28) Phantoms of Fear Solution

[champskees]

This is the item method. I recommend taking the Potion of Fortune. To get some of the items is risky (50% chance of death for one, 1 in 6 death chance for the other), but apart from that this method is quite achievable. You will need decent Power to complete this adventure without too much trouble (recommend 12+). Spirit fight rounds are roughly 40/60 in favour of the enemy & you will usually recover any power lost during a spirit fight.

- Take the one to your left and proceed towards the health of the forest (+1 Power).
- Head west.
- Seek their company.
- Step through the trees into the clearing like a boss (+1 Power).
- Tell the travellers something of your mission.
- Turn to Para 50.
- Roll D6:
        o 1 or 6: No encounter.
        o 2: Fight Sk 7 St 6 Wolf.
        o 3: Fight Sk 6 St 12 Moose.
        o 4: Fight Sk 7 St 14 Bear.
        o 5: Fight Sk 9 St 9 Forest Giant.
- Take 2D6 Food.
- Turn to Para 376.
- Fight Sk 6 St 5 Wild Boar.
- Take Boar’s Tusks.
- Leave the sapling to your right.
- Make a bed under some bracken in a little dell.
- If Power is 14+:
        o Start walking.
        o Stay where you are (+2 Power).
        o Go back to sleep (for some extra story).
- If Power is less than 14:
        o Fight Power 16 Vampire Bat. Spirit Fight. 2-7 = 2 Damage to you. 8-12 = 2 Damage to enemy.
                • If you win: +1 Power.
                • If you lose: -1 Power.
- Go north-west.
- Preserve your Power and continue through the valley.
- Approach the death ground.
- Ask for a gift.
- Take Antler Horn – 12 Branches (+1 Luck).
- You will find a cave (+1 Luck).
- Spend the night in this cave (+2 Power).
- Continue up the hillside.
- Stay where you are.
- Test Luck. Fail = -1 Skill, -1 Power, 2 Damage.
- Bathe in the pool (+2 Luck, +2 Stamina).
- Roll D6. 6 = Death.
- Take Silver Branch – 22 Branches.
- Walk around it & keep to the trees.
- Fight Sk 6 St 12 Roots.
- Follow the trail.
- Go into the fenced off area.
- Make the attempt.
- Test Luck. Fail = 2 Damage.
- Lie where you are for a while.
- Do as he says.
- Bide your time.
- If your Power is 17+:
        o Take Amber – Number 20.
        o Accept his invitation.
        o Fight Power 16 Tree. Spirit Fight. 2-7 = 2 Damage to you. 8-12 = 2 Damage to enemy.
                • If you win: +1 Power.
                • If you lose: -1 Power & 2 Damage.
        o The Wild Man is still alive.
        o Accept his company (+2 Luck).
        o Do not investigate.
        o You have a companion.
        o Fight Sk 8 St 6 Dark Elf.
        o Fight Sk 7 St 6 Dark Elf.
        o Fight Sk 7 St 8 Dark Elf.
        o Fight Sk 8 St 7 Dark Elf & Sk 5 St 4 Dark Elf together.
- If your Power is less than 17:
        o Seize the opportunity to grab your sword and fight.
        o Fight Sk 8 St 18 Wild Man.
        o Roll D6. 5-6 = Take Amber – Number 20.
        o Fight Power 16 Tree. Spirit Fight. 2-7 = 2 Damage to you. 8-12 = 2 Damage to enemy.
                • If you win: +1 Power.
                • If you lose: -1 Power & 2 Damage.
        o Crawl back through the holly bushes and continue on your way.
        o Do not investigate.
        o You do not have a companion.
        o Run to break through their circle.
        o Fight Sk 8 St 6 Dark Elf. After 4th round, take 2 Damage per round until enemy killed.
        o Fight Sk 7 St 6 Dark Elf. After 4th round, take 2 Damage per round until enemy killed.
        o Fight Sk 7 St 8 Dark Elf. After 4th round, take 2 Damage per round until enemy killed.
        o Fight Sk 8 St 7 Dark Elf. After 4th round, take 2 Damage per round until enemy killed.
        o Fight Sk 6 St 6 Dark Elf. After 4th round, take 2 Damage per round until enemy killed.
        o Fight Sk 6 St 8 Dark Elf.
- Add +2 Luck for defeating the Dark Elves.
- Note: You can switch from real world to dream world from now on.
- Note: * in Real World = -20 to travel to dream world.
- Note: # in Dream World = +50 to travel to real world.
- Take the path to your right.
- Go over to the bones (+1 Luck).
- Travel to dream world (84-20 = 64). Go to para 64.
- Go north.
- Carry on along the river.
- Fight the monster (+1 Power).
- Give in to this inclination.
- Explore the garden (+1 Luck, +1 Power).
- Travel to real world (139+50 = 189). Go to para 189.
- Fight Sk 7 St 6 Orc Guard (first round enemy has Sk 6).
- Take Bowl – Number 9 & Key.
- Use key to lock door behind you (+1 Luck).
- Go left.
- Go straight ahead.
- Test Skill. Fail = 2 Damage.
- Fight Sk 9 St 8 Banshee.
- See if the Banshee’s cave leads anywhere.
- Take Crystal Ball – Number 30.
- Put it in your pack and go east.
- Turn right.
- Open the doors and step into the room.
- Say you are on your way to the kitchen.
- Go straight ahead.
- Wait a while and return to the dining hall (+1 Luck).
- Keep rolling until you roll a double. Once you roll 3 & 3, stop rolling.
        o 1,1: Go to para 11 (-1 Luck).
        o 2,2: Go to para 22. Try another door.
        o 3,3: Go to para 33. Take Ice – Number 33. Walk on up the corridor.
        o 4,4: Go to para 44. Roll dice for another room.
        o 5,5: Go to para 55. Eat the food in the larder (+4 Stamina).
        o 6,6: Go to para 66. Death.
- Turn left.
- Travel to dream world (73-20 = 53). Go to para 53.
- Fight Power 10 Harpy. Spirit Fight. 2-7 = 2 Damage to you. 8-12 = 2 Damage to enemy.
- Restore your power to pre fight level -1.
- Fight Power 12 Clawbeast. Spirit Fight. 2-7 = 2 Damage to you. 8-12 = 2 Damage to enemy.
- Restore your power to pre fight level -1.
- Fight Power 14 Wraith. Spirit Fight. 2-7 = 2 Damage to you. 8-12 = 2 Damage to enemy.
- Restore your power to pre fight level -1.
- If you lost all three fights you die.
- Fight Sk 8 Pr 20 Morpheus (Use Power as Stamina for this fight).
- Stop fighting enemy when his Stamina reaches 2 or 1.
- Restore your power to its score before you entered Morpheus’ cavern.
- Choose to meet him in the real world.
- 12+22+20+9+30+33 = 126. Go to para 126.
- Arrange the elements so they are opposite each other.
- Your power score is more than it was at the start of your adventure.
- You have rid Titan of Ishtra, and his army has now fallen into disarray due to the animosity between factions. You escape, and have secured the safety of your forest and of Titan!

[champskees]

This is the Power method. I recommend taking the Potion of Luck for the extra stat boost. Spirit fight rounds are roughly 40/60 in favour of the enemy & you will usually recover any power lost during a spirit fight. You will need a starting Power of at least 13. I also recommend a Skill score of 10+.

Using this method you will gain 8-9 additional Power points. I recommend using Luck as much as possible on your enemies (especially the Dark Elves – game changer!).

- Take the one to your left and proceed towards the health of the forest (+1 Power).
- Head west.
- Seek their company.
- Step through the trees into the clearing like a boss (+1 Power).
- Tell the travellers something of your mission.
- Turn to Para 50.
- Roll D6:
        o 1 or 6: No encounter.
        o 2: Fight Sk 7 St 6 Wolf.
        o 3: Fight Sk 6 St 12 Moose.
        o 4: Fight Sk 7 St 14 Bear.
        o 5: Fight Sk 9 St 9 Forest Giant.
- Take 2D6 Food.
- Turn to Para 376.
- Fight Sk 6 St 5 Wild Boar.
- Take Boar’s Tusks.
- Leave the sapling to your right.
- Make a bed under some bracken in a little dell.
- Your Power is 14+.
- Start walking.
- Stay where you are (+2 Power).
- Go back to sleep (for some extra story).
- Go north-west.
- Preserve your Power and continue through the valley.
- Approach the death ground.
- Ask for a gift.
- Take Antler Horn – 12 Branches (+1 Luck).
- You will find a cave (+1 Luck).
- Spend the night in this cave (+2 Power).
- Continue up the hillside.
- Stay where you are.
- Test Luck. Fail = -1 Skill, -1 Power, 2 Damage.
- Avoid any contact with it.
- Walk around it & keep to the trees.
- Fight Sk 6 St 12 Roots.
- Continue through the trackless trees.
- Fight Sk 6 St 8 Komodo Lizard.
- Give up the struggle and let yourself go.
- You do not attack him (+1 Power).
- Do not investigate.
- You do not have a companion.
- Run to break through their circle.
- Fight Sk 8 St 6 Dark Elf. After 4th round, take 2 Damage per round until enemy killed.
- Fight Sk 7 St 6 Dark Elf. After 4th round, take 2 Damage per round until enemy killed.
- Fight Sk 7 St 8 Dark Elf. After 4th round, take 2 Damage per round until enemy killed.
- Fight Sk 8 St 7 Dark Elf. After 4th round, take 2 Damage per round until enemy killed.
- Fight Sk 6 St 6 Dark Elf. After 4th round, take 2 Damage per round until enemy killed.
- Fight Sk 6 St 8 Dark Elf.
- Add +2 Luck for defeating the Dark Elves.
- Note: You can switch from real world to dream world from now on.
- Note: * in Real World = -20 to travel to dream world.
- Note: # in Dream World = +50 to travel to real world.
- Take the path to your right.
- Go over to the bones (+1 Luck).
- Travel to dream world (84-20 = 64). Go to para 64.
- Go north.
- Carry on along the river.
- Fight the monster (+1 Power).
- Give in to this inclination.
- Explore the garden (+1 Luck, +1 Power).
- Roll 2D6 for parasites and then Roll 2D6 for yourself.
- If parasites > yourself: Your Power score is 18+.
- Travel to real world (224+50 = 274). Go to para 274.
- Go right.
- Say you are on your way to the kitchen.
- Take the door to your right.
- Wait a while and return to the dining hall (+1 Luck).
- Ignore all the doors and walk up the corridor.
- Turn left.
- Travel to dream world (73-20 = 53). Go to para 53.
- Fight Power 10 Harpy. Spirit Fight. 2-7 = 2 Damage to you. 8-12 = 2 Damage to enemy.
- Restore your power to pre fight level -1.
- Fight Power 12 Clawbeast. Spirit Fight. 2-7 = 2 Damage to you. 8-12 = 2 Damage to enemy.
- Restore your power to pre fight level -1.
- Fight Power 14 Wraith. Spirit Fight. 2-7 = 2 Damage to you. 8-12 = 2 Damage to enemy.
- Restore your power to pre fight level -1.
- If you lost all three fights you die.
- Fight Sk 8 Pr 20 Morpheus (Use Power as Stamina for this fight).
- Stop fighting enemy when his Stamina reaches 2 or 1.
- Restore your power to its score before you entered Morpheus’ cavern.
- Choose to meet him in the dream world.
- Power < 22 = Death.
- Fight Sk 10 Pr 21 Ishtra (Use Power as Stamina for this fight).
- You have rid Titan of Ishtra, and his army has now fallen into disarray due to the animosity between factions. You escape, and have secured the safety of your forest and of Titan!

[soulreaver]

Has anyone figured out the possible solutions to the Trial of Ghosts on (309)?
The figure you need to reach to survive this is "205".

If you roll a 1, you can reach it via 1, 35, 136, 22, 11
If you roll a 3, you can reach it via 3, 63, 115, 9, 15
If you roll a 6, you can reach it via 6, 51, 80, 21, 47

But what if you roll a 2, 4 or 5? Is there any way to survive then?

[CharlesX]

May 11, 2023 8:25:40 GMT soulreaver said:

Has anyone figured out the possible solutions to the Trial of Ghosts on (309)?
The figure you need to reach to survive this is "205".

If you roll a 1, you can reach it via 1, 35, 136, 22, 11
If you roll a 3, you can reach it via 3, 63, 115, 9, 15
If you roll a 6, you can reach it via 6, 51, 80, 21, 47

But what if you roll a 2, 4 or 5? Is there any way to survive then?

I do not have Phantoms Of Fear anymore but I know for certainty one of the paths you cannot reach the correct number (even though the text would seem to say that you can reach the correct number via any path). You could argue that this is because the ghosts are evil and liars, but more apt logic is the author's sums were wrong.

[terrysalt]

Best I can do with 2 and 4 is 204 with [2, 115, 63, 9, 15] or [4, 7, 80, 92, 21] but 5 can be solved with [5, 22, 86, 45, 47].

[soulreaver]

May 11, 2023 10:22:55 GMT terrysalt said:

Best I can do with 2 and 4 is 204 with [2, 115, 63, 9, 15] or [4, 7, 80, 92, 21] but 5 can be solved with [5, 22, 86, 45, 47].

Ah, awesome.

I did find a working solution for 2:

2, 115, 9, 60, 19

And now that you've found one for 5, that means the only missing one is 4.  I think I've tried every combination possible for that one, so I think that's the 'broken' one.

I have to say that considering how incredibly hard this is to figure out when you actually KNOW the answer, and there are probably over 50 possible combinations for every dice roll, this puzzle (or perhaps it's better to say scenario) is completely and utterly screwed up.  You should at least be given a pretty strong clue as to what number you're looking for, otherwise the chances of ever getting out of this alive are so miniscule they should have just made it an instant death paragraph instead....

[terrysalt]

May 11, 2023 10:33:31 GMT soulreaver said:

May 11, 2023 10:22:55 GMT terrysalt said:

Best I can do with 2 and 4 is 204 with [2, 115, 63, 9, 15] or [4, 7, 80, 92, 21] but 5 can be solved with [5, 22, 86, 45, 47].

Ah, awesome.

I did find a working solution for 2:

2, 115, 9, 60, 19

And now that you've found one for 5, that means the only missing one is 4.  I think I've tried every combination possible for that one, so I think that's the 'broken' one.

I have to say that considering how incredibly hard this is to figure out when you actually KNOW the answer, and there are probably over 50 possible combinations for every dice roll, this puzzle (or perhaps it's better to say scenario) is completely and utterly screwed up.  You should at least be given a pretty strong clue as to what number you're looking for, otherwise the chances of ever getting out of this alive are so miniscule they should have just made it an instant death paragraph instead....

Total speculation but I think it was more or less intended to be one but Robin had a cool idea for an interactive instant death that he just had to put in his book. 

[CharlesX]

May 11, 2023 10:42:58 GMT terrysalt said:

May 11, 2023 10:33:31 GMT soulreaver said:

Ah, awesome.

I did find a working solution for 2:

2, 115, 9, 60, 19

And now that you've found one for 5, that means the only missing one is 4.  I think I've tried every combination possible for that one, so I think that's the 'broken' one.

I have to say that considering how incredibly hard this is to figure out when you actually KNOW the answer, and there are probably over 50 possible combinations for every dice roll, this puzzle (or perhaps it's better to say scenario) is completely and utterly screwed up.  You should at least be given a pretty strong clue as to what number you're looking for, otherwise the chances of ever getting out of this alive are so miniscule they should have just made it an instant death paragraph instead....

Total speculation but I think it was more or less intended to be one but Robin had a cool idea for an interactive instant death that he just had to put in his book. 

In solidarity with this, my impression even before I started playing was the player was intended to have a ridiculous, million-to-one chance of success (which mitigates but does not excuse the broken path); a scatological 'purposefully-unfair-challenge-you-would-have-to-be-seriously-lucky-to-pass'.

   Giving the player the number in advance would have made a LOT more sense than this broken, convoluted, unforgiving puzzle.

[soulreaver]

May 11, 2023 11:34:27 GMT CharlesX said:

May 11, 2023 10:42:58 GMT terrysalt said:

Total speculation but I think it was more or less intended to be one but Robin had a cool idea for an interactive instant death that he just had to put in his book. 

In solidarity with this, my impression even before I started playing was the player was intended to have a ridiculous, million-to-one chance of success (which mitigates but does not excuse the broken path); a scatological 'purposefully-unfair-challenge-you-would-have-to-be-seriously-lucky-to-pass'.

   Giving the player the number in advance would have made a LOT more sense than this broken, convoluted, unforgiving puzzle.

I think it would have been more fun if it had been a (difficult) puzzle where you got a clue to what the right number was, but it wasn't actually said outright.

That way you'd wonder if you got the clue right as you struggle to find a path to create that number.

[CharlesX]

May 11, 2023 12:57:09 GMT soulreaver said:

May 11, 2023 11:34:27 GMT CharlesX said:

In solidarity with this, my impression even before I started playing was the player was intended to have a ridiculous, million-to-one chance of success (which mitigates but does not excuse the broken path); a scatological 'purposefully-unfair-challenge-you-would-have-to-be-seriously-lucky-to-pass'.

   Giving the player the number in advance would have made a LOT more sense than this broken, convoluted, unforgiving puzzle.

I think it would have been more fun if it had been a (difficult) puzzle where you got a clue to what the right number was, but it wasn't actually said outright.

That way you'd wonder if you got the clue right as you struggle to find a path to create that number.

In fairness though, I'm not sure what sophisticated puzzle Robin Waterfield could have written to reach the number 205, let alone the narrative consideration of fitting it in, and just daying something like "the ghosts tell you it is between 200 and 210 inclusive" probably wouldn't have been brilliant either.

   "In a fit a of kindness, the ghosts tell you the number has one odd number and two even?" was that roughly what you might have been thinking of?

[a moderator]

May 11, 2023 11:34:27 GMT CharlesX said:

a [REDACTED] 'purposefully-unfair-challenge-you-would-have-to-be-seriously-lucky-to-pass'.

Are you using synonyms to try and circumvent the forum's restrictions on use of bad language? If so, please don't.

[soulreaver]

May 11, 2023 16:56:25 GMT CharlesX said:

May 11, 2023 12:57:09 GMT soulreaver said:

I think it would have been more fun if it had been a (difficult) puzzle where you got a clue to what the right number was, but it wasn't actually said outright.

That way you'd wonder if you got the clue right as you struggle to find a path to create that number.

In fairness though, I'm not sure what sophisticated puzzle Robin Waterfield could have written to reach the number 205, let alone the narrative consideration of fitting it in, and just daying something like "the ghosts tell you it is between 200 and 210 inclusive" probably wouldn't have been brilliant either.

   "In a fit a of kindness, the ghosts tell you the number has one odd number and two even?" was that roughly what you might have been thinking of?

I could come up with something...

"You look up and see an elaborate timepiece looming over the square, the short hand pointing to two and the long hand to one, and you somehow know that it provides the only clue as to the path to your salvation."

Still unfair but at least it's a clue, and it's a dream so it doesn't have to make complete sense.

[CharlesX]

May 11, 2023 22:14:26 GMT a moderator said:

May 11, 2023 11:34:27 GMT CharlesX said:

a [REDACTED] 'purposefully-unfair-challenge-you-would-have-to-be-seriously-lucky-to-pass'.

Are you using synonyms to try and circumvent the forum's restrictions on use of bad language? If so, please don't.

No, I wasn't, I feel sometimes highbrow words such as 'scatological' and 'surreal' can convey further shades of criticizm (notice as well I used the word 'coloured' in another post, which was fine as it was in correct context). In this case I was attempting to suggest the puzzle is probably well-written as kids puzzles go but doesn't work entirely as well in gameplay terms.

[a moderator]

May 12, 2023 8:14:24 GMT CharlesX said:

May 11, 2023 22:14:26 GMT a moderator said:

Are you using synonyms to try and circumvent the forum's restrictions on use of bad language? If so, please don't.

No, I wasn't, I feel sometimes highbrow words such as 'scatological' and 'surreal' can convey further shades of criticizm (notice as well I used the word 'coloured' in another post, which was fine as it was in correct context). In this case I was attempting to suggest the puzzle is probably well-written as kids puzzles go but doesn't work entirely as well in gameplay terms.

While 'scatological' would be appropriate if used in reference to sequences involving sewers, latrines, and the like, it's incongruous in the context of an overly arbitrary puzzle.

[kieran]

May 12, 2023 8:58:58 GMT a moderator said:

May 12, 2023 8:14:24 GMT CharlesX said:

No, I wasn't, I feel sometimes highbrow words such as 'scatological' and 'surreal' can convey further shades of criticizm (notice as well I used the word 'coloured' in another post, which was fine as it was in correct context). In this case I was attempting to suggest the puzzle is probably well-written as kids puzzles go but doesn't work entirely as well in gameplay terms.

While 'scatological' would be appropriate if used in reference to sequences involving sewers, latrines, and the like, it's incongruous in the context of an overly arbitrary puzzle.

This reminds me: until about 6 months ago, I thought scatological meant all over the place (as in scatty). Then turns out that it just means poopy.