I'm going to slip in a cheeky little post before 2012 hits us. I am a
Tunnels and Trolls fan and I enjoy the way that it produces lots of solo adventures for the system (basically, they are gamebooks, but the rules are in a separate book).
If you want to see a good example of a short Tunnels and Trolls solo, try
Depths of the Devilmancer by
Scott Malthouse.
Well, I decided to turn my hand to writing an Advanced Fighting Fantasy 2nd edition solo for a non magic user.The problem with writing gamebooks for a system designed for an RPG is that it is difficult to prepare your gamebook for all of the skills, abilities and spells that the characters may have.
For example, what happens if you cast ESP on an NPC? A referee could make something up on the fly, but a gamebook cannot do that. So, for the time being, I'm keeping it simple for myself.
In this solo, you are guarding a caravan for a few days. Normally, it is boring, but this time, things go wrong. Read on and let me know what you think. It's nice and short, so it shouldn't take too long.
Caravan to Kaad
You are an adventurer who has fallen on hard times
and has decided to guard a caravan for some gold pieces. However, the job is far from boring.
This gamebook is intended for a character with AFF2
stats, but magic has not been accounted for.
Skills and talents
This gamebook does not take into account
spellcasting, so the following skills and talents will not be available for a
hero doing this gamebook.
Skills not available: Magic – Minor, Magic – Priestly, Magic –
Sorcery, Magic – Wizardry.
Talents not available: Arcane, Blessed, Dark Seeing, Familiar,
Focus, Holy, Knighted, Natural Mage, Physical Empowerment, Status.
Starting equipment
You start with a bare minimum of equipment but you
may find other items later on. At the moment, you have these items:
- One weapon
that you have a special skill in or a staff or dagger if you have no
weapon special skill.
- A leather
cuirass if you have the armour special skill or a small shield if you
don’t.
- A backpack.
Background
After falling on hard times, you decide to earn some
money doing caravan guard duty. The town
crier announced that a merchant wants guards to escort him and his wares to
Kaad. You approach the well built,
leather wearing merchant in the town square of Blitterford who introduces
himself as Lars and tells you that he has several barrels of corn ale that he
needs transporting to Kaad. It should take
three days for the caravan to get there along a well known trail and the fee is
30 gold pieces.
Turn to 1.
1
30 gold pieces for three days work. You need the money, but could you squeeze
more out of him? If you want to try,
turn to 9. If you accept, turn to
17.
2
There is a
cloaked man up ahead. He is carrying a staff. Lars stops the wagons and tells
you and Margov to approach it. You do so cautiously. As you get nearer, the
figure lowers its hood to reveal a face of madness. The man cackles insanely
and launches himself at both of you. You and Margov fight the man together (you
both get a +1 bonus to attack strength while you are both fighting). He will target you with his blows.
MAD PILGRIM
SKILL 9 STAMINA 12 WEAPON: Staff ARMOUR: None
If you win, you
may take the man's staff, but there is nothing left of value. Turn to 24.
3
The peasants are
very grateful for your help. They give you a bag of berries, nuts and apples
that they collected today. 'Many thanks, my friend.' Says the woman. This will
protect you from the elements. Note down the bag as a meal, but if you eat it
in this gamebook, you will also enjoy the effect of the weather protection
minor spell (you won't lose any stamina from bad weather). The spell wears off
when this gamebook ends. Turn to 24.
4
You see two
figures approaching and you wake Sovril. You have a chance to ambush them. Test
your hide or skill. If you succeed, turn to 6. If you fail, turn to 18.
5
Before you can
react, two MAN ORCS leap out of the copse and land before you, brandishing
their battle axes. You are surprised. If you are with Margov, you both fight
one man orc each. Otherwise, you fight them together. In the first round, the
man orcs get a +6 bonus to attack strength and a +2 bonus to damage rolls due
to the surprise. Also, if you win the attack round, you don't inflict any
damage.
First MAN ORC
SKILL 8 STAMINA 6 WEAPON: Battle axe. ARMOUR: Leather cuirass.
Second MAN ORC
SKILL 8 STAMINA 6 WEAPON: Battle axe. ARMOUR: Leather cuirass.
If you win, you
may take a battle axe, but the man orcs have no other possessions. Turn to 22.
6
You leave the
shelter of the wagon and head for a nearby bush. The MAN ORCS look under the
wagon and then at the barrels. While they are distracted you ambush them. They
grunt in surprise and anger. You have to fight them. If Sovril has a weapon, he
will try his best against the second man orc. Otherwise, he will flee while you
have to fight both of them at once (they get +1 to their attack strength while
there are two of them). If Sovril beats his man orc before you, he will aid
you. If the man orc reduces Sovril's stamina to 4 or less, Sovril will flee.
The man orc will ignore him and attack you. Since you surprised the man orcs,
you get a +6 bonus to your attack strength and a +2 bonus to damage rolls in
the first round. Also, if the man orc wins, you take no damage. The same
applies to Sovril, if he is fighting.
Sovril SKILL 6 STAMINA 11 WEAPON: Whatever you gave
him. ARMOUR: None
First MAN ORC
SKILL 8 STAMINA 6 WEAPON: Battle axe. ARMOUR: Leather cuirass.
Second MAN ORC
SKILL 8 STAMINA 6 WEAPON: Battle axe. ARMOUR: Leather cuirass.
If you win, and
Sovril ran away, he eventually returns. Turn to 25.
7
You awak at dawn
and carry on traipsing along the trail, protecting the wagons. The day goes
without incident until you come to a copse. Lars tells you to investigate it
before he sends the wagons through. You approach it, getting slowly closer.
Test your awareness or skill. If you have the hawkeye talent, you may use its
bonus. You automatically succeed if you have the combat reactions talent. If
you succeed, turn to 15. If you fail, turn to 5.
8
The first 3
hours are uneventful. You walk alongside the slow moving wagons, enjoying the
countryside. Then you see something approaching you on the trail. Roll 1 die.
On the roll of a
1-2, turn to 12.
On the roll of a
3-4, turn to 16.
On the roll of a
5-6, turn to 2.
9
Roll 2 dice and
add it to Lars's bargain skill of 9. Roll 2 dice and add it to your skill or
bargain skill. If you get the same scores, roll again. If you beat his score,
you manage to raise the fee to 36 gold pieces. If you fail, he lowers the fee
to 24 gold pieces. Turn to 17.
10
Overcoming your
revulsion, you search through the entrails and bloodstained clothes and
backpack to find an axe and a pouch containing 5 gold pieces. You may take
either or both of these. Turn to 24.
11
Lars and his
caravan ride off. Just as they do, the heavens open and it starts to pour with
rain. Lose 1 stamina point through cold and wet. You are left with Sovril, a
servant. The first thing you both do is collect up the barrels and arrange them
on the trail. Then you lean the broken wagon against the tree for shelter.
After that, you get some food. Gain 2 stamina points. Neither of you sleep
particularly well as you are anxious against further attacks. Eventually, the
sun rises and you spend the day patrolling the copse. However, nothing comes.
Sovril helps, but he looks like he couldn't hold himself in a fight and he is
unarmed. If you would like to lend him a weapon, you may do so now. Turn to 23.
12
You see three
figures on the road all dressed in ragged clothing. Two of them are supporting
the third who is limping along. The central person's leg is covered in blood.
'Please help
us.' Says one of the uninjured peasants, a woman with wild black hair. 'We were
hunting for food and Arwal here got caught in a man trap. He's in a bad way.
Please help us.' You look at Lars who is unimpressed and ready to move his
wagon on.
If you ignore
them and follow Lars, turn to 19.
If you want to
help them and you have the healing skill, make a roll. If you succeed, turn to
3. If you fail, you may try something else.
If you try to
convince Lars to use some of his bandages and alcohol to clean and repair the
wounds, turn to 14.
13
Deciding that
spending two days in man orc infested countryside is foolish, you turn around
and head back to Blitterford. You don't get any pay and Lars will badmouth you
to any merchant he meets, reducing your chances of employment, but at least you
still have your skin. Gain 5 experience points for this trip.
14
Test your Con,
Leadership or skill. If you succeed, Lars agrees to give you some bandages and
alcohol and you dress the wound. Turn to 3.
If you fail,
Lars refuses to give the materials away freely, but he will give them to you if
you let him reduce your fee by 6 gold pieces. If you do this, turn to 3.
If you are not
able to get the materials, you move on. Turn to 19.
15
You see a shape moving behind the
trees and you shout a warning to the others. Two MAN ORCs leap out of the copse
to attack you, but you are ready for them. If Margov is still with you, you
fight one man orc each. Otherwise, you fight them together (they get a +1 bonus
to attack strength while they are both alive).
First MAN ORC SKILL 8 STAMINA 6
WEAPON: Battle axe. ARMOUR: Leather cuirass.
Second MAN ORC SKILL 8 STAMINA 6
WEAPON: Battle axe. ARMOUR: Leather cuirass.
If you win, you may take a battle
axe, but the man orcs have no other possessions. Turn to 22.
16
You see a pack
of wild dogs gorging on something in the road. There are six of them. When you
get near to them, they turn as one and glower at you, mad for more meat. The
pack of dogs then launch themselves at you and Margov, barking madly. You must
fight three of them at once (each wild dog in the pack gets a +1 bonus to
attack strength for each other wild dog attacking you.
First WILD DOG
SKILL 4 STAMINA 4 WEAPON: Small bite ARMOUR: None
Second WILD DOG
SKILL 4 STAMINA 4 WEAPON: Small bite ARMOUR: None
Third WILD DOG
SKILL 4 STAMINA 4 WEAPON: Small bite ARMOUR: None
Fight Margov's
combat simultaneously:
First WILD DOG
SKILL 4 STAMINA 4 WEAPON: Small bite ARMOUR: None
Second WILD DOG
SKILL 4 STAMINA 4 WEAPON: Small bite ARMOUR: None
Third WILD DOG
SKILL 4 STAMINA 4 WEAPON: Small bite ARMOUR: None
Make a note of
Margov's current stamina. If he dies, the ramaining wild dogs will attack you.
If he wins before you, he will aid you.
If you win, turn
to 21.
17
Note down how
much you will be paid.
'Great. We're
leaving in a couple of hours.' says Lars. Come and help us load up.
You spend an
hour loading barrels onto wagons. As you do, you get to know the other
travellers. Lars has three servants and one other guard, a man in a chain
cuirass who has a sword at his side and a shortbow on his back. He is known as
Margov and he is an ex soldier in the Salamonis army who left for more
adventure.
'I've been
guarding caravans for the next six months. It was more entertaining in the
army.'
Here are
Margov's stats:
Margov
Skill 7 Stamina
16 Luck 10
Skills: World
Lore (1), City Lore (Salamonis) (1), Religion Lore (1), Ride (1), Swords (2),
Armour (2), Strength (2), Bows (1), Brawling (1), Dodge (1), Mounted Combat (1),
Animal Lore (1), Etiquette (1)
Talent: Strongarm.
Equipment:
Sword, dagger, shortbow, quiver of 12 arrows, chain cuirass backpack, waterskin, 2 meals, 25
GP, 10 SP.
After you have
loaded up the Lars and each servant get on a wagon laden with barrels and begin
their journey. You and Margov have to walk alongside them, keeping an eye out
for trouble. Turn to 8.
18
You hear guttral
noises nearby and go to wake Sovril. As you do, two MAN ORCS appear on the
trail. You have to fight them. If Sovril has a weapon, he will try his best
against the second man orc. Otherwise, he will flee while you have to fight
both of them at once (they get +1 to their attack strength while there are two
of them). If Sovril beats his man orc before you, he will aid you. If the man
orc reduces Sovril's stamina to 4 or less, Sovril will flee. The man orc will
ignore him and attack you.
Sovril SKILL 6 STAMINA 11 WEAPON: Whatever you gave
him. ARMOUR: None
First MAN ORC
SKILL 8 STAMINA 6 WEAPON: Battle axe. ARMOUR: Leather cuirass.
Second MAN ORC
SKILL 8 STAMINA 6 WEAPON: Battle axe. ARMOUR: Leather cuirass.
If you win, and
Sovril ran away, he eventually returns. Turn to 25.
19
The peasants
glare at you as you walk on. As you leave, you hear the woman mumble something
under her breath. Then you feel a sharp jabbing pain in your back. Roll 1 die.
If you roll a 6, lose 1 stamina point. Turn to 24.
20
'I'm you're
boss, you insolent mudworm. Either do as I say, or clear off!' Shouts Lars. If
you do go along with his plan, make a note that your pay has been reduced by 4
gold pieces since you angered him and turn to 11. If you still refuse, turn to
13.
21
After you have
killed the pack, you then see that they were feasting upon the rotting,
disemboweled corpse of an adventurer. No one else wants to touch it. If you
investigate the corpse, turn to 10. If you carry on, turn to 24.
22
Eager to move
on, Lars pushes the horses on. It all goes well, until the last wagon goes over
a gnarled tree root in the copse, overturning it and sending the barrels
flying. Lars curses. You all inspect the wagon which now has a broken wheel.
Lars orders you and the servant driving the wagon to stay behind and guard the
goods while the rest of them move on to get a replacement. If you go along with
this, turn to 11. If you refuse, turn to 20.
23
You both eat
well during the day. Restore 4 stamina points. Then night comes around and you
decide to take the first watch. You stare out across the plains from the copse
for hours. Test your awareness or skill. If you have the hawkeye talent, you
may use its bonus. If you succeed, turn to 4. If you fail, turn to 18.
24
The rest of the
day carries on without incident. You circle the wagons, start a fire and enjoy
a good meal. In the evening, you keep watch. If Margov is still alive, you
share the duty and you may both restore 2 stamina points through food and a
reasonable night's sleep. If you are alone, you get very little sleep and you
have to lose 1 stamina point.
The night passes
without incident. In the morning, you carry on. turn to 7.
25
Once again, the
man orcs have nothing of value. After two, thankfully uneventful days of
waiting and resting (restore your stamina to its initial level), Lars
and Margov return with an empty wagon. You hurridly load it with the barrels
and hastily make your way to Kaad. Lars thanks you for protecting his goods and
pays you his fee with an additional 15 gold pieces on top. You have managed to
guard the caravan to Kaad. Gain 15 experience points.
So there we go. Feel free to post any comments.
I wish you all a happy new year. Here's to 2012!
