I had not played this one before, and went in 'blind', not reading the above solution, discussion, reviews etc.
I'll hide my playthroughs in spoilers or it'll get too unwieldy
Shot 1
Initial Skill 10 (so, Starting Skill 7); Stamina 18; Luck 9
I failed to track down a trading blacksmith and headed to the pub and struck up a pricey conversation with the town guard (clue? Rosie Fletcher, town wise woman, at 147 King’s West), a conversation with the old man (something in the well?), and the Dryaden who I did not recognise but will hook me up with a sword. He also gives me a cryptic clue. I paid up for the sword, followed a trail northwards and was killed to death by a Night Stalker.
Shot 2
Initial Skill 11 (so, Starting Skill 8); Stamina 16; Luck 9
OK so this time I check out the abbey, pausing to chat with the beggar with no teeth and an eyepatch (Decay likes to get stuck in, there’s a Decayer out at Potter’s Field, Rosie Fletcher again at 147). Asking to see Karl, the monk also tells me about the Decayer out at Potter’s Field and Rosie Fletcher of 147, before I get nonsense out of Karl. The Abbot gives me an Amulet of Protection, and with this I march off to the cemetery and Potter’s Field to see what all the fuss is about. I kill the Decayer before it can give me rotting disease, and check out Tanner family mausoleum, the Stable family crypt (so, I need a silver weapon here to fight the wight; thankfully my Amulet allows me to escape), and the headstones. Next up, checking out the heath by day, taking the trail to the battle site, and stopping at the shack, only to make the mistake of poking about in the rags etc. I am not a fan of the Living Corpse. After spending all day fighting this goddamn thing I finally rolled the number for the last body part, and found a notebook, some gold and an *impractical* silver dagger that does not count as a weapon. Damn. Checking out the battlefield, I put paid to a crow-munching Zombie. Stamina low, I fuel up on a serve of provisions and march off to the lesser used path and go west. Taking out the three possessed goats was pretty straightforward. Stamina is still low, so fuelled up again before carrying on west. Taking a look at the churned up soil, I fight and beat a Skeleton rising out of the group. Circling the area was a waste of time, so I try following the tracks instead, only to lose them, but I assume my silver dagger at least allows me to mark a tree. Then I go east and then head to the pub (for information, you see). Coughing up the gold pieces, Barnock fills me in on the latest goss, I leave the pub, and check out the small stall being set up. Alright, let’s give this game a go. I lose 3 gold to the gypsy. The only option left is looking for a blacksmith which I know to be a bust. Heading back to the pub again, I go straight to the Dryaden, again he tells me he will hook me up with a sword and gives me the note (hidden number 119?). Again I pay up for the sword and head to the heath. Having marked a tree, I go back to it but figure it a bad idea to go wandering without a map, when one is specifically mentioned. Heading to the battlefield, and wolfing down my last provisions, I take on the two Crypt Stalkers. And die.
Shot 3
Initial Skill 7 (so, Starting Skill 4); Stamina 19; Luck 8
With these stats I better try think smarter. Go to the abbey, get the Amulet; go to the shack to fight that goddamn Living Corpse and get the silver dagger; go to the Stable family crypt and see if I can get past the wight with it — and hope it was worth it. Right, off I go. This time I chat to the beggar with no legs. A clue for a sword! (Marrick the Dwarf, Monger’s Ward, 117 Bellows March). Got the Sword for 17 gp. Got the Amulet of Protection. Beat the Living Corpse, got the notebook, gold, and silver dagger. Killed the three possessed goats, went and carved a marking on the tree. Off to the cemetery and the Stable family crypt. I am going to assume it is fine to use the silver dagger against the wight here. Doesn’t matter, it kills me anyway.
Shot 4
Initial Skill 12 (so, Starting Skill 9); Stamina 19; Luck 10
OK, good stats. Might have a chance against the Wight, then! I hope it is worth it. I repeat the above trek, though this time paying 18 gp for Marrick’s sword. Got the Amulet, beat the Living Corpse, got the silver dagger, killed the goats, marked the tree, beat the Wight. What a fool, I only just noticed that beating the Wight sends you back to the Stable family crypt. There is nothing behind it. Deflated I go home to sleep. Figure I may as well give the track following a go, even though I am mapless (hopefully the high skill helps). So off I go. I beat a Soulsucker, and then 3 skeletons, a Decayer, and two Flesh Golems. But I never found a ring of a dead thief, which amounts to me being slain and resurrected as a member of Dar’north’s army of the undead.
Shot 5
Initial Skill 11 (so, Starting Skill 8); Stamina 17; Luck 9
Right. It’s a week later. Let’s try take a (completely?) different route. Went here and there, killed the Decayer, Zombie, Goats, marked the tree, blah blah. Spoke to the handless beggar this time. He tells me about Vannix’s Sticky Fingers so off I go to the Thieves’ District, rolling unlucky, and only just taking out the Thug. Backwards note: one thieves’ guild three porger’s corner eight. A sign above the shop door with a hand being severed from a wrist: is this how our friendly beggar lost his? Ah, so this is where a silver knife could be acquired. I suppose this confirms that my earlier adventures with the silver dagger were no good after all (well, doubly). I remember being asked if I had a rune covered sword at the abbey so I go for that. And good idea too: the abbot gives me a new task. As well as the Amulet. And off I go to the Thieves’ Guild, having deduced the address from the backwards note. OK i get the low-down from Orgriff; this is getting juicy. Off to the pub I go, to catch up with Vannix, already knowing who he is now. Right: +60 when given the chance to follow tracks. I get the cryptic clue again (one this is one vannix’s nine note). Off to bed I go. Then off to use my map clue, and I find the camp. I don’t have the kind of stamina left for boldly entering if that means several fights, so I sneak. Well, turns out I don’t have the luck for sneaking, which results in an insta-death: slain by an entire arena of undead baddies.
Shot 6
Initial Skill 8 (so, Starting Skill 5); Stamina 19; Luck 7
With this skill and luck, I fear I don’t stand much of a chance. Anyway, I repeat the one-handed beggar and rune sword and abbot and all that, then go check out the well, and get killed by a ghoul.
Shot 7
Initial Skill 12 (so, Starting Skill 9); Stamina 23; Luck 10
Very decent stats; let’s not stuff this up. Beggar, Thug, Vannix, Rune Sword, Abbot, Amulet, Thieves’ Guild, The Well… Ghoul… aha! The Thief! And the ring! +30 Narron’s grave for gem. Knapsack: chalk, rope, provision, 3gp, backwards note: add fifty to the number of vannix’s note and turn to that paragraph. Woo! Getting there! Search well (7 gp). Cemetery, use clue, Blood Red Gem! Killed the goats, marked the tree. Pub, Vannix part 2, home. Off to the hidden private entrance of the Thieves’ Guild. Left - and it’s Orgriff and the Abbot! Alas I don’t have the notebook though, it’s behind that goddamn Living Corpse! Anyways, I head to the camp. This time I stride boldly in. Defeat the Decayer and two Flesh Golems. Yes I have the ring! But it sounds like I should try to destroy it? I manage to destroy the ring, and the Fire Demon manages to destroy me.
Shot 8
Initial Skill 8 (so, Starting Skill 5); Stamina 16; Luck 12
Beggar, then killed by the Thug.
Shot 9
Initial Skill 10 (so, Starting Skill 7); Stamina 20; Luck 10
Beggar, Thug, Vannix, Rune Sword, Abbot, Amulet, Thieves’ Guild, The Well, killed by the Ghoul.
Shot 10
Initial Skill 9 (so, Starting Skill 6); Stamina 22; Luck 12
Beggar, Thug, Vannix, Rune Sword, Abbot, Amulet, Thieves’ Guild, The Well, Ghoul, Thief/Ring, Cemetery, Gem, Goats, Mark Tree, Shack, Living Corpse (this encounter is literally torture), Notebook and stuff, Pub, Vannix part 2, Storeroom - Potion of Fortune, silver dagger, war hammer. I take the Potion of Fortune immediately! Orgriff and Abbot, and yes I have the notebook this time! Yes I have the ring! More juicy backstory. Yes I have the gem! Ring is destroyed! Off to the camp. Killed by the Decayer. Bloody hell I think this is going to take as long as it takes for me to roll an all-round high stat adventurer.
Shot 11
Initial Skill 9 (so, Starting Skill 6); Stamina 17; Luck 7
With these stats I don’t even think it is worth me bothering. Automatic victory for Dar’north
Shot 12
Initial Skill 7 (so, Starting Skill 4); Stamina 19; Luck 11
Yeah, I ain’t gonna bother with that pathetic skill; there’s no hope. Another win for Dar'north
Shot 13
Initial Skill 11 (so, Starting Skill 8); Stamina 20; Luck 7
OK, better stats; let’s give this another whirl. Not thrilled about that Luck stat though.
Beggar, Thug, Vannix, Rune Sword, Abbot, Amulet, Thieves’ Guild, The Well, unlucky and lost a skill point. Ghoul, Thief/Ring, Cemetery, Gem, Goats, Mark Tree, Shack. Took out the Living Corpse in record time—by some miracle I only re-rolled body parts a few times. Notebook, silver dagger, Pub, Vannix part 2, Storeroom - Potion of Fortune, war hammer, Holy Water. I take Potion of Fortune immediately. Orgriff and Abbot, Ring destroyed. Camp, Decayer, two Flesh Golems. Wolf down provisions. Guess I fight with the rune sword. I avoid Dar’north’s DUM spell. OK, right: I am currently 10/16 against 11/19 final boss. I get him down to 8 stamina before I am killed.
Shot 14 - max stats
Initial Skill 12 (so, Starting Skill 9); Stamina 24; Luck 12
Given that last time I made it to the final confrontation, I’m going to give myself one last go, with max stats this time, and a free auto win against the Living Corpse to save on time and sanity. A little naughty sneaking reveals that I should have used the war hammer against Dar’north for an additional point to my Attack Strength. So let’s give that a crack. Also, with better luck I’ll sneak into camp to avoid the Decayer. Right, with that plan sorted off I go.
I work my way though the adventure, and am 12/22 with 11 luck when I meet effectively 10/19 Dar’north. I kick his butt. (Victory!! I walk away 12/18/7!! Off to the Frantic Rat for that drink…)
Final note: I assumed the text at 171, although not including the word ‘bless’, described such a thing. We were, after all, ‘lifted’. Anyway, having now seen the discussion on this thread, I realise that assumption is wrong (would’ve needed 132 for that, but yeah, no.) So I re-fought Dar’north, 12/22 vs 11/19, and still won, though I came out of it slightly more battered up at 12/12/7. Err…Victory, after all?! Possibly yes, technically no, I guess. But that’s enough for me.
So, my impressions...
The good: For a mini adventure I think this had great story and atmosphere. I really enjoyed exploring the setting and piecing together the clues and backstory. The writing was generally engaging; the set pieces were interesting. Nicely done, especially for a weekend's work (!!)
The bad: It seems that an adventurer needs very high stats to stand a fair chance - there could have been more ways to help weaker adventurers, like more provisions or opportunities to replenish luck, and maybe some other way to boost a weaker adventurer’s chances at succeeding come the endgame (do you meet condition X? Dar’north’s spell ricochets off your rune sword or warhammer and strikes him square in his dastardly face - deduct 4 stamina and 1 skill from his stats when you fight him; add 2 to your luck - this may exceed your Initial stat).
The ugly: That [insert expletives here] Living Corpse. Just… no.