Debacle at Dead Mans Inn
by Andrew Wright
DEBACLE AT DEAD MAN’S INN
By Andrew Wright
Fighting Fan-Tales!
Welcome to Debacle at Dead Man’s Inn. This is the second in a series of Fighting Fan-Tales, free with your copy of the monthly Fighting Fantasy Newsletter. All you need to play are a pencil, an eraser and dice. Adventure sheets and rules are available at www.fightingfantasy.com. Simply enter your adventurer’s details on the Adventure Sheet and begin your adventure. Good Luck!
ff.org Editors Note This adventure uses standard Fighting Fantasy rules
BACKGROUND
Mauristatia is a dangerous land of fell crags and dark valleys. For days you stagger through misty hill-scapes and tangled woods, looking for some sign of civilization. At last however, perched upon a high ridge at dusk, you peer down into the next dale and spy the twinkling lights of a small hamlet.
You descend into the village to find a celebration in full swing. Farmers and their families are dressed up to resemble ghosts and skeletons. Kegs of ale and barrels of wine have been opened, and food – potatoes, pumpkins, and roast chicken – is piled high on wooden platters. Music is provided by a wandering troupe of players, whose numbers swell as they amble about the community. It must be the Night of Ancestors festival!
Stopping by the commons green, you ask a local in a corpse-like costume about the name of the village. ‘Why, welcome stranger!’ he says, cheeks flushed from the ale he quaffs from a foaming tankard. ‘This here be the village of Darrang. Yonder lies the market, and next to that, the Dead Man’s Inn.’
You can: Visit the market turn to 11
Visit the inn turn to 22
NOW MAKE YOUR CHOICE AND TURN OVER
Kiru the potboy licks his lips nervously and says ‘There’s a frog thing in the old wishing well out back. Slay it and the well’s treasure is yours!’ You enter the slimy well and face a green GIANT FROG (skill 5 stamina 6). If you kill it, you find 4 Gold Pieces in the muddy depths. Kiru thanks you profusely. You can go to the market (turn to 11) or the inn (turn to 22).
On seeing your poor condition, the villagers recommend you leave immediately to visit the Healer of Halos, who lives in a cave further up the valley. Your next adventure will be the third installment in the Fighting Fan-Tales series: Into the Valley of Halos.
At the bar, Ulaka the tattooed tavern wench tells you of a mad mage called Mheng, who tosses victims into a lethal labyrinth and bets on their survival. Now you can go gambling, (turn to 9), if you haven’t yet, or go to sleep (turn to 21).
Turn to 24.
As you open the door you are attacked by a raven-haired lady with gleaming fangs. A VAMPYRE (skill 10 (or skill 8 if you have Garlic) stamina 10)! If you win and are wounded, you are infected with Vampirism. You find 6 Gold Pieces and a Bloodstone Torc. Turn to 17.
You return to sleep. Regain 1 stamina point. Again your rest is disturbed! This time it seems the whole village enters the tavern, led by an old priest. ‘Here is the stranger! He is the monster!’ he screams. ‘What nonsense is this?’ you reply. ‘Several villagers have been slain by a Demonic Shape-shifter! It must be you!’ ‘Not true!’ you yell, desperately looking at the villagers. You may have picked up some clues during your time in Darrang. Who will you counter-accuse? Kiru the potboy, licking his lips (turn to 8), Narramunga the Gambler, holding dice in his left hand (turn to 16), Ulaka the bare-shouldered serving wench (turn to 12), Quambu the brown-eyed merchant (turn to 20), Tarakan the Amazon, leaning on a walking staff (turn to 24), or Malengo the innkeeper, black hair all askew (turn to 4).
Opening the door reveals the rain-lashed furry form of a WEREWOLF (skill 8 (or skill 7 if you have Wolfsbane) stamina 8). If you win and are wounded, you are infected with Lycanthropy, unless you have Belladonna. The Werewolf has a Pearl Ring which you can take. Turn to 13.
Turn to 24.
Narramunga the Gambler is a skilled wielder of the dice that roll from his silk-clad left hand. You watch a few games where he badly fleeces the locals. If you wish to gamble you need a stake of 1 Gold Piece. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, you double your stake. If you are Unlucky, you loose your stake. You can gamble as long as you have gold. If you have finished gambling, or do not want to, you can go drinking, (turn to 19), if you haven’t yet, or go to sleep (turn to 21).
Leaving Darrang quickly behind, you are accosted by a violet-clad mage on a flying carpet. ‘Jump up!’ he says. ‘I’ll give you a lift.’ Having little choice, you agree. Your next adventure will be the fourth installment in the Fighting Fan-Tales series: The Maze of Mheng.
Darrang market is run by the blue-eyed merchant Quambu. He sells: Backpack (1 GP), Provisions (1 GP per Meal), Garlic (1GP), Belladonna (2GP), Wolfsbane (2GP), Purity Plant (3GP). Cross off the herbs when you use them. If you need gold, Quambu has a job (turn to 18), if you haven’t yet done so, or you can go to the inn (turn to 22)
Turn to 24.
You return to sleep. Regain 1 stamina point. You are woken again by a knock at the door. It is pitch black. You are likely to trip over a bench. ‘Please, won’t you bid me enter?’ says a sibilant whisper. Will you open the door (turn to 5), or go back to sleep (turn to 17)?
Cross off 1 Gold Piece. The inn’s common room is a heaving throng of costumed villagers and weary travellers. Will you be drinking (turn to 19) or gambling (turn to 9)?
Drinking with the ruffians results in an inevitable brawl due to a trivial misunderstanding. Roll one die and fight! 1-2: VAGABOND skill 8 stamina 6; 3-4: RUFFIAN skill 6 stamina 6; 5-6: THUG skill 7 stamina 9. Fight until either of you are reduced to 2 stamina or less. Then the fight is broken up by Tarakan the Amazon, a limping town guard and ex-Shield Maiden. She orders the inn closed for the night. Turn to 21.
Turn to 24.
You return to the bench. Regain 1 stamina point. You are woken again by knuckles rapping at the door. You cannot see a thing. There is no other sound. Will you open the door (turn to 23), or go back to sleep (turn to 6)?
The moss-covered village chapel is haunted by a lurking ZOMBIE (skill 6 stamina 6). If you kill it, the villagers pay you 5 Gold Pieces. Turn to 11.
A pint of Black Wolf ale costs 1 Gold Piece and restores 1 stamina point. If you buy some, you can join locals at the bar (turn to 3), or ruffians by the door (turn to 15). If you can’t afford to, or don’t want to drink, you can go gambling, (turn to 9), if you haven’t yet, or go to sleep (turn to 21).
You have chosen correctly! Add 1 luck point. The trader changes into a fork-tongued reptilian monster – the DEMONIC SHAPE-SHIFTER (skill 9 stamina 10) and attacks! If you win, turn to 25.
You sleep fitfully on a bench in the common room. Regain 1 stamina point. The night is dark and stormy. Suddenly, there is a rapping at the door! ‘Let me in! Let me in!’ howls a bestial voice. Will you open the door (turn to 7), or go back to sleep (turn to 13)?
The Dead Man’s Inn is an old brick tavern. Malengo the dark-haired innkeeper demands 1 Gold Piece to enter in these festive times as ‘insurance’. You can pay him and enter (turn to 14), or visit the market (turn to 11). You can also talk to a potboy beckoning to you from the side of the inn (turn to 1), if you haven’t yet. If you can’t afford to, or don’t want to enter the inn, you leave Darrang (turn to 10).
You open the door and are attacked by a cloaked skeleton wielding a rusty scimitar. DEATH’S MESSENGER (skill 7 (skill 5 if you have the Purity Plant) stamina 6)! If you win and are wounded, you are infected with Yellow Plague. You find a Shadow Cloak (-1 to enemy’s Attack Strength). Turn to 6.
This is the wrong choice! Lose 2 luck points. The Demonic Shape-shifter erupts from the crowd, slaying all nearby. You flee both the inn and the village of Darrang. Turn to 10.
Congratulations are in order as you have successfully avenged the deaths of the villagers and extricated yourself from a very sticky situation! The villagers of Darrang are overjoyed that you have slain the monster. Well done!
You can keep your adventurer and carry them over to the next thrilling installment in the Fighting Fan-Tales series. If you have been infected with Lycanthropy, Vampirism, and/or Yellow Plague, turn to 2. If not, turn to 10.