Post by champskees on Aug 31, 2014 6:41:05 GMT
With a professional gamebook writer in Johnathan Green, I had high hopes for this adventure. It is written well and the mystery elements of the story are great. This book is the first (I think) to actually use allies who fight with you. It makes some fights much more manageable and fair – highlight of the book. I also liked the colour illustrations and the general layout of the book – the colour scheme is appealing.
The design of the adventure is flawed in several ways. After mapping the entire adventure, I can say with some confidence that it is impossible to read the first part of the spell of unbinding AND read page 5 of Cortez’s Journal. It seems that you only need to read the second part anyway…fine, but then if you get the sacrificial knife AND page 5, you miss out on collecting enough gem eyes which are needed to complete the adventure at the end. Yes, you don’t have to use the spell of unbinding & the sacrificial knife, but your chances of killing the final boss become rather slim.
There are a lot of Test Fitness/Die rolls throughout but the combats become a lot easier after you ‘gear up’. The ‘true’ path is fairly narrow & is still difficult due to all the dice rolling. I must admit this is mostly due to the combat system used in these books; it is just too random. This is because ‘to hit’ dice are doubly used as ‘damage’ dice. As a result, most confirmed hits are heavy. They need to use a separate statistic for damage, simple as that. The phobia attribute, which is a fixed score of 7, should increase/decrease depending on your actions i.e. if you kill a nest of spiders, +1 to your score for successfully facing your fears. Those two phobia tests at the end are just too punishing as they stand.
In summary, as with most of Green’s books, decent writing, gameplay balancing & mechanics issues. Close to Book no.2 of this series in terms of difficulty and mechanics.
Recommended Fitness: 11+
Start with:
- Basilard (2 Offence).
- Leather Jerkin (2 Defence).
Miramar
- Hold back as the Duke opens the chest.
- Test Phobia. Fail = -1 Offence next combat.
- Fight Off 2 Def 1 Vit 4 Skullback Spider.
- Test Fitness.
- If successful: Fight Off 3 Def 2 Vit 9 Conquistador.
- If fail: 4 Damage & Fight Off 3 Def 2 Vit 10 Conquistador & Off 3 Def 2 Vit 9 Conquistador together.
- Take Ducal Seal.
- Take 60 Pestados.
- Head for the markets.
- Peruse the stalls looking for armour.
- Take Breastplate (4 Defence, -15 Pestados).
- Go in search of weapons.
- Take Master-Crafted Cutlass (4 Offence, -30 Pestados).
- Find some suitable healing items.
- Take 10 Healing Herbs (Restores 2 Vitality when used, -10 Pestados).
- Leave the markets.
- Investigate the docks.
- Approach the black sailed ship.
- Persist in boarding the galley.
- Fight Off 2 Def 2 Vit 10 Slaver & Off 2 Def 2 Vit 13 Slaver together.
- Take 20 Pestados.
- Visit the Guild of Explorers.
- Make the donation (-5 Pestados).
- Take Page 2 of Cortez’s Journal.
- Add note: Cortez last seen heading to Isla des Desperanza.
- Visit the markets.
- Find yourself some suitable healing items.
- Take 20 Healing Herbs (Restores 2 Vitality when used, -20 Pestados).
- Leave the markets.
- You know where to start looking.
- You would prefer to travel by sea.
- You have already run into a gang of slavers.
- Test Fitness. Fail = Death.
- Fight Off 2 Def 2 Vit 10 Thug & Off 2 Def 2 Vit 10 Thug together.
- Take 8 Pestados.
- Take 2 Healing Herbs (Restores 2 Vitality when used).
Onboard the Kraken
- Add note: You now have 6 Allies who will fight with you.
- You would prefer to stay closer to the shore (+2 Vitality).
- Ask Captain Nesto to take you in towards the wreck.
- Fight Off 3 Def 3 Vit 8 Scar Crab & Off 3 Def 3 Vit 14 together with Off 2 Def 2 Vit 6 Crewman (ally).
- Take 15 Pestados.
- Take Pair of Emeralds.
- Take Page 4 of Cortez’s Journal.
- Head back towards the shore (+2 Vitality).
- Alert Captain Nesto to the presence of the statue.
- Fight Off 1 Def 1 Vit 8 Moray Eel with Off 1 & Def 1 (you are unarmed).
- Persist in trying to recover the statue.
- Fight Off 2 Def 1 Vit 8 Fishman & Off 2 Def 1 Vit 9 Fishman together with Off 2 Def 1 (armed with a sailor’s knife).
- Take Golden Statue.
- Sell Golden Statue for 40 Pestados to the captain (error – did not receive 40 Pestados here).
- Stay close to the shore (+2 Vitality).
- Put in to shore to investigate.
- Head inland, following the footprints.
- Intervene in order to free the gryffon.
- Fight Off 3 Def 2 Vit 12 Reman Trapper with Off 2 Def 2 Vit X Crewman (ally).
- Fight Off 3 Def 2 Vit 25 Gryffon with Off 2 Def 2 Vit X Crewman (ally).
- Take Armoured Vambraces (+1 Defence).
- Take Reman War-Axe (5 Offence).
- Take Rope & Grapple.
- Make port on the island.
- Stock up on some supplies.
- Take Potion of Strength (+1 Offence, -15 Pestados).
- Take X Healing Herbs (Restores 2 Vitality when used, -X*3 Pestados).
- Turn down the invitation.
- Try to make a break for it and run as fast as you can in the opposite direction.
- Test Fitness. Fail = Fight Off 3 Def 2 Vit 10 Town Guard & Off 3 Def 2 Vit 11 Town Guard together with Off 2 Def 2 Vit X Crewman (ally).
- There is a golden statue of a sea god stowed in the hold (4 Damage).
- Lose all allies.
Isla des Desperanza
- Head inland.
- Follow the branch that heads roughly northward whilst climbing even higher.
- Test Fitness. Fail = Good luck…
- Run at it, weapon in hand.
- Fight Off 4 Def 2 Vit 30 Giant Ape.
- Follow the earth track west.
- Search the skeletons.
- Continue your search.
- Take Conquistador’s Helm (+1 Defence).
- Take Page 5 of Cortez’s Journal.
- Add note: You can now read pictographic symbols.
- Approach the temple from the front.
- Test Fitness. Fail = Death.
- Fight Off 3 Def 2 Vit 10 Conquistador & Off 3 Def 2 Vit 9 Conquistador together.
- You want to go left.
- Take the ruby eyes from the statue.
- Take Pair of Rubies.
- Continue on your current path & enter the chamber instead.
- Test Fitness. Fail = Death.
- You have the fifth page of Cortez’s journal. Study the pictograms.
- Take the spider’s sapphire eyes.
- Test Fitness. Fail = 6 Damage.
- Take Pair of Sapphires.
- Test Fitness.
- If success:
o Re-enter the egg chanber in order to destroy the eggs stored there.
o Test Phobia. Fail = -1 Offence next combat.
o Fight Off 2 Def 1 Vit 4 Skullback Spider.
o Fight Off 4 Def 2 Vit 12 Spider Host Pirate & Off 3 Def 1 Vit 14 Spider Host Pirate together.
- If fail:
o Test Phobia. Fail = -1 Offence next combat.
o Fight Off 2 Def 1 Vit 4 Skullback Spider.
o Test Fitness. If fail:
- Test Phobia. Fail = -1 Offence next combat.
- Fight Off 5 Def 1 Vit 45 Skullback Swarm.
o Remain hidden for the time being and wait & see what the spider slaves do next.
- Add note: Egg Sacs are destroyed.
- Test Phobia. Fail = Death.
- Pretend that the hallucinogenic venom has robbed you of your senses a little longer.
- Attack Cortez.
- Fight Off 3 Def 2 Vit 10 Conquistador & Off 3 Def 2 Vit 9 Conquistador together.
- You have the fifth page of Cortez’s journal. Translate the pictograms.
- Add note: Spell of Unbinding Part 2.
- Prise the spider’s ruby eyes from their settings.
- Test Fitness. Fail = Death.
- Take Pair of Rubies.
- You destroyed the eggs of the spider goddess.
- You have read enough of the Legend of Inzi for it to be of use to you here.
- You are not in possession of a sacrificial knife.
- Test Phobia. Fail = -1 Offence next combat.
- Fight Off 6 Def 5 Vit 50 Spider God.
- You have at least eight jewels that you could place in the empty eye-sockets of the spider statue.
- Ultimate Victory.