Choose Your Own Adventure: The Warlock of Firetop Mountain.

[awesome-o]

Dear adventurer,

before embarking on your adventure, you must first determine your own strengths and weaknesses. You have in your possesion a sword and a shield together with a rucksack containing provisions for the trip. You have been preparing for your quest by training yourself in swordplay and exercising to build up your stamina.

First we must determine your skill. The adventurer rolled five, we add six to this number and the total skill level of our hero is eleven.
Then we determine stamina. The adventurer rolled four, we add twelve to this number and the total stamina level of our hero is sixteen.
Finally we determine our hero's luck, he rolled a magnificent six, we add six to this number and our adventurer ends at twelve luck.

You will start your adventure with the bare minimum of equipment, but you may find other items during your travels. You are armed with a sword and are dressed in leather armour. You have a rucksack on your back to hold your provisions and any treasure you may come across. You also carry a lantern which lights your way.

In addition you may take one bottle of a magical potion which will aid you on your quest. Please choose a bottle of any of the following before continueing:

A potion of Skill: Restore your skill points
A potion of Strength: Restore your stamina points
A potion of Fortune: Restore your luck points and add one to your initial luck.

These potions may be used twice during the adventure. However you can only choose one, choose wisely.

PS: I'll be updating every lunch and every evening. With the expection of todays evening

Spoiler: Reveal

Player sheet:

Skill: 11 base skill, currently 10+2(from sword)
Stamina: 16 base stamina, currently 11
Luck: 12 base luck, currently 8

Gold: 53
Jewels: 0
Potions: Potion of Strength, two uses left.
Provisions remaining: 8

Items of equipment carried:

• A enchanted sword
• A lantern
• Leather armor
• Y-shaped stick
• Book
• Earings worth one gold piece
• A map of the maze of Zagor
• Key inscribed with the number 111

Editable map here

[The Sero.ps]

Only a foolhardy adventurer would embark upon such a perilous quest without first finding out as much as possible about the mountain and it's treasures.

Can I ask which version this is? ^^ Your own, the original, or the recent remake (which I've not seen, but does apparently have changes from the version I have)?
EDIT: It's possible my source on any changes was unreliable, I can't see anything about it with a quick google.

[almightybob.ps]

Agreed, friend Sero! The wise adventurer always seeks to sharpen his mind as well as his blade. Questioning and reasoning shall be my mental whetstone!

Can we find out what skill and stamina affect? My instinct would be to take the stamina potion, since I can envisage situations where stamina is drained (a long battle) but not so much one where your skill would be drained.

[awesome-o]

Only a foolhardy adventurer would embark upon such a perilous quest without first finding out as much as possible about the mountain and it's treasures.

There is one true way through the Warlock's dungeon and it will take you several attempts to find it. Make notes and draw a map as you explore - this map will be invaluable in future adventures and enable you to progress rapidly through to unexplored sections.

Not all rooms contain treasure; many merely contain traps and creatures which you will no doubt fall foul of. There are many wild goose chase passages and whilst you may indeed progress through the dungeon, you will not take the Warlock's treasure unless you have picked up certain specific items on the way.

Several keys will be found in dungeon rooms. Only by arriving at the Warlock's reasure with the correct keys to open his chest wil you get to his treasure. You can expect many frustratiosn in Firetop Mountain.

The one true way involves a minimum of risk and any player, no matter how weak on initial dice rolls, should be able to get through fairly easily.

May the luck of the gods go with you on the adventure ahead!

We own all the original ones, this is the first

[awesome-o]

Agreed, friend Sero! The wise adventurer always seeks to sharpen his mind as well as his blade. Questioning and reasoning shall be my mental whetstone!

Can we find out what skill and stamina affect? My instinct would be to take the stamina potion, since I can envisage situations where stamina is drained (a long battle) but not so much one where your skill would be drained.

Your skill score will not change much during your adventure. Occasionally, a page may give instructions to increase or decrease your skill score. A Magic Weapon may 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. Your skill score can never exceed its initial value unless specifically instructed. Driking the Potion of Skill will restore your skill to its initial level at any time.

Your stamine 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 be dangerously low and battles may be particularely risky, so be careful! Your havesack contains enough Provisiosn for ten meals. You may rest and eat only when allowed by the instructions, and you may eat only one meal at a time. Eating a meal restores four stamina points. Also remember that your stamina score may never exceed its initial value unless specifically instructed on a page. Drinking the potion of Strength will restore your stamina to its initial level at any time.

Additions to your luck score are awarded through the adventure when you have been particularely lucky. Details are given on the pages of the book. Remember that, as with skill and stamina, your luck score may never exceed its initial value unless specifically instructed on a page. Drinking the potion of Fortune will restore your luck to its initial level at any time, and increase your initial luck by one point.

Now adventures, please choose wisely.

[almightybob.ps]

Hmm. What say ye, brothers? I am greatly reassured by the words of our loremaster, and am now further convinced that the stamina potion would be the greatest boon to our quest.

[awesome-o]

PS: I'll be updating every lunch and every evening. With the expection of todays evening

[AngryPotato]

Anyone can join? Are we all like one adventurer taking decisions through general consensus? I don't know the rules

[awesome-o]

Anyone can join? Are we all like one adventurer taking decisions through general consensus? I don't know the rules

Anyone can decide, just play along. Either ask eachother before you decide or just go wild and answer spontanously.

[The Sero.ps]

Hmm. What say ye, brothers? I am greatly reassured by the words of our loremaster, and am now further convinced that the stamina potion would be the greatest boon to our quest.

This would be a safe and sensible option. Luck alone will not carry us through this adventure, and I doubt much out there can hinder our skill in battle!

Luck can be tested, either when the adventure asks for it, or during combat. In combat, it can increase the damage done, or reduce the damage received. Testing it means you roll 2d6 (two six sided dice >.>), and you need to roll under or equal to your current luck score. I.e. we cannot fail. HOWEVER, each time you test your luck, you do spend a point of it, so second time we tested it we had a slim chance to fail, etc. Also, if you test your luck and are unlucky, the effect is worse than it otherwise would be.
Assuming we use the luck JUST for reducing damage taken, and we drank a potion each time our luck dropped past 7 we should save an expected 15 points of damage, compared to the 20 points healed, assuming we heal when we get down to 6 stamina (which would be cautious use of the potions anyway).
Luck has more versatility, but we should not need it to increase damage dealt as our skill is quite high, so we can be confident of winning more than losing in combats, and our luck should hopefully be high enough for any random encounters we have during the adventure, without needing to restore it (famous last words).

[AngryPotato]

Aye, the stamina potion sounds reasonable as a magnificent mean to endure more than few combats!

[The Sero.ps]

For any adventurers wanting more information on the adventure, there is information in the scroll first inviting us along.

I've added photos of the book rules to the first post.

[awesome-o]

The adventurers have chosen for the gift of Strength. A potion of Strength is added to the inventory.

Only a foolhardy adventurer would embark upon such a perilous quest without first finding out as much as possible about the mountain and its treasures. Before your arrival at the foot of Firetop Mountain, you spent several days with the townsfolk of a local village some two days journey from the base. Being a likeable sort of person, you found it easy to get on with the local peasants. Although they told many stories about the mysterious Warlock's sanctuary, you could not feel sure that all - or indeed any - of these were based on fact. The villagers had seen many adventurers pass through on their way to the mountain, but very few ever returned. The journey ahead was extremely dangerous, that you knew for certain. Of those who returned to the village, none contemplated going back to Firetop Mountain.

There seemed to be some truth in the rumour that the Warlock's treasure was stored in a magnificent chest with two locks, and the keys to these locks were guarded by various creatures within the dungeons. The warlock himself was a sorcerer of great power. Some described him as old, others as young. Some said his power came from an enchanted deck of cards, other from the silky black gloves that he wore.

The entrance to the mountain was guarded by a pack of warty-faced Goblins, stupid creatures, fond of their food and drink. Towards the inner chambers, the creatures became more fearsome. To reach the inner chambers you woul have to cross a river. The ferry service was regular, but the ferryman enjoyed a good barter, so you should save a Gold Piece for the trip. The locals also encouraged you to keep a good map of your wanderings, for without a map you would end up hopelessly lost within the mountain.

When it finally came to your day of leaving, the whole village turned out to wish you a safe journey. Tears came to the eyes of many of the women, young and old alike. You couldn't help wondering whether they were tears of sorrow shed by eyes which would never see you alive again...



At last your two-day hike is over. You unsheathe your sword, lay it on the ground and sigh with relief as you lower yourself down on the mossy rocks to sit for a moment's rest. You stretch, rub your eyes and finally look up at Firetop Mountain.

The very mountain itself looks menacing. The steep face in front of you looks to have been savaged by the claws of some gargantuan beast. Sharp rocky crags just out at unnatural angles. At the top of the mountain you can see the eerie red colouring - probably some strange vegetation - which was given the mountain its name. Perhaps no one will ever know exactly what grows up there, as climbing the peak must surely be impossible.

Your quest lies ahead of you. Across the clearing is a dark cave entrance. You pick up your sword, get to your feet and consider what danger may lie ahead of you. But with determination, you thrust the sword home into its scabbard and approach the cave.

You peer into the gloom to see dark, slimy walls with pools of water on the stone flloor in front of you. The air is cold and dank. You light your lantern and step warily into the blackness. Cobwebs brush your face and you hear the scurrying of tiny feet: rats, most likely. You set off into the cave. After a few yards you arrive at a junction. Will you turn WEST or EAST.

[MacNetron.ps]

-------
  .?.
 -|S|-

Legenda:
S: Start
?: The choice now

So soon at the lengthy road of the quest, there is no hesistance yet and WEST it will be (after carefully writing down the route of course )

(Where are the Goblins? Watch out)

[The Sero.ps]

Sounds good to me.

[AngryPotato]

WEST it is!

[awesome-o]

There is a right-hand turn to the north in the passage. Cautiously you approach a sentry post on the corner and, as you look in, you look in, you can see a strange Goblin-like creature in leather armour asleep at his post. You try to tiptoe past him. Test your luck. You automatically pass the luck test as you have 12 initial luck. You can't lose a luck test then. The goblin does not wake up and remains snoring loudly.

To your left, on the west face of the passage, there is a rough-cut wooden door. You listen at the door and can hear a rasping sound which may be some sort of creature snoring. Do you want to OPEN THE DOOR or PRESS ON NORTHWARDS.


Page 301. (This is for me to keep track at which point in the book we currently are)

[The Sero.ps]

I think we should go for it.... through the door.

[Rev]

One must adventure to be an adventurer

I say door! what say you co-voices?

[AngryPotato]

The voice coming from behind the Door sounds dangerous, but even if it's an evil creature, we should meet it, as it may bear one of the keys we need. I think we should open the door cautiously.
It's a danger to leave another threat on our back though, can't we kill the goblin easily when it's asleep?