Wrote by BY ANDREW WRIGHT
His special thanks in completion of this book
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Big thanks to the Oiseau/Martin Charbonneau for his Advelh software - use it to write YOUR next interactive gamebook adventure! Big thanks to Edward T. Jolley for rehashing the Background section into something based more on solid fact than hazy recollection. In addition, Ed's adventure The Great Blacksand Robbery has proved a fantastic source of inspiration for this adventure. |
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INTRODUCTION You are about to take the lead role in an adventure that will make you quite a legend, and in more ways than one. Before you take part in this quest, you must first determine your own strengths and weaknesses. You use dice to work out your initial scores. On page 11 is an Adventure Sheet, which you may use to record details of your adventure. On it, you will find boxes for recording your SKILL, STAMINA and LUCK scores, as well as other details. You are advised either to record your scores on the Adventure Sheet in pencil or to make photocopies of the sheet for use in future adventures. Take note that you begin this adventure as Halron Allierte, permanently half-drunk barman of the Black Lobster Tavern, in the north-western Allansian city of Port Blacksand, and your SKILL and STAMINA score are generated a little differently to other Fighting Fantasy gamebooks! Skill, Stamina and Luck Roll one die. If you rolled a 1 or 2, your Initial SKILL score is 7. If you roll a 3 or 4, your Initial SKILL score is 8. If you roll a 5 or 6, your Initial SKILL score is 9. Enter your Initial SKILL score in the SKILL box on the Adventure Sheet. Roll one die. (Yes, that's right! Roll one die - this is not an error.) Add 6 to the number rolled and enter this total in the STAMINA box. This is your Initial STAMINA score. Roll one die. Add 6 to the number and enter this total in the LUCK box. This is your Initial LUCK score. For reasons that will be explained below, all your scores will change constantly during the adventure. You must keep an accurate record of these scores, and for this reason, you are advised to write small in the boxes or to keep an eraser handy. However, never rub out your Initial scores, except on those very rare occasions when the text specifically tells you so. Although you may be rewarded with additional SKILL, STAMINA and LUCK points, these totals may never exceed your Initial scores, except on very rare occasions, when you will instructed specifically to do so on a particular page. Your SKILL reflects your general expertise in fighting and combat; the higher the better. Your STAMINA score reflects your general constitution, your overall will to survive, your determination and overall fitness; the higher your STAMINA score, the longer you will be able to survive. Your LUCK score indicates how naturally lucky a person you are. Luck - and magic - are facts of life in the fantasy world you are about to explore. Battles During your adventure, you will often come across pages in the book, which instruct you to fight a creature or opponent 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 the opponent's SKILL and STAMINA scores in the first empty Encounter box on your Adventure Sheet. The scores for each opponent or creature are given in the book each time you have an encounter. You should also make a note of any special abilities or instructions, which are unique to that particular opponent. The sequence of combat is then: 1. Roll two dice for your opponent. Add its SKILL score. This total is the opponent's Attack Strength. 2. Roll two 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 your opponent's is, you have wounded it. Proceed to step 4. If your opponent's Attack Strength is higher than yours is, 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 steps 1 above. 4. You have wounded your opponent; so subtract 2 points from its STAMINA score. You may use LUCK here to do additional damage (see below). Proceed to step 6. 5. Your opponent has wounded you; so subtract 2 points from your STAMINA score. You may use LUCK to reduce the loss of STAMINA (see below). Proceed to step 6. 6. Make the appropriate adjustments to either your opponents or your own STAMINA scores (and your LUCK score if you used LUCK - see below). 7. Begin the next Attack Round, starting again at step 1 with your current SKILL score. This sequence continues until the STAMINA score of either you or your opponent reaches zero (death). If your opponent dies, you are free to continue with your adventure. If you die, your adventure ends and you must start all over again by creating a new character. Escaping On some pages you may be given the option of running away from a battle should things be going badly for you. However, if you do run away, your opponent automatically gets in one wound on you (subtract 2 STAMINA points) as you flee. Such is the price of cowardice! Note that you may use LUCK on this wound in the normal way (see below). You may only Escape if that option is specifically given to you on the page. Luck At various times during your adventure, either in battles or when you come across other situations in which you could either be Lucky or Unlucky (details of these are given in the relevant pages themselves), you may use LUCK to make the outcome more favourable to you. However, beware! Using LUCK is a risky business and, if you are Unlucky, the results could be disastrous. The procedure for Testing your Luck is as follows: roll two dice. If the number rolled is less than or equal to your current LUCK score, you have been Lucky and the outcome will be in your favour. If the number rolled is higher than your current LUCK score, you have been Unlucky and will be penalised. This procedure is known as Testing your Luck. Each time you Test your Luck, you must subtract 1 point from your current LUCK score. Thus, you will soon realise that, the more you rely on your LUCK, the more risky this procedure will become. |
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Using Luck in Battles On certain pages of the book, you will be told to Test your Luck, and will be told the consequences of your being Lucky or Unlucky. However, in battles you always have the option of using your LUCK either to inflict more serious damage on an opponent you have just wounded or to minimise the effects of a wound you have just received. If you have just wounded an opponent, you may Test your Luck as described above. If you are Lucky, you have inflicted a severe wound; deduct an extra 2 points from your opponent's STAMINA score. However, if you are Unlucky, however, your blow only scratches your opponent, and you deduct only 1 point from your opponent's STAMINA (instead of scoring the normal 2 points of damage, you now only score 1). Whenever you yourself are wounded in combat, you may Test your Luck to try to minimise the wound. If you are Lucky, your opponent's blow only grazes you; deduct only 1 point from your STAMINA. If you are Unlucky, your wound is a serious one and you must deduct 1 extra STAMINA point (I.e., a total of 3 points from your own STAMINA). Remember: you must subtract 1 point from your LUCK score each time you Test your Luck. More about your Attributes Skill Your SKILL score will not change much during the course of your adventure. Occasionally a paragraph may give you instructions to increase or decrease your SKILL score, but it may not exceed its Initial value unless you are specifically instructed to the contrary. At various times during your adventure, you will be told to Test your Skill. The procedure for this is the same as that for Testing your Luck: roll two dice. If the number rolled is less than or equal to your current SKILL score, you have succeeded in your test and the result will go in your favour. If the number rolled is higher than your current SKILL score, you have failed the test and will have to suffer the consequences. However, unlike Testing your Luck, do not subtract 1 point from your SKILL each time you Test your Skill. Your SKILL score can never exceed its Initial value unless specifically instructed on a page. Stamina Your STAMINA score will change a lot during your adventure. It will drop because of wounds received through combat, or by falling foul of traps and pitfalls; and it will drop after you perform any particularly arduous task. If your STAMINA score ever falls to zero or below, you have been killed and should stop reading the book immediately. Brave adventurers who wish to pursue their quest must roll up a new character and start all over again. You can restore lost STAMINA by eating meals and sleeping. More details about eating and sleeping are given below. Luck Additions to your LUCK score may be awarded in the adventure when you have been particularly lucky or created your own luck by some other action. Details are given, where appropriate, in the paragraphs 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. Eating and Sleeping You can eat a meal at any stage of the adventure, except during combat. Each time you eat a meal, cross the meal off your Adventure Sheet and restore 3 STAMINA points to your STAMINA total, though you cannot of course exceed your Initial STAMINA score. You may also get the opportunity to sleep at some stage in the adventure. This also restores lost STAMINA and you will be instructed by the text as to how much you should restore at the time. Equipment Although you start with a bare minimum of equipment, you may find or buy various objects during the course of your adventure. As you can see from the Adventure Sheet on page 11, there are two large boxes labelled "Equipment" and "Strongbox". Anything valuable, such as Gold Pieces, gems, and jewellery, are recorded in the Strongbox section of your Adventure Sheet. This represents the funds available to you as boss of the Black Lobster. All other items, whether they be mundane or magical, are recorded in the Equipment section of your Adventure Sheet. You start the adventure with the following: "¢ A sword (note this in the Equipment section). "¢ 2-7 Gold Pieces (roll one die and add one to the result - note this number of Gold Pieces in the Strongbox section). "¢ 2 meals (note these in the Equipment section). Your Strongbox and the Passing of Time This adventure is split into five chapters concerning different times of a typical day at the Black Lobster Tavern. At the start of each of these chapters, except the first, you will be told to roll a die or two dice (or possibly more) and add the result to the number of Gold Pieces in the Strongbox section of your Adventure Sheet. This crudely represents money spent by visiting customers and patrons of the Black Lobster. At certain times you may wish to bribe somebody or purchase something. This is dependent on the amount of funds available to you. This is known as your Strongbox total, and is equal to the total number of Gold Pieces recorded in the Strongbox section of your Adventure Sheet plus the value in Gold Pieces of any items recorded there. For example - if your Strongbox contains 8 Gold Pieces and a red jewel (worth 10 Gold Pieces), you have funds of 18 Gold Pieces (10 + 8) available to you. Hints on Play This adventure is dangerous. You might well fail on your first attempt. Make notes as you explore - this will prove invaluable when making further forays in this adventure, and it will enable you to progress more rapidly to new sections. Remember: when you are travelling through any environment, it is a good idea to make a note of where such encounters lie in the adventure, including useful objects and information to aid you on your dangerous quest. Be wary about Testing your Luck, unless a paragraph instructs you to do this! When it comes to fights, you should Test your Luck only to keep yourself alive if an opponent's blow would otherwise kill you. However, be warned! If you decide to use LUCK in this way, be certain your adversary is worth it - LUCK points are precious! You start this mission with very few possessions, but will be given opportunities to collect food, weapons, and items. However, choose your equipment carefully - although many are precious or magical, others are red herrings and of no real value at all. You will soon realise that paragraphs make no sense if read in numerical order. It is essential that you read only the paragraphs you are instructed to go to. Reading other sections lessens the excitement and surprise during play. The only true way to succeed in this adventure involves minimal risk; even if your character scores are low, you should be able to find magical artefacts and weapons that may increase your chances of victory in battle. |
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BACKGROUND "Beware Blacksand "¦ an open sore on a dying leper! Even those who dwell there call it 'the City of Thieves", for it attracts every pirate, brigand, assassin, thief and evil-doer for hundreds of leagues around. Danger lurks in every corner of every street, as the strong prey on the weak, and the weak prey on one another." "A typical inn: 'the Black Lobster" in Port Blacksand. The "Black Lobster" is a renowned dockland inn, much frequented by pirate crews and their captains. It is owned by "Laughing" Guidon Allierte, who also owns two taverns in Rimon, and three in Halak, further down the coast. As a result, 'the Black Lobster" is left to itself most of the time, run by a succession of barmen under the watchful eye of Allierte's nephew, Halron, who is more concerned with drinking the profits then making them! The Allierte family have owned taverns in Allansia for many years, and they have built up strong ties with several pirate captains, who always bring their custom to Allierte's joints when in port. "The Black Lobster" is a typical city tavern, with a single average-sized bar and a number of small booths. Its rooms are filthy and bug-ridden, but at least they are not shared with other guests, and they are not overpriced at 1 Gold Piece a night. The bar serves a number of local ales and spirits, as well as seamen's grog made from cane sugar all the way from Arantis. Its clientele is invariably half pirate and half adventurer (often looking for passage on a pirate ship)." Mh"ark Ghazcoin, Titan: The Wide and Dangerous World, 284 AC, the Year of the Fox, Salamonis: Scrolls from the Halls of Learning. YOU are Halron Allierte, nephew of "Laughing" Guidon Allierte, and overseer of The Black Lobster. In all honesty, you"ve probably been running the tavern for far longer than you"d care to admit, however, there are certainly worse jobs available in Port Blacksand. The perks of the job are not too bad either, and as long as you are not too greedy or noticeable in skimming the profits to fund your continual drunkenness, then you are also safe from the legendary ire of your uncle Guidon. Besides, the tavern has a violent reputation, and few barmen work here long enough to discover your frequent trawls through the Strongbox in search of drinking funds. Those barmen that do find out generally keep well quiet about it, lest they wind up on the wrong end of a sword during one of The Black Lobster's nightly tavern brawls. The very smartest barmen leave town immediately"¦ One night however, things took a sudden lurch into troubled waters. The great Allansian hero Chadda Darkmane had been entrusted with a quest by the wizard Yaztromo. This was to stop the evil sorcerer known as Malbordus the Storm Child, before the latter acquired five mysterious dragon artefacts from the ruins of the Lost City of Vatos, deep within the windswept sands of the Desert of Skulls. All very impressive, but of what relevance to a simple dockside tavern in Port Blacksand? The problem lay with Chadda Darkmane, who, en route to Vatos, passed through Port Blacksand and the Black Lobster. Darkmane was looking for passage on a ship heading south, and bribed you to introduce him to Gargo, first mate on the pirate vessel known as the Belladonna. After Gargo left to notify the Belladonna's captain, one of the Black Lobster's frequent brawls started up, during which Chadda Darkmane slew a gunner from the very same ship - the Belladonna. You reported the death to the first mate Gargo, but neglected to identify the killer - after all, you had just taken his gold. How were you to know that Chadda Darkmane would then betray the Belladonna to a Dwarven man-o-war whilst sailing along the Skull Coast? Regardless, the Belladonna and her captain were of some standing in the complex hierarchy of the southern pirates. Your act of carelessness in not identifying Chadda Darkmane as the killer, making it easier for him to infiltrate and betray the ship, was considered highly treasonous by the leadership of the Pirate Coast. Pressure was brought to bear on your uncle Guidon to send somebody north to Port Blacksand to keep an eye on you, in the event of any further traitorous behaviour on your part. That somebody was Thord Death-Dealer - barman, bouncer, freelance thug, and paid-up member of the Brotherhood of the Knife, known to all as the Guild of Assassins. Should you mess it up again, he will thus be your executioner"¦ Thord Death-Dealer was originally a northerner from the Dragon Reaches - a lithe, compact, scar-faced warrior - who had been working for your uncle for years, in various capacities, and he scares you worse than any Demon. Since he started working at The Black Lobster, the roles have been reversed with him the overseer and you the barman. Although you still have some degree of control over the contents of the Strongbox, you dare not complain about the new division of labour, in case Thord should report your drunken over-spending to Guidon. Further complicating events has been the arrival of the new Cook, a member of the weird race known only as FLAYERS - bizarre humanoids with a jellyfish-like head (from which dangle numerous claw-tipped tentacles), no arms, and a sullen and occasionally hostile personality. You suspect Thord hired him, after the old cook mysteriously disappeared, but Thord claims innocence in the matter. There is no denying the new Cook is capable, it's just that you find his appearance rather disturbing"¦ Lastly, The Black Lobster Tavern employs three serving wenches named Raetha, Laksi, and Oon-Mai. Since Thord's arrival however, they have further scaled back their working hours, and sometimes whole days can pass without any of them making an appearance. This is the current unhappy state of play at The Black Lobster Tavern. Dare YOU step into Halron's shoes? |
Source 2
This floorplan of the Black Lobster Tavern is copyright © Steve Luxton, 1986, and comes from the book Titan which is copyright © Marc Gascoigne, Steve Jackson, and Ian Livingstone, 1986.
Source 5
Source 7
All maps and text on this page are taken from the book Blacksand!, and copyright © Marc Gascoigne & Pete Tamlyn, (text), Steve Luxton (maps), and Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone (concept), 1990.
So now we know where we are we need a character sheet so here it is.
Skill = 9
Stamina = 12
Luck = 10
We have a sword , 2 meals and 6 gold.
So we start .... Good Luck!
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CHAPTER ONE - BREAKFAST AT ALLIERTÉ"S Another day, another Dragon, as they say in Port Blacksand, where your lifeblood is measured in gold coins bearing Lord Azzur's coat-of-arms on one side, and a fire-breathing monster on the other. Woken well after sunrise, by the cries of time-challenged roosters from nearby Lobster Alley, you struggle from your filthy pallet, unsuccessfully attempt to wash away yet another hangover with the urn of cold water in your room, and shrug on a set of stained clothes. Shambling downstairs, you immediately face a scene of utter devastation: the bar! It's a complete mess, and since neither Thord nor the wenches have yet to show up, cleaning duty falls on your tired shoulders. You know the Cook is here though - the stench of him preparing breakfast is already creeping under the kitchen door and infiltrating your nostrils. However, the thought of roping in some tentacled monstrosity to help wipe away the excesses of last night does not agree with you, so you grab a stray mop and begin to clean up. A while later, the front door has been opened, a few early punters have popped in for "a quick one", and the Cook has stuck his jelly-like face around the kitchen door to hand you a plate of greasy eggs and a stale loaf of bread. You wash this wholesome repast down with the carefully collected dregs of last night's ale. Life does not get much better than this! Afterwards, there's not a lot to do - the wenches and Thord are still absent - so you concentrate on the customers. Several look worthy of hassling for a round of ale or more. At the bar are two adventurers - a bearded man in scraps of plate armour, and a braided-haired woman in a scruffy leather jerkin - whose air of forced bravery easily gives their profession away. Sitting at a table is a rat-nosed individual that you possibly think could be a pirate, judging by the rusty cutlass shoved through a scarlet sash at his waist. Finally, lurking drunkenly in one of the booths is a mysterious figure clad in a hooded vermilion robe, edged with golden trim. You suspect it may be a wizard... Who will you bother? The adventurers turn to 27 The pirate turn to 56 The wizard turn to 42 |
Sounds good to me also Klar. So one we go and others can join in as they find us again.
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27 You sidle up to the two adventurers at the bar, and grab a stool to steady yourself. The bearded man looks fairly typical, but you note with some surprise that the woman looks considerably younger than yourself, or her drinking partner. "Another round?" you inquire, noting with distaste that they"re both drinking small ales. "Not yet," says the woman, who then introduces herself. "I"m Raitharve, and this is the legendary Melric Moonblade." "Halron," you reply, trying to suppress a chuckle. "Owner of this humble establishment. Moonblade, eh? Therein lies a tale..." Melric sullenly responds: "It's me sword it is. Glows blue when I"m fighting." "Here, maybe you can help us!" says Raitharve. "Do you know where we can find Nicodemus the Wizard?" Before you can respond, a drunken trio of dock-workers nearby chorus: "Under the bridge!" and then break into a dirge-like tribute to Port Blacksand made famous by some angst-ridden minstrel a few too many years back. Both adventurers look mystified - they are obviously not from around here. You interrupt the raucous noise: "You can find Nicodemus the Wizard under the Singing Bridge, in the middle of Blacksand." At this, you hold out your hand, expecting a tip of some sort, but the adventurers are clearly straight off the barge, and both instead shake your hand, before making ready to leave. "Is he friendly?" asks Melric Moonblade, draining his ale. Still aghast at not receiving gold for information supplied, you reply: "Sure, he's friendly. Bang on his door real loud - he's a bit deaf, see - and call him a grumpy old bugger! He's got a great sense of humour, and he"ll help you out sure enough." Thanking you profusely, the adventurers leave the tavern, seemingly not noticing the knowing snickers from some of the other customers that overheard the conversation. If the adventurers are the second set of customers you have talked to this morning (I.e. you have already talked to either the pirate or the wizard prior to talking to the adventurers), turn immediately to 12. If the adventurers are the first set of customers you have talked to this morning, you can now choose who you want to talk to next - the pirate or the wizard. Talk to the pirate turn to 56 Talk to the wizard turn to 42 |
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42 You slide into the dingy booth where sits the mysterious cowled figure. Sensing your presence, it pulls back the hood of its robe, displaying a face of horror that leaves you speechless! Although it would appear at first glance to be an old, tired and drunken man, what was once a beard is now a slithering tangled knot of hideous, green-skinned SERPENTS - a sort of inverted MEDUSA! Several of the serpents hiss angrily at you, displaying needle-like fangs and tiny, forked tongues, but the majority seem to be as drunk as the old man to whom they are attached. The man merely nods blearily at you and speaks: "Morning Halron, how goesh it?" Sheepishly you realise that the old man is actually Stirk Cuckling, Vice-Master of the Sorcerers" Guild, whose beard was transformed into a nest of snakes by the mad alchemist Dietrich Zuvember. Despite being an accomplished wizard, Stirk has yet to be able to reverse the process, and has sunken deep into a drunken depression as a result. "Not bad, Stirk," you say, sitting down. "Yourself?" "Not good," replies Stirk. "I"m right out of fundsh and I can't pay for thish lot." He indicates a considerable number of empty ale pots that cover the surface of the booth's table. "I can however casht, sorry, cast, a powerful cantrap that will increase your Strongbox income on this aushpish, auspish...erm...lucky day!" says Stirk, brightening hopefully. "A sort of enhanced Enhance spell, if you like!" You sigh deeply - clearly you have no choice. To see if the drunken wizard Stirk is capable of pronouncing the correct arcane syllables and successfully casting the Enhance spell, Test your Luck. If you are Lucky turn to 39 If you are Unlucky turn to 7 |
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39 Stirk casts the Enhance spell, mumbling in a low monotone, accompanied by seemingly random finger gestures. Suddenly, there is a sound like the chime of bells and the interior of the Black Lobster takes on a faint golden hue. As one, the rest of the customers peer suspiciously at their drinks. The spell has worked! From now on, whenever you are instructed to roll a die or two dice, and add the result to your Strongbox, you may roll one extra die as well. So, if the text told you to roll two dice, you would actually roll three, total the result and add it to your Strongbox. Note this bonus on your Adventure Sheet: "Roll one more die than instructed when adding income to the Strongbox total". In any case, Stirk shambles drunkenly out the door of the Black Lobster, but not after accepting your effusive thanks. If Stirk Cuckling is the second customer you have talked to this morning (I.e. you have already talked to the adventurers prior to talking to Stirk), turn immediately to 12. If Stirk Cuckling is the first customer you have talked to this morning, then you can now talk to the adventurers, as the pirate has already left the Black Lobster. Turn to 27. *Nice!* 12 CHAPTER TWO - THE [NECROTIC] LUNCH (LIVE, AT THE BLACK LOBSTER) Roll one die. This represents the number of Gold Pieces spent by customers at the Black Lobster this morning. Add this number to the number of Gold Pieces already written in the Strongbox section of your Adventure Sheet. By noon, things are approaching an evenish keel, and there's yet to be any repercussions from this morning's weirdness. The place is nearly full with a lunch-time crowd, and there are more than a few lone drinkers to talk to, or cadge drinks from. Your nemesis Thord Death-Dealer has yet to appear, but Raetha, one of the Lobster's serving wenches, has grabbed a booth, and, when not serving, rests behind a filthy curtain swilling grog. In addition, the Cook has abandoned the kitchen for a break and now lurks at the far end of the bar, one tentacle firmly entwined around a big mug of ale. You"d like to order him back into the kitchen to work, but the last time you did that, it took weeks to recover from the welts caused by his venomous claws. At the other end of the bar sits Vhelrekh, a City Guardsman resplendent in polished black leather armour, and enjoying a small measure of Holdgut's Special Blue ale before returning to duty. Nearby, a crusty pirate you vaguely recognise, is sitting at a table teaching his pet monkey how to drink beer. At another table, staring moodily into space, is Vartan, a muscular swordsman with a grudge. Lastly, and strangely, one booth holds a fat merchant in purple robes with ermine trim, enjoying an expensive bottle of one of your finest spirits. The only reason none of the regular scoundrels are disturbing him, is that his two hefty Southerner Strongarms, stationed immediately outside the booth, look entirely too menacing to disturb. However, you run this place, by Fourga! If anyone can make an exception and talk to the merchant, it has to be you, right? To whom will you approach? Raetha the serving wench turn to 23 The Cook turn to 37 Vhelrekh, the City Guardsman turn to 51 Vartan the Swordsman turn to 44 The pirate with the monkey turn to 8 The purple-clad merchant turn to 19 |