[Fighting Fantasy] House of Hell

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I have a momentary vision of a disfigured face and then a heavy blow strikes my chest, hurling me to the floor.

((Take 2 Stamina damage.))

((Skill 8, Stamina 18/20, Luck 7/8, Fear 2/11))

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The figure steps out from behind the curtain. It looks human but its skin is a sickly greenish color, with eyes that stare blankly ahead, a gaping jaw full of rotting teeth and ragged clothes. It looks like a corpse come to life.

((Take 2 Fear points.))
((Skill 5, Stamina 18/20, Luck 7/8, Fear 4/11))

I have to somehow fight this thing.

((According to the electronic version of the game, my Skill is now 5, which means I either grossly misread my stats earlier or I lost Skill at some point, maybe from the broken glass or getting drugged and missed that info.))

((Zombie has Skill 7, Stamina 6))
((Zombie rolls an 8, I roll a 7. Zombie's total of 15 beats my total of 12, meaning it hits me, doing 2 Stamina damage))
((Zombie rolls a 10, I roll a 6. Zombie's total of 17 beats my 11, meaning 2 more points of Stamina.))
((Zombie rolls a 9, I roll a 9, meaning 2 more points of Stamina damage again.))
((Zombie rolls a 10, I roll a 12, so we tie, meaning we both miss.))
((Zombie rolls an 8, I roll a 6. Zombie's total of 15 meats my 11. Two more points of damage again. I'm fading fast.))
((Zombie rolls a 2, I roll an 8, meaning my total of 13 beats the zombie's 9. I finally do 2 points of damage to it.))
((Zombie rolls a 6, I roll a 10, meaning my 15 beats its 13. Two more points of damage to the Zombie. One more success and I've defeated it.))
((Zombie rolls a 6, I roll a 9. A 14 beats a 12 and the zombie is down.))

((Skill 5, Stamina 10/22, Luck 7/8, Fear 4/11)) ((Very confused why my stats are weird here. I'm assuming I wrote them down wrong at the beginning.))

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'm badly battered, but alive. The zombie is, well, more dead than when it started.

I eye the door but remember the box on the mantel.

((Leave the room: Page 77))
((Investigate the box: 40))

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'm not going to go through all of that and not satisfy my curiosity.

The box rattles when I pick it up. I undo the catch and find a small key.

I try the key in the door. ((Apparently this door locked behind me, which wasn't mentioned previously.)) The door unlocks, letting me out onto the landing.

I can go through the door on the left or down the staircase to the ground floor.

((Through the door: Page 86))
((Down the staircase: Page 193))

 

[gban007]

The figure steps out from behind the curtain. It looks human but its skin is a sickly greenish color, with eyes that stare blankly ahead, a gaping jaw full of rotting teeth and ragged clothes. It looks like a corpse come to life.

((Take 2 Fear points.))
((Skill 5, Stamina 18/20, Luck 7/8, Fear 4/11))

I have to somehow fight this thing.

((According to the electronic version of the game, my Skill is now 5, which means I either grossly misread my stats earlier or I lost Skill at some point, maybe from the broken glass or getting drugged and missed

((Skill 5, Stamina 10/22, Luck 7/8, Fear 4/11)) ((Very confused why my stats are weird here. I'm assuming I wrote them down wrong at the beginning.))

Minimum starting skill is 7 though isn't it? So sounds like something happened to drop it, else bug, rather than getting it down wrong initially.

 

[gban007]

Ah found it, while unarmed you take a -3 penalty to skill checks

 

[Nikosandros]

Ah found it, while unarmed you take a -3 penalty to skill checks

IIRC, it is -3 when fighting, but normal skill when you have to make a "check".

 

[Joshua Randall]

Damn, that zombie combat was brutal. You did get some bad rolls, but yeesh.

Where is my Sorcery! option to ZAP?!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Was "Balthus" that thing's name? Was it a pet? A resident?

I still need to find a phone or car keys before I leave, so I check the next door on the landing.

The door opens on a narrow passageway ending at a window. Halfway down the hall on the left is another door. This door has a name as well: "Diabolus."

Is this another zombie? A devil?

((Try the Diabolus door: Page 13))
((Check the window: Page 110))
((Head back out to the landing: Page 193))

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Not ready to open that door just yet, I check the window.

Curtains are drawn across it and, not wanting another surprise, I pat down the fabric and find nothing there.

Relaxing -- but only so much -- I pull them apart. As this happens, there's a boom of thunder and I leap in fear.

But it's just a window, although barred on the outside, with rain running down the glass outside.

Well, mostly. The rain appears to be avoiding one spot on the glass.

I lean down for another look. Written in the condensation is a message: "Mordana in Abaddon."

I have no idea who wrote this or why, but I know that I don't want any of the other people in this horrible house to read it. I memorize the message -- "Mordana in Abaddon, Mordana in Abaddon" -- and rub it off the glass.

Turning back down the hall, the name "Diabolus" makes me flinch and I decide to bypass it, and head back to the landing.