How about a rolling amateur adventures challenge?

[vastariner]

The magic system used in Murderous Mire btw got me thinking - if anyone were to use it in a kickstarter campaign they could do it as a literal spell book; a separate tome along with the adventure so you could consult it whenever you wanted to use magic.

Another way of doing it would be to do something with numbers. So, if you have eight spells, you add or subtract 10, 20, 30, or 40 from the reference you are on. If the first word of that reference is NOT the spell, then it's not worked. No options or clues necessary at all. You could even sneak an extra spell in during the book that has a different calculation as a sort of bonus. It might make the book look a little weird, and it would be difficult to ensure that the right paragraphs were free for spell use, but I thought it was the best way of using magic in a gamebook I've seen.

[tyrion]

Apr 15, 2021 3:34:47 GMT thealmightymudworm said:

I've given this a shot. Things seemed to be going OK ...and then I was shredded.

SPOILER: Click to show

Generating a hero that couldn't be described as slick (Skill 9, Luck 8) but perhaps didn't need to be (Stamina 22), I steered the big lunk towards the church for some tips on battling curses.

Trying to pray, but finding the gods blocked by radio interference, I spot a nice shiny cross and find myself immediately defending myself against the accusation that I'm trying to steal it. (I totally am – if you leave silver stuff lying around the pews you're just asking for it). Fortunately the priest believes my lies and I leave.

Less fortunately, a ghoul comes clambering out of a plot in the churchyard as I'm leaving. I always think that shoddy grave-digging work is partly to blame here. A minimum of six feet and a sturdy coffin as standard should mean that it's hard to tell whether the dead have stayed dead or not. Anyway if there's one thing I know about a ghoul it's not to let it linger, as it's the sort of thing that can really end up biting you on the bum. So I charge it down and make fairly short work of it, taking just one clout, which my lumbering bod shrugs off. I then relieve him of his 3 gold which he'll be upset about if the deadness wears off again.

As I now have 9 gp in total, it seems a good time to head to the market. Deciding that the spear is a rip-off, I buy a lantern, rope and four provisions. Then onto the monastery.

I'm introduced to the abbot, who turns out to be an emo kid with a speech impediment. I show my silver cross to him which turns out to be a dick move as he is tremendously phobic. The monk who introduced me to him shows me some 'gleave balm' herb, as effective for restoring health as eating a pie. Then onto the library where I discover that the curse is probably witches or something. Figures.

Then it's time to head to Thorpe. I give a beggar a gold piece because I'm still feeling bad about scaring the emo kid. He's happy (yay!) and keen to chat (d'oh!). OK better be polite. He likes rats. Great. He's seen a disappearing dog. Huh. He used to have a sword, it was *spreads arms* this long. OK. He buried it to see if it would grow into a sword tree. That makes no sense, stinky man. Onward.

I'm feeling on a roll till a troll demands toll. Not having a billy goat to hand, I decide to give him my last shiny. He's probably saving up to buy that spear.

Into Thorpe, where I decide to continue my tour of local churches. The priest tells me that some creature causing trouble has rushed out the back of the building so I give chase, slipping and falling in the river on the way. This proves to be a good move as I find a bronze helmet at the bottom of the stream and, like a maniac, immediately put it on for an AS bonus. I then make mincemeat of a water snake and a boggart, finding a provision, a blanket and a candlestick. Also the word 'inside'. Somehow this doesn't seem like the first word it's possible to find and note.

I return the candlestick to the priest. He tells me the faery folk do sometimes run off with things. "That's liberal education for you –  how low do you have to be to steal things from a church?" I say, whilst stuffing my silver cross a little deeper in my pocket.

Then to the inn. Alfred greets me and I get food, finally counteracting the ghoul-slap. As I killed the boggart a room is offered to me for nothing, which is the exact amount I am able to pay. During the night the big dog appears outside. I can't throw a spear at it. I don't care. I'm all beefed up. I have a cool helmet. My Luck is, well, no worse than it ever is. I have two sprigs of magic herbs and five provisions to help my body recover. Bring. It. On.

I race outside. The dog vanishes. Coward. I hear it this way and that, but I am not fooled. This is clearly illusion or distraction. I stay put, certain that it will return.

The narrator is frankly a bit rude about this strategy. One Luck point dribbles away. Fine. North to the dead crops or South to the forest. Well it seems more likely to be from, or controlled by something from, the forest. So I charge that way to see if I can find it. I do.

Legend says that villagers found one of my arms clutching some herbs and the other trying to stuff a pie into my severed head.

Intriguing and enjoyable adventure so far. I don't feel close to cracking it though.

Don't give up! You've covered most of the true path already! Also, as to your ending:

SPOILER: Click to show

Hopefully you didn't mind the instant death with the barghest - there is a clue in the text telling you which direction of is in, but it's well hidden

[thealmightymudworm]

Another failed playthrough - one in which I got a fair bit further.

I'll add or edit in a write-up when I get the chance (suspect someone will have taken the win by then). For now I'll just mention that my attempt at this adventure, in which the hero is trying to lift an evil curse, ended when I rolled three sixes in succession. That's right: 666.

---

Edit:

Now that there's no chance of anyone reading it: Attempt number two

SPOILER: Click to show

Perhaps as punishment for bellyaching about my perfectly serviceable previous avatar, I find that this time I have exactly the same Skill (9) and Luck (8) but four fewer Stamina points (18). Plus I have the minimum amount of cash possible. Oh well, let's see if Captain Mediocrity is the hero these villagers need.

I begin my quest in the same way, visiting the church and nicking the silver cross. This time I make no attempt to bluff the priest and just beat him up. He proves to be more towards the cucumber sandwich-eating vicar than the Shaolin monk end of religious warrior standings, and despite the text insisting that I knock him out with the flat of my sword which drags my Attack Strength, I step over his downed figure to leave without suffering a hit. I get a word on my adventure sheet too: 'subtract'.

Likewise I charge down the ghoul again, avoid any hits (quite lucky) and rob the re-deadened thing again. At the market, the spear seems even further out of my budget and so I plump for lantern, rope and three doses of grub.

Heading on to the monastery, I choose not to torment Stroud and just chat curses. He mentions that he's under one himself, It can happen to anyone I reassure him. He has little of use to add, but this time it's getting difficult to miss the theme of brass candlesticks. Again, a new word: 'four'.
Once more onto the library (nothing new) and then prepare to leave for Thorpe.

Meta-knowledge-me notices the absence of the beggar this time. Ah well, no tall tales about sweet swords to waste my gold on.

I chat to the guards instead. Apparently their drunken mate Gaz (Marc Gascoigne?) sees a teleporting canine when seeking a hair of the dog. This rings a bell, but doesn't bring any new info.

Continuing my run of stinginess, I pick a fight with the toll troll, even though I could afford not to. I immediately begin to question this decision as it wins four of the first six rounds with another one drawn, but a nifty use of Luck speeds things along and then I thwack it three times on the trot. The win doesn't make me rich (does no one pay this thing?) but I do find another brass candlestick (yay!) and get a new word 'squared'. I ponder this while munching a meal to restore 4 of my 8 lost Stamina points.

This time I visit the smithy. He mumbles a bit, the forge fire comes to life and attacks before I defeat it with a blanket. I get a horseshoe for my troubles, which I'm sure will come in handy if I ever need to ride a one-legged horse. Somehow that seemed both eventful and brief.

Visiting the church again, I pick a slightly different route to chase the boggart, resulting only in missing the helmet. Rats. Anyway the important thing is that I swatted the creature just as easily and the word I write down seems in serious danger of making sense in context. OK, have your clearly cursed candlestick back churchy, I'm off to get drunk.

They're particularly welcoming at the inn with a nightcap as well as food. Fighting a magic, teleporting dog with a hangover doesn't seem like a plan, and when the option comes I'm sorely tempted to pull the covers over my head. But I rouse myself just the same. Still no spear. Which way to try chasing it this time. Hmm, methinks North (still not sure why to be honest). I'm at full strength again.

The dog proves to be more poodle than pitbull and I knock it off in five straight rounds. Sweet. Oh except the villagers tell me that a little girl named Matilda has gone missing and Miss Trunchbull swears she has nothing to do with it. Ugh, can't you people manage anything on your own? Fine, I'll go looking for her.

Instead I find a boar. I could try to avoid it but some Obelix-like tendency in me makes me wait for it. (Side-note: in a recent Twitter-quiz I took, there was a question as to the name of the Professor who is Tintin's friend. Out of four options, about 1 in 12 players went for 'Professor Obelix', which was an eye-popper). Sadly, I am no Obelix. I test my Luck and roll ...double six. Huh. The boar knocks me flying (-4 Stamina) and I hear what sounds like a hunting horn whilst feeling a great rush of air going past. Either this is an invisible hunt chasing the boar (unlikely) or a colossal boar fart.

Regardless, I limp on South, then take the narrower path onwards, then the first of two huts. I find a candlestick (naturally), a bucket of paint that proves to be blood (I can think of an abbot who might find a use for this) and a box containing a key, gold and knucklebones. I leave for the other hut without trying the 'bubbling green liquid', following the hynreck principle that it's not worth consuming substances just because they happen to fit in your face.

The key fits the doors to the other hut's lock, and I'm just thinking I'm getting somewhere when the goblin-owner of the first hut pops up and yeets a rock at my head. I have to roll one die with a different para to turn to for a maximum. I'm guessing the five out of six chance is the better one so all I have to do is avoid rolling a third... OH FOR THE LOVE OF BISCUITS!!

[kieran]

Sorry, my playthrough is pretty barebones compared to everyone else's:

SPOILER: Click to show

Sk 12

St 23  

Lu 7


Call at the church

Talk to priest

Priest is a bit crazy and seems to have coldsores so I leave

Stand ground to fight

Beat Ghoul (0 Stamina lost)

Travel to monastery

Ask to see library

Witches or fairies may be at heart of problem

Can no longer shop so head to Thorpe

Talk to guards - possible big black dog - Sirius Black?

As cross bridge confronted by proverbial troll under it - give him a gold piece

Reach Thorpe - visit an inn to get the goss

Pay for a room for the night

Woken by dog - rush out to see if it really is auld Sirius

Try checking the north of the village for the Barghest

Beat Barghest (2 Stamina lost)

Stand ground at charging animal

It's a big boar and I try to dodge aside

Roll 6 - LUCKY

Try narrow path

Investigate first hut

Look at the bucket of paint - seems least dangerous option!

It's actually blood and now I have to choose between the scarier options. Will open box

Get key, knucklebones and 2GP

Don't want to risk drinking the liquid so try 2nd hut

Goblin creature hurls stone at me. Roll 4 so it misses

Fight Redcap (2 Stamina lost)

Row over to opening in east bank

Sense I'm missing something here!

Attacked by Giant Dragonfly (0 Stamina lost)

Current getting strong so stop at a handy jetty

Find David Lynch-esque hut. Explore around before entering

Lose Skill and Luck due to it's mind-blowingness. Enter the hut

Try door and test Luck. Roll 6 - LUCKY

Find Matilda but not much I can do for her. Try opposite door.

Enter pentagram room - no idea what to do in here so I leave

Guess it was a witch behind everything after all. Rescuing her or killing her seems a mistake so I ask her who she is

Hmm, still don't trust her. I'll run her through just to be safe: "If in doubt, be a psycho".

Tough fight, especially as I lack a magic weapon. But dice are with me so I lose only 6 Stamina

Whoop! Success. Think I owe it all to my 12 Skill rather than any good decision making on my part!

Enjoyed that a lot Tyrion, thanks. Even though it's fairly short, it certainly felt like there was a lot to it. I might have won on my first try but I think I missed a lot.

[petch]

Apologies to Vastariner (and Golby Strongarm); even though yours was the first successful playthrough posted, it was submitted before the deadline, so that means Kieran's playthrough above wins this challenge.



If it's any consolation, it was another very entertaining read though!

Congrats Kieran, the floor is yours for the next challenge.

[kieran]

Thanks Petch.

For the next challenge I'm going to go with Steven's gamebook The Blight which I've been meaning to get back to since my first attempt ages ago: fightingfantazine.proboards.com/thread/844/gamebook

First successful playthrough posted after 12 noon (BST) on Saturday 1 May wins. Unsuccessful playthroughs can be posted anytime.

I don't know the book well enough to post challenges but Steven is welcome to do so if he wants.

[tyrion]

I'm off to find out about the ecological disaster threatening our island. I'm due to travel with a nice chap called Bill, but before I go I'm given some scrap metal from my ma.

The journey to the next village is uneventful, I even have so much energy in reserves I offer to pull Bill's cart for him.
At the village, I find some nice lodgings, arranging to see Bill in a couple of days.

The next day, I have a wander round. I exchange my scrap metal for a book and a map, set up a date with an attractive lady and agree to perform some sort of ritual. So I head off to a cairn to do this, noting some weird fellow hanging around, who I decide to follow after the ritual does absolutely nothing. I lose the figure but find a delapidated hut. I don't fancy going in, not when I've got a date for the evening, so head back to the village.

My date goes exceptionally well. If I survive this adventure, I've got a rosy looking future.

In the morning I meet Bill again, but he fobs me off on some traders, who want some payment in exchange for me going with them South. They don't want a book, on account of being heathen barbarians who can't read, nor do they want a map, on account of it not showing them where there arse is. So I'm on my own.

Heading off south, I am assassinated by a whistler. Dammit. No nookie for me.

[thealmightymudworm]

Perhaps we should have a date for Kieran to pick a winner from unsuccessful playthroughs if no successful ones are forthcoming?
Obviously that would be a bit disappointing, but perhaps better than letting the thread stall. Besides it might sharpen minds to get a successful playthrough in. How about the 20th?

Like tyrion I've only managed one playthrough so far and died in a similar place. Partly a matter of getting caught up in politics (a much sillier game than this).

SPOILER: Click to show

Sam is a naïve young thing. Seeing the world through his fresh eyes is interesting. Are these orange metal discs coins, or not? I can't tell.

Anyway, my first stab at this featured a trundle round the island and dropping back to see the fam before chasing after Bill. I figured this was as much as I had time for – as it was my tinderbox got smashed up in the hurry – but seemed worth it as I found the orange discs and picked up a bag o' shrapnel from the folks.

Despite falling behind Bill, I decide to pause and listen to a man pissing against a wall (a lad has to have a hobby). He is wearing a cone on his head, which in my experience means that he must either be a dunce, a sorcerer or a delinquent student. I have my suspicions. Once I've caught up with Bill, he chats away and mentions that the far side of the forest are people who have 'fash', which is stuff so good he doesn't want to talk about it. Blimey.

Bill gives me a shiny coin and takes his leave of me. I stroll down the street and some guy beckons me into their home, but I ignore them. Sam probably isn't ready for a one-night stand. Instead I go to bed at the inn, only to have someone, who turns out to be conehead, throw stuff at my window. For better or worse he is not here to serenade me and backs off when I yell at him.

After someone rambles at me over breakfast, I go back and speak to the guy who was beckoning me in at night. Apparently he has a dodgy leg and wants a note delivering. Fine.

Before looking into this, I pop over to the Building of Goad to chat with a hot nun named Kels. There is quite a lot of nudge-nudge wink-wink in her explanation of the religion, and she also mentions that the man in the hat is 'inspirational' and a 'charmer' to the ladies there. I've seen nothing to back this up, but then you know what they say about men with big cones...
She also says she thought he was dead. That's quite the detail.
Kels gives me something stinky wrapped up to stuff in a cairn as a ritual. I imagine Sam taking this between finger and thumb at arm's length.

Next I deliver Jimmy's note. This is uneventful, and Jimmy gives me a couple of Dundy coins and we chat about Hatman. Jimmy also thought he was dead (sensing a pattern here) and warns me to be on my guard. I should chase him away, or failing that, do what he says. Somewhat paradoxical advice, but I'll take it. He also talks about stuff in the South.

Next to the House of Relics where I meet another pretty girl. (It occurs to me that Sam doesn't get out much and for all I know she might look like a boiled warthog to anyone else.) She doesn't find the hat guy inspiring at all and tells me that he was 'dealt with'. Uh huh. She also suggests we meet up for a drink. Result.

Next to the shop. There's the question as to whether Sam has bag o'shrapnel or proper Dundee Dundy silver. Sam has both of course, little rich kid, but it's not clear if there's a way of using that. As an English St Andrews alum, anything to do with Dundee has always faintly terrified me, so it's shrapnel for two out of a map, toy bricks for children, a book and food. I glance at the map and try to memorise it (presumably this is allowed?), but against my instincts go for the book and food. Probably better not to turn up to a date with a kiddie's toy anyway.

At this point I think I got confused about timing and headed for the forest. Does this mean I'm likely to miss the date? It proves not to matter much. Spotting the cairn I head up towards it – not sure when I can declare that I'm sticking the stinky thing in it. Anyway the Pratt in the Hat pops up again. Following Jimmy's advice I stomp towards him and he scurries off. Returning towards the cairn, I figure I'll check round it first before completing the ritual to be on the safe side and... suddenly I'm dead.

This is an intriguing adventure. It's a long time since I played a gamebook with such little role for stats and dice, ('Can you Brexit?' only has assigned stats and a couple of coin tosses for chance, admittedly) but so long as there's an inventory, codewords and some 'triggers' to hidden numbers I don't feel too bereft. Will give it another go soon.

[daredevil123]

I've had some work recently and haven't been as active in this thread as I intended, but I'm still planning to have a go at Steven's gamebook. It might be a while before I'm successful though!

[kieran]

A teething baby has put paid to most of my free time of late! But yes, I think if no-one has won by noon on the 20th, we'll go with what looks like the closest to victory.

[tyrion]

Completely unrelated to the current challenge, but my effort is due to be published as a Dragon Warriors adventure (it will be available as a free PDF, I'm not making any money on this). If you like I can credit you all as playtesters/proofreaders? Let me know if you want your name included and if you want your forum name or real name. I'll not include anyone without permission.

[thealmightymudworm]

May 14, 2021 15:53:02 GMT tyrion said:

Completely unrelated to the current challenge, but my effort is due to be published as a Dragon Warriors adventure (it will be available as a free PDF, I'm not making any money on this). If you like I can credit you all as playtesters/proofreaders? Let me know if you want your name included and if you want your forum name or real name. I'll not include anyone without permission.

Ooh unearned credit – yes please! Probably as Greg Neill if there's a choice.

[kieran]

So the 20th has arrived and no more new attempts (and I'm as guilty as anyone). It's a bit hard to tell, but it seems Tyrion got slightly further than Mudworm so unless someone has better knowledge of this adventure and can rule otherwise, I think we can declare Tyrion the winner of this challenge.

[tyrion]

May 20, 2021 20:54:57 GMT kieran said:

So the 20th has arrived and no more new attempts (and I'm as guilty as anyone). It's a bit hard to tell, but it seems Tyrion got slightly further than Mudworm so unless someone has better knowledge of this adventure and can rule otherwise, I think we can declare Tyrion the winner of this challenge.

Goodness me, doesn't time fly. I must also apologise, I've been a bit busy and must admit it kept getting pushed further down the list of things to do.

Anyway, the next adventure will be kieran's Princess of zamarra (seeing as kieran was obviously too modest for self promotion). I'll post the link tomorrow if you can't find it, as I'm on my phone and can't work out how to do hyperlinks on it.

[kieran]

Thans Tyrion. The clickable PDF is here: www.ffproject.com/download/ZAMARRA.PDF or there's the online version if people prefer: www.ffproject.com/zamarra.htm

I'm conscious that I forgot to include the rules for escaping. It works just the same as in other FF books except you can't escape if you've given into your Rage.

[thealmightymudworm]

Yes, no complaints about tyrion being declared winner, I just feel a bit daft. I started another playthrough intending to at least get further than before, but got distracted again. I'll probably at least complete that playthrough before starting another adventure.

What are the time limits on this one?

[tyrion]

Two weeks? So Saturday 5th June at 12.00pm UTC. I've not played this one before, so usual rules unless kieran has any special challenges he wants to set.

[kieran]

Nope, no challenges from me

[tyrion]

Village of the damned is now available on drivethrurpg

link  

It's now a Dragon warriors adventure, but the same basic structure is still in place. I've made it a bit easier (less harsh dice rolls, chances to escape instead of instant death etc). I'd be grateful if you could download it - it's free, or course. I wouldn't charge for my amateur drivel.

[The Count]

I tried this without realising I had missed the deadline. Not that it mattered anyway as I failed in my mission...

SPOILER: Click to show

So I am an Orc. Interesting. I seem to have good manners as I rang the bell, but that didn't stop me ignoring instructions and wandering down a side tunnel where I ended up fighting a water thing. While drying myself off, I got caught by the butler who gave me an X before leading me to a fight between two other Orcs. One had knives sewn in to his sleeves, and I found such a useless weapon offensive so I stabbed it in the back. A naughty Wizard then told us all off for fighting and said he wanted us to save a princess from not wanting to be locked in a cage in his tower.
Off to rescue the princess under the leadership of another random Orc, who sets up the worst ambush ever. I ignored him, caught the princess and was almost shot by another Orc until the one I saved earlier returned the favour. Going back to the wizard who hired us to kidnap the vapid one, I fail to kill the one Orc I don't know before he kills the one I do, so I get a pretty ring. And become a Leftist poster creature by becoming a voluptuous vixen when I am told I am suddenly now a woman and must kill the man I am engaged to as the wizard thinks this is 1821 and such things are just not done. or my soon to be husband is a right minger and the wizard wants me as the princess to marry a proper pin up. I have to learn something, so decide to learn some History, which I think must be a mistake, though it reveals lots of names which might be codewords. A trek "home" sees me following some ants to a hideous hag, who runs off crying when she discovers I am not really a busty beauty. Eventually, I witness two dippy bints fencing over a rather unattractive bloke, none of whom care that despite me supposedly being a toff, I don't know the significance of this. Keep of the Lich Lord levels of ignorance here. I manage to get away without having to get engaged as I never learned that skill. Later,  I make it to the palace where I manage to spill some soup on my dress and the local tarts titter about this, and I just about manage to control my rage so don't make disparaging comments about their wonky boobs and dodgy bum implants. I decide an evening stroll round the rose garden will help me calm down so I can sleep. Unfortunately, someone has other ideas and bops me over the head before popping me in a small boat with an unsavoury individual who wants my ring and won't take no for an answer! Luckily, its not that kind of adventure, and when he grabs the transformative jewellery, I get to give him a sound thrashing. Though I am now back to being an Orc and my pretty ring is lost, so I abandon this adventure in search of something less political. My destination is unrecorded, but I like to think I ended up on the Island of the Lizard King where I eventually become the Raquel Welsh lookalike.

[kieran]

May 26, 2021 23:43:48 GMT The Count said:

I tried this without realising I had missed the deadline. Not that it mattered anyway as I failed in my mission...

Deadline is 5 June so you could always give it another go - pretty good first attempt!

[thealmightymudworm]

I may be speaking for myself alone here, but might it be worth relaxing the deadline for the current (and probably the next) challenge?

With the Sun out in most of the UK, some places opening for the first time in yonks and magic of Sorceress Astrid Seneca coursing through bodies, even some of us natural dungeon-dwellers are venturing outside and in danger of delaying our questing until it's too late.

[tyrion]

I've no objection. So far I've managed to get my orc killed twice, so more time to have a good to would be fine with me.

[The Count]

So after several more playthroughs of varying success until I thought I'd try something that seemed like a bad idea: 

SPOILER: Click to show

I behaved, got to lead the Orcs which meant I only had to kill one once the Princess was caught.

Learning dancing, finding a bandits handout (knowing the monk could lead to my discovery) and being "rescued" seems to land me in a love triangle plot - I decide to dance with the one with the shortest name who then tells me about a secret cupboard that makes me think I look like Yvette from 'Allo 'Allo and I wonder if I can get my benefactor to give him a ring to turn him into an orc(?).

An uneventful journey leads to me getting nasty comments from the Communist Resistance at dinner, so I go in search of the wine cellar, and find the secret room - with several men in side it! Luckily, I am not that kind of girl and its not that kind of book, so when one shows me his sword, I swap it for one given to me by the other one. I get a lot of gossip to consider which must be useful.

Next, I get to show off my swordsmanship again and get a medal, and decide that blatantly being told to go kill the king is a bad idea. Which means another man enters this tangled tale, apparently I am engaged to him, though I resist the urge to kill him after he takes me to see the equivalent of a tv talent show and have a walk along the battlements instead, discovering that the real princess has escaped!

The next day, I decide to visit Mira who teaches me a basic enchantment which helps when the text forces me to try to kill the king! A handy Vorpal Pillow later, and I do my best impression of a Bonnie Langford in Dr Poo and no one suspects a thing.

My supposed husband to be attacks despite my distress, so I lead the army to defend while they turn on the sentinels - wiping him and his army out!



Then the ungrateful real princess shows up and tries to ruin everything! Luckily, I remember the other love rival had a pet name for her so he kills her instead!



It looks like I am going to be Queen when Mogrek shows up and proposes! So do I accept as agreed, or refuse and risk being exposed?



I refuse! Citing the real princess, I command my guards kill him. They want to put him on trial until he starts chucking firebolts about. Grabbing a crossbow from a nearby useless character, I shoot him and become Dragon Queen! My eternal youth and beauty conquers empires and I forget that I was once an Orc.



The love triangle storyline, thankfully, remains unexplored - for now...

Good fun.

[tyrion]

Seeing as the count has been the only one to post a write up, I shall declare him the winner of this round.

Thanks for the adventure kieran, it was fun playing an orc, then a disguised orc. Well written with some nice humourous touches. I'm afraid I didn't make it very far though!

[The Count]

Since we've just had a few days of oppressive heat and aggressive pollen, the Fanzine Issue 9 adventure seems appropriate

www.fightingfantazine.co.uk/page/

Deadline of midnight on the 1st of July

[kieran]

A long but unsuccessful attempt. A few different encounters from my previous attempt though and am once again impressed with the book. Again, apologies that my playthrough's pretty bare-bones. I'll probably not get another chance before the deadline.

Skill: 9 Stamina: 20 Luck: 10

SPOILER: Click to show

- Remove note
- Report death to wardens
- End up in a cell (-2ST)
- Attempt to get out of snow giant's way
- Lucky so reach overhanging cave mouth
- More giants coming so try to take shelter in the cave
- Skilful
- Run into Barbarian Shaman, made more difficult by him plunging us into darkness. Lose 10 Stamina in the fight but prevail
- Take his bone club and Cyrantian game token
- Investigate the crack and try to crawl through
- Lucky so don't get stuck
- Take the north-east passage as the windy one leads back south
- Find parchment in Dwarvish script then bump into a dragon
- Attacking it seems crazy so I try to run back the way I came
- Lucky - escape and head down windy passage
- Slip and fall into a new cave filled with bodies hanging by their feet - possibly victims of the dragon
- Return to the dragon's cave by a different route and try to sneak past it. Roll a 6 so Denati gives the game away with his clumsiness.
- I dodge his freezing breath so now just have to fight a Skill 15 enemy!
- He reduces me to 2 Stamina points when Denati saves me with a spell of some sort
- Go outside, take a swig of a strong spirit then continue north
- Random encounter time. 6 - a snow leopard. I offer it some food. Lucky so he takes it and we're soon on our way.
- Lose a Stamina point from the thin air. Luckily thanks to some munching opportunities I am soon back into double digits.
- Climb down into the chamber where the Snow Witch's ghost was defeated. My Luck is low so won't try to recover rope.
- Take a closer look at the corpses - try lone one first
- Defeat Orc Zombie (losing 2 Stamina) and get bone die
- Check other two bodies and try to remove dwarf's bracelet and succeed only in mutilating my finger
- Look at the plinth
- Going to make a note of Denati's translation here as from my previous playthrough I'm not sure I trust his translation later on
- Denati examines my bone die
- Went right in previous playthrough so try left this time
- Reach archway with more symbols to note (and a pretty cool illustration in general). Try crossing the Chamber of Four Winds
- Hmm was that spirit Denati gave me before in a stone flask? Turns out it was. I take another swig as much for the Stamina boost as anything else.
- Crossing the chamber is a fun little mini-game
- I reach the exit fairly easily
- Reach gateway with more symbols
- Find coffins with yet more symbols. The text mentions number symbols running along the sides of the coffins but they don't seem to be in the illustration - hopefully not important!
- Bit of a math's puzzle somewhat similar to the one at the end of Deathmoor. Takes me way too long and I have to fall back on a bit of trial and error, but I get it and open Mayar's coffin and nick his gauntlets (+1 Attack strength). Cool but I wonder if Switar had anything more vital?
- Things get a bit creepy and I must test my Luck - lucky so avoid a trip wire
- Reach ice bridge and regret abandoning my rope. I try to use blankets as a makeshift rope.
- Fail Skill test and tumble. A failed Luck test sees my shoddy knots give way and I smack into a pile of bones far below.

Guess I'll have to wait for another attempt to test my theory about Denati's dodgy translations

[a moderator]

You're making good progress, Kieran. And I got a twinge of authorial pride at "Things get a bit creepy".

[The Count]

So Kieran wins this round (and actually got further than I did when I played this).

[kieran]

May as well stick with the Fantazine adventures and take up where I abandoned my replay of them all with In Search of the Mungies' Gold: www.fightingfantazine.co.uk/resources/pdfs/FF4.pdf.zip

Since we all seem to be struggling with tighter deadlines, I suggest the first successful playthrough posted after noon on 25 July be declared the winner. Unsuccessful playthroughs can be posted whenever.