Talisman of Death: Final Thoughts

Talisman of Death is a book that never quite fit. The Fighting Fantasy series covered a fair number of genres in its day, from sci-fi to horror to post-apocalypse to super-heroes, but medieval fantasy was always its bread and butter. Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone set the tone for FF's take on that genre, and established the setting of Allansia as a place where those adventures could take place. Sure, Scorpion Swamp wasn't explicitly set there, but it felt like it could have been. Talisman of Death is another story altogether.

Written by Mark Smith and Jamie Thomson, Talisman of Death takes place on the world of Orb, and has a distinctly different vibe than the FF books that came before it. Everything is a little weirder, and a little more tinged with horror. There are dark forces pursuing you at every turn, and a feeling of menace hangs over you as you try to escape with the talisman. Religious cults are everywhere, and everyone you meet has their own agenda. It feels like a cohesive, lived-in world, in a way that Allansia never did. With such a distinct setting and flavour, Talisman of Death never felt like it belonged in the series.

I should mention at this point that the world of Orb also featured in the Way of the Tiger series, and that characters like the rogue Tyutchev have appeared in other works by Smith and Thomson. I can't find anything now, but I'm sure I've read somewhere that this book draws heavily on the pair's home Dungeons & Dragons campaign. If that's true, it shows. A bunch of the monsters are direct from D&D, and many of the abilities used by characters (such as Hawkana's obvious flame strike spell) work much the same as they would have in the tabletop game. This possibly explains why Orb feels like such a rich, detailed place: it was constantly developed over the course of years and countless games of D&D. It's not surprise that Smith and Thomson would draw from that material when tasked with writing a book for the series.

A rich setting is worthless in a game when you have nothing to do, though. Talisman of Death doesn't fall into that trap. There is a lot of content in this adventure, from the Rift, the journey to Greyguilds, and the myriad streets of Greyguilds itself. This is where the book really comes alive, and although it becomes quite linear there are numerous interesting paths that weave through that plotline. It perhaps falls down at the end, with a dinosaur-filled plateau that seemingly comes out of nowhere and an unexplained dungeon that just happens to have the one weapon you need to defeat the big bad, but overall it's a satisfying blend of gameplay and story, with a setting more complex than FF had ever seen before.

I've been saying nothing but positive things here, but for all that this is obviously a rather good gamebook, it's never been one of my favourites. Part of that has to do with it not being a part of Allansia or Titan, and the out-of-place feeling the book has because of that. I'm sure that the distinct and weird tone also contributes to my apathy, as when I was younger I was looking for baseline D&D in my fantasy for the most part. Perhaps it's just that the book is a little too easy. More likely it's a combination of all of these things. Regardless, it's a good gamebook but a good gamebook that never really captured my imagination or lived in my memory.

COOL STUFF I MISSED

I covered most of the major encounters in this book, although there were a lot of shops I missed in Greyguilds, and an escape from the city through its graveyard. Probably the most important thing I missed is on the southern path away from Greyguilds, where Hawkana's spirit returns and tries to drag you into the Valley of Death.

MISTAKES AND RED HERRINGS

There are no obvious mistakes in the book, although I there is one paragraph where a monk might steal Hawkana's Ring from you when you don't have it. There's nothing mechanically broken about this adventure, though.

As for red herrings, there aren't any. Every single inventory item you can obtain serves some sort of purpose, even if it's just a stat boost.

BEST DEATH

Before I make a choice here, the question should be asked: what constitutes an "instant death" in this book? Most of the deaths allow you to be resurrected and continue your adventure, and only a handful are truly the end. Even so, I'm counting all of them, even the ones that you can come back from. A death is a death, whether or not the Gods reverse it.

That said, there are 35 instant death paragraphs in Talisman of Death, so I had a lot to choose from. It could have been the one where a dragon bites your head off and throws your body down the mountainside, or the one where a harpoon trap spills your entrails into the sewer, or even the one where Tyutchev, Cassandra and Thaum kill you all at once. In the end, I went with this one:

For once, mythic power wins out over comedic gore.

S.T.A.M.I.N.A. RATING

Story & Setting: The story is a basic one: you need to dispose of a powerful evil artifact, while evil forces are chasing you down. Laid out like that, it obviously owes a lot to Lord of the Rings. It even has wraiths! The setting is where it comes alive, though, especially the city of Greyguilds with its warring religious sects, factions and cults. Every reference and every encounter feels like there's more to be told, and that's a definite improvement on the Jackson/Livingstone model where you get attacked by monsters that often feel like little more than numbers on a page. Rating: 6 out of 7.

Toughness: This book isn't all that difficult, despite a couple of unavoidable encounters with Skill 12 enemies. A large part of this comes down to the option of having your character raised from the dead; I finished this book in 3 attempts, but it really should have been 5. The path to victory is very wide, as you can go almost anywhere and still hope to succeed. The fights with Hawkana and the dragon can be tough, but there are ways to make both fights easier (and a number of Skill boosts if you allow magic items to take you over your initial score). Rating: 3 out of 7.

Aesthetics: The writing is atmospheric, and it's rare that a paragraph feels too perfunctory. Adding to the doom-laden vibe is the art of Bob Harvey, who really excels when asked to draw horrific undead and creepy monsters. He perhaps falls down a little with the dinosaurs and the dragon, and his big-nosed dark elves are very weird for a veteran of the Drizzt era of D&D, but when Harvey is on point he is really on point. I never think of him when I'm naming the best FF artists, but he deserves at the very least to be in the conversation. Add to that one of the very best covers in the series, and it's a great-looking package. Rating: 6 out of 7.

Mechanics: This book uses the standard FF rules, and uses them well. The only new thing it does is allowing the hero to be resurrected, by rolling back time to an earlier point in the story. It can save some time to roll up a new character, I guess, and it's especially nice once you've escaped from Greyguilds to not have to go back to the start, but mechanically speaking it's executed fairly basically. Rating: 4 out of 7.

Innovation & Influence: It's not that innovative, with the aforementioned resurrection being the main thing it adds outside of standard FF. It should be recognised for being the first appearance in print of Orb, however, as that setting goes on to feature in one of the most successful gamebook series of the 1980s. Rating: 3 out of 7.

NPCs & Monsters: The monster variety here is good, especially when the book veers away from D&D tropes and does its own thing. It's especially good at making these encounters feel like they matter, that they are part of a wider story and world. Where the book especially excels, though, is with the characters that appear. Hawkana, Tyutchev, and the many others that pop up throughout the adventure are well-realised and fleshed out. There's no-one here as iconic as a Balthus Dire or a Zanbar Bone, but to be honest the characters that appear here have more depth than those classics, or at least they seem to. Rating: 5 out of 7.

Amusement: Despite the many good things I have to say about this book, it just doesn't grab me. I like it well enough, but it doesn't present the kind of challenge that I like in an FF gamebook. It's very forgiving with the paths you choose, whereas I prefer to have to search for a specific path to victory. You don't have to amass an unlikely inventory that is vital to your success, or learn any passwords, or really do anything. You just keep moving towards your goal, and as long as you don't do anything too stupid you'll probably make it through. It's a good gamebook, like I said, but it doesn't scratch my particular itches. Rating: 3 out of 7.

No bonus point for Talisman of Death. The above scores total 30, which doubled gives a Final Rating of 60 out of 100. That puts it on a par with Forest of Doom, which is similarly forgettable, although vastly more flawed mechanically than Talisman. I guess sometimes nostalgia wins out.

Next week, I have a choice between tackling Space Assassin or the mammoth that is The Crown of Kings. Long ago I made the foolish choice to try to tackle the Sorcery! series as one huge gamebook, so Crown of Kings is looking really daunting right now; one failure, and I'm all the way back to The Shamutanti Hills. So, I'm postponing that nightmare scenario, and starting with Space Assassin, which I've played but have almost no memory of. The sci-fi books have never really been my bag, but I'm hoping this one proves me wrong.

Talisman of Death - Attempt 3, part 2

At the end of my last post I had failed to complete Talisman of Death, having been crispy fried by a dragon right at the cusp of victory. Death is not necessarily the end in this book, however, as the Gods will give you another chance if you wish to try again. With a Skill of 12, I decided to take that offer. Refusing would have meant going right back to the start, and most probably rolling up a weaker character. By taking the Gods up on there offer, I get to keep my Skill score and skip a large portion of the adventure. It's a good deal.

As a reminder, I had the following initial stats: a Skill of 12, a Stamina of 20, and a Luck of 9. The Gods had restored me with 15 Stamina, and my Luck was currently at 8. I was carrying a sword, leather armour, a backpack, flint & tinder, five torches, a golden apple, chainmail armour, a ring of skill, 15 gold pieces, and 5 provisions.

I was also in possession of the Talisman of Death, which I was trying to take away from the world of Orb by entering a portal to my home-world of Earth. The aforementioned Dragon was the guardian of said portal, so I was going to have to find a way to defeat it. Nothing obvious had presented itself in my last attempt, and the final encounter was an instant death that gave me no chance to avoid being killed. Whatever the solution is, I have no clue. I'll just have to try a different path and hope for the best.

* * *

I woke up from my demise outside of Greyguilds, and promptly set off towards Mount Star-Reach. After a night's sleep in a hay-rick (restoring my Stamina to 17) I was faced with three paths: south-east across the moors; south along an old trade road; or east towards some hills. Recalling that my path east had led to a disastrous flight on Griffin-back, I decided to head directly for my goal across the moors.

The Talisman grew heavier with every step, and I was glad when I was able to make camp for the night. Rest was not to come, though, as I was awakened by the wild neighing of a black horse, bearing a spectral rider.

I lit one of my torches and stood my ground. The Wraith reined in its hell-steed, warned me that he would return with reinforcements, and rode away. My sleep was troubled for the rest of the night (and my Stamina was only restored to 18).

The Talisman grew even heavier the next day, so I took it out to examine it. Upon the Talisman was a glowing inscription: "I am Death's Talisman. I am protected by the Faceless Ones who serve my wielder." When night fell, I built a large fire, ringed my camp with lit torches, and waited. Six mounted Wraiths appeared, demanding the Talisman. Rather than give it up, I held it aloft and tried to use its power to banish the creatures. The Wraiths were dispersed, and I was finally able to sleep easily (restoring my Stamina to 20).

I arrived at the plateau at the base of Mount Star-Reach, and climbed some steps carved into the rock. Some way up I came to a waterfall, and decided to investigate. Behind the waterfall was a cave entrance, and I decided to enter.

At the back of the cave was a door, with a frieze depicting a red dragon and an ivory spear. The door opened easily, and I soon came to a junction with three paths onward. I chose the left-hand path, which soon turned right and came to a chamber with a rectangular pillar. An inscription on the pillar read as follow: "Put yourself in the place of the monkey. To the left is danger; the idle shall act."

As I was reading, a trickle of sand alerted me to the imminent collapse of the roof above. A slab of rock was closing off the far exit, but I was able to hurl myself through the narrowing gap just in time (with a successful Skill check).

The tunnel beyond led to an iron door, with a message painted in shimmering letters: "One only can be read". Through the door was a chamber with three pillars, and three more doors leading onward. One pillar was rectangular, one was square, and one was circular. I approached the square pillar and read the message inscribed on it: "Furthest from the poison of the scarab beetle, You will find a venom more deadly than dragon fire". The pillars disappeared.

Only one of the doors opened, so I went through it into a wide hall. In the middle of the hall was a hideous idol.

On the opposite wall were four doors, each with a symbol: a serpent door, a monkey door, a scarab beetle door, and a dragon door. Based on the clues I had found, I figured that the serpent door would be deadly: it was left of the monkey door, and also furthest from the scarab door. The scarab had also been described as poison, so I ruled it out as well. That left the dragon and the monkey doors, and I chose the monkey.

There was nothing beyond but a blank wall, so I went to the dragon door. No sooner had I entered than a portcullis crashed down behind me, sealing the exit. The passage led to a dank crypt, where I found a sarcophagus with a mummified warrior inside. Clutched in the warrior's grasp were a sword and a spear. I decided to take the spear. It was well made, and I saw the word 'Dragonsbane' carved on the shaft.

Before I could leave, the dead warrior shambled to its feet, and I was being attacked by a Mummy (Skill 8, Stamina 10). It struck me one blow (reducing my Stamina to 17), but with my spear I was able to make short work of it. At the base of the sarcophagus I found a secret tunnel, and followed a winding path that led back to the top of the waterfall.

I continued climbing the steps, but as I neared the top several boulders came crashing down. I was able to dodge them (with a successful Skill check), and when I finally reached the top of the plateau I found the culprits: a group of Hogmen! I tried to show them that I meant no harm, and when they gave no reaction I offered them some dried meat. The Hogmen took the meat (leaving me with 4 provisions), but it turned out that I had given them salted pork, and they were highly offended. They demanded that I go with them, and I decided not to resist.

They took me to their village, a collection of huts and a two-storey building of stone. Sitting on a throne nearby was the chief of the Hogmen.

He demanded to know my reason for being on the plateau. I told him that I was searching for the portal on Mount Star-Reach, and the head-hog said that he would help me, as they were eager to be rid of the portal's dragon guardian. Apparently the only way to survive the dragon's fire was with a shield made from its own scales, so the Hogmen gave me the gum of an amber pine that I could use to bind them together. After a meal of nuts and fruit (restoring my Stamina to 19) I took my leave and entered the dragon's lair.

Aided by memories of my last foray into this place, I chose to take a narrow side tunnel rather than the main tunnel. It led around the side of the dragon, and I was able to grab some of its scales. Ignoring the dragon's treasure, I high-tailed it back outside, where I was able to use the gum that the Hogmen had given me to fashion a dragon-scale shield.

Once again I reached the top of Mount Star-Reach, and stood before the portal leading back to Earth. Alas, once again the dragon swooped down to confront me.

I tried to explain that the God of Death was a threat to the world, but the dragon was uninterested, claiming to be above death. I told it about the Talisman, and for some reason that shook the Dragon more. It said that weapons could not be taken through the portal, and that I would have to discard all my arms and armour before stepping through.

I was no fool, and I told the dragon as much. Still, it insisted, and its persuasive voice almost convinced me (I was able to make a successful Luck test to avoid being charmed, leaving my Luck score at 7). It was time for battle.

The dragon breathed, but I was able to survive the blaze behind my shield. It tried to swipe the shield away from me with a claw, but I was too swift, and retaliated with my spear. The dragon (Skill 12, Stamina 20) was tough, and dealt me many grievous wounds (reducing my Stamina all the way to 9). But the spear was a mighty weapon, and with only three strikes I was able to beat the creature into submission. (The spear deals 5 points of damage per hit, meaning that I only had to win three Attack Rounds before it surrendered.)

Before I could kill the dragon, its form changed to that of an old man. The old man explained that he had been cursed into the form of a dragon upon entering the portal, but that now he was free, and small enough to return to his home-world. I didn't trust him, and besides, one dead old man was small potatoes next to getting rid of the Talisman. I stabbed the old man with my spear, and instantly he transformed back into a dragon, showing his true form.

I stepped through the portal, and found myself in a ring of standing stones on Earth. The two gods who had summoned me - Fate and Time - gave me their thanks. I had taken the Talisman from Orb, and become the savior of that world! Never mind that the portal was there, and servants of Death would be able to come through whenever they liked. Everything was completely fine, and nothing could possibly go wrong.

THE POST-GAME

That wasn't too hard! All I had to do was take a more direct path to my goal and everything I needed was pretty much given to me. Most of the time this book is very forgiving, and takes great pains to ensure that its various paths all lead to victory. It's weird that one of the three choices after Greyguilds leads to certain death; it's essentially a "walking dead" scenario, where you have to play through a bunch of tough fights only to find that you had no hope of winning. A lot of other books do it as well, but it feels out of whack with the rest of Talisman of Death.

The next post will give my final thoughts on the book. I won't be doing an Exploring Titan-style post for this one, mostly because it's not set on Titan but also because it's so richly detailed that such a post would take forever. So there's one post to go, and then it's on to the majesty that is Space Assassin.

Talisman of Death - Attempt 3

So far, both of my attempts to beat Talisman of Death have come unstuck in the Temple of Fell-Kyrinla. The first was because I couldn't polish off a guard quickly enough, and the second was because the high priestess Hawkana is tough as balls. Hopefully, with good enough stats, I can get through the temple this time.

The dice were mostly with me as I rolled my character: I got a Skill of 12, a Stamina of 20 and a Luck of 8. The Potion of Fortune was my obvious choice here. I was feeling pretty good about my chances.

I'll gloss over the opening stages, as I've covered them previously and I didn't make any different choices.

• In the Rift, I told the four crusaders that I was from a different planet, and they gave me the Talisman of Death and 10 gold pieces before teleporting me to the surface.
• I went through the forest, helping the wolf and meeting Wodeman, who gifted me with a golden apple.
• I avoided the basilisk entirely.
• Some followers of Fell-Kyrinla picked me up and escorted me to Greyguilds after I told them I was a merchant.
• Upon reaching Greyguilds my stats were still at maximum, but I had used two provisions (leaving me with 8).

And now I'll resume with the adventure.

* * *

After being dropped off in Greyguilds, I decided to walk down Store Street. My attention was drawn to a woman in green robes, who approached and politely asked me who I was. (I say politely, but as far as I'm concerned the politest thing a stranger can do for me is shut up and keep on walking.) I told her I was on a holy quest, and she asked if I had encountered a green-robed man in my travels. I told her about Wodeman, and she revealed that she was Lillantha, a priestess of the All-Mother. I decided to accompany her to her temple, where she was going to pray.

The temple was in a magnificent hanging garden, and after a few moments of prayer Lillantha said that the All-Mother had instructed her to help me on my quest. She gifted me with a fine suit of magical chainmail (which would give me a +1 Skill bonus if I wasn't adhering to the rule about not exceeding initial scores), and told me that the city gates are guarded by followers of the All-Mother in the evenings for three days after market-day. I thanked her, and returned to Store Street.

Further along I found that the street was empty; empty, that is, except for a stylin' black carriage carrying a coffin with my own name on it. An equally stylin' man with a cane stepped out of the carriage, and demanded the Talisman in "a voice of doom". Before I could respond, he transformed into a skeleton wielding a rapier: an Envoy of Death!

I attacked the Envoy (Skill 8, Stamina 4) immediately, dealing him a wicked blow. He fought back, but feebly, and was not able to strike me before I killed him. (This meant I avoided his Skill-draining ability.)

Continuing along Store Street, I came to a library on one side and a Guild of Learning on the other. I decided to investigate the guild (having already been to the library on both of my previous attempts). I found a reading-room, and a did a bit of research on magic, but I didn't learn anything of note except for a lot of different words for "wizard". Just as I was about to leave, I noticed a red book bound with multi-coloured scales. Unable to resist a sinister-looking book, I took a peek inside. The was titled Tome of Misfortune, which turned out to be appropriate: I was the victim of an ancient curse (which reduced my Luck score to 7). They really should print titles like that on the front cover.

I left the Guild of Learning, only to find the streets deserted once again. I moved cautiously, expecting another Envoy. Instead, I stepped in a man-trap (reducing my Stamina to 18) and was accosted by followers of the God of Death. Before they could take the Talisman, followers of Fell-Kyrinla arrived and took it themselves, leaving me to die in the trap.

Luckily a friendly sage named Apothecus rescued me and took me back to his place for a rest and some food (restoring my Stamina to 20). He gave me a Ring of Weaponskill (+1 Skill), and told me that I should find some thieves at the Red Dragon Inn to help me steal the Talisman back from the temple.

I thanked Apothecus and left immediately. On the way I saw two students fighting. I saw that one of them had dropped a brass tiger charm, and I picked it up just in case it might prove vital to my quest. (I decided to play it like this adventure was written by Ian Livingstone for a little bit.)

At the Red Dragon I tried to talk to the barman, but instead of my usual glib, charming patter I found myself calling him a fat pig, with a squalid pus-ridden face that made me want to vomit. Naturally this didn't go down too well, and I ended up in battle with the barman and another cut-throat who came to his aid.

The Barman (Skill 7, Stamina 8) and the Cut-Throat (Skill 8, Stamina 9) would have been more than a match for most, but with my peerless skill I was able to drive them both back and earn their respect. (At this point I had to Test my Luck, leaving me with a Luck of 6. I failed the test, which meant I still had possession of the tiger charm.) I learned that the Thieves' Guild was in a coal-hole on Hornbeam Road.

The barman regaled me with a tale about some psycho named Tyutchev, a worshipper of Chaos, and said that I might be just as good as him. Of course, right at that moment Tyutchev walked in, accompanied by a warrior named Cassandra. She sat down opposite me, and before I could work my magic on her I was telling her to get lost, and calling her a wrinkled hag.

Cassandra (Skill 9, Stamina 10) drew her sword, which was glowing and rimed with frost (it would deal 3 damage on a successful blow). She cut me once (reducing my Stamina to 17), but I was able to wound her enough to force her to retreat. Tyutchev (Skill 10, Stamina 12) stepped in to defend her, and although he wounded me twice (reducing my Stamina to 13) I was able to humble him in a similar fashion. He called to his god Anarchil for aid, and was rewarded with an earthquake that covered his escape with Cassandra. After the quake had stopped I crawled from the wreckage, and threw the tiger charm away. (My Luck was restored to 7 for surviving the inn, which is honestly only difficult if you take the charm in.)

A small boy approached me with a job offer, and I ended up following him back to the home of two scholars who wanted me to fight their pet. Said pet ended up being a Vivisect (Skill 8, Stamina 9) , a nightmarish mix of ogre, crocodile, and cockroach. Even so, I backed my own skill, and was able to defeat it after a long but easy battle. The scholars rewarded me with a Scroll of Agonizing Doom.

I returned for dinner with Apothecus and his friend Diodorus, who told me that there was a portal on Mount Star-Reach to the south-east that might take me back to Earth. I was also told that I might call for aid from the All-Mother if I got in dire straits, although it wouldn't work inside another god's temple. Thankful for this knowledge I went to sleep (restoring my Stamina to 17) and went to find the Thieves Guild.

On the way I passed an illusionist entertaining the crowd, but I ignored him and carried on to Hornbeam Road and into the coal-hole. There I found the guild and met Vagrant, the guild-master. I told him that I wanted his help retrieving the Talisman of Death from the Temple of Fell-Kyrinla, and he was all about it. I was assigned a posse of four thieves with rad named like "Bloodheart" and "Jemmy the Rat", and we were ready to raid the temple. Before we left, I downed my Potion of Fortune (raising my score to 9).

We entered the temple from the roof, dropping down through a window to a staircase. At that point I noticed an old servant passing by, and I silenced him with a blow to the head rather than run him through. One of the thieves stepped in to cut his throat, and I didn't stop him; the mission was too vital to jeopardise. (This callous decision reduced my Luck to 8, but there's a battle and a Luck test if I don't let the bloke get murdered, so I reckon I came out ahead.)

We infiltrated past the guards and all the way to the inner sanctum, but at the sight of the high priestess Hawkana my comrades bolted. Before I could follow, she cast a spell and the doors slammed shut.

Outraged at my presence, Hawkana tried to fry me with a pillar of flame, but I was able to dodge most of it (by rolling under 5 on one die; I still had my Stamina reduced to 14). I retaliated with my Scroll of Agonizing Doom, blasting her with a sphere of lightning, but she survived as well. Drawing her sword, Hawkana (Skill 12, Stamina 6) was upon me. We were evenly matched, trading blow for blow, but she was weak due to a bad case of AGONIZING DOOM, and I was able to kill her (my Stamina was reduced to 10) and reclaim the Talisman (which restored my Luck to 9).

Much to my dismay I saw that Hawkana's wounds were closing, and she was once more rising to her feet. I dashed to the doors, but they were still held fast so long as she lived. We fought again, but she was slower this time (Skill 9, Stamina 6). Even so, some inner fury must have driven her on, because she fought wildly and almost killed me (reducing my Stamina to 4). Even so, I was at last able to defeat her, and strip her of the Ring of Regeneration that was keeping her alive. I placed it on my own finger, and felt instant relief from my wounds (my Stamina was restored to 10).

I decided to search the inner sanctum for treasure, but almost straight away I felt a pain in my finger and saw that the ring was shrinking. It contracted into a solid ball, severing my finger completely (which reduced my Stamina to 8; it should have reduced my Skill to 11, but I've recently started using Skill bonuses from items to offset such penalties, at least that way they serve some purpose).

The thieves were waiting for me outside the inner sanctum, and together we escaped from the temple. Just as we were nearly out a group of guards appeared, and Bloodheart chose that moment to try and kill me. I dodged his dagger thrust, and he was peppered with arrows from the guards. I left him behind and climbed out of the temple window. The other thieves had jumped from the temple roof to another building, and I was agile enough to follow (succeeding at a Skill check).

Fearing more betrayal, I scattered the thieves with my sword, and they were happy enough to run from the killer of Hawkana. I raced away across the rooftops, until I could find a place to rest before leaving the city.

At least, I thought I'd be able to rest. As I was catching my breath, I was confronted by Tyutchev, Cassandra, and the magician I had seen performing tricks earlier, an illusionist named Thaum. The thieves had told them about my success, and now they were here to kill me and take the Talisman. Thaum made a gesture, introducing "Harg" as an ugly troll wielding a hammer stepped from a nearby building.

Reasoning that Thaum was a master of illusions, I stood my ground as the troll attacked, offering no resistance. Seeing this, Thaum dismissed the illusion instantly. He followed up with a ball of flame, which I decided was real, and dived out of the way. I was right, but the fireball still scorched my back (reducing my Stamina to 5).

I charged at Tyutchev, dealing him a blow, but at the same time I noticed Thaum turning invisible, and that wrinkled hag Cassandra about to join in the battle. Outnumbered and low on strength, I decided to call on the All-Mother for aid. I was rewarded with the aid of a Giant Eagle, who swooped down to carry me away. (There's a small error here; Thaum turns invisible, but a little bit later it says that you see him make another gesture.)

I'd hoped the Eagle could fly me all the way to Mount Star-Reach, but the weight of the Talisman's power proved too much, and it dropped me in an alley still inside Greyguilds. Remembering the advice of Lillantha, priestess of the All-Mother, I decided to wait until evening to make my move. (At this point I ate three provisions, leaving me with five and restoring my Stamina to 17.)

I lay low in the alley until evening, but just as I was about to set off I noticed a small hooded figure; it was a Dark Elf, who must have tracked me all the way from the Rift. The little bloke should have stayed there, because I was able to kill him easily. Even so, I figured there must be more around, so I made my way to the city gates. As I had hoped, followers of the All-Mother were on guard, and they let me pass out of the city.

After several miles I got some sleep in a hayrick (restoring my Stamina to 19). In the morning I had to choose one of three paths to Mount Star-Reach: the direct route across the moor-land; an old trade route that headed south then east; or I could head east to some hills and then south. I figured the direct route would be the most dangerous, and I'd be more likely to be found on the road, so I opted to head east toward the hills.

It started to rain as I crossed the heath, and so I didn't notice the Griffin (Skill 8, Stamina 14) that swooped out of the sky and took a piece out of me (reducing my Stamina to 17). I fought back, and was able to subdue the beast without killing it. It was thankful that I had spared its life, and offered to fly me anywhere. I hopped up on its back and told it to head for Mount Star-Reach.

I thought I was on the road to an easy victory, but just as hope dawned it was crushed by... a Pteranodon? Yes, without warning, dinosaurs were happening. I was knocked to the ground, but luckily a jungle fern broke my fall. The Pteranodon (Skill 7, Stamina 15) pressed its attack, but despite its size and ferocity it only managed to wound me once before I could kill it (leaving me with 15 Stamina).

I struggled through the hot jungle, swarmed by insects. A tree-trunk near me snapped, and out of the trees crashed a huge Triceratops (Skill 8, Stamina 30).

I was able to hold it off without injury, until luckily (due to a Luck Test that reduced my score to 8) a Tyrannosaurus chose that moment to make the Triceratops its lunch. While the two behemoths fought, I made my escape.

After an arduous journey, I made my way out of the jungle and into the foothills of Mount Star-Reach. I started climbing, and soon came to a wide cave which smelled faintly of sulphur. Intrigued, I decided to enter. (The book didn't give me a choice here. I probably would have gone in anyway, but it does seem like a pretty stupid thing to do in the circumstances.)

The smell of sulphur grew stronger, and I soon came to a narrow tunnel branching off from the main passage. Figuring that if anything lived in the cave it might be too big for the smaller tunnel, I chose to go that way. It wound around for some time, until it opened into a huge cavern. Right in front of me was the ridged back of an enormous dragon, and beneath the dragon was a huge pile of treasure. Resisting the urge to steal some treasure or take some scales (or to stab the dragon in the back) I fled the cavern as quickly as possible. I ain't messing with no dragon.

I pressed on despite the thinning atmosphere, and finally reached the top of Mount Star-Reach. There before me was my goal, a shimmering rectangle of silver hanging suspended in the air. It almost seemed too easy, and it was; before I could enter the portal the dragon flew down and blocked my path. It was the guardian of the portal, and refused to let me pass. There was nothing for it but to do battle, but I was hopelessly outmatched. Before I could do anything the dragon breathed, and I was blasted to ashes. I don't mess with dragons, but there ain't much to be done when one decides to mess with you. My adventure was over.

THE POST-GAME

Well, not necessarily. This is one of those points where the book gives you the option of trying again. Given my stats, I think I'll probably take that option, but I'm undecided. If I do, I'll be back in a few days to let you all know how I did. The book restores you to a point just after Greyguilds, and it's very tempting to skip past all of that stuff.

As for this game, there really was little I could have done. That final dragon encounter was an instant death, no options, no combat, no nothing. I guess I had to do something else in its lair, or perhaps take another path away from Greyguilds. I'll try both of those on my next attempt, and see how it goes.

Talisman of Death - Attempt 2

It's time to recount my second attempt at Talisman of Death, with complete clarity and 100% accuracy. Yes indeed, the fact that I did this play-through several weeks ago will in no way impede the quality of this post. I have a memory like a steel trap, after all. Never mind that steel traps are inanimate and non-sentient. It's all up here somewhere. (Okay, so I did this a while ago and I might not remember everything. Luckily, I take pretty good notes.)

For my second attempt, I rolled a Skill of 9, a Stamina of 22, and a Luck of 9. I chose the Potion of Fortune, and it was time to once more set off on my quest to protect the titular talisman.

(As a side note, I won't be using the resurrection option that this book provides unless I roll up a spectacularly buff character. I'd like to keep these posts to a manageable level, and it also would be a waste of time to take multiple chances with hopeless stats.)

I'll run through the opening stages quickly: after the gods transported me into the Rift, I stood my ground to await the adventurers who were approaching. I was much more trusting of them than I had been in my last attempt, and they entrusted the Talisman of Death to me without the need for magical coercion. Finally they gifted me with a bag of 10 gold pieces, and teleported me to the surface just before a horde of dark elves overwhelmed them.

On the surface I chose to take cover in a nearby forest rather than chance the plains. I was confronted by a wolf, but giving her some provisions (and lowering my supply to 9) granted me the favour of Wodeman, a powerful druid. He gave me a blessing, as well as a golden apple, and sent me on my way.

In a wooded valley I came across a basilisk lazing in the sun. I tried to sneak past it, but stepped on a twig (the result of a failed Luck test which reduced my score to 9). The basilisk turned its gaze on me, and I flung myself into the undergrowth just in time to avoid being turned to stone by its gaze. Even so, I was partially petrified, and my muscles were damaged (reducing my Skill to 8).

Further along the trail there was a pond, with an old woman up to her neck in the water. She claimed to be drowning, and unable to escape due to being entangled in the weeds. Despite this dubious story, I decided to help her anyway. As soon as I took her hand, tendrils shot out of the water, and a bloated body rose out of the water. I knew it!

Grendel (Skill 8, Stamina 9) was a tough battle: she wounded me five times before I could kill her (reducing my Stamina to 12). She was also a pointless battle; with no treasure to be claimed, there was nothing to do but continue my journey.

Once out of the forest and onto the plains, I was confronted by a group of mounted warrior-women who demanded to know my business. I told them I was a merchant from Serakub, and they offered to escort me to the city of Greyguilds. (Also, the woman I got to ride with was Elvira, which is pretty exciting. You know what I'm talking about. Unless you're too young to know about Elvira. But you're probably not if you're reading this blog.)

Once in Greyguilds, I opted to go down Smith Street (I had chosen Store Street in my previous attempt). I passed by an armourer's shop and went in, but all they had for sale were swords. I bought one for 7 gold pieces, even though I didn't really need it.  Further along the street was deserted, except for a cowled figure who approached me. Inside the cowl there was no face, and as it drew nearer the figure demanded the Talisman.

I attacked immediately, and was engaged in battle with a Minion of Death (Skill 7, Stamina 5). I was able to defeat it, but not before it wounded me with its chilling touch (leaving me with a Stamina of 10, and draining my Skill to 7). The Minion's cloak fell to the ground, empty, and I ran on until I reached Silver Street.

I was startled by voices, which were being carried to me from a nearby house by a drain pipe. The men I was overhearing were planning to rob a jeweller, so ran to the jeweller's shop to warn him. When I arrived the jeweller, a small man with a monocle, was locking his safe. At that point the thieves arrived, and I leaped to the jeweller's aid.

One of the thieves attacked the jeweller, and the others went for me. The two thieves (Skill 6, Stamina 7 & Skill 5, Stamina 6) were easy pickings, though I was wounded (reducing my Stamina to 8) before I could kill one of them. The jeweller had also killed his opponent, and the last fled in terror. As a reward, he gave me 10 gold pieces and a magnificent ruby (which restored my Luck to 9).

Silver Street turned into Booker's Walk. One one side of the street were some blue-robed students, and on the other was a library. I entered the library, and asked for a book on the history of Greyguilds. I learned much of the city, but little that seemed relevant to my quest. Soon the other library patrons started filing out as night fell, and I followed them out into the street.

I started searching for an inn, but instead I found a man-trap that closed on my leg when I stepped on it (reducing my Stamina to 6). Priests of Death surrounded me, and took the Talisman. Before they could leave, followers of the goddess Fell-Kyrinla arrived and drove them away, claiming the Talisman for themselves. I was left to rot in a man-trap, "cursing bitterly". (A lot of Fs and Cs, I can assure you. It's the Australian way.)

Just as my swearing intensified, a man helped me out of the trap and offered me a place to stay for the night. I accepted, and got a good night's sleep at the home of Apothecus (restoring my Stamina to 10; I also ate two provisions, which brought my Stamina back to 18). In the morning I told him everything, and he advised me that I should seek the help of the Thieves' Guild to get the Talisman back from the Temple of Fell-Kyrinla. He also gave a magic ring of weaponskill (which restored my Skill to 8), and a jade rose which I could use to guarantee my identity if I returned to his house.

Following Apothecus' advice, I went to the Red Dragon Inn, ignoring two quarreling students along the way. At the inn I met half-a-dozen ne'er-do-wells, and told them that I needed help with some "unfinished business". They told me to meet them in the coal-hole on Hornbeam Road.

Before I could leave the inn, two dangerous-looking warriors named Tyutchev and Cassandra entered, and sat opposite me. I introduced myself and, throwing all caution aside, told them everything about my quest. Tyutchev said he had no time for such things, but he was obviously interested, and was talking to the thieves as I left the inn. Maybe spilling my guts had been a bad idea?

I decided to go back to have dinner with Apothecus. On the way a boy approached and asked if I wanted to make some money by helping a scholar. I decided to accept, and was taken to a greenhouse where two scholars in blue robes greeted me. I was told I could earn 20 gold pieces for a few minutes work, so I went with them into the greenhouse, where nothing bad could possibly go wrong. Warning bell one sounded when they told me they were into vivisection. Warning bell two was the huge pit ringed with downward-facing spikes. Warning bell three?

The scholars told me they wanted me to fight this thing, and that they'd put it to sleep with a spell if anything went wrong. "This should be interesting," I replied, with the kind of emotional flatness reserved for mass murderers and sociopaths, and I jumped into the pit.

I fought the Vivisect (Skill 8, Stamina 12) while the scholars took notes. The creature hammered me (reducing my Stamina to 8), but I was eventually able to kill it. The scholars were upset that their creature was dead, and it turned out that they didn't even have the money to pay me. Seeing my anger, and perhaps remembering the killer's edge in my voice earlier, they rewarded me instead with a Scroll of Agonizing Doooooom, which sounded way cooler than any amount of gold pieces. (To be honest, I should have known something was up as soon as I learned that one of the scholar's was named "Moreau". Even the character in the book should know, he's from Earth!)

I returned to Apothecus, returning the jade rose to prove myself, and had a good old chat with him and another Sage who told me about a portal I could use to get back to my own world. After a refreshing rest (restoring my Stamina to 12), I bid Apothecus farewell and went to meet the thieves.

Along the way I saw a magician performing magic tricks, and stayed to watch. Tyutchev, the man from the Red Dragon appeared, and both he and the magician disappeared in a puff of smoke. While I pondered this scene, a man approached and invited me to drink some sherry with Mortphilio, an elder of the city. The guy's name is Mortphilio? Sign me up!

I followed the man to an old gothic building, where I met Mortphilio, a decrepit invalid. As I entered, a skull on the mantelpiece said that I was "the one". Mortphilio ordered it to attack me, and it hurtled towards me on shadowy wings.

The Winged Skull (Skill 7, Stamina 6) gave a better fight than I had expected, wounding me three times (reducing my Stamina to 6). While I was fighting Mortphilio had taken the time to summon some skeletal reinforcements, so I made a quick retreat to safety. Oh, did I say safety? Because I really meant to say that I ran right into the Temple of Death in the middle of a congregation.

The high priest intoned his ritual, and six mounted wraiths emerged from a lake of boiling blood. Charged with retrieving the Talisman, the wraiths spurred their black hell-steeds down the aisle. (How did this not get an illustration?) While this was going on, I noticed one of the congregation walk to the back of the church, put on a helmet, and vanish. Vanishing seemed like a good idea, so (disguised in a hastily donned black robe) I grabbed one of those helmets and jammed it on my head. It was magical, as not only did it teleport me out into the street, it also conferred quickness of thought (raising my Skill to 9).

I made my way to Hornbeam Road, and into the coal-hole. There I met Vagrant, and told him about the Talisman. He was eager to help, and assigned a bunch of his thieves to help me rob the Temple of Fell-Kyrinla. Before the mission began, I drank my Potion of Fortune (raising my Luck score to 10), and ate three provisions (restoring my Stamina to 18).

As we were entering the temple, I noticed a servant passing a doorway, and decided to knock him out. One of the thieves, "Lord Min", decided that slitting the old man's throat would be a good idea, but I stopped him. Unfortunately, this sent his dagger clattering down the stairs, sounding the alarm. The thieves scattered, and I pressed on alone.

I could hear footsteps coming up the stairs, so I hid behind an arras as the guards passed by (testing my Luck successfully to remain hidden, and reducing that score to 9). At the bottom of the stairs a guard was on duty before some double doors. I attacked the guard (Skill 7, Stamina 8), and was able to silence her before her comrades could return. (I had to do this within 5 rounds, and I used a Luck point to ensure my success.)

I opened the doors, and entered the Inner Sanctum of the temple. There I met Hawkana, the high priest of Fell-Kyrinla, who was enraged at my presence. She summoned a pillar of flame to strike me down, but I was able to avoid most of it (reducing my Stamina to 15). I retaliated with my Scroll of Agonizing Doom, and Hawkana was engulfed in a ball of crackling electricity. Unfortunately, she survived, and was none too happy.

Hawkana was wounded badly (Skill 12, Stamina 6), but the battle went badly for me. She struck me six times in a row, and the only blow I landed in return was a minor one (I tried to use my Luck to do more damage, but failed). After that she finished me off, and my quest to destroy the Talisman was over.

THE POST-GAME
With her Stamina fairly low, I thought I had a chance to kill Hawkana, but she just kept on rolling high numbers. If my memory serves, this is the point where I usually fail this book. I'm not sure how to get past it, aside from rolling a higher Skill score. Perhaps if I get through the temple without setting off the alarms? Or maybe if I find a Unicorn Horn Amulet, or some Vapours of Speed (the other items that were given as options alongside my scroll.) Next time, I suppose.

Talisman of Death - Attempt 1

Cover by Peter Andrew Jones

The once-peaceful world of Orb is in terrible danger. Dark forces are at work to unleash the awesome might of the Evil One - and only YOU can stop them. YOUR mission is to destroy the Talisman of Death before the dark lord's minions reach you. But beware! Time is running out...

With the first ten Fighting Fantasy books behind me, I've come to a whole new era. Previously, Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone had been the major creative forces behind the series, writing nine out of ten books and firmly establishing the tone and style. From this point onward, however, books written by those two gentlemen will be few and far between. There are plenty of good authors to come, and plenty of great books, but the quality varies a lot more going forward than it did in the past.

Thankfully, Talisman of Death is helmed by two of the most reliable gamebook writers out there: Jamie Thomson and Mark Smith.  They'll pop up again in the future of FF, and their work outside of the series - most notably the Way of the Tiger gamebooks - is also great. There are some stinkers on the way, but for now we're in safe hands.

The background to this one is a bit unusual, in that it's a fantasy adventure that's definitely not set on Titan. Nor do you play the typical adventurer. No, in this book you hail from modern day Earth, and have been whisked away by the gods of Orb to aid them in their time of need. You awaken in the Garden of the Gods, where you are met by a pale female, with a robe of many colours and an eyeless face, and a man who is at one moment old and wise, and the next an infant. The gods explain that they've brought you to Orb to stop a "fatal upset in the balance of nature", and that you of everyone on Earth have the best chance of fighting "him who would bring Chaos to Orb". With little else in the way of explanation, they send you down to the surface to get on with things. It's okay, you have a sword and somehow you know how to use it.

(As an aside, I've sometimes played this book as a sequel to House of Hell.  After all, what Earth resident would be better equipped for this quest than the one who took down the Master of the House of Drumer?)

For my first attempt at Talisman of Death, I rolled a Skill of 9, a Stamina of 16 and a Luck of 7.  Not a promising start, to be honest. My inventory included a sword, leather armour, a backpack, 10 provisions, flint & tinder, and five torches. I also had the option of one of three potions, and chose the potion of Fortune, hoping to offset my terrible Luck score. A quick skim of the rules showed that this was standard FF, with nary a rules variant to be found.

ATTEMPT 1

I awoke in a huge chamber, deep underground, and before I could get my bearings an infernal howling filled the air. I heard running footsteps approaching, and decided to hide in a nearby archway. As I neared it there was a click and a rumbling sound ahead, and a trembling beneath my feet. I stopped my headlong flight just in time, as a slab of rock crashed down from the ceiling, covering the archway completely. I drew my sword to face whatever was coming.

A shieldmaiden in chainmail burst into the room, followed by a paladin, a priest, and a wizard in a smiling golden mask. They were obviously fleeing from whatever it was that made the howls. The woman demanded to know what I was doing in the Rift, the "spawning place of all evil". I told them that I was on a quest against evil, but the priest was able to tell that I was lying with a spell. (I'm not sure why this is a lie, I thought the gods made it pretty clear.) Once again, the shieldmaiden demanded the truth, but I told them to sod off and mind their own business. After all, I didn't know who they were either.

After some deliberation, the adventurers decided to use me in their own schemes, and the masked wizard cast a spell that hypnotised me (and dropped my Luck to 6). While I was hypnotised, they had time to do some exposition at me, and I learned what was up on Orb. The minions of the god of death had long ago fashioned the Talisman of Death, which would allow them to summon their god when the time was right. That time was coming, and so the Loremasters of Serakub had sent a band of crusaders into the Rift to recover the talisman. Only these four remained, but they had succeeded. With the story over, the wizard handed me the talisman, and tasked me with returning it to my own world, out of the reach of Death's minions. The hypnotic spell forced me to accept, but I would have done it anyway, as getting home was the number one thing on my mind.

The wizard told me to head west for Greyguilds-on-the-Moor, where I might discover a way of getting home. He also gave me a pouch containing 10 gold pieces. Finally he cast a spell, and I was transported out of the Rift, but not before seeing the four adventurers overwhelmed by an onslaught of Trolls and Dark Elves. Serves them right, the hypnotising gits.

I materialised on the edge of a huge chasm; the Rift, no doubt. To my left I could see some hills, and to my right a forest that extended all the way to the hills. Reasoning that I might be pursued, I decided to get under the cover of the trees.

In the forest I soon came to a clearing, where a huge, white she-wolf was suckling two cubs. She growled at me, but I offered her some dried meat to placate her (leaving me with 9 provisions). As soon as I did, a green-robed figure stepped into the clearing, announcing that he was Wodeman, Guardian Druid of the Sacred Grove.

He gave me a blessing (which restored my Luck to 7), and also gave me a golden apple. Thanking the druid, I took my leave. (Does this encounter actually accomplish anything? The golden apple can restore 4 Stamina, but that's of equal effectiveness to the provision I just lost feeding the wolf. I guess there's a Luck bonus, but unless that golden apple is used for something else it's not really that helpful.)

For some time I forced my way through the undergrowth, reaching the hills, until I rounded a corner and saw a brown lizard with eight legs basking in the sun. Armed with an exhaustive knowledge of the AD&D Monster Manual, I realised that this was a Basilisk and left the path to find a way around it before it could turn me to stone. (This is supposed to be me, right? From Earth, with all of my knowledge? Knowing about monster stuff is pretty much all I'd be able to bring to the table here.)  The going was heavy, and I was forced to eat a provision to restore my strength (leaving me with 8).

Eventually the hills gave way to a desolate moor, where I was accosted by a band of warrior-women on horseback, who demanded to know what I was doing out here alone. Not wishing to give away my quest, I told them that I was the last survivor of an ambushed caravan, and when pressed on the caravan's departure point I told them it was Serakub.  This seemed to satisfy their captain, and she agreed to escort me to Greyguilds.

I was dropped off in Greyguilds, and soon came to the junction of Store Street and Smith Street. Continuing down Store Street, I was interrupted by a woman in green robes who wanted to know who I was and where I came from. Again not wanting to give myself away, I told her I was just passing through and hurried on.

I noticed that the stores were closing, and people were hurrying home. A carriage pulled by black mares reined in beside me, and inside I saw an empty coffin with my own name on it. The carriage door opened, and a man stepped out and introduced himself as the Envoy of Death, saying that he had come for the Talisman. As he spoke, his handsome features transformed, and he became a skeletal figure grasping a rapier.

I denied having the talisman, but the Envoy wasn't fooled. He stabbed me with his rapier, and my life felt as though it was draining away (reducing my Stamina to 14, and my Skill to 8).  I had a fight on my hands against the Envoy of Death (Skill 8, Stamina 6). We were on equal terms, but I was able to defeat him without suffering another wound (which would have drained me of Skill as well as Stamina; all but 1 would have been restored at the end of the battle).

Store Street soon turned into Booker's Walk, where I saw two grand buildings. Some young people in blue togas were entering one, and the other appeared to be a library. I entered the library, and asked to read something about the Gods. I learned about Fell-Kyrinla, swordsmistress of the Heavens (and patron of the warrior-women who had escorted me to Greyguilds); her opposite Rocheval, God of Paladins; the All-Mother, preserver of life; Anarchil, breaker of edifices, who spurns order; and Avatar the One, essence of light. (None of these seem to match the two gods I met at the beginning of the book.) By that time night was falling, so I took my leave and went back into the streets.

While searching for an inn along Booker's Walk, I stepped on an inexplicably placed man-trap, which snapped shut on my leg (reducing my Stamina to 12). Black robed figures emerged from the shadows, declaring themselves as Priests of Death, and one of them took the Talisman. Just then a group of warrior-women also appeared, and a fight broke out. One of the women beheaded the bearer of the Talisman and rode away with it. I was left to rot, my leg still caught in the man-trap.

After some time a man came along and helped me get free. He offered me a place to sleep for the night, and I accepted, having had little success with mistrusting everyone. He took me back to his bungalow, and I got a good night's sleep (restoring my Stamina to 16).

I awoke to find the man sitting, watching me. (Creep.) His name was Apothecus, and he was a sage of history. Apparently I had talked in my sleep, so I decided to tell him everything. He said that the Talisman would be in the Temple of Fell-Kyrinla, in possession of the high priestess Hawkana. I would need to steal it back at all costs, and to do that Apothecus recommended that I contact the thieves at the Red Dragon Inn. He also gave me 5 gold pieces and a ring that would increase my skill at arms (restoring my Skill to 9). Finally he invited me to dinner later that day, giving me a jade rose that I could show him as proof that I'm not a shape-changer.

I headed for the inn, and on the way passed two students in blue togas fighting. One of them dropped a brass tiger charm, but I ignored them and kept going until I reached the Red Dragon.

I paid the barman for an ale (leaving me with 14 gold), and looked around. Aside from the barman there was an old man cleaning tables, and a group of six surly men who "looked like thieves". I tried to befriend the barman, and he told me a story about a man named Heimdol, and how he was embarrassed and killed by a warrior named Tyutchev, a follower of Anarchil. Doubting the relevance of this tale, I decided to approach the thieves.

They were not welcoming, but I told them I needed help with some unfinished business which might prove profitable to them. They told me to meet them at midday tomorrow at the Thieves' Guild, via the disguised coal-hole on Hornbeam Road.

Two newcomers entered the inn, a warrior named Tyutchev and an armoured woman named Cassandra. Tyutchev went to order a drink while Cassandra sat opposite me. The thieves all scattered.

I introduced myself, and they asked what brought me to the Red Dragon. While I was thinking, Cassandra decided to throw a knife at the table right near my hand, which I'm sure was a perfectly friendly gesture. I told them I had just come for a drink, then I apologised and left. (I got a Luck bonus for surviving the Red Dragon, so I gather that the whole scene could have gone much worse.)

I decided to return for dinner with Apothecus, ignoring an offer from a young boy to make some money by helping a scholar. After showing the jade rose I was let in, and introduced to Diodorus, a friend of Apothecus. He was an expert on inter-planar travel, and told me that I could find a portal at the top of Mount Star-reach, southeast of Greyguilds. Apothecus told me that I could call on the All-Mother for aid at the time of my greatest need, so long as I was not in the temple of another god.

The next day I set off for the guild, ignoring a street magician who was performing for the crowd. I found the coal-hole on Hornbeam Road, and entered the Thieves' Guild, where I was introduced to Vagrant, the Guildmaster (and his awesome mustache).

I told Vagrant that I needed his help to steal something. He asked me what it was, and I told him that it was in the temple of Fell-Kyrinla, but I didn't want to reveal that I was after the Talisman. Vagrant thanked me, and I was suddenly shot dead by a volley of arrows.

My spirit drifted towards the Valley of Death, but I was intercepted by the two gods who had summoned me at the beginning. They offered to wind back time, placing me back on the lip of the Rift. I accepted the offer, and I was back at the start of my quest. (My stats were all restored, and my inventory was back to where it started, with the Talisman of Death back in my possession.)

This time I ignored the forest, and decided to make straight for the hills over the open plains. This was a terrible idea, as I was pursued by a band of Orcs from the south, and a band of Dark Elves from the north. I decided to hide in a sulfurous crack, hoping the vapours would conceal me. I was spotted however, and as I was drawing my sword one of the Orcs grabbed my belt pouch. The Orcs fought over the gold that spilled out, and I was able to make my escape just as the Dark Elves arrived to restore order. (I now had no gold, though.)

I came to a pool and a gnarled old willow, and felt suddenly sleepy. Unfortunately I succumbed to the suggestion to fall asleep (failing a Luck test that reduced my score to 6), and sank into the waters. I had been charmed by a Willow Weird (Skill 8, Stamina 12), which was now pummeling me as I drowned (reducing my Stamina to 12). The pain shocked me awake, and I was able to defeat the Willow Weird after a hard-fought battle (which further reduced my Stamina to 6).

I beat a hasty retreat, only to find that I was still being pursued by Dark Elves that were sniffing out my trail. I plunged into a shallow river to throw off the scent, and after a time scrambled up the opposite bank, and this seemed to throw them off. (The strain of the chase reduced my Stamina to 4.)

I had reached the moors beyond the hills, and was once again accosted by the warrior-women. This time I explained my quest to them in full. The captain demanded my sword, which I refused to give, but it was taken from me by force (reducing my Skill to 7). I was unable to resist, and so I was taken as a captive to Greyguilds.

In Greyguilds I was told that I would be taken to Hawkana. I sat quietly to see what would happen, and I was taken to the watch-house. There I met Hawkana, a striking woman who was High Priestess of Fell-Kyrinla and Marshal of the Watch. She stripped me of the Talisman and had me thrown into the street.

Out in the street I decided to go down the Street of Seven Sins. I found the Red Dragon Inn, but it was closed. Suddenly I saw footsteps appearing in a pile of sawdust. I scooped up some dirt and flung it in that direction, revealing a man-like form moving towards me. It was an Unseen Stalker (Skill 7, Stamina 8), and I would have to fight it. The Stalker wounded me once (reducing my Stamina to 2) before I could kill it with my bare hands. (I probably should have died here, but I forgot that my Skill had been reduced to do not having a sword.)

I searched for a stable to spend the night, and soon found one with an inviting bed of straw. I wolfed down three provisions (restoring my Stamina to 14) before going to sleep. In my dreams I saw the paladin from the Rift, who said that I should seek the help of the Thieves Guild. (Really? Because the buggers already killed me once.) He then told me to wake up, which was just as well, because I was about to be murdered by an armored Death Knight (Skill 10, Stamina 15).

The Death Knight was more than a match for me, and quickly had me at death's door (reducing my Stamina to 6 after I dealt him a single blow). To my amazement, the Paladin appeared, cutting the Death Knight in two with his Holy Sword. He disappeared, but the sword remained, and I was glad to claim it. (Picking it up restored my Stamina to 12, and gave me a +1 bonus to Skill).

After sleeping the rest of the night, I found a gold piece in the straw before heading off to find the thieves at the Red Dragon Inn. Once again I passed the quarreling students, and this time I decided to return their brass tiger charm. They thanked me, then kept on fighting (and my Luck was restored to 7).

At the Red Dragon, I bought a drink with my last gold piece and decided to talk to the old man cleaning tables. He warned me that the inn was dangerous, which was hardly news, and I went to talk to the thieves again. After organising a meeting I once again met Tyutchev and Cassandra. I tried to leave immediately, but Tyutchev told me to stay. I did so, and then told him I was looking for some thieves. Tyutchev told me he was a thief, but was needed at his temple and wasn't interested in helping me. I took this as an opportunity to get the hell out of there (and restored my Luck to 7).

With no invitation from Apothecus this time, I took a walk down Merchant Street. I saw an Alchemist Shop, but had no gold to buy anything. Heading down Carriage Street I came to an inn called the Silver Trinket. It looked much nicer than the Red Dragon, so I went inside, and was allowed to eat and rest as long as I did the washing up (restoring my Stamina to 16).

The next day I went to the Thieves' Guild, and this time I told Vagrant all about the Talisman of Death. He was intrigued, and after a few hours I was ready to sneak into the temple of Fell-Kyrinla with a posse at my back.

The thieves and I made our way inside the temple, and while one of them was disarming a trap I saw an old serving-man passing by. I decided to spare him, hoping he hadn't seen us, but I was wrong. Soon enough the alarm sounded, and my "comrades" had scattered. I bolted down some stairs, hiding behind a tapestry as a group of guards went by (this required a Luck test that reduced my score to 6; I drank my potion to bump it back up to 8).

At the bottom of the stairs another guard was on duty (Skill 7, Stamina 8). I tried to dispatch her quickly, but even with my holy sword I was too slow. The other guards came back down the stairs and overwhelmed me.

Once again my soul was winging its way to the Valley of Death, and I was given the option of turning back time.  My spirit was weary though, and I declined. My adventure was over!

THE POST-GAME
I did okay, I think, even though I made some stupid decisions that hindered me in recovering the Talisman. Too many times I was distrustful when I shouldn't have been, and as usual I did some dumb things just to see what would happen. This book does have a way of funneling you onto the right track, though, which is refreshingly forgiving. I also wonder how many times you can be resurrected; there's no means of tracking it, so it might be unlimited. It's possible that I could have just kept trying over and over, and knocked this book off in one go. This post is already mammoth enough, though, I don't need it getting any bigger.