Let's Play the Grailquest series! (If this kills you, go to 14.)

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > Let's Play! > Let's Play the Grailquest series! (If this kills you, go to 14.)

«‹›30 »

Ghostwoods: May 9, 2013; Say "Cheese!"

!DoomCricket is clearly the least pleasant direction to head in. Let's go to 58.

# ? Jun 8, 2015 00:36

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# ? May 28, 2024 15:13

Junpei Hyde: Mar 15, 2013

Pogolift sound unpleasant, do that.

# ? Jun 8, 2015 00:56

idonotlikepeas: May 29, 2010; This reasoning is possible for forums user idonotlikepeas!

Let's waste some time, since there's not a big downside to getting ourselves killed this early.

Also, it looks like the levitation spell might partially compensate for our lack of climbing apparatus, thankfully. Let's hope Pip doesn't fall down a bit more than three times.

# ? Jun 8, 2015 01:10

Comstar: Apr 20, 2007; Are you happy now?

From what I recall, if we go play a game we miss out on some stuff in the village, but we can always check that after the book ends.

# ? Jun 8, 2015 02:26

Alumnus Post: Dec 29, 2009; They are weird and troubling. We owe it to our neighbors to kill them.; Pillbug

Pogolfit doesn't sound the least bit pleasant. We'd better go play it.

# ? Jun 8, 2015 03:40

Mikl: Nov 8, 2009; Vote shit sandwich or the shit sandwich gets it!

Y'all want to play murderball, and play murderball we shall!

Section 58 posted:

'Anyone mind if I join in,' you remark cheerfully, as you step on to the pogolfit pitch.

All heads swing in your direction. All eyes regard you suspiciously for an instant. All foreheads crease in sudden frowns. 'Are you prepared to bat?' somebody asks hesitantly. 'Yes!' you exclaim with confidence. All mouths stretch in dazzling smiles,

'We got a batter!' the word goes round excitedly.

'And only just in time,' remarks the player crouching behind the three swords, a middle-aged man with a drooping moustache and bird-like eyes.

'In time for what?' you ask, with just the slightest doubt at your decision beginning to nibble at the edges of your mind.

'To face the Visitors,' the player says.

'Visitors?'

'The Scots team. We've been warming up until they arrived. But they're here now. At least they soon will be: you can tell by the distant howl of the haggis and the smell of whisky.'

In point of fact, you can hear nothing and the only smell you notice is peat smoke, easily explained by a small chimney fire in one of the village cottages, but you say nothing, assuming these people must know their own business. And indeed they do, for as you take your place before the swords, there is a sudden skirl of bagpipes (which the villagers, deprived of your education, may well have mistaken for the distant howl of a haggis) and on to the pitch marches a huge contingent of brawny men in kilts, bobbles bobbing on their bonnets, sporrans swinging with military precision, dirks stuck down their leggings and flashing in the sun.

They are a terrifying lot.

Section 58 posted:

The Scots form a tightly-knit circle in the centre of the pitch and remove their bonnets gravely while a long piper squeezes out a plaintive lament. One by one, the great bearded heads bow as if in silent tribute.

'What are they doing?' you ask curiously.

'Paying respect to the dead,' says the swordwicket-keeper grimly.

'Has somebody died?' you ask, looking around you curiously for a coffin.

'Not yet,' says the wicket-keeper, refusing to meet your eyes.

Section 58 posted:

The piping stops. 'Hogmanay!!!' roar the Scots visitors in unison. There is a pattering of polite applause from the maidens underneath the oak tree. Then the largest of the visitors breaks away from the group and struts towards you. He stops no more than a yard or two away, flexes massive muscles and remarks, 'Machoot, och aye, braw bricht nicht the noo.'

You nod politely, not understanding, but assuming it to be a Gaelic greeting. He nods back tersely, then lumbers off to where several of his fellow visitors are taking sections of a collapsable caber from their sporran pouches and busily assembling them into something resembling a tree trunk. You watch with growing trepidation as the caber grows longer and fatter. The Machoot (he of the massive muscles) takes the finished assembly, staggering a little under its incredible weight, totters backwards, catches his balance, then begins a slow, bow-legged run in your direction.

Section 58 posted:

'Here, just a minute -' you start to protest, realizing abruptly there are rules of pogolfit nobody has bothered to mention to you.

But it is too late, all too late.

'Sassenachs!!' roars the visiting team in unison as Machoot hefts the mighty caber in a vast arc in your direction.

'Don't take your eye off it,' advises the wicket-keeper grimly, as he dives for cover.

But it is unnecessary advice. You stand transfixed, horrified. The huge tree trunk drops from the sky, growing larger and larger, until it makes contact with your head, driving you into the soft turf like a fence stake.

Go to 34.

Death the fi- wait, it's 34, not 14. My bad. With how things were going I expected that to be the case.

Section 34 posted:

You are in a tunnel, suffering from a splitting headache and amnesia. But as you stagger forward, your memory gradually returns. It seems that when the caber struck you, it drove you through the ground into some sort of underground cavern, from which you wandered dizzily into a maze of subterranean tunnels of which this is only the latest. Where you are, you have not the slightest idea. Where you are going, you have not the slightest idea. How to get out, you have not the slightest idea.

But there is light ahead, even if distant and dim, so with nothing better to do, you move towards it.

And in so doing, eventually emerge at 24.

Section 24 posted:

You are standing on a desolate, fog enshrouded, windswept moor, chill, barren, soggy underfoot, eerie, lonely, gloomy, oppressive, threatening, malodorous and emanating an all-pervading sense of horror, terror and ancient evil.

This is by far the nastiest place you have ever had the dire misfortune to venture into. Which probably means....

Yes! There it is! Over to the North! You've found it, Pip! Looming from the swirling mist are two massive granite pillars and between them a huge brass portal (open!) leading into a confusion of writhing, moaning, multicoloured fog.

This is definitely the Gateway to the Ghastly Kingdom of the Dead. This is the place you've been looking for. This is the end of your adventure. This is your road to even greater glory. This is the softest touch you've ever had: all you have to do is nip across and close the Gate. Nothing to it.

Except maybe for that Thing standing in the Gateway.

I suppose you could always go home now, but it does seem a bit pointless. Or you could ignore the Thing and just saunter casually up to the Gate and close it. (If so, go to 47.) Or you could attack the Thing before trying to close the Gate. (If so, go to 57.) Or you could nip over to 63 and ask EJ what he thinks.

Congrats, goons! By taking Merlin's advice, we've found the way forward and are nearly at our destination! :toot:

We missed some content in the village though, but that can't be helped now can it? We'll see what that was once we finish closing the gate. For now, what shall we do?

Pip's Stat Block posted:

LIFE POINTS: 40/40
SPEED: 9/18
EXPERIENCE POINTS: 1
INVENTORY:
E.J. (hits on a 4 or higher, +5 damage, +10 damage against dragons), dragonskin jacket (-4 damage), Healing Potion x18 (heals two dice rolls' worth of LIFE POINTS), Healing Salve x5 (heals 3 LIFE POINTS), xylophone x1, Artifical Aardvark x1, bookworm x1, blue powder x1, clickstick x1, hammer x1, joke book x1, saw x1, gold braid x1
MAGIC:
Pip's First Spellbook and Pip's Second Spellbook (costs 3 LIFE POINTS per spell, maximum 3 uses per spell, need roll 7 or higher on two dice or spell doesn't work), Lightning Bolt x10 (10 damage, automatic hit), Fireball x2 (75 damage, hits on a 6 or higher)
MONEY AND VALUABLES:
50 Gold Pieces

# ? Jun 8, 2015 17:30

inflatablefish: Oct 24, 2010

I can't believe that didn't cost us any Life Points.

Fortune favours the bold! Let's saunter like our life depends on it!

# ? Jun 8, 2015 18:18

Ghostwoods: May 9, 2013; Say "Cheese!"

EJ is a total coward, and I'm sure the thing will leap on us anyway. Saunter on!

# ? Jun 8, 2015 22:09

Mikl: Nov 8, 2009; Vote shit sandwich or the shit sandwich gets it!

Section 47 posted:

Casually you saunter up to the massive Gateway.

Whistling innocently, you begin to push the Gateway closed.

Smiling grimly, the Thing pulls you inside the Ghastly Kingdom of the Dead.

Now stop messing about and go to 59.

Ok, that is totally a xenomorph.

Section 59 posted:

INTO THE GHASTLY KINGDOM OF THE DEAD!

That's done it! That's torn it and no mistake! You are in a vast, gloomy underground chamber, measuring 40 feet square. The floor, walls and ceiling are composed of large black granite slabs. The only light is a single flickering torch set in a bracket on the north wall.

There is nothing in the room (except you, of course) and most upsetting of all, there is no door out!!

Is this it? Is this the end? Is this where the brave adventurer ends up, wasting slowly in some dank chamber of the Ghastly Kingdom of the Dead, lonely, miserable, cold, unhappy, facing no brighter prospect than the final solemn journey to the dreaded 14? No, of course it isn't. Pull yourself together. If you look in the south western corner you'll find a scrap of ancient parchment on which there is a map. Go to 65 and study it carefully. It may show you a way out of this mess. (And probably into an even worse one, but that's a different story.)

That Grim Reaper is NOT a good sign if you ask me.

Section 65 posted:

Now there's something to get your teeth into! This looks as though it might turn into an interesting adventure after all. The scrap of parchment seems to be a map of the ghastly place you're in (see Appendix p. 219). You'll notice 65 is marked as a 40' x 40' room, exactly as you've iscovered it to be. But the map shows no less than four secret doors out. Two of those doors lead into rooms, two into corridors. And the various rooms all have section numbers so you'll know where to go.

(Don't do anything yet, Pip - it's dangerous to rush into things down here.)

At the bottom of the parchment somebody has scrawled a message in blood, or possibly tomato ketchup:

'I have opened the Gateway and hidden the Key! Find it if you can, Sucker!'

Yours in Chivalry,
The Black Knight of Avalon.

So that's where the trouble started. The dreaded Black Knight of Avalon, the most wicked noble in the Realm. Looks as though he was the one who opened the Gateway to the Ghastly Kingdom of the Dead and let loose that Brass Dragon you killed a while ago. He must have used this map to find his way around the Ghastly Kingdom, so maybe you can do the same until you discover where the Key is hidden.

Pip's Official poo poo List:

- Mean Jake
- Merlin
- The Black Knight :argh:

Section 65 posted:

Now turn the parchment over - there may be something on the back.

There is something on the back: a set of instructions for adventuring in the Ghastly Kingdom of the Dead. The handwriting is different to that of the Black Knight, so you should be able to trust what they say. What they say is this:

LEVEL 1

Study the map carefully. You start from the room marked 65. You may pick any of the four secret doors shown as your exit.

If a door leads directly into a room, turn to the section number shown to discover what you find there.

If a door leads into a shaded area, you will find yourself in a gloomy 10' wide, 10' high corridor with worked stone walls and stone slabbed floor.

For every 60' (6 squares) you have to travel along a corridor to reach wherever you are going, you must roll two dice to find out if you have encountered any Wandering Monsters. Check the result on the Table headed 'Level 1 Wandering Monsters' in the Appendix.

Sometimes the roll will show you meet no Monsters. Sometimes it will show you do. Wandering Monsters are too stupid to be bribed, and too bad tempered ever to give you a Friendly Reaction, so when you meet any, you must fight to the death.

If you kill the Wandering Monsters, you may continue along the corridor (still checking every 60' in case you meet some more.)

If the Wandering Monsters kill you, then it's off to 14 to re-equip and roll up new LIFE POINTS. But - and this is important - if you are killed anywhere in the Ghastly Kingdom of the Dead, you do NOT have to start the whole adventure again. Instead you return to 65 and start from there. (Or rather here, since this is 65.)

That's right people, we're officially out of gamebook territory and into Roguelike land! :toot:

_{Wait, is this something to celebrate?}

Section 65 posted:

One more thing. The torch in the wall bracket of this 40' x 40' chamber is almost burned out. If you have no torches, lamps or other light sources in your equipment, you must travel in the dark. You'll be able to find your way all right, but you will not fight nearly so well as usual. You will score damage normally, but you will need to roll an 8 or better to hit, even if you're using EJ.

Good thing we brought a light source with us, right? :smithicide:

Section 65 posted:

That's the bad news about Wandering Monsters. The good news is that they usually carry a bit of gold around with them and if you manage to kill them, you can add their gold to your own store. The Table shows how much gold each class of Wandering Monster usually carries.

That's it for the corridors. Now the rooms.

What you'll find in the rooms is anybody's guess.

Good luck.

The sharp-eyed among you might have noted one thing: since there are potentially endless monsters to be found here, there is a definite potential for grinding those same monsters for money and EXPERIENCE POINTS. We can do that if you want, but personally I don't recommend it since some monsters are really nasty. (No, I won't show you the monster list, why spoil the surprise?)

All other game mechanics work perfectly fine in here, including items, magic and Sleeping, so keep that in mind. (By the way, did I mention the Dreamtime sections are brand new? Just a thought.).

Now for the map:

Of course, we're standing at 65, right in the middle of Level I.

:siren:

Pick one of the four secret doors to open, and in case you picked top-left or bottom-left, also pick which Section to go to :siren:

(the right-most doors each go to a single Section).

Also, a bit of a hiatus: I'll be away for work with dubious net access until Saturday evening and I'm going to be busy all day on Sunday, so we shall be exploring the door you pick on Monday. See you all then!

Pip's Stat Block posted:

LIFE POINTS: 40/40
SPEED: 9/18
EXPERIENCE POINTS: 1
INVENTORY:
E.J. (hits on a 4 or higher, +5 damage, +10 damage against dragons), dragonskin jacket (-4 damage), Healing Potion x18 (heals two dice rolls' worth of LIFE POINTS), Healing Salve x5 (heals 3 LIFE POINTS), xylophone x1, Artifical Aardvark x1, bookworm x1, blue powder x1, clickstick x1, hammer x1, joke book x1, saw x1, gold braid x1
MAGIC:
Pip's First Spellbook and Pip's Second Spellbook (costs 3 LIFE POINTS per spell, maximum 3 uses per spell, need roll 7 or higher on two dice or spell doesn't work), Lightning Bolt x10 (10 damage, automatic hit), Fireball x2 (75 damage, hits on a 6 or higher)
MONEY AND VALUABLES:
50 Gold Pieces

# ? Jun 9, 2015 19:09

inflatablefish: Oct 24, 2010

Did we even try the Dreamtime at all last book? I vote that we sleep as soon as we need to regain life points.

Let's check out that little broom cupboard in 125.

# ? Jun 9, 2015 19:54

Ghostwoods: May 9, 2013; Say "Cheese!"

inflatablefish posted:

Let's check out that little broom cupboard in 125.

Voting against sleeping. Last time we did it, it was all utterly horrible so far as I could tell.

But sure, let's check out small room 125 first. I'm _sure_ we'll find a torch there or in the big one.

# ? Jun 9, 2015 21:37

FredMSloniker: Jan 2, 2008; Why, yes, I do like Kirby games.

Any chance of getting a cleaned-up map? I'm having trouble reading the scan.

# ? Jun 9, 2015 22:14

Mikl: Nov 8, 2009; Vote shit sandwich or the shit sandwich gets it!

FredMSloniker posted:

Any chance of getting a cleaned-up map? I'm having trouble reading the scan.

Is this better?

_{I am terrible at image editing, does it show?}

Red dashes going through walls are doors, since I couldn't figure out a better way of showing them.

# ? Jun 9, 2015 22:57

FredMSloniker: Jan 2, 2008; Why, yes, I do like Kirby games.

Mikl posted:

Is this better?

Much. Thanks!

# ? Jun 9, 2015 23:38

Glazius: Jul 22, 2007; Hail all those who are able,
any mouse can,
any mouse will,
but the Guard prevail.; Clapping Larry

Yes, staring down a Scotsman with a caber is certainly the least pleasant place to be. Well done there, Pip.

I'll say northeast just because.

# ? Jun 10, 2015 10:37

Mikl: Nov 8, 2009; Vote shit sandwich or the shit sandwich gets it!

Welcome back! A bit earlier than anticipated, but let's visit the small room at 125.

Section 125 posted:

This is a 10' x 30' chamber, empty except for a pile of straw on which lie a skull and a few crumbling human bones. There is no door out except the one by which you entered.

Seems the crumbling bones must have belonged to a previous adventurer. Hope you don't end up the same way. If you search the straw, you will find 10 gold pieces, which is something. (Not much, but something.)

Return to 65.

And we're back at 65, 10 Gold Pieces richer.

Where shall we go next?

Pip's Stat Block posted:

LIFE POINTS: 40/40
SPEED: 9/18
EXPERIENCE POINTS: 1
INVENTORY:
E.J. (hits on a 4 or higher, +5 damage, +10 damage against dragons), dragonskin jacket (-4 damage), Healing Potion x18 (heals two dice rolls' worth of LIFE POINTS), Healing Salve x5 (heals 3 LIFE POINTS), xylophone x1, Artifical Aardvark x1, bookworm x1, blue powder x1, clickstick x1, hammer x1, joke book x1, saw x1, gold braid x1
MAGIC:
Pip's First Spellbook and Pip's Second Spellbook (costs 3 LIFE POINTS per spell, maximum 3 uses per spell, need roll 7 or higher on two dice or spell doesn't work), Lightning Bolt x10 (10 damage, automatic hit), Fireball x2 (75 damage, hits on a 6 or higher)
MONEY AND VALUABLES:
60 Gold Pieces

# ? Jun 14, 2015 12:59

Comstar: Apr 20, 2007; Are you happy now?

Lets walk to 70

# ? Jun 14, 2015 14:38

Mikl: Nov 8, 2009; Vote shit sandwich or the shit sandwich gets it!

Alright, open the door, walk two squares, open the other door, we're at 70!

Section 70 posted:

Wow! This is the largest chamber you have ever seen for sure! A full 70' across and 90' long with a colonnade of granite pillars supporting a vaulted ceiling.

At the end of the colonnade is a black granite throne on which sits a satin cushion on which sits....

(No, not a Monster-you're getting paranoid.)

... a glittering emerald as large as a duck egg!

The chamber is otherwise empty and there is no exit other than into the corridor from which you came.

That emerald looks as though it might be worth a fortune. Are you going to snaffle it?

Snaffle emerald by going to 128.

Return to the corridor from which you came.

What luck, a completely unguarded gemstone! Surely nothing bad will happen if we grab it!

_{Current section: 70; squares walked: 2}

Pip's Stat Block posted:

LIFE POINTS: 40/40
SPEED: 9/18
EXPERIENCE POINTS: 1
INVENTORY:
E.J. (hits on a 4 or higher, +5 damage, +10 damage against dragons), dragonskin jacket (-4 damage), Healing Potion x18 (heals two dice rolls' worth of LIFE POINTS), Healing Salve x5 (heals 3 LIFE POINTS), xylophone x1, Artifical Aardvark x1, bookworm x1, blue powder x1, clickstick x1, hammer x1, joke book x1, saw x1, gold braid x1
MAGIC:
Pip's First Spellbook and Pip's Second Spellbook (costs 3 LIFE POINTS per spell, maximum 3 uses per spell, need roll 7 or higher on two dice or spell doesn't work), Lightning Bolt x10 (10 damage, automatic hit), Fireball x2 (75 damage, hits on a 6 or higher)
MONEY AND VALUABLES:
60 Gold Pieces

# ? Jun 14, 2015 20:47

Jazzimus Prime: May 16, 2002; The Brothers Autobot

Something bad is almost certainly going to happen, but it's a huge emerald that's worth a fortune, so we pretty much have to grab it anyway.

# ? Jun 14, 2015 22:36

idonotlikepeas: May 29, 2010; This reasoning is possible for forums user idonotlikepeas!

Seriously, what are we going to do, just find a random jewel and NOT pick it up? That's not how adventurers do their thing.

# ? Jun 14, 2015 23:08

Glazius: Jul 22, 2007; Hail all those who are able,
any mouse can,
any mouse will,
but the Guard prevail.; Clapping Larry

Don't get greedy now, Pip. Let's have a look into 90 instead.

# ? Jun 15, 2015 00:05

inflatablefish: Oct 24, 2010

idonotlikepeas posted:

Seriously, what are we going to do, just find a random jewel and NOT pick it up? That's not how adventurers do their thing.

Of course we're going to nick it, the only question is if we do the sensible thing and cast Immunity to Poison first.

Hmmm.

Nah, just grab it.

# ? Jun 15, 2015 00:13

Explosions: Apr 20, 2015

Snaffle heartily.

# ? Jun 15, 2015 16:58

Junpei Hyde: Mar 15, 2013

Grab it, but wrap something around our hands first. It may be deadly to the touch.

# ? Jun 15, 2015 17:16

Mikl: Nov 8, 2009; Vote shit sandwich or the shit sandwich gets it!

Alright, sand bag in one hand, let's try to judge the correct weight, and... Snatched!

Section 128 posted:

Oh, no - it's a cursed emerald!!

You can tell the minute you take it in your greedy little hand. Desperately you try to dash it on the floor, but the emerald will not be dashed. Once you've picked up a cursed gemstone, you're stuck with it for life. Which may not be all that long, actually, since it deducts 4 from damage you score in any encounter from now on.

Return to the corridor from which you entered 70.

Status effect! Not the first we see, but the first that actually affects us.

Quick reminder: for the duration of this dungeon we hit only on a 8 or higher since we didn't bring a light source, and now we get -4 to damage. This means we're pretty much boned should we ever have to fight anything, which will probably be soon because we have several corridors left to traverse.

Nothing we can do about it though! We're back at the map:

Where to next?

_{Current section: 70; squares walked: 2}

Pip's Stat Block posted:

LIFE POINTS: 40/40
SPEED: 9/18
EXPERIENCE POINTS: 1
INVENTORY:
E.J. (hits on a 4 or higher, +5 damage, +10 damage against dragons), dragonskin jacket (-4 damage), Healing Potion x18 (heals two dice rolls' worth of LIFE POINTS), Healing Salve x5 (heals 3 LIFE POINTS), xylophone x1, Artifical Aardvark x1, bookworm x1, blue powder x1, clickstick x1, hammer x1, joke book x1, saw x1, gold braid x1
MAGIC:
Pip's First Spellbook and Pip's Second Spellbook (costs 3 LIFE POINTS per spell, maximum 3 uses per spell, need roll 7 or higher on two dice or spell doesn't work), Lightning Bolt x10 (10 damage, automatic hit), Fireball x2 (75 damage, hits on a 6 or higher)
MONEY AND VALUABLES:
60 Gold Pieces
STATUS EFFECTS:
Cursed emerald (-4 to damage until we die once)

# ? Jun 15, 2015 17:28

FredMSloniker: Jan 2, 2008; Why, yes, I do like Kirby games.

On the principle that as many people will be swayed to dumb action as to smart action: if I recall correctly, emerald anything is usually bad in these books. :devil:

Let's move on to 75 to ~~get ourselves killed by a random encounter~~ avoid backtracking.

# ? Jun 15, 2015 18:01

idonotlikepeas: May 29, 2010; This reasoning is possible for forums user idonotlikepeas!

Once we get brutally murdered, can we redo the equipment too?

I'll second the move to 75.

# ? Jun 15, 2015 22:41

Mikl: Nov 8, 2009; Vote shit sandwich or the shit sandwich gets it!

idonotlikepeas posted:

Once we get brutally murdered, can we redo the equipment too?

In theory, no, since the book specifically said we'll start again from 65. But since I'm not a bastard, and :airquote:

forgetting :airquote:

inconvenient rules is also a part of the gamebook experience, I'll allow it this once.

Assuming we do get our collective spleens perforated, though; you guys have been doing admirably well so far.

Room 75 is eight corridor squares away, which means we have to roll once for random encounters to reach (it's once every six squares).

Random encounter roll: 6 + 1 = 7, cross-referencing with the encounter table, we meet... No one. We got lucky... this time.

Section 75 posted:

Cough, cough, hack.

That's the sound of you coughing, Pip, the reason being that this room is full of smoke. The map shows it as an 80' x 30' chamber, but you'd never know it from what you'd see. The map also shows no other door than the one into the corridor, but there might be a secret door somewhere if you searched. The thing is, do you want to search and risk choking yourself on this smoke - it really is foul and probably dangerously bad for the lungs.

Risk searching for a secret door at 67.

Or return to the corridor and make your way to another section.

_{Current section: 75; squares walked: 10}

Pip's Stat Block posted:

LIFE POINTS: 40/40
SPEED: 9/18
EXPERIENCE POINTS: 1
INVENTORY:
E.J. (hits on a 4 or higher, +5 damage, +10 damage against dragons), dragonskin jacket (-4 damage), Healing Potion x18 (heals two dice rolls' worth of LIFE POINTS), Healing Salve x5 (heals 3 LIFE POINTS), xylophone x1, Artifical Aardvark x1, bookworm x1, blue powder x1, clickstick x1, hammer x1, joke book x1, saw x1, gold braid x1
MAGIC:
Pip's First Spellbook and Pip's Second Spellbook (costs 3 LIFE POINTS per spell, maximum 3 uses per spell, need roll 7 or higher on two dice or spell doesn't work), Lightning Bolt x10 (10 damage, automatic hit), Fireball x2 (75 damage, hits on a 6 or higher)
MONEY AND VALUABLES:
60 Gold Pieces
STATUS EFFECTS:
Cursed emerald (-4 to damage until we die once)

# ? Jun 15, 2015 23:06

inflatablefish: Oct 24, 2010

Sure, we've come this far so we may as well search.

# ? Jun 16, 2015 00:15

Jazzimus Prime: May 16, 2002; The Brothers Autobot

Search. Either we'll find something good, or we'll die of smoke inhalation and get to start over with useful equipment and no cursed gem stuck to our hand.

# ? Jun 16, 2015 03:25

Mikl: Nov 8, 2009; Vote shit sandwich or the shit sandwich gets it!

Section 67 posted:

No secret door yet, but you've found the source of the smoke. Somebody has been burning poisonous laburnum leaves in an open brazier in the middle of the room. Getting this far has cost you one tenth of your current LIFE POINTS and the smoke is getting thicker.

Continue searching at 139.

Or return to the corridor minus one tenth of your LIFE POINTS.

Well this isn't good.

_{Current section: 75; squares walked: 10}

Pip's Stat Block posted:

LIFE POINTS: 36/40
SPEED: 9/18
EXPERIENCE POINTS: 1
INVENTORY:
E.J. (hits on a 4 or higher, +5 damage, +10 damage against dragons), dragonskin jacket (-4 damage), Healing Potion x18 (heals two dice rolls' worth of LIFE POINTS), Healing Salve x5 (heals 3 LIFE POINTS), xylophone x1, Artifical Aardvark x1, bookworm x1, blue powder x1, clickstick x1, hammer x1, joke book x1, saw x1, gold braid x1
MAGIC:
Pip's First Spellbook and Pip's Second Spellbook (costs 3 LIFE POINTS per spell, maximum 3 uses per spell, need roll 7 or higher on two dice or spell doesn't work), Lightning Bolt x10 (10 damage, automatic hit), Fireball x2 (75 damage, hits on a 6 or higher)
MONEY AND VALUABLES:
60 Gold Pieces
STATUS EFFECTS:
Cursed emerald (-4 to damage until we die once)

# ? Jun 16, 2015 13:44

Carbon dioxide: Oct 9, 2012

We're cursed anyway. Just continue searching, there's nothing to lose.

Question: If you die and go back to pick up useful things you found before, do you have to roll for random encounters again?

# ? Jun 16, 2015 14:52

FredMSloniker: Jan 2, 2008; Why, yes, I do like Kirby games.

I know we're playing recklessly on account of the cursed gem, but if we'd cast protection from poison, I presume it'd have protected us here?

# ? Jun 16, 2015 16:58

Mikl: Nov 8, 2009; Vote shit sandwich or the shit sandwich gets it!

Carbon dioxide posted:

Question: If you die and go back to pick up useful things you found before, do you have to roll for random encounters again?

Yes. Static monsters we've killed stay dead, but wandering monsters still show up now and then.

FredMSloniker posted:

I know we're playing recklessly on account of the cursed gem, but if we'd cast protection from poison, I presume it'd have protected us here?

Probably, yeah. And speaking of poison!

Section 139 posted:

You're a glutton for punishment, Pip. Go to 14.

Death the first: poisonous smoke inhalation :siren:

Section 14 posted:

Welcome to the dreaded 14. This is what it's like to be dead. Fortunately you don't have to stay dead too long. What you have to do now is roll up your LIFE POINTS again, exactly as you did before. (You might even get a better total this time, which would be great.) Then, when you've done that, start out again. It won't take you long to get back to where you left off since you can safely ignore any monsters or baddies you've already killed. Or you can go in different directions, if you want. This is your adventure, so you can make the most of even being dead.

If you were killed within the Ghastly Kingdom of the Dead, you have a special choice. Once you've rerolled your LIFE POINTS, you can go direct to 65; or you can explore any earlier section of the adventure that you have not already entered. (And who knows, you may find some useful items to help you in the Kingdom itself.)

Special choice time! Contrary to what was said in 65 itself, we can actually choose whether to start the adventure all over again or to start from the beginning of the Kingdom of the Dead. So let me just re-roll for LIFE POINTS:

1 + 6 = 7, 5 + 6 = 11 (!), 1 + 3 = 4, 44 LIFE POINTS.

We don't get to re-roll for SPEED, unfortunately, but that's fine.

As I said before, I'll allow you to pick equipment again:

Section 41 posted:

INVENTORY

Axe
Artificial Aardvark
Backpack
Blanket
Bandages
Bookworm
Blue powder
Carpentry hammer
Cooking utensils* (counts as 4 off SPEED)
Container of oil
Climbing spikes
Change of clothes
Change of boots
Clickstick
Dog collar
Fish-hooks
Food rations* (counts as 4 off SPEED, but one LIFE point comes back each time you eat)
Gold braid
Harp
Healing potion (1 dose)
Hasp
Joke Book
Knife
Leather thong-thing
Lute
Parchment (12 sheets)
Powdered ink
Quill pen
Rope (15 m coil)
Sack (per six)
Saw
Tent (counts as 5 off SPEED)
Tinderbox
Waterbag
Xylophone

Remember that we can only get 9 SPEED's worth of items before we suffer slowdown (each item counts for one unless differently stated), and we have 18 doses of healing potions and 5 healing salves for free.

Now, after you've picked the equipment, I'm offering you three options for restarting the adventure!

One: we can go back to the village and pick a direction to explore instead of playing murderball (section 25, which you can read by clicking this here link - if you choose this, also pick a direction);
Two: we can go back even further, and see what would have happened had Merlin aimed his teleport spell differently (section 45);
Three: we can go back to the entrance to the Ghastly Kingdom of the Dead (section 65 - if you choose this, choose also where to go from there).

What shall it be?

# ? Jun 16, 2015 19:34

Jazzimus Prime: May 16, 2002; The Brothers Autobot

One and go north into the village.

# ? Jun 16, 2015 21:07

idonotlikepeas: May 29, 2010; This reasoning is possible for forums user idonotlikepeas!

Jazzimus Prime posted:

One and go north into the village.

This, but first let's trade the saw for a container of oil. That way if we find a lamp we might be able to use it. (I didn't see a light source in the initial equipment list, but maybe we can find one by wandering around.)

# ? Jun 17, 2015 01:23

Mikl: Nov 8, 2009; Vote shit sandwich or the shit sandwich gets it!

Alright, we dropped the saw and picked up the container of oil, and the way north from the murderball field takes us to 4.

Section 4 posted:

The village is so small you begin to wonder if everybody who lives there is out in the field playing that stupid game. There is one main street, picturesquely lined with thatched cottages and houses, what looks like a provisions store, a smithy, a church and an apothecary shop/surgery.

Which gives you a pretty wide choice. If you need more provisions and have the cash to pay, you can try the provisions store at 12. The smithy you'll find at 17. The church (and a little bit of prayer might help, considering where you're heading) at 22. And the apothecary's place at 27. And before you ask, none of them looks noticeably more unpleasant than the other.

Where shall we go now? Provisions store, smithy, church, apothecary, or all of the above?

Pip's Stat Block posted:

LIFE POINTS: 44/44
SPEED: 9/18
EXPERIENCE POINTS: 0
INVENTORY:
E.J. (hits on a 4 or higher, +5 damage, +10 damage against dragons), dragonskin jacket (-4 damage), Healing Potion x18 (heals two dice rolls' worth of LIFE POINTS), Healing Salve x5 (heals 3 LIFE POINTS), xylophone x1, Artifical Aardvark x1, bookworm x1, blue powder x1, clickstick x1, hammer x1, joke book x1, container of oil x1, gold braid x1
MAGIC:
Pip's First Spellbook and Pip's Second Spellbook (costs 3 LIFE POINTS per spell, maximum 3 uses per spell, need roll 7 or higher on two dice or spell doesn't work), Lightning Bolt x10 (10 damage, automatic hit), Fireball x2 (75 damage, hits on a 6 or higher)
MONEY AND VALUABLES:
50 Gold Pieces
STATUS EFFECTS:
None

# ? Jun 17, 2015 19:16

Jazzimus Prime: May 16, 2002; The Brothers Autobot

Let's see if the provisions store has a lamp.

# ? Jun 17, 2015 20:11

Mikl: Nov 8, 2009; Vote shit sandwich or the shit sandwich gets it!

They probably do!

Section 12 posted:

Oh drat! There's a notice in the window of the provisions store which says: CLOSED: GONE TO POGOLFIT.

You try the door anyway, but it's locked.

Looks like you're stuck with the provisions you've brought - or haven't brought as the case may be. Your other options now are the church (21) the smithy (17) or the apothecary (27), Alternatively, you can throw your hat at the whole thing and take the road west (10), explore the wood to the east (42) or even join in the pogolfit game at 58.

Unfortunately, we can't get it.

Pip's Stat Block posted:

LIFE POINTS: 44/44
SPEED: 9/18
EXPERIENCE POINTS: 0
INVENTORY:
E.J. (hits on a 4 or higher, +5 damage, +10 damage against dragons), dragonskin jacket (-4 damage), Healing Potion x18 (heals two dice rolls' worth of LIFE POINTS), Healing Salve x5 (heals 3 LIFE POINTS), xylophone x1, Artifical Aardvark x1, bookworm x1, blue powder x1, clickstick x1, hammer x1, joke book x1, container of oil x1, gold braid x1
MAGIC:
Pip's First Spellbook and Pip's Second Spellbook (costs 3 LIFE POINTS per spell, maximum 3 uses per spell, need roll 7 or higher on two dice or spell doesn't work), Lightning Bolt x10 (10 damage, automatic hit), Fireball x2 (75 damage, hits on a 6 or higher)
MONEY AND VALUABLES:
50 Gold Pieces
STATUS EFFECTS:
None

# ? Jun 17, 2015 20:30

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# ? May 28, 2024 15:13

inflatablefish: Oct 24, 2010

Then we'll try the church, then the smithy, then the apothecary, and hope that one of them lets us in.

# ? Jun 17, 2015 21:27

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > Let's Play! > Let's Play the Grailquest series! (If this kills you, go to 14.)

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