Once Upon a Time in [CYOA]rabia

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

Welcome to Once Upon a Time in Arabia (Twist of Fate upon first publication)! This book concludes the 6 entry series of Virtual Reality Adventures, a mid-90s CYOA series notable for the absence of random elements such as those found in the Fighting Fantasy or Lone Wolf adventures. Earlier installments in the series include Green Blood, Down Among the Deadmen, Coils of Hate, Necklace of Skulls, and Heart of Ice. So far we've followed the adventures of a generic fantasy...orphan, a pirate warlock, a Judain zealot, a Mayan paladin, and a post-apocalyptic mutant. Now to see what's in store for us this adventure.

PROLOGUE posted:

After many days on the road, it is with a quickening of the blood that you breathe in and catch the ripe, enticing scent of Baghdad�s canal-irrigated orchards in the distance. Cresting a hill, you rein in your horse and gaze down on the city of your birth. There is a haze in the air that, filtering the shafts of morning sunlight, makes the gardens and marble palaces seem as though flecked with gold. Beyond the city walls, the River Tigris laces between the green fields and the woodland of the hunting parks like a vein of liquid fire.

The horse whinnies and tugs at the reins.

�You like the look of that fresh grass, eh, Antar?�

You pat his mane and dismount, leading him to a spot where he can graze in the shade. Then you lie back to bask in the warm sun. Bees drone lazily amid the flowers. You set out early this morning and have made good speed. Why not enjoy a nap before riding on into the city?

Yet sleep does not come. You are too excited. When you set out a month ago to attend your uncle�s funeral, you were contented but poor, with few prospects for the future. You never dreamt that your uncle, whom you hardly knew, had made you his heir. He left you his fine stallion Antar, who has already become a firm friend. And in your saddlebags are bars of gold that will allow you to set yourself up in whatever enterprise you wish.

As you muse on what you will do with your new-found fortune, you become aware of voices on the other side of the hill. Antar is still contentedly chewing the grass. Moved by curiosity, you make your way through the bushes and look down to see a group of servants laying out a picnic. Nearby stand soldiers, obviously the guards of a plump nobleman in elegant robes who has a hawk that he sends swooping down the hill. Each time the bird falls on a field mouse, the nobleman�s ample belly quakes with cruel laughter.

One of the soldiers comes up to the nobleman and salutes him. You are close enough to hear him say, �Lord Jafar, shall we set up your pavilion?�

You know that name. Jafar is the Grand Vizier of Baghdad, who advises the Caliph on every detail of state policy. You decide to remain out of sight. It is not prudent to attract the attention of one so rich and powerful. He could easily decide you are trespassing and have you flogged or enslaved.

Jafar nods, then waves the soldier away and beckons over a thin servant clad in black who had been standing aloof from the others. The servant hovers beside Jafar with a fixed grin on his face, like a worshipper waiting to hear the word of his god.

Jafar sends the hawk aloft and watches it. Then he says thoughtfully, as though to himself, �Every night, the Caliph puts on ordinary clothes and has me lead him by means of secret passages to explore the streets outside the palace walls. In this way, he hopes to learn the true will of the people.�

�It�s all too easy for a ruler to get out of touch,� puts in the black-clad servant.

Jafar nods. �Precisely. Lately I have been leading the Caliph to very select venues � inns and houses where I have previously planted my own agents. They talk of rebellion, and the Caliph hears their talk, and gradually he begins to believe that his subjects hate him.�

�Oh, a scheme of rare cunning, if I may say so, your excellency,� says the servant. �But where�s it leading, may I ask?�

�The Caliph, fearing rebellion, each day grows more cautious, more paranoid. He intensifies the rule of law and deals harshly with those whose loyalty is in question. And so, by fearing rebellion, each day he brings it closer.�

The servant claps his hands in delight. �You are the Prince of Guile, my lord! So the populace will come to hate the noble Caliph��

�And then, when the time is ripe, I�ll overthrow him. How the people will cheer! Despite my humble protests, they�ll insist that I take the place of the despot. Can you see it, Natar?�

�I can, excellency!� cries the servant. �And when you are Caliph, what then?�

He waits with an expectant smile which fades as he sees the dark look in Jafar�s eyes.

�And then?� says Jafar grimly. �Then the whole world shall tremble.�

You�ve heard more than enough. This many secrets can get a person killed. You are edging back into the bushes when one of Jafar�s guards comes around the hill. Outrage leaps like fire into your blood. The guard is leading your horse.

�See what I found, excellency,� he says, taking the horse over to Jafar.

�Thank you,� purrs Jafar, patting Antar�s neck. �A fine gift.�

This is too much to bear. Striding down the hill, you raise your hand and call out. �Wait! That�s my horse.�

Jafar flicks his gaze vaguely in your direction, looking through you as though you are nothing. �I believe the horse is mine, and yet I seemed to hear a voice raised in protest. How can the Grand Vizier of Baghdad be mistaken?�

You are almost choking with emotion. You lunge, seizing Antar�s reins. �This is outright theft!�

Now Jafar glares. His eyes, like tiny crystals of ice, focus on yours. You shudder at the sudden palpable wave of evil. �Justice is not for the likes of you,� he spits. �I make the law here.�

The servant, Natar, peers at you and then speaks anxiously to his master: �This wretch may have overheard us, lord. Shall I..?�

He draws his knife half out of its sheath.

Jafar nods. Before you can react, one of the guards clubs you across the back of the neck. Your legs give way and they catch you under the arms. Natar pushes the knife towards you.

�Not here,� snaps Jafar. �You�ll get blood over the picnic things. Do it by the river, then throw the body in.�

You are half-led, half-dragged towards the riverbank. You�re groggy but you fight to stay conscious, knowing that if you black out now you will never awaken. The river surges past below. Natar�s face swims close through waves of nausea. The knife approaches your throat. You muster a burst of strength and break free of the guards holding you. Natar only laughs. �So, you still have some fight left in you. Good.�

You seize his wrist, but you know you don�t have the strength to disarm him. Instead you let your legs give way, using your dead weight to drag you both over the side of the bank.

Icy cold water engulfs you. Natar�s grin has become a mask of hatred and alarm. By luck you twist the knife around, and you think you managed to cut him. He is swept away and you tumble with the current, spinning down and down into a black sink of oblivion.

You are revived by the last rays of the sun. You are lying in river mud near to some fishermen�s hovels on the outskirts of the city. Ignoring the throb in your skull, you drag yourself to your feet and stumble along the warren of streets, your only thought being to stay hidden. Jafar�s agents may already be looking for you. With what you have learned, your days are numbered. Unless you can expose Jafar as the villain he is.

Now turn to 1.

But before we get into the re-stealing of horses and avenging, let's carve out our protagonist.

CHOOSE ONE OF THESE CHARACTERS posted:

The Warrior
Skills: ARCHERY, FOLKLORE, SWORDPLAY and WRESTLING
Profile: You must live your life by the high ideals of the military code. You accept wounds to your body without flinching, but never a wound to your honor.
Life Points: 10
Possessions: Bow, sword
Money: 12 dinars

The Wizard
Skills: CUNNING, FOLKLORE, LUCK and MAGIC
Profile: You are a student of sorcery and mystery. The stars of your birth guarantee you a charmed life.
Life Points: 10
Possessions: Ring
Money: 12 dinars

The Thief
Skills: AGILITY, CUNNING, ROGUERY and STREETWISE
Profile: Born and bred in the dark crannies of Baghdad's slums, you believe your knavish skills are equal to any challenge.
Life Points: 10
Money: 12 dinars

The Ranger
Skills: ARCHERY, SEAFARING, STREETWISE and WILDERNESS LORE
Profile: You have no fear of any peril that nature can throw at you. The only true evil in this world resides in the hearts of selfish men.
Life Points: 10
Possessions: Bow
Money: 12 dinars

The Merchant
Skills: LUCK, ROGUERY, SEAFARING and SWORDPLAY
Profile: In your youth you were fascinated by the strange journeys of Sinbad. Now you have the chance to outdo them.
Life Points: 10
Possessions: Sword
Money: 12 dinars

The Nomad
Skills: AGILITY, FOLKLORE, MAGIC and WILDERNESS LORE
Profile: Your true home is among the desert dunes. You know that city dwellers are not to be trusted.
Life Points: 10
Possessions: Ring
Money: 12 dinars

The Beggar
Skills: CUNNING, LUCK, STREETWISE and WRESTLING
Profile: All pious men should give generously to the poor, but in your experience many disregard this. No matter � if you aren�t offered charity, you'll simply take it.
Life Points: 10
Money: 12 dinars

When you have chosen a character, you can begin the adventure.

Alternatively design your own character, taking any four skills of your choice from the skill list.

VRA does allow for the player to create their own character, and there are some particular sequences in previous books that were only accessed through a specialized skill set. But to keep things running we'll just use the given classes.

LIST OF SKILLS posted:

ARCHERY
A long-range attack for both hunting and combat. You must possess a bow to use this skill.

AGILITY
The ability to perform acrobatic feats, run, climb, balance and leap. A character with this skill is nimble and dexterous.

CUNNING
The ability to think on your feet and devise clever ploys for getting out of trouble. Useful in countless situations.

FOLKLORE
Knowledge of myth and legend. Such knowledge is power, and you know the best way of dealing with any supernatural menace.

LUCK
The general ability to �fall on your feet�. Your natural good fortune will help you in all sorts of situations.

MAGIC
The ability to summon a jinni to do your bidding. You must possess a ring to use this skill.

ROGUERY
The traditional repertoire of thief�s tricks: picking pockets, opening locks, and skulking unseen in the shadows.

SEAFARING
Knowing all about life at sea, including the ability to handle anything from a rowboat right up to a large sailing boat.

STREETWISE
With this skill you are never at a loss in towns and cities. What others see as the squalor and menace of narrow alleys is home to you.

SWORDPLAY
The best fighting skill, but to use it you must possess a sword.

WILDERNESS LORE
A talent for survival in the wild � whether forest, desert, swamp or mountain peak.

WRESTLING
You know how to handle yourself in a brawl, winning victory with armlocks, holds, leg sweeps and forearm jabs. You need no weapons � your own body is the weapon.

To customize a character, pick any four skills. You will also have any possessions needed for the skills chosen (eg, a ring if you choose MAGIC) and will start with 12 dinars. You have an initial Life Points score of 10.

And on the off-chance that you're unfamiliar with the basic rules of CYOAs -

HOW TO PLAY THE ADVENTURE posted:

All you will need to play Once Upon A Time In Arabia is a Character Sheet on which you can make notes. If you wish, you can use one of the Character Sheets available for download on the Critical IF web page.

The Character Sheet records the abilities of your adventuring persona and will keep track of the following:

Skills
You begin with four skills that you choose from a list of twelve.

Life Points
You begin with 10 Life Points. If they ever reach zero you are dead. Life Points can be restored (eg by magic potions) but can never go above 10 unless you are told otherwise.

Possessions
You may begin with some possessions if you choose skills that require them. Other possessions are acquired during the game. You cannot carry more than eight possessions at one time. If you are at your limit and come across something else you want, you will need to drop a possession (by crossing it off your Character Sheet) before you can pick up the new item.

Money
The currency of the Arabian world is the dinar. You begin the adventure with 12 dinars. (Unlike possessions, there is no limit to how much money you can carry.)

Codewords
Record codewords on your Character Sheet when you are told to. These �remember� what you have done earlier in the adventure.

We'll leave the vote open for our Character class for a day or two, and then get rolling with the adventure!

# ? Jun 3, 2016 20:15

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? May 3, 2024 05:20

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

Reserved for stuff

# ? Jun 3, 2016 20:16

Cathode Raymond: Dec 30, 2015; My antenna is telling me that you're probably wrong about this.; Soiled Meat

Nomad for Max Lore and Djinn shenanigans.

# ? Jun 3, 2016 20:43

CirclMastr: Jul 4, 2010

Who better to move unseen than the humble Beggar?

# ? Jun 3, 2016 22:38

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

I am the Thief of Baghdad.

# ? Jun 4, 2016 01:34

Darkest Auer: Dec 30, 2006; They're silly; Ramrod XTreme

Thief. Looting the palace requires some stealth.

# ? Jun 4, 2016 06:39

SatansOnion: Dec 12, 2011

Cathode Raymond posted:

Nomad for Max Lore and Djinn shenanigans.

This sounds good. I definitely want us to have a ~~magic slave to do all the heavy lifting~~ helpful djinni sidekick!

# ? Jun 4, 2016 13:00

Tuxedo Ted: Apr 24, 2007

Yeah, nomad seems like a fun spread of abilities.

# ? Jun 4, 2016 13:24

Odysseus S. Grant: Oct 12, 2011; Cats is the oldest and strongest emotion
of mankind

We're a nomad on a mission: Get our drat horse back.

# ? Jun 4, 2016 13:41

Snorb: Nov 19, 2010

We are nomads, and we're going through the desert for a horse with a name.

# ? Jun 5, 2016 05:24

paragon1: Nov 22, 2010; FULL COMMUNISM NOW

Thief

Wilderness lore sounds absolutely useless for an adventure taking place in a city.

# ? Jun 5, 2016 06:14

Snorb: Nov 19, 2010

paragon1 posted:

Thief

Wilderness lore sounds absolutely useless for an adventure taking place in a city.

You say that.

But then you realize we have no idea where we washed up, and once we find out where we are, we've still gotta beat Jafar to the caliph. And something tells me there's gonna be a lot of desert travel involved.

# ? Jun 6, 2016 03:54

mcclay: Jul 8, 2013; Oh dear oh gosh oh darn; Soiled Meat

Wizzard

# ? Jun 6, 2016 04:27

MysticalMachineGun: Apr 5, 2005

CirclMastr posted:

Who better to move unseen than the humble Beggar?

I like the spread of his skills, too. Let's go with this.

# ? Jun 7, 2016 06:48

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

A nomad we shall be!

Page 1 posted:

Nightfall finds you walking aimlessly through the narrow back streets of the city. From off in the main plaza you can hear the hubbub of street entertainers and night-time revellers. Torchlight flares from braziers set up for the festival. Here the street is hushed and dimly lit. You shrink back into the shadows, preferring to be alone with your bitter thoughts.

A beggar sits in a doorway, unnoticed by the few passers-by. He is an old dervish with a streaked grey beard. He reaches out his tin cup, startling you, and you flinch at the sight of his scabrous hands. Then you see the green turban that marks him as a hajji � one who has made the arduous pilgrimage to Mecca.

�Alms for the love of God,� he mutters.

Ashamed at the feeling of loathing that swept across your face at first, you fish in your pocket and give him a dinar. It rattles in his cup and for a moment he peers at it as though it were a wondrous vision. He gestures up at the heavens and says, �You have only to lift your head: there is a sight to banish misfortune. Under the wide sky, God sees all and guides the worthy to a just reward.�

The remark seems filled with portent. You gaze up past the rooftops at the stars: a thousand lights sharp as jewels on the cloth of the night. A feeling of awe at their beauty takes the breath from your body. By the time you look back, the dervish is shuffling away.

You follow him to the end of the alley, but lose sight of him as he slips through a crowd of people who are gathered to hear a storyteller. As the storyteller finishes his tale, the crowd begins to break up. Some move off towards a troupe of acrobats from distant Cathay whose oiled flesh gleams like amber in the flaring torchlight. Others go to buy sweetmeats from stalls around the plaza. The storyteller sits back on his mat, beaming at the mound of coins he has earned.

You are standing outside an astrologer�s shop. A man emerges, brushing past you, nodding with a smile as he catches your eye. The tattoo on his chest suggests he is a sailor.

Remember to cross off the dinar you gave the dervish.

If you wish to enter the astrologer�s shop, turn to 69.
If you talk to the sailor, turn to 475.
If you go over to the storyteller, turn to 23.
If you go in search of the elusive dervish, turn to 92.

Working on photoshopping a keffiyeh on Jay, will hopefully have that for the next update.

Character Sheet posted:

Jay Sherifman the Nomad

Skills: AGILITY, FOLKLORE, MAGIC, WILDERNESS LORE

Life Points: 10

Dinars: 11

Possessions: Ring

Codewords:

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, Necklace of Skulls, a necklace of skulls, some jerk vines, a troupe of post-apocalyptic hell-puppets, a weird future ghost thing, embroyonic cyber-spider mech, pretty much every conceivable thing (x2), the post-apocalyptic speed limit, a second weird future ghost thing (albeit vicariously), the bestest robofriendship we're likely to come across this side of godhood, two traitorous Bocheii, whatever remained of the concept of privacy, Vajra Singh, our last (probably) shot at godhood

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, celestial darkness'd, mutant plant'd, second shot'd, hypnotic trance'd, reality ripped right out from under us'd, Volent'd

# ? Jun 9, 2016 04:49

Snorb: Nov 19, 2010

The dervish told us to lift our head, but how can we see the portents among so many stars? Surely the astronomer can sort things out.

# ? Jun 9, 2016 05:05

MysticalMachineGun: Apr 5, 2005

Astrologer's shop - maybe we can throw more money after vague advice!

# ? Jun 9, 2016 05:49

Parenthesis: Jan 3, 2013

Astrologer

# ? Jun 9, 2016 07:00

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

Page 69 posted:

The astrologer emerges from his shop and stands gazing out across the plaza. The festival seems not to interest him. The crowds of merry-makers might as well be the flitting shadows of puppets. His gaze is fixed firmly on the sky, where the moon shows as a thin sliver of ivory above the spires of the city.

You step up beside him. �Barely moments ago, a dervish spoke significantly to me of the sky�s portents,� you say. �What can you see amid the stars?�

He turns to look at you. His gaze is misty with secret lore. He sweeps his arm up, taking in the constellations spread out above, then ends the gesture by pointing at the door of his shop. �The stars are the key to all mysteries, but yonder is the portal,� he tells you. �One dinar will oil the lock, and then you may step into your future.�

The sudden talk of money banishes all fancies. �Are you a sage, old man, or the father of all merchants? Have you so little heart for the beauty of the night that you must sully it with talk of money?�

He strokes his beard. �A dinar only! Will you balk at such a paltry price, when you have the chance to learn what the future holds?�

If you pay him one dinar, cross it off and turn to 115.
If not, you can talk to the sailor who just left (turn to 475), the storyteller sitting on the plaza nearby (turn to 23), or go on your way (turn to 92).

: Oh God, this turned out horribly!

Character Sheet posted:

Jay Sherifman the Nomad

Skills: AGILITY, FOLKLORE, MAGIC, WILDERNESS LORE

Life Points: 10

Dinars: 11

Possessions: Ring

Codewords:

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, Necklace of Skulls, a necklace of skulls, some jerk vines, a troupe of post-apocalyptic hell-puppets, a weird future ghost thing, embroyonic cyber-spider mech, pretty much every conceivable thing (x2), the post-apocalyptic speed limit, a second weird future ghost thing (albeit vicariously), the bestest robofriendship we're likely to come across this side of godhood, two traitorous Bocheii, whatever remained of the concept of privacy, Vajra Singh, our last (probably) shot at godhood

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, celestial darkness'd, mutant plant'd, second shot'd, hypnotic trance'd, reality ripped right out from under us'd, Volent'd

Ratatozsk fucked around with this message at 06:24 on Jun 10, 2016

# ? Jun 10, 2016 06:19

Odysseus S. Grant: Oct 12, 2011; Cats is the oldest and strongest emotion
of mankind

Pay up. I'm sure we'll get a codeword or something out of it.

# ? Jun 10, 2016 07:26

Darkest Auer: Dec 30, 2006; They're silly; Ramrod XTreme

We've got enough money, might as well pay him.

# ? Jun 10, 2016 07:31

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

It's just one dinar. Pay the guy.

# ? Jun 10, 2016 08:15

Brerose: Jun 10, 2016

Pay him. What's the worst that can happen?

# ? Jun 10, 2016 17:54

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

Page 115 posted:

The astrologer leads you up a winding staircase to a tower room at the top of his house. An archway opens onto the night, giving a crystal-clear view of the sky. While you settle yourself down on a pile of velvet cushions, he brings a wooden table on which he sets up a brass astrolabe. For several minutes he takes sightings of the stars, every so often giving a grunt and jotting something down on the chart at his elbow. At last he turns and says, �I see a thief among thieves, a most daring knave, bold and lucky as an alley cat.�

�Is it me? Or is this someone I shall meet? Where will it happen?�

He holds up a hand to stem your flood of questions. �The future is like a page from a book seen in a dream. The words are not written in the clearest hand, nor in the sharpest of inks. All I know is that a great journey lies ahead. Beware, then, as a journey can mean death! Treachery awaits you with a plain mark on his face. Sages and sorcerers may help or hinder you. In a place of many doors you will find your destiny...�

His voice trails off. In a less ominous tone he adds, �These things I have described are but the myriad possibilities of your future. You stand as at a crossroads. Choose your destiny.�

Thanking him, you leave more baffled than when you came in.

Turn to 92.

Page 92 posted:

You walk down by the river, where the moon�s reflection lies like a sunken scimitar in the black depths. Some distance off, whispering couples glide between the trees. Blinkered by love, they take no notice of the brooding figure on the river bank.

You contemplate your future. The life of a beggar promises nothing but misery, hardship, sickness and an early death. You burn with outrage at the way Jafar treated you as beneath contempt because of your humble birth. The Caliph himself, you believe, is a good man who should be warned of his Vizier�s evil plot. But an ordinary subject like yourself can hardly demand an audience with the ruler of the civilized world. It would be different if you were wealthy. �The scales of justice are balanced by a little gold,� as the saying goes.

If you go straight to the Caliph�s palace, turn to 206.
If you decide instead to set out in search of adventure and riches, will you go by sea (turn to 160), or join a merchant caravan heading overland (turn to 183)?

: Damnation, I'd still be rich if I'd kept that SkyCar rather than pawning it for a traitorous horse.

Character Sheet posted:

Jay Sherifman the Nomad

Skills: AGILITY, FOLKLORE, MAGIC, WILDERNESS LORE

Life Points: 10

Dinars: 11

Possessions: Ring

Codewords:

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, Necklace of Skulls, a necklace of skulls, some jerk vines, a troupe of post-apocalyptic hell-puppets, a weird future ghost thing, embroyonic cyber-spider mech, pretty much every conceivable thing (x2), the post-apocalyptic speed limit, a second weird future ghost thing (albeit vicariously), the bestest robofriendship we're likely to come across this side of godhood, two traitorous Bocheii, whatever remained of the concept of privacy, Vajra Singh, our last (probably) shot at godhood

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, celestial darkness'd, mutant plant'd, second shot'd, hypnotic trance'd, reality ripped right out from under us'd, Volent'd

# ? Jun 11, 2016 07:42

MysticalMachineGun: Apr 5, 2005

We've got some piratin' experience, let's adventure by sea!

# ? Jun 11, 2016 07:58

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

We have Wilderness Lore and don't have Seafaring, so let's go overland.

# ? Jun 11, 2016 08:10

Darkest Auer: Dec 30, 2006; They're silly; Ramrod XTreme

But we do have Folklore, which, as sailors will all tell you, is much more important than knowing which end of the boat is which. Sea it is!

# ? Jun 11, 2016 08:46

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

You trying to get us killed here? Let's take the overland route.

# ? Jun 11, 2016 10:16

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

I feel to go to sea just to continue the patten.

# ? Jun 11, 2016 10:24

AutistTree: Mar 28, 2010

We are a nomad, not a pirate so overland it must be!

# ? Jun 11, 2016 12:12

Brerose: Jun 10, 2016

Sea adventures are always cooler than overland adventures, so that's my vote.

# ? Jun 11, 2016 14:10

Telegnostic: Apr 24, 2008

Seafaring seems like the last thing we're suited for, so overland it is.

# ? Jun 11, 2016 14:53

Cathode Raymond: Dec 30, 2015; My antenna is telling me that you're probably wrong about this.; Soiled Meat

overland

# ? Jun 11, 2016 14:59

Snorb: Nov 19, 2010

To venture to sea without Seafaring would risk certain death. Overland travel may be our best choice here.

# ? Jun 11, 2016 15:31

TheGreatEvilKing: Mar 28, 2016

Wait, how do we know the Caliph will be around when we get back?

Do something dumb at the palace

# ? Jun 11, 2016 17:36

Brerose: Jun 10, 2016

TheGreatEvilKing posted:

Wait, how do we know the Caliph will be around when we get back?

Do something dumb at the palace

Switching to this solely based off phrasing

# ? Jun 11, 2016 20:56

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

Page 183 posted:

Arriving at the market in early morning, you see two teams of camels loaded for long journeys. Porters rush along the line, checking the wares are securely strapped. The camels growl like consumptive old men and glower disdainfully at their handlers, rising to their feet reluctantly as the first caravan moves off.

A merchant approaches you and asks if you will hire on as a caravan guard. �I will pay you ten dinars. Come, be quick about your answer � those are my camels you see traipsing towards the eastern gate.�

�Ten dinars to brave the blades of a thousand bandits!� scoffs another man who has overheard this. He takes your arm and points to the other caravan, now making ready to set off. �Why weigh your lifeblood against a pouch of gold? Come with us to Egypt. It�s a safer route by far than this slave-driver takes.�

The first merchant stares at him in express amazement. �Safe, you claim? Your tongue is more wretched than a dog�s tail! Is it safe to fling one�s life at the mercy of the desert sun?� He turns to you. �Let this rogue pay you in water. You will need it more than my gold, if you take the route to Egypt.�

Decide.

Will you join the first caravan, heading east through the Peaks of the Slayers, for the sum of 10 dinars (turn to 296), or the second caravan across the desert to Egypt for the sum of 6 dinars (turn to 400)?

Remember to add your pay to the money on your Character Sheet.

: Dinar time!

Character Sheet posted:

Jay Sherifman the Nomad

Skills: AGILITY, FOLKLORE, MAGIC, WILDERNESS LORE

Life Points: 10

Dinars: 10

Possessions: Ring

Codewords:

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, Necklace of Skulls, a necklace of skulls, some jerk vines, a troupe of post-apocalyptic hell-puppets, a weird future ghost thing, embroyonic cyber-spider mech, pretty much every conceivable thing (x2), the post-apocalyptic speed limit, a second weird future ghost thing (albeit vicariously), the bestest robofriendship we're likely to come across this side of godhood, two traitorous Bocheii, whatever remained of the concept of privacy, Vajra Singh, our last (probably) shot at godhood

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, celestial darkness'd, mutant plant'd, second shot'd, hypnotic trance'd, reality ripped right out from under us'd, Volent'd

# ? Jun 12, 2016 18:54

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

We could use the extra money, but we're kinda lacking in combat skills. Let's go to Egypt.

# ? Jun 12, 2016 19:12

Cathode Raymond: Dec 30, 2015; My antenna is telling me that you're probably wrong about this.; Soiled Meat

Peaks of Slayers because it's been a few books since we've been sword'd to death by many dozens of people at once.

# ? Jun 12, 2016 19:18

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# ? May 3, 2024 05:20

CirclMastr: Jul 4, 2010

Egypt because I want to use a skill we might actually have.

# ? Jun 12, 2016 19:19

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > Let's Play! > Once Upon a Time in [CYOA]rabia

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