[Fighting Fantasy] House of Hell

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Heading along the landing, I come to the main staircase leading down. After meeting "Balthus," every part of me wants to race down the stairs, out the front door and into the night. But even if my car is still down there at the bottom of the hill, there's no way I can drive it away.

There's also another door here -- unmarked -- or I can continue down the landing.

((Go downstairs: Page 132))
((Try the unmarked door: Page 377))
((Go further down the landing: Page 233))

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

With a sigh -- I feel so tired, but I know if I close my eyes in this house, I'm never going to open them again -- I try the door.

It's a small storeroom.

I duck inside and quietly close the door behind me.

There are shelves on the left and right walls, each filled with household objects. And across from me, another door.

((Check the shelves: Page 83))
((Try the door opposite: Page 255))
((Return to the landing: Page 233))

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Maybe the shelves have something that can be useful. If not car keys, maybe a knife or a gun.

For once, my luck here is good: I find various items of cutlery and a sharp butcher's knife, which I carefully slip into my coat.

There are also several cloves of garlic, which I pocket. If that thing was a zombie, who knows what else is real and might be waiting for me tonight.

And there's also an unlabelled bottle of white liquid. Which, knowing this house, could be almost anything.

((Drink the liquid: Page 362))
((Go out the back door: Page 255))
((Return to the landing: Page 233))

((The book notes that my skill is improved by three in combat when I use the knife.))

 

[Joshua Randall]

Do we assume the viewpoint character does not know the term ‘diabolus’ or is that you, Whhizbang, role playing in the write up?

Because I always quirk an eyebrow at these kind of stories where the OBVIOUSLY EVIL NAME is not obvious to the character(s).

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Do we assume the viewpoint character does not know the term ‘diabolus’ or is that you, Whhizbang, role playing in the write up?

Because I always quirk an eyebrow at these kind of stories where the OBVIOUSLY EVIL NAME is not obvious to the character(s).

I didn't look it up, but it clearly shares a root with "diablo," which the viewpoint character (and pretty much anyone in the western world) would know means "devil" and is probably not referring to a fierce guard dog in this house.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

My hand hovers over the bottle for a second. Poison seems likely enough in this house and it would probably be a better end than the earl has planned for me.

But no. Screw him. I'm not doing his work for him.

I check the door in the back of the storeroom.

Another hallway. The architect for this place was just as insane as everyone else.

There are two doors here, each marked with equally concerning names: "Shaitan" and "Mammon."

((Try the Shaitan door: Page 200))
((Try the Mammon room: Page 123))
((Go back through the storeroom to the landing: Page 233))

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

"Shaitan" is "Satan" in Arabic, I think. And "Mammon" is something to do with greed. I'm sure the earl knows a lot more about this stuff than I do.

The smart thing would just be to run, but "Mammon" might be a treasure room or something and have something useful inside.

Or another horrible zombie.

Clutching my knife with one hand, I open the door.

It's ... a bedroom.

There's a large bed with a yellow bedspread. Women's clothes are all over the floor. Water is running in a sink in the corner, but I don't see anyone from the doorway.

((Call out to announce myself: Page 386))
((Search the room: Page 337))
((Leave the room: Page 2))

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

This "woman" could be another monster, but she could also be a prisoner. Given everything else I've seen so far, either one could be equally true.

"Hello?" I call out softly -- I don't want to be heard outside this room.

No reply.

I step forward to turn off the sink and trip over something. A chamber pot, in the middle of the floor. That wasn't there a moment ago.

I get to my feet and wince in pain.

((Lose 2 Stamina points.))

((Skill 5+3, Stamina 8/22, Luck 7/8, Fear 4/11))

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

There's a rustling from a curtain. Stupid for not checking.

I turn, ready to jump or stab, as the curtains whip open and ... there's nothing there.

I feel like I'm going to have a heart attack.

((Take 1 Fear point.))

Covered in icy fear sweat, I stalk over to the curtains and whip them open. But nothing's there and they seem like perfectly ordinary curtains.

((Leave the room: Page 2))
(Work out the mystery of the curtains: Page 150))

((Skill 5+3, Stamina 8/22, Luck 7/8, Fear 5/11))

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Zombies and now ghosts. Sure, why not.
She doesn't seem to be trying to actively hurt me. This could be someone else who has gone through what I've gone through, maybe even the woman from the painting before.

"Hello? Can you hear me?"
Nothing. My leg is still throbbing and I lean against the bedpost to take some of the weight off.

And then the bed slides quickly across the floor, out of my reach and I fall heavily to the floor.

((Lose 1 Stamina point, gain 1 Fear point.))
((They really need to use the same terminology and structure these two things the same way.))

((Skill 5+3, Stamina 7/22, Luck 7/8, Fear 6/11))