand, sword, rope, salt, wad of dragon phlegm, your brother's skull, a heap of questionable wisdom, >3 boots full of sand, hydra blood ball, stone, charcoal

Codewords: Cenote, Psychoduct, Pakal, Salvation, Venus

Kills: Embracer, a guard, an Infernal Machine and the tiny man inside it, a pointy-toothed native, Ejada, the [i]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, a nightcrawler, a particularly bulbous cactus

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, bitter life-sucking cold'd, cascade of rubble'd, cold'd

# ? Nov 23, 2015 02:20

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

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