Revenge is a dish best served old(er): The Crimson Tide [CYOA]

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

THE CRIMSON TIDE posted:

In the Isles of the Dawn, far to the east, mighty forces strive to gain power over the land. Wandering bands of mercenaries act as they please, looting, burning and pillaging the once peaceful countryside.

YOU are the child of a rice-farming family, unskilled in combat but filled with dreams of heroism and glory. When the Mercenaries arrive in your village you are flung into an adventure which tests your courage to the limits. Your father's dying wish is for you to learn the martial arts of the Baochou Monastery. But is this the best way to bring his killer to justice?

As you grow and learn, you must face the horrors of the wide world beyond the village - a world of strange customs and malignant creatures. Many encounters await you, with sorcery, monks, samurai and malevolent spirits. Many fates could befall you: slavery, betrayal, imprisonment or death. But in the end it will be your courage, skill and knowledge that will help you win the ultimate battle to conquer the crimson tide of revenge!

Two die, a pencil and an eraser are all you need to embark on this fabulous adventure which is complete with its elaborate combat system and a score sheet to record your progress.

Many fearsome dangers lie ahead and your success is by no means certain. Powerful adversaries are ranged against you and it's up to YOU to decide which route to follow, which dangers to risk and which foes to fight.

Fighting Fantasy! Revenge! Warrior Monks! Shrew/Shark-headed henchbeasts! Insurmountable obstacles for poor rolls of the dice!

Welcome to Fighting Fantasy #47, a work by Paul Mason and Steve Williams. These two have teamed up on several works, but I have to admit that I'm none too familiar with them. This book stands out a bit in its aging mechanic, but it particularly caught my eye after an incomplete run in the forums awhile back. Let's move onward to see what's in store.

As a quick TLDR; our character has a set age which advances through the plot. We also have FEROCITY, which decreases as we age, and against which we will roll as we navigate our way. For details on these and your standard Fighting Fantasy rules, keep reading. For plot, go here.

INTRODUCTION posted:

You begin this adventure as a teenager, the child of a poor peasant family in the Isles of the Dawn. Before embarking on your adventure, you must first determine your own strengths and weaknesses. Use dice to find out your initial scores. As you grow older in the course of the adventure you will find that these will increase quite rapidly. On pages 16-17 there is an Adventure Sheet which you may use to record the details of your adventure- On it you will find boxes for recording your SKILL, STAMINA, FEROCITY and LUCK scores, as well as your Age.

You are advised either to record your scores on the Adventure Sheet in pencil or make photocopies of the sheet for use in future adventures.

Skill, Stamina, Ferocity and Luck
Roll 1 die and enter this total in the SKILL box on the Adventure Sheet.

Roll 2 dice and enter this total in the STAMINA box.

Roll 1 die, add 6 to this number and enter the total in the LUCK box.

There is also a FEROCITY box. Roll 1 die, add half of your STAMINA to this number (halves round up), and enter the total in the FEROCITY box.

For reasons that will be explained below, your scores in SKILL, STAMINA, LUCK and FEROCITY will change constantly during the adventure. You must keep an accurate record of these scores and for this reason you are advised either to write small in the boxes or to keep an eraser handy. Unlike other Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, The Crimson Tide begins with you as a child. For this reason your SKILL, STAMINA, and FEROCITY may eventually exceed the number you roll at the start. For SKILL and FEROCITY you should simply keep track of their curent levels until you reach the age of 16. So far as STAMINA is concerned, you should keep track of both your Permanent STAMINA and your Temporary STAMINA. The paragraphs will make it clear whether it is Permanent or Temporary STAMINA that is affected, but you must remember that combat always affects Temporary STAMINA. Your LUCK score, unlike all the above, may not exceed its Initial score, and you should never erase this.

Your SKILL score reflects your swordsmanship and general fighting expertise; the higher the better. Your STAMINA score reflects your general constitution, your will to survive, your determination and overall fitness; the higher your STAMINA score, the longer you will be able to survive. If your STAMINA score drops to zero, your character is dead; stop reading, close the book and then start again from the beginning. Your LUCK score indicates how naturally lucky a person you are. Luck - and magic - are facts of life in the fantasy kingdom you are about to explore. Your FEROCITY is a measure of your thirst for vengeance. Being ferocious is useful in battle, but you are less able to control yourself. If your FEROCITY score drops to zero or less make a note of the paragraph number you are at and turn at once to paragraph 200.

Age
You begin the book as a thirteen-year-old. Months and years may pass in the course of your adventure however, and you should keep track of your Age in the box provided. Only amend your Age when told to do so in a paragraph. Whenever your Age increases, you should do two things, reduce your FEROCITY by 2, and return your Temporary STAMINA to its Permanent value, for time is a great healer. As soon as you reach the age of eighteen, you will no longer be able to increase either your SKILL or your Permanent STAMINA.

RNG has spit out
Skill: 5
Stamina: 9
Luck: 10
Ferocity: 8

...even so, this is Fighting Fantasy, so don't get your hopes up too high yet. But let's continue

Combat posted:

You will often come across paragraphs in the book in which you are instructed to fight a creature of some sort. An option to flee may be given, but if not - or if you choose to attack the creature anyway - you must resolve the battle as described below.

First record your opponent's SKILL and STAMINA scores in the first empty Monster Encounter Box on your Adventure Sheet. The scores for every potential adversary are given each time you have an encounter which may end in combat. The sequence for combat is then:

posted:
1. Roll 2 dice for your opponent Add its SKILL score. This total is the opponent's Attack Strength.
2. Roll 2 dice for yourself. Add the number rolled to your current SKILL score. This total is your Attack Strength.
3. If your Attack Strength is higher than that of your opponent, you have wounded it: proceed to step 4. If your opponent's Attack Strength is higher than yours, it has wounded you: proceed to step 5. If both Attack Strength totals are the same, you have avoided each other's blows - start the next Attack Round from step 1, above.
4. You have wounded the creatures, so deduct 2 points from its STAMINA score (You may use your LUCK here to do additional damage - see below.) Now proceed to step 6.
5. This creature has wounded you, so deduct 2 points from your own STAMINA score. Again you may use LUCK at this stage - see below.)
6. Make the appropriate adjustments either to the opponent's or to your own STAMINA score ( and to your LUCK score if you used LUCK- see below)
7. Begin the next Attack Round by repeating steps 1 - 6. This sequence continues until the STAMINA score of either you or your adversary has been reduced to zero (death).

Escaping
In some paragraphs you will be given the option of escaping from a fight should things be going badly for you. However, if you do run away, your opponent automatically gets in one free attack on you (deduct 2 STAMINA points) as you flee - such is the price of cowardice. (Note that you may use LUCK to minimize this wound in the normal way - see below.) You may Escape only if this option is specifically given to you in the relevant paragraph.

OK, that's it for fightiness. Back to our other stats.

Restoring Skill, Stamina, Ferocity and Luck posted:

Skill
As you grow and learn, your SKILL score should increase. However, there will come a point when you can learn no more - when you reach the age of eighteen. At this point, write down your Initial SKILL value on your Adventure Sheet to indicate that it may increase no further. From this time on, only a special weapon will allow you to increase your SKILL; but remember that only one weapon can be used at a time! You cannot claim two skill bonuses for carrying two magic swords.

Stamina and Provisions
Your Permanent STAMINA score will increase as you train your body. However, when you reach the age of eighteen, it can increase no more. At this point, your STAMINA has reached its Initial value and you should draw a circle round the number of your Permanent STAMINA on your Adventure Sheet.

Your Temporary STAMINA score will change a lot during your adventure as you fight monsters and undertake arduous tasks. As you near your goal, your STAMINA level may become dangerously low and battles may be particularly risky, so be careful

In the course of the adventure you may acquire Provisions. You may rest and eat at any time except when engaged in battle. Eating a meal restores up to 4 STAMINA points.When you eat a meal, add up to 4 points to your STAMINA score and deduct 1 of your Provisions. (A separate Provisions Remaining Box is provided on the Adventure Sheet for this purpose.) Remember that you have a long way to go so use your Provisions wisely! Remember also that Provisions and potions may never restore your STAMINA score to a number higher than its permanent value.

Ferocity
As you are affected by the events of your adventure, so your FEROCITY may increase or decrease. Full details will be given in the appropriate paragraphs.

Luck
Additions to your LUCK score are awarded during the adventure when you have been particularly lucky; when this occurs, details will be given in the relevant paragraphs. Your LUCK score may never exceed its Initial value. Unlike the other three scores, the number you roll for LUCK is ifs Initial value.

Equipment
You start your adventure with no equipment apart from the clothes you stand up in and a wooden sword, but you will probably acquire various items during your travels. Keep a careful note of anything you may pick up.

Notes
In the course of this adventure you will have to make notes in the appropriate box of your Adventure Sheet. You should make sure that you copy the words down correctly, and that you list them in the order in which you come across them. Since you may have to make several notes, try to write small.

Now, before we get started, we're going to need a name and a face for our protagonist. We'll leave this up for a day or so and then get moving.

If this is your first time accompanying my on a CYOA run, many of these books are incompletely OCR'd. The text recognition for this one is pretty patchy, so there's quite a bit of editing that goes into each post. Despite efforts to the contrary, I expect errors to pop up here and there. Any help or suggestions for tidying things up is greatly appreciated!

Ratatozsk fucked around with this message at 03:15 on Aug 7, 2017

# ? Aug 4, 2017 02:26

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# ? Apr 25, 2024 23:03

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

Reserved for stuff

# ? Aug 4, 2017 02:26

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

Well I was hoping for a response, but whatever. Let's get this cart rolling.

BACKGROUND posted:

Your world is a world of mud and water. Ever since you were a baby, all you've known are the simple baked-mud houses of your village and the vast watery expanses of rice paddies, interspersed here and there by pastures. Although you have not yet entered your fourteenth summer, you are used to working in the fields. You are lucky to have been born strong and hardy - at the end of a day spent planting tender shoots in the mud you still have some energy left for play and for practice. You fancy yourself a mighty warrior, like those who occasionally ride by, so you have carved a sharp stick for your sword and swing it in circles above your head. At first the other children laughed at you but, after you killed a giant Mudworm, they learned a new respect for you.

The events of the outside world rarely concern you. Even when you hear that there is civil war in the land, your only concern is that the soldiers won't harm your rice crops. Rice is a luxury; a good rice crop means wealth . . . and most goes in taxes to the tribunal. No, you care little for the great events of the kingdom. After all, one king is much like another. Poo Ta has never done you any favours, so what do you care if he is replaced by some other 'divine' ruler?

Then one day the foreign mercenaries arrive in your village. The gleam of their black lacquered armor makes them look like horribly distended beetles. Their gimlet eyes shine with evil intensity. The villagers who stand in their way are ruthlessly hacked down. They collect all the rice and round up all the women, including your mother. Your father protests and, as you watch, the leader of the mercenaries cuts him down with his narrow, slashing, curved blade. 'The new king seeks slaves,' says the coarse-tongued barbarian, 'and you scum aren't going to get in my way.'

You stare at the man, fixing his appearance in your mind. His armor is composed of scales, laced together, with occasional plates and spikes covering vulnerable areas. His helmet is wide and his face is covered by a fierce, bestial mask; it is a scowling parody of a man, with bulging brows and wickedly curved horns. Through large holes the evil brown eyes of your father's attacker return your stare with what could almost be amusement.

Then, with a yell, the mercenaries mount their horses and leave, driving their captives before them with whips. The horses make slow progress through the flooded fields, and it seems to take an eternity before the killers disappear from sight.

Your father dies in your arms. His last words are, 'Go to the Baochou Monastery. Avenge me and save your mother!'

Now turn to paragraph 1.

Page 1 posted:

You leave your village with several other youngsters, all determined to seek revenge. You carry with you your wooden sword (make a note of it on your Equipment List) and some food (note down that you have 2 Provisions). The paddy fields lie all about you with the sun sparkling on the still, muddy water. You make your way along a path on the top of a polder - the low earth-barrier separating one rice field from the next. Several kilometers distant is the local town of Yenshu, in which the magistrate of your district holds his tribunal. You have never been there yourself, but your cousin Quan visited Yenshu's temple two years ago and so he knows the way. Not much is said on the journey until you arrive at the road which leads to Yenshu. Here, where the polder tracks join the wider thoroughfare, a small settlements is to be found; an inn and the huts of several artisans The foreign mercenaries have been here, too. The buildings are scorched and blackened from fires, and broken pottery lies strewn all around. Suddenly little Hani lets out a shriek and points: the bloodied corpse of another victim sprawls amid the wreckage of the horse trough.

'We must have vengeance upon these murderers,' says Sunai, the eldest of you, clenching her fist.

'The magistrate in Yenshu will deal with them,' replies Quan, who already has the bearing of a monk, though he is not yet even a novice.

You stand among the wreckage, discussing the fate which you hope will befall the mercenaries, while Sunai counts the slain. Quan says he believes the invaders are from far across the seas - from the land of Hachimarn, where the men are savage and primitive, and accustomed to mistreating women. 'Barbarians such as these,' he points out, 'have a crude religion reflecting only a fragment of Arn, and so have no foundation upon which to build a civilization. Their land is ruled by warriors who are constantly warring with one another.'

Sunai finishes her unpleasant task and reports that six men lie dead here. Now you must hurry to the magistrate to report the matter and set the wheels of justice in motion. But the barbarians may still be stalking the land. If you hurry along the road to Yenshu, you may catch up with them. On the other hand if you travel to Yenshua long the polder-paths, the journey will take much longer and it will be more arduous for the younger children. You have the wooden sword in your hand. It seems that you are the leader.

If you decide to travel along the road, turn to 92.
If you would prefer to make your way among the rice paddies, turn to 288.

Character Sheet posted:

Bruce the Youngling
13 Years Old

Skill: 5
Stamina: 9
Luck: 10
Ferocity: 8 (when age increases, lose 2 Ferocity)

Inventory:
Provisions x2 (Restore up to 4 Stamina per use)
Wooden Sword
Older Shoulder Polder Holder

Deaths: 0
Kills: 0

Ratatozsk fucked around with this message at 03:11 on Aug 7, 2017

# ? Aug 5, 2017 01:16

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

I'm torn between a young Conan The Barbarian or going the Disney Princess Mulan route. Mulan gets better songs and a dragon sidekick but Conan gets a better voiced bad guy.

We are Mulan, not a warrior princess yet. However, our enemy is voiced by James Earl Jones. I understand MacDonald's just released a special source for just this occasion.

We arn't ready to take on the mercs yet - make your way among the rice paddies

# ? Aug 5, 2017 03:34

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

Mulan it shall be. Certainly a better idea than young Bruce Wayne - this popped into my mind and I couldn't shake it.

Page 288 posted:

You trudge along the polders, checking with Quan every now and again to make sure he knows the proper route Soon, you begin to see a range of hill. which rises abruptly out of the plane ahead of you. The steep slopes are lush with rich green foliage.

Quan points excitedly towards them 'Yenshu lies just south of those hills! he cries. No sooner has he spoken than there is a dreadful sucking noise from the field to your left and a slime-covered Mudworm, fully as long as a man, rears up, its blind snout questing towards Quan. It will be on him in moments, unless you can intercept it and fight it off.

GIANT MUDWORM
SKILL 12 STAMINA 6

If you defeat the Mudworm, tum to 357.

: Ha! I already killed a Mudworm in the prologue!

This book has a reputation for being a bit nasty, and this part here is a big part of it. Let's see our first combat to understand why.

Round 1: Our SKILL 5 + 2d6 (1, 4) < Worm SKILL 12 + 2d6 (2,4)
Result: We lost 2 STAMINA

I could detail the remainder of this fight, but I hope you'll trust me when I say that we had our butts handed to us by that worm.

Death: Apparently not all mudworms are created equal.

For now, we will be taken the road less gobbled.

Page 92 posted:

The roads in your district are frequently used by merchants who once came to buy surplus rice from the peasants. Strangely, there are no merchants in sight on this road and, after walking for an hour, you discover the reason. A small cloud of dust appears ahead of you, then resolves itself into the shape of a fiercely armored, mounted warrior, perhaps one of the mercenaries who attacked your village. He will be on you in moments. The rest of the children flee into the rice fields.

lf you run after them, turn to 133.
If you wait and try to ambush the mercenary, turn to 325.

: What is that?

Unfortunately, every instance of this illustration in my copy of the book is just about this detailed. I have no clue what exactly is going on there.

: Ok...well it looks like one of them is part worm. This bodes poorly given my track record thus far.

Character Sheet posted:

Mulan the Youngling
13 Years Old

Skill: 5
Stamina: 9
Luck: 10
Ferocity: 8 (when age increases, lose 2 Ferocity)

Inventory:
Provisions x2 (Restore up to 4 Stamina per use)
Wooden Sword
Older Shoulder Polder Holder

Deaths: a bad case of worms
Kills: 0

Ratatozsk fucked around with this message at 23:56 on Aug 6, 2017

# ? Aug 6, 2017 15:57

TheGreatEvilKing: Mar 28, 2016

I choose violence

# ? Aug 6, 2017 16:56

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

Skill 12?!?!!?! WTF? Was that a trap to lure someone further into a dead man walking scenario?

Prepare an ambush!

# ? Aug 6, 2017 17:24

Whybird: Aug 2, 2009; Phaiston have long avoided the tightly competetive defence sector, but the IRDA Act 2052 has given us the freedom we need to bring out something really special.

https://team-robostar.itch.io/robostar; Nap Ghost

I recall reading that the Skill 12 fight there was a misprint, and it was supposed to be at Skill 2 instead.

Or the game just wants to kill you.

# ? Aug 6, 2017 20:19

CaptainCaveman: Apr 16, 2005; Always searching for North.

Ambush sounds good.

# ? Aug 6, 2017 21:14

achtungnight: Oct 5, 2014; I get my fun here. Enjoy!

I read a lot of Fighting Fantasy and somehow missed this one. It looks good so far. Thanks for the interest spark, Ratatosk (btw, if you're interested in a serious badass with your name, you need to check out Rick Riordan's Norse mythology fanfic series). I'll have to get the book if it keeps looking cool.

And Mulan is awesome. Maybe Mushu and/or the Ancestors lecture her in death scenes. (If that's too fanficcy for you and thus more my thing, never mind.)

I'll vote for Ambush also. Surprise rounds when in your favor are always good.

Marking this thread for future reference. -AN

achtungnight fucked around with this message at 21:34 on Aug 6, 2017

# ? Aug 6, 2017 21:27

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

CaptainCaveman posted:

Ambush sounds good.

Wow, it's been a very long time since I last saw that avatar. Glad to have you back to guide us north.

Page 325 posted:

You crouch behind a polder and hold your breath as the horseman comes to a halt, sending up a cloud of dust. He shouts in a harsh accent: 'You, ratlings! Come here!' His harness jingles as he dismounts. Now is your chance. You leap out from your hiding place and charge him, brandishing your trusty wooden sword.

Roll 2 dice.

If the total is less than your FEROCITY, turn to 54.
If the total is equal to or greater than your FEROCITY, turn to 234.

: Feel the bite of STINGCK!

Rolling...2,2

Page 54 posted:

You let out a blood-curdling yell as you swing your wooden sword at the barbarian. Taken by surprise, he staggers back, grunting in pain. You follow up with a thrust to the stomach, but he is too quick for you. Grabbing the end of your sword, he tugs sharply, unbalancing you. Before you can dodge away he is upon you pinning your arm behind your back. 'Ha! You fight like a sabretooth,' he snarls.' Perfect for the arena.' Somehow he manages to tie your hands together and throw you across the back of his horse .The jolting ride that follows bruises every bone in your body.

Eventually you arrive in a town and clatter through its streets. You are delivered to the arena, where you are put into training under the master swordsman Jian, a muscular fellow with a strangely curved right eyebrow. Closely guarded by day and by night, you are taught the use of the sword, spear, halberd, bow and axe.

Jian teaches you well. After two years you are nearly his match and are ready to face your first opponent in the arena. Throughout all this time, you never forget your parents, and the fire of vengeance in your heart is fueled with each passing day. Add 2 years to your Age, 6 points to your SKILL, 10 points to your Permanent STAMINA, and 10 points to your FEROCITY.

Finally the day of your debut dawns. Jian has told you that your first battle is the most important. You are led out before a howling crowd and face...a ravening Arena Beast a, leathery nightmare with soul-draining eyes.

posted:
ARENA BEAST
SKILL 8 STAMINA 13

Each time the Arena Beast injures you, roll 2 dice. If the total you roll is less than your SKILL, you have avoided looking into the eyes of the beast. If your roll is equal to or greater than your SKILL, you have gazed into the eyes of the Arena Beast and must lost an additional 1 point from both your SKILL and FEROCITY.

If you defeat the Arena Beast, turn to 274.

: Alright ugly, show me what you got.

This is a bit more balanced. I do believe that the Mudworm encounter was in error, although perhaps not quite to the degree of the intended SKILL being 2. If we die, we may have the option to go back and explore that route with some temporary invulnerability. Anyhoo...

Mulan vs Arena Beast
Round 1: (4,3) + 11 > (4,1) + 8, Beast loses 2 STAMINA.
Round 2: (1,6) + 11 > (4,5) + 8, Beast loses 2 STAMINA.
Round 3: (6,2) + 11 > (6,3) + 8, Beast loses 2 STAMINA.
Round 4: (5,3) + 11 > (4,1) + 8, Beast loses 2 STAMINA.
Round 5: (6,3) + 11 > (3,2) + 8, Beast loses 2 STAMINA.
Round 6: (1,4) + 11 > (1,6) + 8, Beast loses 2 STAMINA.
Round 7: (1,5) + 11 > (1,6) + 8, Beast loses 2 STAMINA, appears significantly less ravening in this light.

: drat straight.

Page 274 posted:

With the Arena Beast slain, you recognize an opportunity to escape. If you can leap up into the crown, you may be able to lose yourself in the crush. You disguise your intention by walking round the arena, your sword raised in triumph. Then you nimbly vault over the barrier into the tiers of spectators. Chaos erupts around you.

Roll 3 dice.

If the result is less than your FEROCITY, turn to 84.
If the result is greater than your FEROCITY, turn to 196.

Although our FEROCITY got a big bump with our arena training, we did lose 2 points for aging, so we're not entirely immune to losing this roll.

Rolling...(3,5,1)

However, we are immune enough.

Page 84 posted:

With a roar that would turn a young man's hair grey, you frighten away the spectators and race up the arena stairs. A guard faces you at the top, but you bowl him aside and leap into space. Luck is with you, for your fall is broken by the stall of a meat vendor.

You pick yourself up from the wreckage of his tent, snatch up a piece of roasted meat on a stick, and leap upon a nearby horse. Then you are riding like the wind, howling your defiance at your captors and whirling your sword about your head. Note down that you have a sword about your head. Note down that you have a sword and the roasted-meat stick (which counts as 1 Provision) on your Equipment List. Apart from these you have no possessions. Write down the word 'arena' on your Adventure Sheet.

You ride for hours, until the sparkling blue expanse of the sea opens up on your right. Turning inland, you ride through rice country similar to your home district. Time passes and mountains loom up on the horizon. Then all at once the horse stumbles. You land with a splash, unhurt, but the horse has fared worse; you have driven the poor beast too hard and it cannot continue on foot, into the lower slopes of the mountains.

Turn to 264.

: Ha, even Lone Wolf never stole a horse and lived to tell the tale!

Page 264 posted:

A plume of smoke rises from an encampment a few kilometers away and, even from this distance, you think you can make out the distinctive black armor of the mercenaries.

If you creep up close, remaining hidden, turn to 134.
If you march boldly into the camp, turn to 390.

: What would 15 year old Altheus do...?

Character Sheet posted:

Mulan the Angsty Teen
15 Years Old

Skill: 11
Stamina: 19
Luck: 10
Ferocity: 16 (when age increases, lose 2 Ferocity)

Inventory:
Roasted-meat stick x1 (Restore up to 4 Stamina per use)
Sword
Commemorative Arena Beast eyeball keychain

Keywords: arena

Deaths: a bad case of worms
Kills: Arena Beast, an unfortunate meat vendor stand

# ? Aug 7, 2017 02:44

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

15 year old Altheus would ask the gods for advice, lose honour for asking and be told to march in there and demand they surrender. He would then be beaten for the impudence.

Creep up close, remaining hidden like a hidden dragon.

# ? Aug 7, 2017 05:24

Sjs00: Jun 29, 2013; Yeah Baby Yeah !

Do we have a maximum Stamina stat or can we eat and go to 23 before we charge in

# ? Aug 7, 2017 05:42

CaptainCaveman: Apr 16, 2005; Always searching for North.

Boldly march in.

# ? Aug 7, 2017 10:52

achtungnight: Oct 5, 2014; I get my fun here. Enjoy!

Hide and be cautious. There's a bunch of these guys.

# ? Aug 7, 2017 11:06

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

STAMINA is capped at 19 (for now), the character sheet will now reflect this. Coin flip - sneak.

Page 134 posted:

A short distance from the camp you come upon a low rise and you watch the mercenaries from this vantage point. Sure enough, they are these are the very barbarians who destroyed your village. As you watch, a group of farmers is driven into the camp by mercenaries wielding whips. Some are tied up and are then suspended, upside down, from poles, while others are pegged out on the ground. Their plaintive cries rise up to you.

If you try to help them, turn to 270.
If you stay where you are, turn to 329.

: I dunno if these guys and I are going to see eye to eye.

Character Sheet posted:

Mulan the Angsty Teen
15 Years Old

Skill: 11
Stamina: 19/19
Luck: 10
Ferocity: 16 (when age increases, lose 2 Ferocity)

Inventory:
Roasted-meat stick x1 (Restore up to 4 Stamina per use)
Sword
Commemorative Arena Beast eyeball keychain

Keywords: arena

Deaths: a bad case of worms
Kills: Arena Beast, an unfortunate meat vendor stand

# ? Aug 8, 2017 02:09

Sjs00: Jun 29, 2013; Yeah Baby Yeah !

Help them
I assume we could make a distraction; a fire or something? And then free them while the bandits investigate.

# ? Aug 8, 2017 03:10

CaptainCaveman: Apr 16, 2005; Always searching for North.

When I was younger so much younger than today
I never needed anybody's help in any way
But now these days are gone and I'm not so self assured
Now I find I've changed my mind, I've opened up the doors

# ? Aug 8, 2017 03:14

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

Time to be a hero! Try to help them. Maybe one of them is a prince we can rescue who is in disguise.

# ? Aug 8, 2017 06:04

achtungnight: Oct 5, 2014; I get my fun here. Enjoy!

Try to help. I'm guessing it will go as well as it did the last 2 times we met these guys, but at least we're not being cowardly.

# ? Aug 8, 2017 08:17

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

Page 270 posted:

You sidle down the slope towards the encampment. The shrieks of agony grow louder.

If you charge in to attack the mercenaries, turn to 120.
If you try to distract their attention, in the hope that some of the villagers will be able to get away, turn to 100.

Character Sheet posted:

Mulan the Angsty Teen
15 Years Old

Skill: 11
Stamina: 19/19
Luck: 10
Ferocity: 16 (when age increases, lose 2 Ferocity)

Inventory:
Roasted-meat stick x1 (Restore up to 4 Stamina per use)
Sword
Commemorative Arena Beast eyeball keychain

Keywords: Arena

Deaths: a bad case of worms
Kills: Arena Beast, an unfortunate meat vendor stand

# ? Aug 9, 2017 01:59

CaptainCaveman: Apr 16, 2005; Always searching for North.

Distract seems safer.

# ? Aug 9, 2017 04:24

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

Hey, look over there! It's a distraction!.

# ? Aug 9, 2017 05:58

achtungnight: Oct 5, 2014; I get my fun here. Enjoy!

Distract these big turd-blossoms!

# ? Aug 9, 2017 10:42

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

Page 100 posted:

You edge closer to the camp.

~~If you have the word magic written on your Adventure Sheet, turn to 396.~~

Otherwise roll 2 dice.

If the result is less than your SKILL, turn to 312.
If the result is equal to or greater than your SKILL, turn to 261.

Rolling..(5,6)

drat. Well, magic would have bypassed that skill roll...but I guess we'll never know what we gained...

Page 261 posted:

You attract the mercenaries' attention by yelling insults at them and waving your arms, then you run away from their camp. A few arrows whine into the ground near you, but you get away safely. Unfortunately, none of the farmers seems to have been able to escape, and now the mercenaries are on their guard.

Turn to 131.

: Sorry guys, I tried!

Page 131 posted:

It would be far too dangerous to approach the camp now that the mercenaries are alerted.

If you wish to keep close to the mercenaries, shadowing them and awaiting an opportunity for action, turn to 82.
If you decide to travel back south, in search of something or someone to help you in your quest for revenge, turn to 273.

: Well, this feels terrible. What the hell am I going to make out of this mess now?

Character Sheet posted:

Mulan the Angsty Teen
15 Years Old

Skill: 11
Stamina: 19/19
Luck: 10
Ferocity: 16 (when age increases, lose 2 Ferocity)

Inventory:
Roasted-meat stick x1 (Restore up to 4 Stamina per use)
Sword
Commemorative Arena Beast eyeball keychain

Keywords: Arena

Deaths: a bad case of worms
Kills: Arena Beast, an unfortunate meat vendor stand

# ? Aug 10, 2017 01:43

achtungnight: Oct 5, 2014; I get my fun here. Enjoy!

Look for help. There's no way we can beat a gang of mercenaries on our own.

# ? Aug 10, 2017 01:56

Sjs00: Jun 29, 2013; Yeah Baby Yeah !

Wow that needed double sixes and we almost got it! Nice try.
I'd say shadow them a little bit longer. We've found them after two years against all odds and we can't lose them or else we may never find them again. And I'm sure there are others already hunting them for horrendous deeds; let's be ready to jump in and kill-steal when the cavalry arrives.

# ? Aug 10, 2017 02:05

wereboat: Jun 23, 2011

Shadow them. We should get like, a name so we can find them later. Probably lots of mercs in black.

# ? Aug 10, 2017 03:00

CaptainCaveman: Apr 16, 2005; Always searching for North.

Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of man? (Shadow them)

# ? Aug 10, 2017 04:06

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

Sjs00 posted:

Wow that needed double sixes and we almost got it! Nice try.

Other way around. We needed ten or less.

# ? Aug 10, 2017 04:09

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

A real warrior wouldn't have failed that. Fortunately, we haven't trained as a real warrior, or we would probably be so shamed by such a shameful display we would have ended ourselves in shame.

Shadow them.

# ? Aug 10, 2017 04:42

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

Page 82 posted:

You set off after the mercenaries as they trek eastwards, then turn towards the south. It is easy to follow them at a distance - you simply keep an eye open for the plumes of smoke as they burn and ransack villages in their path. After several months' travel you realize you are only a few kilometers from Traole.

If you persist in following the mercenaries, turn to 310.
If you make your way to Traole instead, turn to 235.

I swear, there's martial arts and beasts and inglorious death awaiting us. This is a...particularly long dry spell.

Character Sheet posted:

Mulan the Angsty Teen
15 Years Old

Skill: 11
Stamina: 19/19
Luck: 10
Ferocity: 16 (when age increases, lose 2 Ferocity)

Inventory:
Roasted-meat stick x1 (Restore up to 4 Stamina per use)
Sword
Commemorative Arena Beast eyeball keychain

Keywords: Arena

Deaths: a bad case of worms
Kills: Arena Beast, an unfortunate meat vendor stand

# ? Aug 11, 2017 06:06

achtungnight: Oct 5, 2014; I get my fun here. Enjoy!

Keep following the enemy.

Go the way that probably means death!

# ? Aug 11, 2017 06:54

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

Make your way to Traole. I can't recall why we need to, but lets go there.

# ? Aug 11, 2017 09:16

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

Split vote, rolling d2. 1 for follow, 2 for Traole.

Rolling...(2)

Page 235 posted:

You pass through the gates into the bustling town. A wave of confidence sweeps over you as you look around. It's time to make a few enquiries here.

Turn to 375.

: I'm not sure if it's setting foot in a new exciting town or the tea I brewed from those pointy plants last night, but I feel peppy!

Page 375 posted:

You are treated with suspicion by everyone you approach. You soon learn that there have been attacks on prominent citizens and officials; a band of revolutionaries is active, and the Dragon Guards are using brute force in their attempts to bring the rebels to justice. Somehow you sense that you share some of the goals of the rebels, but it's hard to find out how to contact them. If you are to locate the rebels, you must put your trust in someone.

Test your Luck.

If you are Lucky, turn to 24.
If you are Unlucky, turn to 108.

Rolling...(1,3)

Page 24 posted:

You talk to an old barber who is plying his trade in the streets. He is friendly towards you and, when you guide the conversation round to the subject of the rebels, he makes it clear that he knows something about them. He agrees to arrange for you to meet them later that night, inside a deserted building full of machinery. He warns you that, if you go along, you have to consider yourself as one of them. Several hours later, you follow the barber's directions to the building, and soon find yourself in the middle of a gathering of desperate revolutionaries.

Turn to 290.

: The advice is much appreciated, but hands off the bun.

Page 290 posted:

There must be almost fifty people crammed into the strange building. Intricate machinery stands idle, waiting for the combination of knowledge and motive power that will set it going. The imposing figure of the rebel leader climbs on to a squat cylinder. Although quite old, she plainly has plenty of energy. Most of her speech makes little sense to you, with its references to 'Merezi's great vision' and 'government by council'; but there's no doubting the enthusiasm of the assembled group. You push your way towards the front as the leader introduces Suiyuan, a young man who urges the assembled crowd to arm for the struggle. Then everybody is chanting: 'Down with the tyrant!' The atmosphere is electric. You can feel the violence hanging in the air like a heat-haze before a storm.

If you leave the building before the storm breaks, turn to 49.
If you join in the chanting, turn to 162.

: Revenge! ...to the tyrant!

Character Sheet posted:

Mulan the Angsty Teen
15 Years Old

Skill: 11
Stamina: 19/19
Luck: 9
Ferocity: 16 (when age increases, lose 2 Ferocity)

Inventory:
Roasted-meat stick x1 (Restore up to 4 Stamina per use)
Sword
Commemorative Arena Beast eyeball keychain

Keywords: Arena

Deaths: a bad case of worms
Kills: Arena Beast, an unfortunate meat vendor stand

# ? Aug 12, 2017 01:11

Kangra: May 7, 2012

Death to the tyrant!

When do we get to kill Nick Saban anyway?

# ? Aug 12, 2017 01:21

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

Other non-plot errata to add.

Regarding that Giant Mudworm, we have confirmation of an error. Still a tough fight, but doable barring a garbage SKILL role to start the book.

The Web Archive posted:

This was an editing mistake by Marc Gascoigne (whom Mason later referred to as a "dingbat" and "a total idiot") who forgot that the player began the book as a child and altered the skill score of the Mudworm from 6 to 12.

Spoilers at the full letter.

In other news, there are a few other CYOAs up and running at the moment. Fighting Fantasy Howl of the Werewolf by achtungnight is chugging along at the moment if you're looking to get your creature of the night fix. And if you want a milder, goofier, much much longer experience, you can head over to Rebonack7's run through the entire Give Yourself Goosebumps series. Book 5 of 50 is running right now. Come for the nostalgia, stay for the half-boy, half-dog, half-basketball abominations.

Thanks for your votes, the book is finally lurching forward!

# ? Aug 12, 2017 02:09

CaptainCaveman: Apr 16, 2005; Always searching for North.

Leave.

# ? Aug 12, 2017 02:22

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

The book seems to be telling us to go down with whoever the legitimate government is, because they seem to be useless.

# ? Aug 12, 2017 02:45

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# ? Apr 25, 2024 23:03

achtungnight: Oct 5, 2014; I get my fun here. Enjoy!

Viva la revolucion!

And thx for the plug.

# ? Aug 12, 2017 08:59

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > Let's Play! > Revenge is a dish best served old(er): The Crimson Tide [CYOA]

«‹›6 »

THE CRIMSON TIDE posted:

INTRODUCTION posted:

Combat posted:

posted:

Other Stats and Such posted:

Restoring Skill, Stamina, Ferocity and Luck posted:

BACKGROUND posted:

Page 1 posted:

Character Sheet posted:

Page 288 posted:

Page 92 posted:

Character Sheet posted:

CaptainCaveman posted:

Page 325 posted:

Page 54 posted:

posted:

Page 274 posted:

Page 84 posted:

Page 264 posted:

Character Sheet posted:

Page 134 posted:

Character Sheet posted:

Page 270 posted:

Character Sheet posted:

Page 100 posted:

Page 261 posted:

Page 131 posted:

Character Sheet posted:

Sjs00 posted:

Page 82 posted:

Character Sheet posted:

Page 235 posted:

Page 375 posted:

Page 24 posted:

Page 290 posted:

Character Sheet posted:

The Web Archive posted: