Let's Play Lone Wolf

[CowsGoMoo 267]

Opening unknown creepy boxes, since Pandora!

OPEN IT!

[James Undercroft 129]

Open et!

[pi4t 6]

Sorry for the long wait, I've been without power more or less for a few days. A mouse ate through some wires.

218

The bone box contains a beautiful Diamond. Its many facets gleam and sparkle, even in the dim half-light of the ice hall. In Sommerlund, a jewel of this size and quality would be worth thousands of crowns. If you wish to keep the Diamond, slip it into your pocket and mark it on your Action Chart as a Special Item.

You can now examine the fortress door by turning to 52.

We get a diamond! We get a diamond!

52

As you climb the slippery stone ramp, the sound of cracking ice makes you spin round. The large mound of crystals at the base of the ramp is beginning to move. The crystals are alive! You stare in disbelief as the mound is transformed into a writhing mass of crystal coils. The coils unwind, and the ice creature slithers towards you.

If you wish to evade this creature and run towards the stone door, turn to 169.

If you wish to fight it, turn to 265.

Fight or flight?

[Lupus 14]

Hmm considering the homes and the big scary monster I'd probably what left them there I say we run.

[CowsGoMoo 267]

._.

Run.

Run like you've never ran before.

Actually, if you've never ran before, you run rather slowly...

Er... I mean...

Run like you're a... CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPION and... a TRACK VICTOR that's the QUARTER BACK for... BASKETBALL.

[chaotikal 2392]

Run...Run like if Cowsgopoo's fece-like husband was chasing you.

[James Undercroft 129]

^ What he said.

[Hiebe 2493]

******* fight !!!

[pi4t 6]

169

As you reach the massive door, you desperately cast your eyes over it in the hope of discovering a way to make it open. The door is completely smooth; it has no handle, lock, or keyhole. The creature will soon reach the top of the ramp, and you are about to cry out in desperation when you notice a block of granite set into the nearby wall. It has a small triangle cut into its surface.

If you possess a Blue Stone Triangle, turn to 41.

If you do not, turn to 265.

We...do...not. Uh oh.

265

This strange creature is a Crystal Frostwyrm, a scavenging beast now living on the remains of the unfortunate creatures that have entered the cavern. Its hard skin is almost transparent, and its internal organs can be seen pulsating inside. A large mouth opens in the crystalline head to reveal row upon row of jagged crystal teeth. Your back is pressed to the stone door and there is no way to evade the monster. You must fight the creature to the death. It is immune to Mindblast.

Crystal Frostwyrm: COMBAT SKILL 15 ENDURANCE 30

If you win the combat, turn to 3.

Well, that idea went well. Time to fight, I guess.

CR = 24 - 15 = 9

Our E total = 23/23

Crystal Frostwyrm's E total = 30/30

Why were we running, again?

Round 1

Random number = 3

We take 2 damage = 21/23

Crystal Frostwyrm takes 10 damage = 20/30

Round 2

Random number = 3

We take 2 damage = 19/23

Crystal Frostwyrm takes 10 damage = 10/30

Right, we should take it down this round.

Round 3

Random number = 2

We take 3 damage = 16/23

Crystal Frostwyrm takes 9 damage = 1/30

Really?

Round 4

Random number = 1(!)

We take 3 damage = 13/23

Crystal Frostwyrm takes 8 damage = DEAD!

Well, that was embarrassingly poor rolling on my part.

3

You watch with a mixture of fascination and revulsion as each segment of the creature shatters and then slowly dissolves into the ice. Soon, all that remains of the Crystal Frostwyrm are the undigested contents of its stomach. To your surprise, in the centre of this mess of fetid flesh and bone, you can see the shank of an Ornate Silver Key.

If you wish to take this Key, turn to 280.

If you would rather ignore it and look for a way to open the fortress door, turn to 344.

Ooh, loot. Do we take it?

H+1 14/23

[Hiebe 2493]

TAKE>>>>>>IT

[CowsGoMoo 267]

Take it. Take it like there's no tomorrow.

[chaotikal 2392]

Take it like it was the only thing in the entire world not covered by Cowsgopoo's feces.

[Lupus 14]

Take it. It's shiny

[pi4t 6]

280

The Key is coated with a corrosive digestive acid that burns through your mittens and attacks your fingers. Lose 1 ENDURANCE point. You drop the Key and plunge your hand into the snow to ease the pain. If you still wish to keep the key, you can wipe it in the snow before placing it in your pocket, but remember to mark it on your Action Chart as a Special Item. You must now search for a way of opening the fortress door.

Turn to 344.

Ah. We're actually out of special item slots. If we want to take the key, we'll need to drop one of our other special items. (See my sig for our inventory)

We also really need to stop putting our hands into creatures which we've just killed and which have dissolved. This happened with the Vordak, too...

We lose 1E = 13/23

H+1 14/23

344

The fortress door is completely smooth; it has no visible lock, hinge, or keyhole. However, turning your attention to the granite wall you notice that one of the massive blocks is different to all the others. A small triangle has been cut into its surface.

If you possess a Blue Stone Triangle, turn to 41.

If you do not, turn to 147.

Something tells me we should have looked for one at some point...

H+1 15/23

147

You search every square inch of the door and surrounding wall, but there appear to be no unusual features. You are examining the stone ramp when a loud roar freezes your blood. A Kalkoth has entered the ice hall. You turn to see the creature bounding towards you—its jaws are wide open, revealing its barbed tongue. You cannot evade the Kalkoth and you must fight it to the death.

Kalkoth: COMBAT SKILL 10 ENDURANCE 28

If you lose any ENDURANCE points during the course of the combat, turn immediately to 66.

If you win the combat without losing any ENDURANCE points, turn to 84.

Incidentally, 66 is an instant death. So the good news is, our poor rolling in the last combat shouldn't affect us at all. The bad news is that poor rolling in this combat will affect us. A lot.

CR = 26-10 = 16

Our E total = 15/23

Kalkoth's E total = 28/28

Round 1

Random number = 2

We take 2 damage = 13/23

Kalkoth takes 10 damage = 18/28

Oh dear.

66

The barb of a Kalkoth’s tongue holds a powerful venom, with which it paralyses its victims before devouring them. The venom takes only a few seconds to act. Stung by the barb, you quickly fade into unconsciousness. It is a sleep from which there will be no awakening.

Your life and your mission end here.

Ouch. That...went badly.

Death Count +1 = 3

-1 Max E = 12/22

Back we go...

H+1 13/22 Hey, there's no combat in this section, so the rules say we can...

Round 2

Random number = 9

We take 0 damage = 13/22

Kalkoth is killed instantly = DEAD!

Why couldn't that have happened in round one?

Annoyingly enough, that wasn't even a falling mast, as it was possible to avoid that fight if we'd found a blue stone triangle earlier.

84

You notice that the Kalkoth has a blue triangle of stone on a chain around its neck. Suddenly you realize the significance of this strange amulet. Grabbing the blue stone, you race back to the fortress door and press it into the wall recess. It is a perfect fit. (You may record this Special Item as a Blue Stone Triangle which you wear around your neck.)

You become aware of a faint tremor running through the ledge on which you are standing, followed by the grinding noise of stone upon stone. The door opens, but it has only opened three feet when there is a loud crack, and it starts to close. Without a second’s hesitation, you dive into the fortress and hear the massive door crash shut behind you.

Turn to 221.

Yeah, thanks. We can have a blue stone triangle to keep, but have to drop another special item

H+1 14/22

221

The corridor in which you now stand is far warmer than the icy cavern outside. For the first time in many days, you can lower the hood of your cloak and remove your mittens without risking frostbite.

You notice that the stone passage ascends to a landing where another passage branches off to the east. M’lare bowls hang at regular intervals along the arched ceiling, their unnatural light illuminating the carved walls.

As you approach the landing, you notice an archway leading into a small room beyond. A strange sight meets your eyes. Ragged furs, pottery shards, and the debris of hundreds of years seem to have been thrown into this chamber. A large lever protrudes from the wall beside the archway.

If you wish to enter the room and investigate the contents, turn to 38.

If you wish to pull the lever, turn to 163.

If you wish to explore eastwards along the passage, turn to 237.

So, we have three questions at the end of this. One, what is our choice here? Two, do we keep the key and/or the triangle, and if so which special items do we drop in exchange? (Note that that's special items, not backpack items). Three, why did we die again?

H+1 15/22

[CowsGoMoo 267]

1. Drop the "Red Pass" for the key, the hell do we even still have it for?

2. Pull the lever. Levers are fun to pull.

3. Because, it was all part of my EVIL SCHEMES. Bwahahahaha...hah...ha?