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Apr 26, 2024 19:53
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- Ratatozsk
- Mar 6, 2007
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Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...
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Green Blood
Prologue posted:
Sickened by the ways of your fellow men and despairing of man's cruelty, you have quit the teeming city of Godorno, with its cesspools and plague pits, its beggars and abject slaves. You walk for days, reveling in the fresh air of the countryside. This is a green land of hills and dales, farmsteads and mills — a veritable bread-basket that yields all its grains and fruit to the decadent city.
As you walk you have much time to think. Long ago your family told you how the star of destiny, purple Praxis, changed colour to the flaming gold of Moraine, God of War, at the moment of your birth. Even as Praxis flared with energy, so your mother's life waned. She died of exhaustion bringing you into the world, but her sisters looked after you until you were old enough, at eight, to go up to the dreaming spires of the academy at Hegalopolis.
The bookish scholars trained you in many things and all who taught there agreed you showed great promise. But when you were just fifteen years old, Gornild, the harsh overlord of Godorno, dissolved all the monasteries in the lands along the Marches, fearing their teachings would turn minds against his corrupt rule. You were forced to scratch out a miserable living just like the other poor folk of the city.
The cloistered life of the academy, with its politeness and order, gave you scant preparation for life on the streets of Godorno. You developed the cunning of a sewer rat and the patience of the damned just staying alive from day to day, dodging the press gangs from the war galleys that carry young men off to fight the corsairs. Your cunning was great enough to avoid the fate of the galley slave and you have grown to maturity, strong, tough and determined.
The ways of the city folk revolt you. Your diligent study of history shows an ever churning cycle of oppressors and the downtrodden. Man is strapped to the wheel of fate to be alternately dragged to the heights and plunged again into the pits and windblasted depths of pain and want.
As you walk, every step that bears you away from the stench of the city is a step taken more lightly than the last. You resolve to return to the city only if you have changed things for the better. Yours is the nobleness of spirit that would lay down its life to better the lot of your fellow man. If Praxis robbed you of a mother's love, Praxis can repay the debt by shining brightly on your destiny.
As the miles pass with you deep in thought, your path takes you inexorably on towards the great forest, beyond the lands of men. Your curiosity has been piqued by rumours and legends about the ancient Tree of Knowledge, a fabled tree hundreds of feet high, with golden bark and silver leaves. It is said to grow at the centre of the great Forest of Arden.
Fey sylvan elves are said to dwell there. The stories of what they look like and the fate that befalls those lost in the forest are too fantastically horrific to be true. Each fable tells a different story: of elves with six arms, of elves with scimitar blades in place of forearms, and of greenbark bows that can send an arrow from one horizon to the other and which always hit their mark. And there are stories of elves with jewels for eyes which melt when they cry, as cry they must when disturbed by man, for they keenly sense the tragedy of man's mortality.
Though each story is fanciful and bizarre they all agree in one respect. No one who sees the elves lives to tell of it. There isn't a man alive who has glimpsed the splendid glory of Elvenhame, the city of the elves.
You no longer know whether it is the desire to see elves or your wish to change the world for the better that takes you on your quest. What, however, if you were to learn the knowledge of ages and return to the lands of men as a saviour? Your name would go down in history. Anything less magnificent than this noble quest for the knowledge that will save mankind will not do. You will become a hero or die in the attempt.
You are on the road. It is approaching early evening and purple Praxis already beams out in the low dusk sky. As you stare at the star, it seems to wink out then flare bright golden yellow before resuming its usual purple form. It is a sign that your destiny awaits in the Forest of Arden.
Now turn to 1.
But before we get too far into things, we need to decide exactly what our academy brat/gutter snipe brings to the table. And yes, some of the mini-bios offered for these classes don’t quite jive with the above history we’ve been given.
Character Classes posted:
The Duellist
Skills: AGILITY, FOLKLORE, ROGUERY and SWORDPLAY
Profile: As a professional duellist you have upset too many people by winning the spoils of your contests, and you must move on.
Life Points: 10
Possessions: Sword
Money: 10 gold pieces
The Ranger
Skills: ARCHERY, STREETWISE, SWORDPLAY and WILDERNESS LORE
Profile: Being loyal to the traditional values of your forefathers, you protect those forced to journey off the road.
Life Points: 11
Possessions: Longbow, sword
Money: 10 gold pieces
The Monk
Skills: AGILITY, SPELLS, UNARMED COMBAT and WILDERNESS LORE
Profile: The monks who taught you skills have been driven out and you are persecuted for your faith. Life is harsh but you endure all hardships.
Life Points: 11
Possessions: Magic wand
Money: 8 gold pieces
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Skills: CHARMS, FOLKLORE, SPELLS and WILDERNESS LORE
Profile: Sold to a warlock when you were a child, your knowledge eventually outstripped your master's.
Life Points: 9
Possessions: Magic amulet, magic wand
Money: 12 gold pieces
The Starveling
Skills: CUNNING, ROGUERY, STREETWISE and UNARMED COMBAT
Profile: Orphaned in childhood, you made your way halfstarved to the city. You learned what it takes to survive in this uncaring world, but now you want to seek something worthwhile in your life...
Life Points: 10
Possessions: None
Money: 15 gold pieces
The Traveller
Skills: FOLKLORE, ROGUERY, SWORDPLAY and WILDERNESS LORE
Profile: You never knew your father, and your mother mislaid you among the carts of a slaver's caravan. Cities make you ill; you can only breath freely on the open road.
Life Points: 10
Possessions: Sword
Money: 10 gold pieces
The Thief
Skills: AGILITY, ARCHERY, CUNNING and ROGUERY
Profile: You are secretive and restless, always just one jump ahead of the hangman's noose. Your latest exploit has made the city too dangerous for you and you must lie low.
Life Points: 10
Possessions: Longbow, two jewels
Money: 16 gold pieces
Alternatively design your own character, taking any four skills of your choice from the Glossary of Skills on page 9. Your character will also have any possessions needed for the skills chosen (e.g. a wand if you choose SPELLS ) and will start with 10 gold pieces. Your initial Life Points score will be 10.
It’s an interesting little gimmick to allow you to build your own dude, but unless someone comes up with something particularly spectacular, we'll probably just end up with the given class with the most votes. In case you’re curious for a few more specifics in what abilities these skills grant us:
Glossary posted:
AGILITY
The ability to perform acrobatic feats, run, climb, balance and leap. A character with this skill is nimble and dexterous.
ARCHERY
A long-range attack skill. You must possess a longbow to use this skill
CHARMS
The expert use of magical wards to protect you from danger. Also includes that most elusive of qualities: luck. You must possess a magic amulet to use this skill.
CUNNING
The ability to think on your feet and devise clever schemes for getting out of trouble. Useful in countless situations.
FOLKLORE
Knowledge of myth and legend, and how best to deal with supernatural menaces such as garlic against vampires, silver bullets against a werewolf, and so on.
ROGUERY
The traditional repertoire of a thief's tricks: picking pockets, opening locks, and skulking unseen in the shadows.
SPELLS
A range of magical effects encompassing illusions, elemental effects, commands, and summonings. You must possess a magic wand to use this skill.
STREETWISE
With this skill you are never at a loss in towns and cities. What others see as the squalor and menace of narrow cobbled streets is home to you.
SWORDPLAY
The best fighting skill. You must possess a sword to use this skill.
UNARMED COMBAT
Fisticuffs, wrestling holds, jabs and kicks, and the tricks of infighting. Not as effective as SWORDPLAY, but you do not need weapons — your own body is the weapon!
WILDERNESS LORE
A talent for survival in the wild - whether it be forest, desert, swamp or mountain peak.
So let's get those votes in for our virtual adventurer!
Ratatozsk fucked around with this message at 01:11 on Apr 21, 2015
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Apr 20, 2015 01:29
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- FredMSloniker
- Jan 2, 2008
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Why, yes, I do like Kirby games.
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Prologue posted:
Fey sylvan elves are said to dwell there. The stories of what they look like and the fate that befalls those lost in the forest are too fantastically horrific to be true. Each fable tells a different story: of elves with six arms, of elves with scimitar blades in place of forearms, and of greenbark bows that can send an arrow from one horizon to the other and which always hit their mark. And there are stories of elves with jewels for eyes which melt when they cry, as cry they must when disturbed by man, for they keenly sense the tragedy of man's mortality.
Though each story is fanciful and bizarre they all agree in one respect. No one who sees the elves lives to tell of it. There isn't a man alive who has glimpsed the splendid glory of Elvenhame, the city of the elves.
As always, I ask the question: if no one who's seen them has lived to tell of it, how do we even know they exist, much less what they look like? 
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Apr 20, 2015 03:25
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- Corzanth
- Apr 8, 2011
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Rawr!
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Starveling looks really interesting; so does Duellist -- but ultimately I like the idea of a monk/rogue multiclass more. Starveling it is!
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Apr 20, 2015 06:03
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- Ghostwoods
- May 9, 2013
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Say "Cheese!"
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I'm not convinced that Streetwise is a great pick for our adventure into the depths of the Elf forest...
I'd rather have Cunning than Folklore, but the Traveler seems like a decent pick.
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Apr 20, 2015 13:35
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- macfam
- Dec 22, 2012
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Who can resist the allure of the muscle wizard? Monk or bust.
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Apr 20, 2015 14:56
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- Ratatozsk
- Mar 6, 2007
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Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...
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A Starveling is a bit of a surprise, but it should make for a fun run. Let's get rolling!
Page 1 posted:
The road tops a ridge that is straddled by the ruins of a great wall, half covered in turf. The wall once marked the border between the lands of man and domain of the elves. Quickly you scramble up and over the blocks of fallen stone. Standing atop the ruin, you survey the outlands beyond.
Your gaze sweeps across the broad patches of purple heather and yellow gorse that cover the inhospitable uplands. The air smells fresh; it is good to be free of the noisome taint of the sewers and plague pits of the city you have left behind. The road winds down into a valley, at the foot of which nestles Burg, a small town of neat white houses with roofs of triangular grey slates. Here may be your last chance to talk with mankind before you are swallowed up by the depths of the great Forest of Arden.
As you walk towards the buildings through the tilled and reaped land of the valley, you pass gleaners - peasants who search the ground for stalks of straw and seed spilled during the harvest. The townsfolk, seemingly wary of outsiders, keep out of your way. Ahead of you is an inn, the largest building in the town. Looking forward to perhaps your last night's sleep in a proper bed for many weeks, you make for this hostelry.
The inn seems surprisingly large for a town that is at the very edge of the wilderness. It must once have been a baronial hall built by a lord seeking to carve out a kingdom beyond the great wall. As you walk down the main street the ruddy sky is turning violet with the onset of twilight. What looked an inviting little town by day seems sombre and unwelcoming at nightfall. As you linger a moment outside the inn, there is a crack of thunder and it begins to pour with rain.
Inside the inn a young girl is lighting oil lamps with a taper. Until your eyes grow accustomed to the gloom you cannot make out who shares the common room with you, nor many details of the interior of the inn itself.
You can wait by the door until you can see better (turn to 37) or step in and warm yourself before the fire (turn to 55).
 : A former baronial hall better drat well have a decent kitchen, Arty. I'm starv(el)ing!
 : Lawd above! I'll second that, Lanky! It's been weeks since we 'ad a decen' sit-down dinner, innit?
Character Sheet posted:
Jay 'Lanky' Sherman the Starveling
Skills
CUNNING, ROGUERY, UNARMED COMBAT, STREETWISE
Life Points: 10/10
Gold: 15/15
Possessions: None
Ratatozsk fucked around with this message at 01:54 on Apr 21, 2015
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Apr 21, 2015 01:22
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- gegi
- Aug 3, 2004
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Butterfly Girl
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Lingering by the door makes sure everyone stares at us, let's go get warm.
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Apr 21, 2015 02:45
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- Decoy Badger
- May 16, 2009
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Walk in like you own the place.
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Apr 21, 2015 05:31
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- peachsynapse
- Dec 22, 2007
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The sea monsters appreciate your good taste.
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Maslow says get warm stat.
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Apr 21, 2015 23:38
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- Ratatozsk
- Mar 6, 2007
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Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...
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Page 55 posted:
A tall man and his short and stocky companion move apart to allow you room in front of the roaring log fire. Both give you a sidelong glance. They look rough weather-beaten men: the smaller of the two has a face like a bull-mastiff, the taller has the sly running look of a fox.
If you want to tell them who you are and why you have come to Burg, turn to 72. If you wish to remain silent, turn to 94.
: I've got a cunning plan, Arty. I'll soften those hard exteriors with a friendly offer of s'mores!
: S'MORES? You want S'MORES??
: Yeah, didn't you nab some marshmallows back in Godorno?
: Are ya under the bloody assumption that ah've been eatin' moss and grubs for the bleedin' Present and Past Bubble And Squeak for any reason ovver than necessity?
: ...I guess that would stretch the limits of plausibility.
Character Sheet posted:
Jay 'Lanky' Sherman the Starveling
Skills
CUNNING, ROGUERY, UNARMED COMBAT, STREETWISE
Life Points: 10/10
Gold: 15/15
Possessions: None
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Apr 22, 2015 01:23
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- peachsynapse
- Dec 22, 2007
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The sea monsters appreciate your good taste.
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Just... like... randomly? "Hello, two guys who have glanced at me in a sidelong fashion, let me tell you all about my life"?
Nah. Let's be silent.
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Apr 22, 2015 01:51
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- gegi
- Aug 3, 2004
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Butterfly Girl
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In the heroic tradition, all we say is "..."
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Apr 22, 2015 04:01
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- Decoy Badger
- May 16, 2009
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Silent protagonist.
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Apr 22, 2015 04:01
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- Ratatozsk
- Mar 6, 2007
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Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...
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Page 94 posted:
Ignoring you, the two men continue their conversation about hunting in the forest. The shorter of the two becomes insulting when the taller claims to know the forest better than he.
'There are things in the forest which you wouldn't dare look upon, yet which I have seen with my own eyes.'
'What things?'
'Terrible things, green ghosts that walk through trees, phantasms and, in the darkest depths beyond the Sirion, a huge monster as big as a hill.'
'You've been too long alone in the forest. All your pent-up thoughts turn to babble.'
'I saw it, it blinked its great eye at me. An eye like a salver big enough to carry a boar's head.'
If you would like to tell them of your quest to the forest now, turn to 162.
Your eyes are now accustomed to the light and you can see the other travellers in the inn. If you would like to look them over before choosing a table, turn to 176.
Character Sheet posted:
Jay 'Lanky' Sherman the Starveling
Skills
CUNNING, ROGUERY, UNARMED COMBAT, STREETWISE
Life Points: 10/10
Gold: 15/15
Possessions: None
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Apr 22, 2015 16:24
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- Ghostwoods
- May 9, 2013
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Say "Cheese!"
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Let's examine our options!
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Apr 22, 2015 17:30
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- Decoy Badger
- May 16, 2009
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Blab.
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Apr 22, 2015 22:10
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- Ratatozsk
- Mar 6, 2007
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Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...
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Page 176 posted:
Apart from the hunter and the guide there are five other people in the room. Three sit together — they look like ordinary townsfolk, suspicious but not dangerous.
Of the two others, one is a woman dressed in a grey travelling robe. The cowl is thrown back to reveal grey hair and a weather-beaten face. The remaining person is a sinister-looking man in a black cloak whose face is hidden in the shadows of his cowl.
You can sit at the nearest table to the fire and talk to hunter and guide (turn to 297), join the woman dressed in grey (turn to 181), or have dealings with the sinister man in black (turn to 324).
: The service here is terrible! Not even the courtesy of a 'Please Seat Yourself Next to the Ringwraith or Hag' sign.
: I was 'opin' ter si' next ter da suspicious townsfolk, but evidently that's not an opshun. Know what I mean?
Aaand that's probably the last time the English to Cockney Online Translator will be used in this LP. Apologies, I had hoped it would evolve into something better.
Character Sheet posted:
Jay 'Lanky' Sherman the Starveling
Skills
CUNNING, ROGUERY, UNARMED COMBAT, STREETWISE
Life Points: 10/10
Gold: 15/15
Possessions: None
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Apr 23, 2015 01:36
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- Emmideer
- Oct 20, 2011
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Lovely night, no?
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Grimey Drawer
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The only logical course of action is to speak with the clearly non-magical woman.
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Apr 23, 2015 01:53
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- Ghostwoods
- May 9, 2013
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Say "Cheese!"
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Given our skills, the Man In Black seems likely to be the most fruitful option.
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Apr 23, 2015 13:46
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- Ratatozsk
- Mar 6, 2007
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Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...
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Page 324 posted:
The strange shadowy figure seems to know the forest. To your surprise he begins to tell you about the fabled Tree of Knowledge. 'Ah, yes, it is real enough. I myself have spoken with it and profited greatly thereby. The tree can give a man all the knowledge of the forest. It can teach magical charms as well. Do you seek this tree?'
He doesn't wait for you to answer, but goes on, 'Then follow the Burgstream into the forest until it flows into the great Sirion river. Then turn east along the bank. Where the land rises climb until you reach a clearing and at its centre a cave. There you will find the guardian of the tree. Slay the guardian and the knowledge of the tree will be yours. Farewell.'
With that he rises abruptly, twitches his black cloak around him and leaves the inn. The others all eye you suspiciously before leaving the common room.
You take a room at the inn for the night. Turn to 333.
: WHO DO I NEED TO KILL AROUND HERE TO GET SOME FOOD??
Page 333 posted:
The young girl, who says that her father is away on a journey to buy provisions, charges you a piece of gold for your food and for a night's lodging.
You sleep well and awake early but refreshed. Washing in cold water is invigorating and you enjoy the feel of the rough inn towel. There will be no such comforts in the forest.
Downstairs the inn is deserted. The woman in grey, the only other guest, has left already. The young girl is mopping the floor and she looks troubled. Asking what ails her brings the reply, 'My father did not return last night. I tried not to worry but I knew in my heart he wouldn't come. He went into the forest to buy provisions before the Westermen block the spice road. I know he has gone the way of the others. And that strange woman in grey never so much as touched her bed last night, though she didn't leave her room till after dawn. I begged Father to take Renard to guide him but he wouldn't spend the money. Now I'll never see him again.' With this, she breaks into tears.
As you comfort her, you ask the innkeeper's daughter to describe her father and say you will try to find either him or news of him. As you turn to leave she says, 'Fare you well, traveller, you are my only hope.'
Turn to 210.
: I assume there's no way that we can take Renard with us?
Page 210 posted:
After leaving Burg by the waterside gate you walk north along a path next to the bank of the Burgstream. The river valley has quite steep sides and you can see little of the land that surrounds you. Ahead you see the vast leafy canopy that stretches to the far horizon like a green sea fading to blue in the distance. The air is good here, fresh and clean, laden only with the perfume of wild flowers.
A lone figure in grey walks ahead. You increase your pace to catch up. After half an hour's hard walking you seem to be no nearer the figure. You break into a jog but even this seems to bring you no closer to the slender woman dressed in grey. You ponder the strange fact that even though she seems only to be walking you cannot seem to come any closer to her. At last you reach the crest of a rise to find she has vanished, but now you can see the trunks of the trees at the edge of the Forest of Arden.
As you enter the forest you are surprised by how much colour there is. Blossoming trees, fungus mounds in bright hues, flowering creepers and giant butterflies are lit up by the dappled sunshine that trickles through gaps in the leafy canopy. It is noisy, too - the forest is alive with insects, birds and small mammals.
The path stays close to the river, almost doubling back on itself where the Burgstream bends tortuously until at last you hear the roar of the great Sirion river as it washes through the forest ahead. Pressing on, you come to a ford over the Burgstream.
If you wish to cross the ford and follow the bank of the Sirion river to the west, turn to 77.
If you prefer to remain on this side of the Burgstream and turn east when you meet the Sirion, turn to 96.
: A river? *Twitch* Why do I have this horrible sinking sensation from the sound of rushing water?
: Something to do with that time you spent as a sewer rat, I suppose?
Character Sheet posted:
Jay 'Lanky' Sherman the Starveling
Skills
CUNNING, ROGUERY, UNARMED COMBAT, STREETWISE
Life Points: 10/10
Gold: 14/15
Possessions: None
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Apr 23, 2015 20:38
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- Decoy Badger
- May 16, 2009
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Make like it's Oregon Trail and ford!
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Apr 24, 2015 01:42
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- blackmongoose
- Mar 31, 2011
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DARK INFERNO ROOK!
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Go for the Tree of Knowledge and turn east
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Apr 24, 2015 05:40
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- Ratatozsk
- Mar 6, 2007
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Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...
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Page 96 posted:
Nothing in your life so far has prepared you for you first sight of the great Sirion river. The furthest bank - or perhaps it is just a large island in midstream - seems three miles away. Its roiling waters carry a multitude of dead tree branches towards the sea, like a vein carrying detritus out of a body.
Across the river the treeline is unbroken. You are deep in the rainforest now. The gigantic trees spread their branches more than a hundred feet from the ground here. At the river's edge mangroves reach far out into the water; bloated river buffalo shelter beneath their arching roots.
It is hard going here. At every other step you are sinking into oozing mud. Twice you nearly lose your life in the oozing mud: once when a vine you were clinging to snaps, and again when a huge river buffalo erupts out of the water between mangrove and rushes you. It storms through the water margin and crashes into the trees in hot pursuit. Soon the trees are too thick for it to follow and you trudge on, abandoning the river bank. Quite lost by now, you hope you can find a landmark to guide you.
Turn to 131.
: OK, maybe I was setting my sights a bit high. Can I just shoot for the Tree of Inclination, or maybe just a Primer Tree? I'm sure one of these trees is at least a Tree of Seemed-Like-a-Good-Idea-at-the-Time.
Page 131 posted:
The path twists and turns, winding through dense undergrowth overhung by barrel-like Gwelph trees that are festooned with lianas. You try to fix the shape of each tree in your mind so you will know if you have passed one before. The thin crooked branches that sprout from the top of the barrel-like boles remind you of terrified old men with their hair standing on end.
To your dismay the path ends in a little clearing choked with dead leaves with two paths leading off in different directions. Each is lined with thorn bushes that have grown to the height of a man and are covered in inch-long purple barbs which ooze an orange fluid. The thorns would break off in your flesh if you brushed against them.
You can take the left-hand path (turn to 196) or the right-hand path (turn to 211).
If you despair of ever finding your way out of the forest, turn to 156.
If you wish to mark one of the great Gwelph trees by scraping away a patch of bark, turn to 177.
: That second option is not mutually exclusive with the others.
Character Sheet posted:
Jay 'Lanky' Sherman the Starveling
Skills
CUNNING, ROGUERY, UNARMED COMBAT, STREETWISE
Life Points: 10/10
Gold: 14/15
Possessions: None
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Apr 24, 2015 19:29
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- Corzanth
- Apr 8, 2011
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Rawr!
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Let's despair. It seems like such a silly option.
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Apr 24, 2015 19:58
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- Oblivion4568238
- Oct 10, 2012
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The Inquisition.
What a show.
The Inquisition.
Here. We. Go.
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College Slice
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Let's feel some despair about our situation, and since you said it isn't mutually exclusive, let's then claw our way back to hope by clawing marks in the trees so we stop being so lost.
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Apr 24, 2015 22:42
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- Ghostwoods
- May 9, 2013
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Say "Cheese!"
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Well, since we turned left, and haven't crossed the river, the river-bank is to our right.
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Apr 25, 2015 10:18
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- Ratatozsk
- Mar 6, 2007
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Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...
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I hope you all woke up this weekend refreshed and ready for crushing disappointment! No? ...this is going to be awkward.
Since we have most of the options voted for at least once, let's explore them all! Starting with...
Page 196 posted:
The path twists and turns, winding through dense undergrowth overhung by barrel-like Gwelph trees that are festooned with lianas. You try to fix the shape of each tree in your mind so you will know if you have passed by one before.
To your dismay the path ends in a little clearing choked with dead leaves, but from which two paths lead off in different directions. Each path is lined with thorn bushes that have grown to the height of a man and which are covered in inch-long purple barbs oozing an orange fluid. The thorns would break off in your flesh if you brushed against them.
You can head left (turn to 131) or right (turn to 211).
If you despair of ever finding your way out of the forest, turn to 156.
If you wish to mark one of the great Gwelph trees by scoring it with your dagger, turn to 177.
: Wait, I don't want to go back to 131!
Page 211 posted:
The path twists and turns, winding through dense undergrowth overhung by barrel-like Gwelph trees that are festooned with lianas. You try to fix the shape of each tree in your mind so you will know if you have passed one before. To your dismay the path ends in a little clearing choked with dead leaves.
Two paths lead off in different directions, and each is lined with thorn bushes that are at least the height of a man and which are covered in inch-long purple barbs that ooze an orange fluid. The thorns would break off in your flesh if you brushed against them.
You can go left (turn to 196) or right (turn to 131).
If you despair of ever finding your way out of the forest, turn to 156.
If you wish to orient yourself by marking one of the great Gwelph trees by scoring it with your dagger, turn to 177.
: Seems pretty obvious that we should just mark our way and be a bit more careful about where we step.
Page 177 posted:
You choose a suitable tree. As you prepare to slash into its bark, you glance upwards at its branches. The knots on the bole remind you of the face of a wizened old man, or perhaps of the eyes of an owl.
When you cut the bark a great flake comes off with your blade, and the pale wood beneath seems to shrink from the dim light like the stomach of an old man coughing. There is a far-away call that sounds like a howl of rage and terror lost in the wind.
The bole of the tree convulses suddenly and there is a ripping sound as its roots grow suddenly out of the ground, pinioning you.
If you have the maple flute, turn to 222.
Otherwise there is nothing you can do to save yourself as the tree, creaking and juddering, begins to sink into the ground, burying you along with it.
Death: Rooted!
: I guess that tree must have been STARVELING, eh? Get it? Get it?
: Quiet, you.
Page 156 posted:
All is not lost if you have WILDERNESS LORE, in which case turn to 251.
Otherwise, crushed by despair you realize you will never find your way out of the forest. There is nothing you can eat here - everything tastes of poison, even the dead leaves. You try eating some of the earwigs in the leaf litter but their blood burns your mouth like acid.
Beyond caring, you push your way into the undergrowth, heedless of the purple thorns that rip your flesh. The bushes are not as thick as you believed. You crash through into a dark avenue between tall slender trees growing so close together you cannot force your way between their trunks. Resigned to your fate you walk on down the avenue for what seems an age.
You start to pass bodies lying where they have fallen, one at a time, and then a forlorn-looking little group, huddled together. Exhausted and starving like the others before, you give up hope and lie down to die.
Death: DESPAIR!
: Oh gods! Where were my streetsmarts when I needed them??
One side effect of the character classes (and the random rolls, to a degree) is that the absence of a particular skill can lead quite quickly to an instadeath, or as in this case a slightly protracted walking dead phase. To keep things rolling, please let me know whether you want to rewind to
The merger of the rivers
or
Talk to the hunter and guide
or
Talk to the old woman.
Character Sheet posted:
Jay 'Lanky' Sherman the Starveling
Skills
CUNNING, ROGUERY, UNARMED COMBAT, STREETWISE
Life Points: 10/10
Gold: 14/15
Possessions: None
Deaths: Rooted to death, despair!ed
Ratatozsk fucked around with this message at 01:07 on Apr 26, 2015
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Apr 25, 2015 18:53
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- Ghostwoods
- May 9, 2013
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Say "Cheese!"
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Can't we go left again from 211 to 196?
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Apr 25, 2015 20:46
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- Astus
- Nov 11, 2008
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Can't we go left again from 211 to 196?
...that would accomplish nothing, 196 is the paragraph above 211 in the previous post.
Clearly, we need to hire the hunter and guide.
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Apr 25, 2015 20:54
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- Ratatozsk
- Mar 6, 2007
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Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...
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This brings us more or less back to the start of the adventure, so there's not much to recap to get us going.
Page 297 posted:
The men have both spent much time in the forest and must know many of its secrets. They talk of the elves who do not deign to notice mortal men. Men say they are immortal yet they all look like children. The guide, Renard, mentions tree spirits and strange monsters. The hunter, Marek, tells you about a dragon, but Renard clearly doesn't believe the tale.
Both agree, however, that things are changing in the forest. The Westermen have come in their multitudes, hewing and burning the trees to feed iron monsters that belch smoke. Both men hate the Westermen.
'They are passing cruel - it's better to die in the forest than to be taken alive by the paleskins,' says Marek.
You become tired at last and ponder whether to stay at the inn (turn to 333) or go home with Renard (turn to 224).
: As inadvisable as going home with a strange man may sound, I'm hoping it beats getting tree'd or depressed to death.
(We've already slept on 333.)
Page 224 posted:
Renard's cottage is small but well looked after. He lives alone and is a taciturn fellow. He asks for one piece of gold for every day he is with you, and before he even agrees to guide you he wants to see the colour of your money. You show him your gold, but are mindful to sleep with the money pouch under your mattress.
In the morning Renard is up early and he brings you some steaming broth to eat before you set out. He says he will need another piece of gold for every day it takes to travel back to Burg from wherever you part company.
If you agree to his terms, turn to 200. If you would rather risk the forest alone, turn to 210.
: Evidently there is a way we can take Renard with us!
: That sounds like a lot of money, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.
Again, we've already gone the route of 210, so there's no need to retread that path...yet.
Page 200 posted:
Renard leads you out of the town through the waterside gate to the bank of the Burgstream. You walk north along a path next to the bank. The river valley has quite steep sides, making it difficult for you to see very much of the surrounding land.
Ahead, however, you can see the vast top of a leafy canopy that stretches to the far horizon like a green sea fading to blue in the distance. The air is good here - fresh and clean, laden only with the perfumes of wild flowers.
A lone figure in grey walks ahead. You suggest trying to catch up but Renard just shakes his head.
'We will never find her in the forest unless she wishes it. A man might as well try to fly.'
'If we run we can catch up before she reaches the forest,' you suggest.
'She moves as fast as a deer at need. We'd only tire ourselves to no end.'
If it is the same old woman from the inn last night, she looked too old even to break into a trot. You ponder Renard's strange claims until you can see the trunks of the trees at the edge of the Forest of Arden.
As you enter the forest you are surprised by how much colour there is. Blossoming trees, fungus mounds in bright hues, flowering creepers and giant butterflies are lit by the dappled sunshine that pours through gaps in the leafy canopy. It is noisy too - the forest is alive with insects, birds and small mammals. Renard leads you along short cuts where the Burgstream bends tortuously until at last you hear the roar of the great Sirion river as it rushes through the forest ahead. He brings you to a ford over the Burgstream.
'We must cross here and then walk west beside the Sirion.' You follow across the ford and on through the thick forest.
Nothing in your life has prepared you for the moment when you first catch sight of the Sirion river. The furthest bank is just a line of shimmering heat-hazed greenery at least six miles away. The roiling waters carry a multitude of dead tree branches towards the sea, like a vein carrying detritus out of a living body. Across the river the treeline is unbroken. You are deep in the rainforest now. The gigantic trees spread their branches more than a hundred feet above the ground. At the river's edge mangroves reach far out into the water. Bloated river buffalo bask beneath their arching roots.
'The going will be difficult for a while until we reach higher ground,' says Renard. He presses on, hacking at the undergrowth, until you reach a tributary of the river. It blocks your progress, and is spanned by only a narrow rope bridge. The bridge shows signs of regular repair: bushes have been hacked back from the stanchions between which it hangs. Renard tells you that the elves maintain this bridge as a link between different parts of their domain. He leads the way across and you follow.
He is halfway across when a waterspout surges up from the river. Out of it rears a mass of vegetation ringed with fibrous tentacles. It is a dreaded Embracer, and in seconds it has plucked Renard from the bridge. As he is pulled under the water, he manages to cry out to you: 'You must go on, then climb. Then you may find what you seek—'
The tentacles drag him under. You watch the muddied water swirl beneath the bridge, but there is no sign of poor Renard.
You can try to save him (turn to 316) or cross the bridge quickly while the Embracer is otherwise occupied (turn to 343).
: Well, I guess there was never really a guarantee about exactly how far we'd be able to take Renard once we got him.
: Wow, that bridge of our parting came much faster than I was expecting.
Character Sheet posted:
Jay 'Lanky' Sherman the Starveling
Skills
CUNNING, ROGUERY, UNARMED COMBAT, STREETWISE
Life Points: 10/10
Gold: 15/15
Possessions: None
Deaths: Rooted to death, despair!ed
Ratatozsk fucked around with this message at 20:42 on Apr 26, 2015
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Apr 26, 2015 01:21
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- gegi
- Aug 3, 2004
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Butterfly Girl
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Well, he said we should carry on without him, so now that we've come to it, let's cross that bridge.
I mean, you wouldn't want his sacrifice and our spent gold to be for nothing.
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Apr 26, 2015 08:45
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- Ghostwoods
- May 9, 2013
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Say "Cheese!"
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Well, he said we should carry on without him, so now that we've come to it, let's cross that bridge.
I mean, you wouldn't want his sacrifice and our spent gold to be for nothing.
Cruel, but probably fair. Count me in.
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Apr 26, 2015 14:49
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- Adbot
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ADBOT LOVES YOU
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Apr 26, 2024 19:53
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- Corzanth
- Apr 8, 2011
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Rawr!
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quote:[Renard] asks for one piece of gold for every day he is with you, and before he even agrees to guide you he wants to see the colour of your money.
With a name like Renard, there's no way this guy isn't a trickster spirit of some sort. Plus, if he survives, we'd have to pay him more. Onwards!
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Apr 26, 2015 15:04
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Apr 20, 2015 01:29
