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.)

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Ratatozsk: Mar 6, 2007; Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...

idonotlikepeas posted:

The armor is just a straight bonus, since we can wear our jerkin, so that seems good. The book also told us we need a weapon apart from EJ, and a dagger is the cheapest way of doing that, so that makes sense too. (Hopefully EJ will be usable in the majority of encounters, so investing heavily in a non-EJ weapon probably isn't that great an idea. Now that I've said this, we'll lose him in the first section.)

I don't think we need to buy five rounds of potions, though; note that each 3 silver gets us a dozen. We will hopefully not need sixty potions. Let's get two of those (24 potions) instead, and use the other nine silver as follows:

* 6 Sacks: 0.5
* 12 Climbing Spikes: 0.5
* 15m roll of bandages: 0.5
* 1 tinderbox: 0.5
* 1 container of oil: 1
* 12 fish hooks: 1
* 1 carpentry hammer: 1
* 1 blanket: 1
* 1 horn: 3

This sounds diverse and good.

# ? May 6, 2015 11:59

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# ? Apr 25, 2024 03:27

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

Always enjoyed these books, and I always cheated because keeping track of everything was too much for a 12 year old. They were the funniest gamebooks I ever bought.

Thanks for doing this, I never was able to find the conclusion to the tomb one.

# ? May 6, 2015 13:01

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

Forget armour! Buy one of everything on the Items list (74g), a dagger (5g), and a spare flask of oil for the lantern (1g).

BUY EVERYTHING!!

# ? May 6, 2015 14:31

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

Just a heads up, I probably won't be able to put an update out until Saturday at the earliest. Work and other commitments are kicking my rear end pretty bad. Hope you undersand

# ? May 6, 2015 22:53

inflatablefish: Oct 24, 2010

idonotlikepeas posted:

I don't think we need to buy five rounds of potions, though; note that each 3 silver gets us a dozen.

drat, I must have misread that.

Nonetheless, I'm firmly of the opinion that if buying sixty healing potions is wrong then I do not want to be right.

Mikl posted:

Just a heads up, I probably won't be able to put an update out until Saturday at the earliest. Work and other commitments are kicking my rear end pretty bad. Hope you undersand

Don't worry, chances are this argument's going to take us at least a week.

# ? May 6, 2015 23:02

Carbon dioxide: Oct 9, 2012

idonotlikepeas posted:

The armor is just a straight bonus, since we can wear our jerkin, so that seems good. The book also told us we need a weapon apart from EJ, and a dagger is the cheapest way of doing that, so that makes sense too. (Hopefully EJ will be usable in the majority of encounters, so investing heavily in a non-EJ weapon probably isn't that great an idea. Now that I've said this, we'll lose him in the first section.)

I don't think we need to buy five rounds of potions, though; note that each 3 silver gets us a dozen. We will hopefully not need sixty potions. Let's get two of those (24 potions) instead, and use the other nine silver as follows:

* 6 Sacks: 0.5
* 12 Climbing Spikes: 0.5
* 15m roll of bandages: 0.5
* 1 tinderbox: 0.5
* 1 container of oil: 1
* 12 fish hooks: 1
* 1 carpentry hammer: 1
* 1 blanket: 1
* 1 horn: 3

My reasoning: sacks ought to be useful for a bunch of things, we'll need the spikes as well as rope if we want to climb anything, the bandages might come in handy if we're not allowed to feed healing potion to other people, torches are useless without a tinderbox to light them with, the oil isn't as useful without a lamp but we might want to set something on fire, fish hooks are helpful if we need to fish for food (since our supplies appear to be limited), the blanket will help us sleep since we probably aren't buying a tent, and the fact that three musical instruments are on the list makes me suspicious so we should probably pick one up and the horn is the cheapest.

I'd like to get a bunch of the other stuff, too, but it's hard to know what to prioritize. (Parchment? We might need to write a note? Cooking utensils, but they're expensive... Change of clothes sounds like something the game will bullshit us with...)

Let's do this.

# ? May 7, 2015 08:00

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

Welcome back, and sorry about the delay!

Since the majority seems to agree with idonotlikepeas' idea, as modified from inflatablefish's, we shall buy the following for our adventure:

* Leather armour x1
* Dagger x1
* Food pack x1
* Backpack x1
* Waterbag x1
* Rope (15 metres)
* Torches x12
* Healing potions x24
* Sacks x6
* Climbing Spikes x12
* Roll of bandages (15 metres)
* Tinderbox
* Container of oil
* Fish hooks x12
* Carpentry hammer
* Blanket
* Horn

This leaves us with 0 silver pieces left.

Also, since we got only one vote regarding where to go first, we shall make our way to 155!

Section 155 posted:

It's a dead end! Would you believe anybody could do a thing like that? Fancy putting a complete dead end on a map! And you've trudged miles to get here. Afraid there's nothing else for it but to trudge miles all the way back again and try another route.

Well that's that. The map again, for your convenience:

Where shall we try next?

Pip's Stat Block posted:

LIFE POINTS: 32/32
EXPERIENCE POINTS: 0
INVENTORY:
E.J. (hits on a 4 or higher, +5 damage), dragonskin jacket (-4 damage), leather armour (-2 damage), dagger (+2 damage), food pack, backpack, waterbag, rope (15 metres), torch x12, healing potion x24 (heals two dice rolls), sack x6, climbing spike x12, roll of bandages (15 metres), tinderbox, container of oil, fish hook x12, carpentry hammer, blanket, horn
MAGIC:
Pip's First 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), The Wizard Ansalom's Globule Wand (roll 6 or higher on two dice, holds enemy for four rounds, five charges), Firefinger Lightning Bolt x5
MONEY AND VALUABLES:
None

# ? May 9, 2015 10:38

inflatablefish: Oct 24, 2010

Section 155 posted:

It's a dead end! Would you believe anybody could do a thing like that? Fancy putting a complete dead end on a map! And you've trudged miles to get here. Afraid there's nothing else for it but to trudge miles all the way back again and try another route.

God dammit, game!

Fine. Let's go to the other end of the map and pick Section 21. And if they pull the same bullshit a second time, I'd like us to (a) try 65 instead, or (b) hunt down the writer and slap them.

Also, I can't help but be curious just how many life points the leather armour is going to save us over the course of the book - considering that for the same money we could have got 192 healing potions and 24 sacks to carry them in.

# ? May 9, 2015 11:42

Eeepies: May 29, 2013; Bocchi-chan's... dead.
We'll have to find a new guitarist.

inflatablefish posted:

God dammit, game!

Fine. Let's go to the other end of the map and pick Section 21. And if they pull the same bullshit a second time, I'd like us to (a) try 65 instead, or (b) hunt down the writer and slap them.

Also, I can't help but be curious just how many life points the leather armour is going to save us over the course of the book - considering that for the same money we could have got 192 healing potions and 24 sacks to carry them in.

Can you drink healing potions during battle, though? If the leather armour saves us from going 100-0 in one battle, it's done it's job. 24 sacks of healing potions don't mean anything if you die before you can use them.

# ? May 9, 2015 13:31

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

Eeepies posted:

Can you drink healing potions during battle, though? If the leather armour saves us from going 100-0 in one battle, it's done it's job. 24 sacks of healing potions don't mean anything if you die before you can use them.

Rules don't say whether you can. I'm operating under the assumption that you can't, simply because it would be absurd to think you can ask your enemy to wait while you root around into your backpack for a potion.

Let's see where the path to 21 leads!

Section 21 posted:

The forest flanks you on each side as you follow your route north-east. The trees are as densely packed and gloomily threatening as ever, but at least the path ahead seems clear and free of obstacles. Until, that is, you reach a chasm that cuts directly across it. Mmmm.

You walk to the edge. The chasm drops down in a sheer cliff face for almost sixty metres. At the bottom is a turbulent, fast- flowing river. You look across and note your path continues on the other side. The distance across you would estimate at no more than five or six metres. You just might be able to jump across if you took a long enough run. As against that, you're tired and carrying a heavy load of equipment. Mmmm. Let's check what you've got with you.

If you're carrying a rope, climbing spikes or axe (or a battleaxe) among your armaments go to 7.
If you decide to try jumping across, go to 18.
If you think there might be a way across by entering the forest again, go to 5.

I'll show you Section 7, since it's just a list of options we can take regarding this situation:

Section 7 posted:

If you decide to use your axe to cut down a tree which might form a bridge across the chasm, go to 35.

If you decide to use rope or spikes to help you climb down that sheer cliff face, go to 27.

Since we don't have an axe (or a battleaxe), 35 is not an option. So we can climb down the cliff to 27, try to jump the chasm to 18, or venture through the woods to 5. As usual, the choice is yours.

Pip's Stat Block posted:

LIFE POINTS: 32/32
EXPERIENCE POINTS: 0
INVENTORY:
E.J. (hits on a 4 or higher, +5 damage), dragonskin jacket (-4 damage), leather armour (-2 damage), dagger (+2 damage), food pack, backpack, waterbag, rope (15 metres), torch x12, healing potion x24 (heals two dice rolls), sack x6, climbing spike x12, roll of bandages (15 metres), tinderbox, container of oil, fish hook x12, carpentry hammer, blanket, horn
MAGIC:
Pip's First 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), The Wizard Ansalom's Globule Wand (roll 6 or higher on two dice, holds enemy for four rounds, five charges), Firefinger Lightning Bolt x5
MONEY AND VALUABLES:
None

# ? May 9, 2015 18:36

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

Use our stuff! Climb.

# ? May 9, 2015 20:57

inflatablefish: Oct 24, 2010

Sure, climbing sounds fun, though it'll be interesting to see how well we'll make it up the other side.

# ? May 9, 2015 21:57

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

Section 27 posted:

Right then, Pip, let's find out if you made that difficult climb. It's a very sheer face and even with ropes or spikes it's tricky. In fact, it's so tricky you might have second thoughts. If so, you can go back to 7 right now and reconsider your options. But if you decide to go ahead, roll two dice.

Score 2 - 8 and go to 49.
Score 9 -12 and go to 59.

Roll: 6 + 2 = 8. Let's see what 49 has in store for us!

Section 49 posted:

You cling precariously to the cliff face and edge your way downwards, searching for almost non-existent toeholds. In the chasm there is a strong cross wind which increases alarmingly as you descend. Now you've actually started, the whole chasm looks far deeper than you previously imagined. Far deeper...

Don 't look down!

It goes down for miles and miles and miles and miles and...

Don 't look down!

and miles and miles and . . . dizzy . . .

You fall!

Go to 14.

Well that was quicker than I thought it would be.

:siren:

Death the first: got dizzy while climbing down a chasm (worst possible time to discover a fear of heights...) :siren:

Section 14 posted:

You open your eyes slowly. Somewhere in the background, a hidden orchestra is playing the Funeral March from Saul. Around you is the crystal cave. Standing over you, looking extremely cross, is Merlin.

'Gone and gotten yourself killed, haven't you?' he snaps. 'Very careless. Well, you'll just have to start again, won't you. And do a bit better this time, otherwise I'll never get my pension back. Just you roll dice the way I showed you to get yourself some money, then use it to buy more equipment and so on from the lists. Then turn back to your map and start again from the spot marked 'x'.

With which he wanders off into the depths of the cave, mumbling something into his beard about young people these days...

You know, Merlin's kind of a jerk actually :mad:

Money roll! 5 + 3 = 8, exactly the same as last time, so I'll just assume you want to buy the same equipment as before.

Also, LIFE POINT rolls! 1 + 3 = 4, 1 + 4 = 5, 6 + 4 = 10 (!), so we have 40 LIFE POINTS this time.

Now, what do you want to do?

1. Go back to that chasm and climb down it, because gently caress you chasm, you're not the boss of me.
2. Go back to that chasm and either try to jump it or venture through the woods;
3. Take a completely different path.

Pip's Stat Block posted:

LIFE POINTS: 40/40
EXPERIENCE POINTS: 0
INVENTORY:
E.J. (hits on a 4 or higher, +5 damage), dragonskin jacket (-4 damage), leather armour (-2 damage), dagger (+2 damage), food pack, backpack, waterbag, rope (15 metres), torch x12, healing potion x24 (heals two dice rolls), sack x6, climbing spike x12, roll of bandages (15 metres), tinderbox, container of oil, fish hook x12, carpentry hammer, blanket, horn
MAGIC:
Pip's First 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), The Wizard Ansalom's Globule Wand (roll 6 or higher on two dice, holds enemy for four rounds, five charges), Firefinger Lightning Bolt x5
MONEY AND VALUABLES:
None

Roll of the Dead posted:

Death the first: got dizzy while climbing down a chasm (worst possible time to discover a fear of heights...)

# ? May 9, 2015 23:19

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

I was wondering if we'd have to re-do the equipment every time.

Let's try out the woods.

# ? May 9, 2015 23:30

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

Try a different path.

# ? May 10, 2015 03:36

Ratatozsk: Mar 6, 2007; Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...

Might I suggest that we take the starting equipment as set for the book at this point? Because I, for one, plan on voting us directly towards anything that remotely resembles an instadeath (for the wonderful flavor text, of course) and revoting gear each time we kick it sounds like it could drag things down.

Let's try the chasm again.

# ? May 10, 2015 04:34

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

We might run into a situation where we actually want alternate equipment, though, like if it turns out you can't complete the book without parchment for some reason.

# ? May 10, 2015 04:38

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

We got one vote for going back down the chasm, one for going through the woods, and one for a different path, so I guess we're going through the woods this time!

Section 5 posted:

The wood seems to close around you as you enter, and after only moments the path peters out, leaving you to hack your way through shrub, scrub and undergrowth as best you can. The going gets more and more difficult, more and more confusing, until you realise you are thoroughly lost. You stand for a moment, scratching your head. When this does nothing to help your situation, you make the only decision possible. Roll two dice to find out if there's any way but of here.

Score 2 - 6 and go to 31.
Score 7 - 12 and go to 17.

Roll: 4 + 3 = 7, onwards to 17.

Section 17 posted:

Sorry, you still seem to be completely lost. Roll dice again.

Score 2 - 6 and go to 73.
Score 7 - 12 and go to 82.

Roll: 6 + 6 = 12!

Section 82 posted:

What's that noise? Somebody's whistling, just behind that tree. Maybe they know the way out of this stupid wood. Swiftly, you plunge through the undergrowth towards the sound. You reach the tree and dart behind it. Good grief! It's a Wolf! The whistling you heard was a wolf whistle!

Try for a Friendly Reaction. Quickly! If you don't get one, it's out with EJ -

('Fighting so soon?' EJ grumbles. 'Can't you give me any peace?')

- and into battle.

The whisthng Wolf has 15 LIFE POINTS, but blunt teeth, so he won't do you any more damage than shown on the dice roll.

If you win this battle or get a Friendly Reaction, go to 11. If not, you're for the dreaded (or is it deaded?) 14.

Enemy roll: 1 :lol:

I'd say he's not friendly at all
Our roll: 1 + 3 + 1 = 4, we didn't do too bad, but it's a shame the enemy rolled 1.

Pip's initiative roll: 3 + 5 = 8
Wolf's initiative roll: 4 + 6 = 10

The Wolf goes first.

Whistling Wolf attacks! 5 + 5 = 10, that's 4 LIFE POINTS worth of damage which are completely absorbed by our dragonskin jacket.
Pip attacks! 5 + 6 = 11, Whistling Wolf is hit for 7 + 5 = 11 LIFE POINTS, is down to 4 and drops to the ground unconcious.

That was quick!

Of note: the Whistling Wolf couldn't possibly have done any damage to us; since we bought the leather armour, we get a whole -6 damage, which means that unless the enemy we're facing has a plus-something to their attack, there's simply no way they're getting through our armour.

Let's head on to 11 now.

Section 11 posted:

You've reached a clearing. Well, it's better than hacking your way through the undergrowth, even though there isn't much to see here. The clearing itself is roughly circular and about five, maybe six, metres in radius, with a large oak tree growing in the middle and a Rabbit sitting on a little hillock eyeing you suspiciously from near its rabbit hole. And that's about it, apart from a few bluebells.

So what do you do now, Pip? Sit under the tree and have a little think? Wait a minute! That's a white Rabbit. A white Rabbit! You know, a White Rabbit, same as in Alice in Wonderland! It couldn't be that sort of White Rabbit, could it? Yes, it could, you know. It really could! This is a magical adventure and you can't get more magical than a White Rabbit, can you? Maybe that rabbit hole is the entrance to Wonderland. Maybe the Ghastly Kingdom of the Dead is just another name for Wonderland! Well, it could be. So what are you going to do, Pip?

If you want to try chatting up the Rabbit, go to 6.
If you want to sit under the tree for a little think, go to 46.

This book is unreasonably excited about White Rabbits.

The "head through the woods" part is something like a maze, but all paths lead to 11. Whether or not you pass through 82 on the way there and face the Whistling Wolf depend on how you roll the dice: from Section 31 we could have gotten to either 17 or 73, and in section 73 we find a Troll that robs us blind of everything we have except for our weapons and armour unless we have one of four specific items which can defeat it, and then we get directed to 11.

So what now? Do we try to befriend a Rabbit or rest a bit under the tree?

Pip's Stat Block posted:

LIFE POINTS: 40/40
EXPERIENCE POINTS: 0
INVENTORY:
E.J. (hits on a 4 or higher, +5 damage), dragonskin jacket (-4 damage), leather armour (-2 damage), dagger (+2 damage), food pack, backpack, waterbag, rope (15 metres), torch x12, healing potion x24 (heals two dice rolls), sack x6, climbing spike x12, roll of bandages (15 metres), tinderbox, container of oil, fish hook x12, carpentry hammer, blanket, horn
MAGIC:
Pip's First 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), The Wizard Ansalom's Globule Wand (roll 6 or higher on two dice, holds enemy for four rounds, five charges), Firefinger Lightning Bolt x5
MONEY AND VALUABLES:
None

Roll of the Dead posted:

Death the first: got dizzy while climbing down a chasm (worst possible time to discover a fear of heights...)

Mikl fucked around with this message at 11:20 on May 10, 2015

# ? May 10, 2015 11:16

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

It's probably a killer rabbit that needs the Holy Hand Grenade of Anitoch to defeat. Lets sit under the tree.

# ? May 10, 2015 11:32

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

Comstar posted:

It's probably a killer rabbit that needs the Holy Hand Grenade of Anitoch to defeat.

Best reason to talk to it.

# ? May 10, 2015 11:44

inflatablefish: Oct 24, 2010

There are probably drop-bears in the tree. Let's try talking to what will most likely turn out to be just an ordinary rabbit.

# ? May 10, 2015 12:02

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

Ok, let's chat up the bunny! Let's approach slowly, we don't want to spook it away...

Section 6 posted:

It's fanged you in the kneecap! Savage little beast leaped up and sank its filthy chompers right in to the bone! The pain is only cruel. If you plan to fight this thing, deduct 2 from every dice throw you make on account of your gammy leg.

Pictured: a fluffy, completely non-threathening bunny

Section 6 posted:

The White Rabbit has 25 LIFE POINTS and fangs with +3 damage. It requires only a 5 or better to strike so long as it attacks below a metre in height (which it will: it's not stupid).

If you want to run, go to 5.

If you fight and the White Rabbit kills you, go to 14.

If you fight and kill the White Rabbit you have the option of returning to 65 and reconsidering your options; or returning to 11 (where you will undoubtedly find a second White Rabbit) and reconsidering your options there.

NOTE: If at any stage in the fight the White Rabbit gets three successful strikes against you in a row, go to 26.

There's no point in running, since we'd get back here eventually, so let's fight!

White Rabbit's initiative roll: 2 + 6 = 8
Pip's initiative roll: 4 + 3 = 7

White Rabbit attacks! 5 + 6 = 11, Pip is hit for 6 + 3 - 6 = 3 LIFE POINTS and is down to 37.
Pip attacks! 1 + 4 - 2 = 3, a swing and a miss.
White Rabbit attacks! 3 + 3 = 6, Pip is hit for 1 + 3 - 6 = NO LIFE POINTS.
Pip attacks! 4 + 3 - 2 = 5, White Rabbit is hit for 1 + 5 = 6 LIFE POINTS and is down to 19.
White Rabbit attacks! 5 + 1 = 6, Pip is hit for 1 + 3 - 6 = NO LIFE POINTS.

This was a particularly skilled White Rabbit! Let's see what 26 has in store for us.

Section 26 posted:

You've just been poisoned. That vicious little brute has poisoned fangs. What a mess this is. Throw two dice fast.

Score 2-4 and go to the dreaded 14.
Score 5-8 and you're naturally immune to the poison. Return to 6 and continue fighting.
Score 9 and the White Rabbit has died from a massive allergic reaction from biting you too often. Go to 6 and read what to do now you've killed the Rabbit.
Score 10-12 and you've lost half your current LIFE POINTS and fallen unconscious. When you come to, the White Rabbit has somehow dragged you into the wood and disappeared. Go to 5.

This book

Roll: 4 + 3 = 7, we're immune. Lucky that. Back to fighting it is! It was our turn, if I'm not mistaken.

Pip attacks! 5 + 6 - 2 = 9, White Rabbit is hit for 5 + 5 = 10 LIFE POINTS and is down to 9.
White Rabbit attacks! 4 + 6 = 10, Pip is hit for 5 + 3 - 6 = 2 LIFE POINTS and is down to 35.
Pip attacks! 5 + 6 - 2 = 11, White Rabbit is hit for 5 + 5 = 10 LIFE POINTS and is killed.

For completion's sake, I'll show you Section 65 (note that it's one of the Sections we can get to from the starting map).

Section 65 posted:

You've trudged many miles north-east to get to this place, Pip; and now you've got here, you may be wondering why you bothered. Avalon's green meadows and fertile fields gradually gave way to wilder, rougher land until now you have reached the edge of a dark, rather threatening wood. What you notice most about it is the brooding stillness. Birds usually twitter non-stop in woods, small animals usually rustle through the undergrowth. But nothing rustles here, and the only twittering is the nervous beating of your heart. Are you going to enter the wood, Pip?

If you decide NOT to enter the wood, and trudge back the way you came, turn to the Route Map to the Dragon Cavern and select a new direction beginning from the start marked x.
If you decide to risk your neck by entering the wood, go to 5.

Entering the woods will eventually lead us back to 11, where we fought the bunny. So now we have two options before us; we can:

Return to 11 and, instead of approaching the White Rabbit, sit under the tree at 46.
Go back to the start and visit Section 58, which is the only one we can get to we haven't visited yet.

(We could also go for round two against the bunny, but since we've won round one I don't see the point in that.)

Pip's Stat Block posted:

LIFE POINTS: 35/40
EXPERIENCE POINTS: 0
INVENTORY:
E.J. (hits on a 4 or higher, +5 damage), dragonskin jacket (-4 damage), leather armour (-2 damage), dagger (+2 damage), food pack, backpack, waterbag, rope (15 metres), torch x12, healing potion x24 (heals two dice rolls), sack x6, climbing spike x12, roll of bandages (15 metres), tinderbox, container of oil, fish hook x12, carpentry hammer, blanket, horn
MAGIC:
Pip's First 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), The Wizard Ansalom's Globule Wand (roll 6 or higher on two dice, holds enemy for four rounds, five charges), Firefinger Lightning Bolt x5
MONEY AND VALUABLES:
None

Roll of the Dead posted:

Death the first: got dizzy while climbing down a chasm (worst possible time to discover a fear of heights...)

# ? May 10, 2015 13:47

inflatablefish: Oct 24, 2010

We might as well take a nap under the tree while we're here, then.

# ? May 10, 2015 13:55

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

Section 46 posted:

'Hallo, little person,' a deep, but curiously rustling voice says from somewhere up above you.

You look up into the branches of the tree, but there is no one to be seen.

'Of course there isn't,' the voice says clearly. 'Or rather there is. You're looking at me.'

'But I don't see you,' you protest.

'Yes, you do.'

'You mean .. .you're the tree? A talking tree?'

'Not just any old ordinary tree,' the voice says. 'I'm a Druid Oak. Very special sort of tree, that.

Keep clear of the Rabbit, incidentally: it's got poisonous teeth.'

'Thank you for the warning,' you say politely, even though you're completely bemused from talking to a tree (or at least from talking to a tree that answers back). 'I don't suppose you'd happen to know the way out of this wood, by any chance?'

'Of course. I've lived here a hundred years, haven't I?' And one thick branch moves, as if blown by a high wind, and points north-east.

If you decide to trust the tree, go to 77.
If not, return to 11 and reconsider your options.

Nothing else we can do at 11, so let's go to 77.

Section 77 posted:

Good judgement, Pip.

Go to 21.

We've already seen section 21: it's where the chasm cuts off the path and we wandered into the woods. So now our options are:

1. Try to jump the chasm (Section 18);
2. Round two at climbing down the chasm with our rope and climbing spikes (Section 27);
3. Going back to the beginning and take a different path (the one that leads to 58 is the only one we haven't explored yet).

Pip's Stat Block posted:

LIFE POINTS: 35/40
EXPERIENCE POINTS: 0
INVENTORY:
E.J. (hits on a 4 or higher, +5 damage), dragonskin jacket (-4 damage), leather armour (-2 damage), dagger (+2 damage), food pack, backpack, waterbag, rope (15 metres), torch x12, healing potion x24 (heals two dice rolls), sack x6, climbing spike x12, roll of bandages (15 metres), tinderbox, container of oil, fish hook x12, carpentry hammer, blanket, horn
MAGIC:
Pip's First 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), The Wizard Ansalom's Globule Wand (roll 6 or higher on two dice, holds enemy for four rounds, five charges), Firefinger Lightning Bolt x5
MONEY AND VALUABLES:
None

Roll of the Dead posted:

Death the first: got dizzy while climbing down a chasm (worst possible time to discover a fear of heights...)

# ? May 10, 2015 15:00

inflatablefish: Oct 24, 2010

What the hell. Let's jump!

# ? May 10, 2015 16:35

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

Quick, let's jump the shark. Chasm. Sharkchasm?

# ? May 10, 2015 17:53

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

Mike Powell's got nothing on us!

Section 18 posted:

Well, here goes! You gather up your equipment and move back along the track to give yourself the longest possible run. You take a deep breath, touch wood (there's lots of it about in the forest) and thunder off at top speed towards the chasm. Roll two dice to see if you make it safely over. (And good luck.)

Roll 2 to 6 and go to 14.
Roll 7 to 12 and go to 85.

What, not even a "your jump was not quite long enough" section? We get sent straight to 14 if we fail...

Roll: 3 + 4 = 7, juuuuuuuuuust barely made it.

Section 85 posted:

You made it! After all that, you made it! You are safely across the chasm!

Go to 16.

"After all that" because this is the Section we'd get to if we'd climbed down the cliff, swam through the river, and then climbed back up on the other side. Which takes no less than three "make the roll or die" checks, including the one that killed us the first time.

Section 16 posted:

You trudge onwards, soon leaving the dark forest far behind. The scenery is more cheerful now, but after a time the route dips and enters a valley. As you continue, you find yourself entering an ever thickening mist. Soon the mist becomes a fog. And soon you can hardly see your nose in front of your face. Your sense of direction, normally so keen, is weakening, fading, disappearing altogether.

Oh, blast, Pip - you're lost! Nothing else for it but to roll two dice to decide which way to go.

Score 2-4 and go to 5.
Score 5-7 and go to 8.
Score 8 - 12 and go to 64.

Roll: 2 + 4 = 6, let's go to 8.

Section 8 posted:

Still lost in the fog, Pip. Wander about until you reach 42.

Section 42 posted:

You're never going to believe this, Pip. There's bright sunshine everywhere and Wandering Wanda is nudging you in the back, looking stupid. You've somehow come full circle and reached the place you started out from. Better check the map Merlin gave you and try again! You can pick any of the Sections shown to start out again.

Ha ha ha, oh gently caress you too book :allears:

How did we even get back to the start? Wasn't there a chasm in the way? The world wonders.

For the sake of moving this LP forward, let's assume we reach the chasm again, make the jump again, and roll at least an eight for that last check.

Section 64 posted:

It's lifted. The fog has lifted! How about that: your famous sense of direction wasn't too bad after all.

Now go direct to 58.

You might recognize 58 as "that last Section that's reachable from the very beginning a.k.a. the last section we haven't been to yet".

That's right, through sheer bad luck (or is it good luck?) we've managed to wander all over the place before reaching our destination, which was available right from the start!

Section 58 posted:

You seem to be approaching a town, Pip. Well, a village, really. The first thing you see is the steeple of the village church, then later, as you continue trudging wearily along, the thatched roofs of the cottages come into sight.

The only thing is that however far you walk, you don't seem to be coming any nearer. You walk and walk without avail. The village is still there, but still distant. This has definitely the smell of magic, Pip. Better roll your magic dice to find out if there's some way in.

Score 2 - 4 and to to 9.
Score 5 - 8 and go to 13.
Score 9 - 12 and go to 19.

Roll: 3 + 3 = 6, off to 13.

Section 13 posted:

What's this? It might be a heat haze, except the weather isn't all that hot. And a heat haze doesn't behave like that.

It's a shimmer in the air ahead of you. But a shimmer with clear edges, two metres high, more than a metre wide. It looks like a doorway. A shimmering doorway. Beyond it stands the village, distant as ever.

Will you enter the shimmering doorway? If so, go to 10.
Will you carefully walk round the doorway? If so, go to 33.

Pip's Stat Block posted:

LIFE POINTS: 35/40
EXPERIENCE POINTS: 0
INVENTORY:
E.J. (hits on a 4 or higher, +5 damage), dragonskin jacket (-4 damage), leather armour (-2 damage), dagger (+2 damage), food pack, backpack, waterbag, rope (15 metres), torch x12, healing potion x24 (heals two dice rolls), sack x6, climbing spike x12, roll of bandages (15 metres), tinderbox, container of oil, fish hook x12, carpentry hammer, blanket, horn
MAGIC:
Pip's First 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), The Wizard Ansalom's Globule Wand (roll 6 or higher on two dice, holds enemy for four rounds, five charges), Firefinger Lightning Bolt x5
MONEY AND VALUABLES:
None

Roll of the Dead posted:

Death the first: got dizzy while climbing down a chasm (worst possible time to discover a fear of heights...)

# ? May 10, 2015 19:56

Ratatozsk: Mar 6, 2007; Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...

My memories of this village are pretty vague. Try walking around the door, I guess?

# ? May 10, 2015 20:36

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

Enough with going around in circles. Enter the shimmering doorway.

# ? May 10, 2015 21:54

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

Wait, it was easier to just take a running jump at the chasm? Ouch.

# ? May 10, 2015 22:52

inflatablefish: Oct 24, 2010

Let's go in the shimmering doorway. I'm sure this will end well.

# ? May 10, 2015 23:48

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

Glazius posted:

Wait, it was easier to just take a running jump at the chasm? Ouch.

This is seriously the best. Bringing along helpful gear and using it triples the difficulty of the task.

Sure, let's go through the shimmering door thing.

# ? May 11, 2015 00:42

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

inflatablefish posted:

Let's go in the shimmering doorway. I'm sure this will end well.

My thoughts precisely.

# ? May 11, 2015 11:03

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

Let's step through the doorway! Hopefully nothing bad will happen.

Section 10 posted:

A blink. A flicker. You are in the village, Pip. No doubt about that. Right there, without walking another step. How strange. It's a pretty village; small but pretty. Thatched cottages... a village green ... a picturesque little stone-built church. And not a soul about. Not a living soul.

You are standing on a patch of beaten earth, a little rutted and muddy as if it was used fairly often. There is a long building to the north-east of you, and due east the oddest garden you have ever seen - all the plants seem to be made from stone and there are statues of monsters dotted through it. Beyond the garden are cottages and beyond the cottages you can see the church spire. The entire village is enclosed by a stout wooden stockade, very sturdily built and, by the looks of it, extremely difficult to climb. To the south-east are more cottages and a high stone wall.

Turn to the map of the village at the front of the book, Pip. You are free to explore as you wish. Go anywhere, see anything. The buildings and a few other places are all numbered, so you'll know which Section to turn to as you explore each one.

Oh, one more thing, Pip.. . Have you noticed there isn't any way out?

Welcome to the village of Stonemarten! Something weird has happened here, and it's up to us to find out what. Or at least, find a way out.

We can explore everywhere we wish, as long as it's marked on the map. What map? Why, this one:

Now you can choose the Section we'll visit next. And choose wisely, I won't be held responsible for any untimely deaths.

Good luck!

Pip's Stat Block posted:

LIFE POINTS: 35/40
EXPERIENCE POINTS: 0
INVENTORY:
E.J. (hits on a 4 or higher, +5 damage), dragonskin jacket (-4 damage), leather armour (-2 damage), dagger (+2 damage), food pack, backpack, waterbag, rope (15 metres), torch x12, healing potion x24 (heals two dice rolls), sack x6, climbing spike x12, roll of bandages (15 metres), tinderbox, container of oil, fish hook x12, carpentry hammer, blanket, horn
MAGIC:
Pip's First 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), The Wizard Ansalom's Globule Wand (roll 6 or higher on two dice, holds enemy for four rounds, five charges), Firefinger Lightning Bolt x5
MONEY AND VALUABLES:
None

Roll of the Dead posted:

Death the first: got dizzy while climbing down a chasm (worst possible time to discover a fear of heights...)

# ? May 11, 2015 16:48

Ratatozsk: Mar 6, 2007; Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...

51->63->41->72->69->33->33->43->45. Knock out the non-descript hovels first.

Unless we encounter some significant plot in the process, that is.

# ? May 11, 2015 16:58

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

Ratatozsk posted:

51->63->41->72->69->33->33->43->45. Knock out the non-descript hovels first.

Unless we encounter some significant plot in the process, that is.

Seems fair!

# ? May 11, 2015 17:15

inflatablefish: Oct 24, 2010

Ratatozsk posted:

51->63->41->72->69->33->33->43->45. Knock out the non-descript hovels first.

Unless we encounter some significant plot in the process, that is.

I concur!

# ? May 11, 2015 18:21

gbuchold: Oct 7, 2007; We feel free because we lack the very language to articulate our unfreedom.; Pillbug

Welcome to Stonemarten! Come for the dragons, stay for the buried in rubble and left to die!

Minor thing, but shouldn't you have two experience points for dealing with the rabbit and wolf? Not like you'll live long enough to enjoy them.

# ? May 11, 2015 18:26

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

Alright then, let's go! First stop, 51.

Section 51 posted:

If you weren't such a thorough sort of adventurer, Pip, you would have thought this was just a deserted old cottage. Nobody here, nothing of value, a few sticks of broken-down furniture... Just the sort of place where you'd turn right round and walk out again. Except you didn't, did you? You felt along the walls and over by the fireplace you found a funny little knob. When you twisted the funny little knob, a funny little secret door opened up in the wall, leading into a funny little secret passage.

Of course you don't have to explore the secret passage. You can simply return to your map of the village and explore some other area. But if you do want to explore the secret passage, it leads to 90.

And we find something of note right away! I'd stop and ask you what you want to do, but since we can always come back to this Section later and explore the secret passage if we wish to, let's move on to house number 63.

Section 63 posted:

As you approach this cottage you know at once it must be inhabited since there is a plume of smoke emerging from the chimney. Your suspicion is confirmed after you knock politely and a voice calls, 'Come in.'

There is something vaguely familiar about that voice: not so much that you've heard it before, but rather that you've heard something like it before. You step inside and see, seated on a rocking chair beside the fire, clay pipe clamped firmly in his teeth, none other than ... an Old Residenter!

'Thought you'd turn up here soon,' he remarks, eying you with a mixture of welcome, suspicion and resentment. 'Come looking for the Brass Dragon, have you?'

'Well, yes -' you begin to say. But like most Old Residenters, he talks more than he listens and already he is shaking his head.

'Well, you won't find it here, mark my words, young 'un. All the Omens are wrong.'

'No,' you begin to say, 'I didn't actually expect to find -'

'You want to have a look in Dragon Cavern,' he interrupts you. That's where it'll be most likely, if it isn't out ravaging and pillaging and eating Presbyterian Bishops and the like.'

Well,' you say, 'actually, I was looking for Dragon Cavern. I don't suppose you happen to know where -'

'And don't ask me where Dragon Cavern might be,' interrupts the Old Residenter. 'I don't hold with places like that. They're immoral, so I avoids them.'

He stands up, clay pipe still clamped firmly in his teeth. 'You'll be wanting some stew, I'll be bound. Young 'uns your age are always hungry.'

'No really -' you begin politely, although the truth is you are a bit peckish.

'Thought so,' says the Old Residenter. 'I'll give you a bowl now and a bowl to take away, if you have anything to carry it in. It do have bay leaf and mugwort in it so that it will cure anything that ails you.'

'Healing stew?' you ask, eyeing the black pot on the fire.

'Aye, and don't sound so surprised. Don't you know the old saying:

When illness gnaws
Or wounds and sores,
The thing for you
Is Residenter stew. '

'Well, no,' you admit, 'I hadn't in fact heard that one.'

'Well you have now,' he tells you bluntly. 'A bowl of this will cure any illness, or any wound. You'll feel the LIFE POINTS rising like tree sap in spring.' And, using a ladle which was hanging on a nail beside the fire, he fills you a bowl.

Which bowl will naturally restore you to full LIFE POINTS if they happen to be depleted, and heal you of any illness you may have contracted in your adventure. What's more, if you had sense enough to bring cooking utensils, you can take a bowl of stew with you to eat later if you lose any more LIFE POINTS. (But you must
have cooking utensils, since Old Residenter stew only works if eaten hot.) For now, return to the village map and continue your exploration.

Two out of two, and our LIFE POINTS are now back up to our maximum of 40. Nice! Moving on to 41!

Section 41 posted:

I say, Pip: what's bright green with purple teeth, stands upright on two legs and carries a dagger in each hand? No, I don't know either, but there's one of them in this cottage. It's got 15 LIFE POINTS as well and it's looking at you hungrily.

I don't suppose you brought any spare rations, did you? If you've only got one food pack, it's no good offering that since you'll only starve later. But if you have a spare pack, the thing should have such indigestion by the time it's finished that it won't trouble you again. If you don't have any spare rations, you're into another fight, 'I'm afraid.

Nope, just the one food pack. A fight it is.

The Thing's initiative roll: 3 + 4 = 7
Pip's initiative roll: 1 + 6 = 7

REROLL!

The Thing's initiative roll: 5 + 3 = 8
Pip's initiative roll: 1 + 4 = 5

The Thing attacks! 3 + 3 = 6, Pip is hit for 0 LIFE POINTS.
Pip attacks! 6 + 1 = 7, The Thing is hit for 3 + 5 = 8 LIFE POINTS and is down to 7.
The Thing attacks! 5 + 6 = 11, Pip is hit for 5 - 4 - 2 = NO LIFE POINTS.
Pip attacks! 1 + 4 = 5, The thing is hit for 1 + 5 = 6 LIFE POINTS, is down to 1 and faints.

Conveniently, this is another one of those fights which we can't lose, since our leather armour and dragonskin jacket will block all damage the enemy can possibly do.

Section 41 posted:

If you win, you can keep the daggers and the 10 Silver Pieces you'll find in the thing's pouch. (Could it be a sort of green and purple dagger-carrying kangaroo, do you think? Or a magic platypus? Or a very old wallaby? Or an Australian cricketer in fancy dress? We'll never know . . . You can also return to your map of the village and explore somewhere else. If you lose, it's back to 14.

Moving on, time for 72!

Section 72 posted:

It's made of stone! Solid stone! This cottage isn't a cottage at all - it's a vast block of solid stone cut to look like a cottage and thatched! Freaky!

Go back to your map and explore another part of the village.

Still interesting if you ask me. Now let's knock on 69's door.

Section 69 posted:

Go direct to 41.

We've already seen 41, it's the cottage with the Thing in it. Since we can't lose the fight (as I pointed out above), I'll spare you some rolling and just collect the 10 Silver Pieces, if you don't mind. Moving on, time for 33.

Section 33 posted:

The village vanishes and the road stretches endlessly before you. You turn, but the Shimmering Doorway is no longer there. There can be no question of turning back now. Nothing else for it but to press on.

Walk until your legs ache and the sun sets. Camp for the night where you can, then wake up to a fresh new day (it's raining - wouldn't you know) and go to 125.

Did we mess up? Can we get back to the village at all?

Section 125 posted:

Go to 10.

Wait, nevermind! Somehow we ended back into the village. Phew, I was worried. Let's check out the cottage at 43.

Section 43 posted:

Now we're getting somewhere! This cottage has a backdoor!

If you decide to go through the back door, turn to 92.

If you decide not to, return to your map and continue exploring.

As with the secret passage, I'll give you the option to explore it shortly. For now, the last nondescript cottage left, at 45!

Section 45 posted:

How strange. It looks like a cottage. It's the shape of a cottage and the size of a cottage. But now you're close up you can see it isn't a cottage - it's a huge stone block with thatch on top. You spend ages trying to figure this one out, but eventually return to your map and explore another area of the village.

Never mind that.

So, to sum things up: we have two cottages which are full with Things that dropped 10 Silver Pieces each when killed, two cottages are actual stone blocks, one healed us back to full, one led us out of the village (but we ended right back in the village right away), and two have something interesting.

Now, what do you want to do? We can continue exploring the village (so far we've seen Sections 33, 41, 43, 45, 51, 63, 69 and 72), or we can check out that secret passage at 90, or we can go out of the cottage's back door at 92.

Pip's Stat Block posted:

LIFE POINTS: 40/40
EXPERIENCE POINTS: 5
INVENTORY:
E.J. (hits on a 4 or higher, +5 damage), dragonskin jacket (-4 damage), leather armour (-2 damage), dagger (+2 damage), food pack, backpack, waterbag, rope (15 metres), torch x12, healing potion x24 (heals two dice rolls), sack x6, climbing spike x12, roll of bandages (15 metres), tinderbox, container of oil, fish hook x12, carpentry hammer, blanket, horn
MAGIC:
Pip's First 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), The Wizard Ansalom's Globule Wand (roll 6 or higher on two dice, holds enemy for four rounds, five charges), Firefinger Lightning Bolt x5
MONEY AND VALUABLES:
20 Silver Pieces

I've added the experience points we got for defeating the White Rabbit and the Wolf and for jumping the chasm as well as the two we got this update, since I'd kinda forgot when it was the time to add them (thanks gbuchold!).

Roll of the Dead posted:

Death the first: got dizzy while climbing down a chasm (worst possible time to discover a fear of heights...)

Mikl fucked around with this message at 20:25 on May 11, 2015

# ? May 11, 2015 18:47

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# ? Apr 25, 2024 03:27

inflatablefish: Oct 24, 2010

If Cluedo has taught me anything, it's that you always go with the secret passages. Let's try 90, then 92 if we can!

# ? May 11, 2015 20:15

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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