Warlock Magazine 6: The Dark Chronicles of Anakendis

[champskees]

The Dark Chronicles of Anakendis could have been great. Everything is fairly well balanced until the end, where I think the author messed things up. The problem is that in order for a lower level character to succeed, they would need to collect several items that you simply cannot get in one playthrough. An option at Para 108 for the character to return to Para 46 would have made this a very tight little adventure. It does irritate me that the author copies the key mechanic used in TWOFM. As it stands, a Skill 11+ Stamina 20+ character is recommended.

You start with:

- Sword.
- Backpack.
- Shield.
- Take Potion of Fortune (2 Doses).
- 5 Meals.

- Use both doses of the Potion of Fortune immediately.
- Take the left hand fork.
- Examine the cave.
- Fight Sk 7 St 8 Ice Warrior.
- Try and open it.
- Prise the lock open.
- Test Skill. Success = Take Ruby Key.
- Leave the room by the west door.
- Continue northwards.
- Go down the well.
- Talk to the man.
- Take Broom of Flying (+1 Luck).
- You may eat here.
- Continue back to the first room and take the northern door.
- Go west.
- Open this.
- Open the right fork door.
- Barge it down.
- Open chest 2.
- Prise it open.
- Take Emerald Key.
- Choose another chest.
- Open chest 1.
- Take 10 Gold Pieces.
- Leave the room.
- Turn around and attack it.
- Decline the offer and follow him.
- Look through the window (+1 Luck).
- Go north.
- Go right.
- Examine this.
- Fight Sk 7 St 7 Walking Mouth & Sk 8 St 6 Walking Mouth together.
- Take Magic Sword (+1 Initial Skill, +1 Luck).
- You may eat here.
- You are not wearing a silver amulet.
- Fight Sk 9 St 9 Crystal Statue. Your hits only inflict 1 Damage.
- Use your broom of flying.
- Test Luck.
        o If successful: Test Skill twice.
             - SS = +1 Luck.
             - SF = 1 Damage.
             - FF = Death.
        o If fail: 1 Damage.
- Leave through the west door.
- Attack him immediately.
- Fight Sk 12 St 20 Anakendis.
        o First hit on Anakendis: You have a Magic Sword.
        o Two rounds after first hit: Try to leap the barrier (2 Damage you both you and enemy).
- Try some keys in the locks.
- Choose ruby and emerald keys.
- The villagers begin to cheer, and you bathe in the glory of the people you have just saved from a grisly end…

[a moderator]

No significant errors in this one, though the playthrough at my blog does highlight the occasional 'really?' moment:

A passage leads north from the room. After a while it's joined by another passage from the south (if I were attempting to map this place, I'd be in tears by now)
[...]

I now realise that beyond the statue is the aforementioned bottomless chasm (and I initially mistook it for a room?)

Are you aware that the Warlock magazine 7 mini adventure is missing half a section? The omitted text was eventually provided in issue 9.

[champskees]

Jul 7, 2015 17:06:17 GMT a moderator said:

Are you aware that the Warlock magazine 7 mini adventure is missing half a section? The omitted text was eventually provided in issue 9.

Oh god.