Non-lethal failures

[a moderator]

A post in the Assassins of Allansia thread got me thinking.

Dec 1, 2019 19:19:45 GMT Wilf said:

You are the hero in FF books, and Ian Livingstone's are particularly deadly. I was implying that embarking on a quest designed by Livingstone was akin to suicide.

Most of the FF books (possibly even some of the Livingstone death-fests) include the occasional unsuccessful ending that doesn't kill your character. At least, not straight off - given the consequences of not defeating the villain in some of the books, ending up a corpse soon afterwards is a virtual certainty.

Still, I'm now curious about which books can only end in death (and I'm including becoming undead as a form of death) or victory. And also whether anybody has any favourite bad endings that aren't fatal.

[Blackheart]

While visiting the witch in Trial of Champions, there is a possibility to end up in a wooden box...

It gives you ample time for contemplating the stupidity of sailing in pirate-infested waters!

[Wilf]

There's a great one in Portal Of Evil on 352, which leaves your arm trapped so you're unable to move. Except there's a way out... there's a hatchet just within your reach. But whatever you do, your adventure ends here!

You can also amputate your leg at 186 in The Seven Serpents, which also leaves you alive but unable to continue. I prefer Portal's nasty cliffhanger, though!

[schlendrian]

THE classic would be the hero of warlock sitting weeping on a chest, unable to open it after killing the warlock.

[a moderator]

There's also a leg-amputation ending in Sword of the Samurai, though as that one comes with a Stamina penalty, it could prove fatal for some characters. I agree that ending on the dilemma in Portal makes for a more powerful ending, though.

[thealmightymudworm]

Is it easier to list books with non-lethal failures, or ones which might not have any?

Perhaps mentioning types might help...

Crippling injuries (as mentioned): Portal, Sword of the Samurai
Transformation: Portal also has you ending up as a giant scorpion if you miss the birds, DotD has Greylock turn you into a fish if you test his patience too far, VotV could leave you as a bat or wolf, Moonrunner could return you to a runner.
Trapping/Slavery: Again DotD could maroon you on an island. TCT could easily leave you enslaved (although for all I know Paul Mason considers that one of the 'real wins').
Unscathed, but quest failed: A bunch of those in Scorpion Swamp – you sensibly sell your ring to Poomchukker at the start, or you just return to him or Selator empty-handed, or the book chews you over for accepting Grimslade's payment.

Are there any non-lethal failures in Talisman? (There are a bunch of lethal non-failures, but that's another matter.)

[a moderator]

I think the list of books without may be shorter. Just looking at the first 10...

1: As Schlendrian pointed out, blubbing your eyes out for not getting enough keys.
2: Trapped in the dungeons.
3: Transformed into a frog by Yaztromo.
4: Does stepping off the wrong path ending and getting stuck in limbo count? If not, this is the first in which you can only triumph or die.
5: Leaving Port Blacksand without everything you need and abandoning your quest.
6: Becoming the slave of a Trialmaster.
7: Being mind-controlled by the Gonchong.
8: Plenty as noted by thealmightymudworm.
9: Getting fitted with an obedience collar and becoming another of the Snow Witch's slaves.
10: None, really. Being captured just means you'll either be sacrificed or starved to death.

So that's 1-2 of the first 10 with no 'fail but live' endings.

In Talisman it's possible that being captured by the Dark Elves isn't a fatal outcome. Unless that makes it possible for Death's devotees to recover the Talisman and use it to summon their master and end all life on Orb...

[daredevil123]

Surely the best for this has to be The Crimson Tide, where you can give up your quest and get a variety of jobs. My favourite is killing the Mercenary Leader, finding "a swollen mass of raw, red flesh" beneath his mask and taking command of the Mercenaries yourself.

[weaselfierce]

Dec 4, 2019 16:40:02 GMT a moderator said:

I think the list of books without may be shorter. Just looking at the first 10...

1: As Schlendrian pointed out, blubbing your eyes out for not getting enough keys.
2: Trapped in the dungeons.
3: Transformed into a frog by Yaztromo.
4: Does stepping off the wrong path ending and getting stuck in limbo count? If not, this is the first in which you can only triumph or die.
5: Leaving Port Blacksand without everything you need and abandoning your quest.
6: Becoming the slave of a Trialmaster.
7: Being mind-controlled by the Gonchong.
8: Plenty as noted by thealmightymudworm.
9: Getting fitted with an obedience collar and becoming another of the Snow Witch's slaves.
10: None, really. Being captured just means you'll either be sacrificed or starved to death.

So that's 1-2 of the first 10 with no 'fail but live' endings.

In Talisman it's possible that being captured by the Dark Elves isn't a fatal outcome. Unless that makes it possible for Death's devotees to recover the Talisman and use it to summon their master and end all life on Orb...

Given how dangerous the world is, being a frog in the forest in "Forest of Doom" might be pretty alright actually

[bloodbeasthandler]

FF13, Freeway Fighter is full of them.

Failing to rally the citizens against the Moon Dogs, car burned and destroyed by a fanatic, car stolen, car stuck in sand meaning you have to walk home, running out of petrol, tyre ruined and having to head back home, captured by the outlaws (but does not explicitly say you are killed), para 324 tanker crashes and the enemy closes in but ends on a cliffhanger.

[bloodbeasthandler]

I rather liked putting on that crown in the Mushroom Farm and becoming the new overseer

[vastariner]

Feb 13, 2020 22:13:14 GMT bloodbeasthandler said:

I rather liked putting on that crown in the Mushroom Farm and becoming the new overseer

Is that cos you're a fun guy?