Phil Sadler Wed Aug 8 08:40:43 2018 House Of Pain	'House of Pain' - Yet another mistake from me: reference 25 I have swapped with 414 with 437. Now the text will punish or reward the reader correctly.
	I've uploaded the new version that you sent me.

Gavin
Wed Aug 8 21:45:22 2018
A Day In The Life
Star - optimum ending reached

I almost wish I was going to Bloodstock this year after winning this again. And yes, security guards are pretty much omnipotent at these sorts of events, at least against lone intoxicants.

Tammy
Thu Aug 9 06:08:59 2018
A Day In The Life

Security guards here don't even do citizens arrest. They just chase you off the premises.

Gavin
Thu Aug 9 07:44:02 2018
A Day In The Life

I imagine the civilian police would be involved as well, festivals don't want reputations for lawlessness, look at altamont.

meschlum Sat Aug 11 03:00:53 2018 The Curse Of Drumer	When using Dibir Malacht with Honour, Fear rolls were still required (and fortunately passed) when seeking the Gold Cross. The automatic successes may not be working?
	I think that they are, but the way that I've implemented it may be confusing. What happens is that you don't even see the two automatic successes that Dibir Mallacht gives you, you are just sent straight to the 'successful' paragraph. What I suspect you're seeing are the third and subsequent rolls, and you have already benefited from the Honour power.

Gavin
Sat Aug 11 11:48:17 2018
A Day In The Life

On Friday Blind Guardian decided they would have a little banter with the crowd.

'Bloodstock how you doing'

THUNDERING SILENCE

'I consider that a compliment'

Totally irrelevant to the game, but I thought I would stick it in somewhere.

Gavin
Sat Aug 11 11:50:31 2018
A Day In The Life

Admittedly it was raining.

Phil Sadler
Sat Aug 11 19:36:52 2018
House Of Pain

Thanks!

Phil Sadler
Sun Aug 12 19:09:59 2018
Deathtrap

Just saw this on Facebook by an FF fan called Rob Hatton:

Today I will be attempting an intriguing piece of fan fiction with Phil Sadler's DEATHTRAP, a prequel to...... you guessed it, Deathtrap Dungeon. I only became aware of this particular gamebook the other day after hearing mention of it by the author on a group post, and immediately asked if I could use it for a play-through, and here we are.

I must admit to being instantly enthused by the notion of another adventure set within the walls of Baron Sukhumvit’s infamous Dungeon, much as I would be excited about another book set in Blacksand or Firetop Mountain or Craggen Rock...... they are the stomping grounds of legend. Having said that, it does immediately set expectations to a certain lofty standard, so it takes a fair amount of balls to give it a go.

Nobody could ever accuse Sadler of not putting enough effort into this venture, as this is no mere 200 reference mini-adventure, but a colossal work of nearly 500 entries. We are treated to an extensive background intro in which we get a meaty chunk of exposition on various rumours surrounding the construction of the dungeon, the fate of the ten guardsmen sent in to test it’s effectiveness...... and the lesser known tale of the second group sent in after them......

This is where YOU enter the story, as one of ten various adventurers who answered the notice put up by the baron seeking brave warriors to evaluate his Deathtrap Dungeon before it is officially opened.

Amongst your fellow guinea pigs are a number of familiar character types, such as a Barbarian, a Knight, an Elven Woman, and a Ninja. I am assuming for now that none of these are the actual contestants who step into the void in the original book, but are perhaps merely a nod to those legendary figures, although I won’t rule out the possibility of perhaps the Ninja being one in the same. Of the others which make up the ten we have a Mage, a Gladiator, a Ranger and a Beastmaster.

During the audience we have with Sukhumvit, where Sadler does a fine job in revealing the wealth and power of Fang’s most illustrious citizen, the baron outlines what is expected from his hand-picked expedition. The dungeon must be tested for weaknesses of any conceivable type, with anyone making it out alive to report on their experiences, with suggestions on what needs to be improved and which parts were too easy. Once this task is complete, each surviving member of the group will receive their reward of 1000gp, with no apparent restrictions on how many are allowed to emerge alive from the dungeon. (After all it is not yet officially open)

One important factor to note with this book is the lack of any artwork, so to compensate for the absence of our standard window into the adventure, Sadler has gone into overdrive with prose which is rich in imagery and atmosphere.

The ambience which he creates for the most part has a strong theme of psychological horror throughout the story, feeling very much to me like being in some unholy mixture of a Stephen King film and Apocalypse Now, which I hope conveys just how disturbing some of the scenes play out.

I definitely get the impression that much emphasis is placed upon yours and other character’s state of mind throughout your decent into what seems like Hell on earth, which may have a lot to do with something which is released into the dungeon shortly after the last person enters...... (but I’ll say no more about that for now)

SK 10 ST 21 LK 12

PREDICTION/GOALS

I’ve rolled up a pretty strong character overall, which is probably a good thing if I want to give this a decent attempt, as it seems pretty clear that it won’t be an easy ride. This first attempt will serve to get the measure of what the book is made of, with no real hope of getting anywhere near to the end, as I’m sure that more than a few goes will be required to crack this particular nut. Here goes!

The post is here.

Phil Sadler
Mon Aug 13 08:32:51 2018
Deathtrap

Rob Hatton PART ONE

So the time finally arrives to decide the order of entry into the dungeon, with everybody taking a folded piece of paper with a number between one and ten written on it. I manage to pick the number ten, and whilst I try to decide whether this is a good or a bad thing, the Ninja becomes the first of us to walk between the two decorative pillars and into the gloomy tunnel beyond.

I watch each adventurer enter in the order chosen, each in their own unique way, until it is finally my turn. After a few moments waking, the smooth walls which were visible on the outside transform into a roughly hewn and crudely excavated tunnel, completely changing the atmosphere to something more ominous and sinister.

I soon reach a table of some sort which holds the now familiar boxes inscribed with each person’s name, although in this version of events there is some evidence to show that attempts have been made to open my box, which adds a nice edge of realism to things. Inside is a note from the big man, informing me that I need to collect gems, and just as I read this I notice that the Barbarian is there watching me. At the same time, a voice (presumably the baron's) suddenly speaks as if from the very walls.

Apparently, some 5 minutes after the last person (me) enters the dungeon, something else will be released after us. This being has no name, as it is from “the other side”, and is referred to simply as “It Which Follows", or simply "It". Clearly this is more than a small nod to Stephen King’s demonic creature of the same name, but it adds an unexpected new twist to the story.

The voice goes on to warn that It will hunt down the group with a remorseless and unwavering single mindedness, without hope of being able to barter with It, harm It or hide from It.

It will use our deepest fears as it’s weapon and merely laying eyes upon It could result in you losing your mind completely. The only hope is to run from It, as it’s only real weakness is the fact that It is slow, with the only salvation coming when we cross the dungeon’s threshold.

The Barbarian is having none of this however, and fiercely boasts that he will run from and will fear nothing, and ignoring the warnings of the voice he goes to stand at the corner of the tunnel which faces the entrance. I watch him standing there motionless until he smiles and says the he can see something coming, and that it is merely a man, and so I begin to walk towards the corner to see for myself.

The change in the Barbarian’s expression halts me in my tracks, which is now frozen into a mask of terror, until at last he manages to shout the word “run!” before turning and fleeing off down one of the four tunnels heading into the dungeon. I stop and listen long enough to hear a set of slow, steady and remorseless footsteps coming ever closer, before following suit and rushing down the westernmost tunnel........

That first segment, coupled with the detailed and atmospheric into, is just about as much as you could ask for to kick things off. It sets you up with what is to come, which is a heady brew of suspense, horror and outright mind-fuckery.

I stumble out of the tunnel into a cavern-like opening, and almost trip headlong into the piles upon piles of bones littering the floor. Crunching across the scores of human skeletons proves to be an unsavoury prospect, but I linger here long enough to search through the remains until I discover a crystal pendant on a silver chain. I then decide to make haste from this charnel house through the western exit, thoroughly unsuspecting of the horrors to come.

The next cavern I enter is full of human remains once more, only this time the corpses are of a much fresher variety, with all the negative consequences that go with it. Despite this, and spurred on by my success in the previous area, I compel myself to make another grisly search. This time, the appalling surroundings and the Implications of what I’m actually doing begin to take their toll on my mind, until I sense movement all around me.

Several of the bloated and rotting cadavers have come to “life” and are climbing over their inert counterparts in order to get at me, which needless to say has the effect of freaking me out somewhat, until just as suddenly my head spins and then clears to reveal that it was just an hallucination. Time to leave.....

TO BE CONTINUED .....

Jordan
Mon Aug 13 08:52:22 2018
A Day In The Life
Star - optimum ending reached

Gavin likes beer and food raa! An excellent job, I loved it.

Phil Sadler
Mon Aug 13 09:13:58 2018
Deathtrap

Here is a better link

Phil Sadler
Mon Aug 13 18:18:26 2018
Deathtrap

Rob Hatton CONCLUSION

Feeling that the mask of sanity has definitely slipped, I rush headlong out of the room into a bizarrely cross shaped chamber with a strange sarcophagus occupying one of the cross-arms, wreathed in a ghoulish green flame.

Detaching itself from this area comes a ghastly apparition to intercept me, a Death Wraith, which frankly is too much for my fragile psyche to handle at this precise moment and I flee in its unholy wake.

The exit I run through is marked with a multitude of eyes, and I find myself in a cave in which a strong acrid smell pollutes the air.

Dominating the far end of the cave, languishing in its disgusting pool of acidic slime, is the legendary Bloodbeast. As I look on in horrid fascination, eye-like blisters constantly erupt all over its bloated and blubbery body, hiding the location of its true eyes. (Its only real weakness)

Before I can decide on a course of action, an incredibly long tongue darts out to wrap itself around my body and begins to drag me inexorably towards the bath of acid. Fortunately I manage to sever the thing before I am pulled into the pool, and begin to wildly hack at the Bloodbeast’s slug-like body in the hope of scoring a miraculous strike.

After employing a dose of luck, I manage to hit one of the vulnerable eyes, incapacitating the creature long enough for me to escape it’s lair into the tunnel beyond.

Running headlong into the next chamber I bowl into and completely take by surprise another fellow adventurer, the black garbed silent assassin, the Ninja. In a flash be reaches for his katana, but I have the element of surprise here and slash at his exposed thigh, causing a significant wound.

This seems to give the Ninja cause to back away, still disbelieving that I managed to take him unawares. After boasting that he will enjoy killing me when we meet at the end of the dungeon, he is gone from the place with the speed of a cat.

Leaving by the exit adorned with an actual human face (great), I enter a dusty and cobwebbed room, with several corpses littering the floor. It seems that these were once animated undead that have been recently destroyed, and in the centre of the floor I once again see the strange white chalk circle, the same as before.

It is then that my ears pick up a strange sound coming from a darkened corner of the room, and moving closer to the source I behold an extremely disturbing sight.

Crouching down in the corner is a huge and brutal looking man, who is actually knawing on the leg of a still moving zombie, apparently oblivious to my presence.

This, of all the nightmarish horrors that I have endured thus far, seems to offend my sensibilities the most. Without even thinking about my actions, I swing my sword down onto the huge shoulder of the man, which seems to have very little effect besides enraging him.

The Beast, as he is apparently known, raises himself to his full height of nearly seven feet before launching into a savage attack. I fight valiantly against the enormous Beast, but the mission has finally taken it’s toll on my body, and my stamina fails me against my opponents vast strength.

I imagine myself being lifted from the ground in a bonecrushing bearhug, before being hurled against the wall like a rag doll, shattering my body like pottery against stone.........

......and thus ends my futile attempt at this disturbing incarnation of Sukhumvit’s dungeon. I enjoyed the experience immensely, particularly the atmosphere of surreal terror which seems to infect every tunnel and every turn of the page.

I recommend anyone reading this to give it a try yourselves...... if you dare.......

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