How to Survive in Darkwood Forest
Before you begin your escape, you must first determine your own strengths and weaknesses. You have no equipment, for the dwarves of Mirewater have been careful to keep all useful items away from you. Physically, you have been unable to train yourself in the art of fighting, and so have been forced to exercise your mind. You are far smarter than the Dwarfs think you are- they have treated you as little more than an animal. Little games have taught you some ability in shape changing, but there is still much to learn.
To see how effective your preparations have been, you must use the dice to determine your initial SKILL, STAMINA, LUCK and SHIFTING scores. You will find a copy of an Adventure Sheet here. You should print off a copy of this, and use it to record the details of an adventure. On it you will find boxes for recording SKILL, STAMINA, LUCK and SHIFTING scores.
Skill, Stamina, Shifting, Luck
Roll one die. Add 3 to this number and enter this total in the SKILL box on the Adventure Sheet
Roll both dice. Add 12 to the number rolled and enter this total in the STAMINA box.
Roll one die. Add 5 to the number rolled, and enter this total in the SHIFTING box.
There is also a LUCK box. Roll one die, add 6 to this number and enter this total in the LUCK box..
For reasons that will be explained below, these attributes change constantly during your adventure. You must keep an accurate record of these scores. Although you may be awarded additional attribute points, your current level can never exceed these Initial levels, except on very rare occasions, when you will be instructed to change the Initial levels themselves. The attributes can also never fall below zero. Your SHIFTING socre is slightly different. There is no difference between the Initial and the current level for this attribute. Instead, whenever a change is made, it will increase or decrease your Initial score, rather than your current. It also follows that this attribute cannot be "restored" to its Initial level.
Your SKILL score reflects your aggression and general fighting expertise. As a Shape Changer, you rely more on your ability to confuse opponents, or to Shift into another creature to attack. Do not try to fight enemies directly if you can find another way!. Your STAMINA score reflects your general constitution, your will to survive, your determination and overall fitness; the higher your STAMINA, the longer you will be able to survive. The SHIFTING score indicates your ability to Shift shape, and to convince others of your deception. Your LUCK score indicates now naturally lucky a creature you are. This is explained more fully below.
Luck
At various times during your adventure, either in battles or when you come across situations in which you could either by lucky or unlucky (details of these will be given in the sections themselves), you may call on your luck to make the outcome more favourable. But beware! Using luck is a risky business and if you are unlucky, the results could be disastrous.
The procedure for using your luck is as follows: roll two dice. If the number rolled is equal to or less than your current LUCK score, you have been lucky and the result will go in your favour. If the number rolled is higher than your current LUCK score, you have been unlucky and you will be penalized.
This procedure is known as Testing your Luck. Each time you Test your Luck, you must subtract one point from your current LUCK score. Thus you will soon realize that the more you rely on your luck, the more risky this will become.
Shifting
Your greatest weapon is your ability to change, or Shift your shape. At will, you can change your body to take the form of another. Perhaps you want to become a stronger creature in order to attack a powerful enemy. Alternatively, you may want to try to deceive an opponent- to pretend to a Goblin that you are a fellow Goblin. You cannot, however, turn into any creature that you wish. Instead, you have to have been present at the death of that creature. When this happens, you are able to see the essence of that creature as it passed on, giving you the knowledge you need to take its shape. This is also the reason why Shape Changers are so hated in Allansia, since many consider that they steal the souls of the dying. Certain transformations- changing your own shape, or turning into a small creature- will sometimes be given in the text. These options may be taken without having have specific experiences. Such transformations may or may not come with a STAMINA penalty, depending on how drastic the change to your form the Shift is.
When a creature dies- often after you have defeated it in combat- you are able to try to read its essence. Roll one die. Add to this the creature's SKILL. If the result is higher than your SHIFTING ability, then you have been unable to gain the insights you need before its essence has gone. If, however, the result is equal to or less than your own SHIFTING ability, then you have succeeded in reading the information that you need- the more powerful the creature, the more difficult it is to mimic. For every three creatures that you learn how to imitate, you may raise your Initial SHIFTING score by 1 point. You should make a record of the creature's SKILL and STAMINA scores, as these will become important when you use that shape.
Once you have gained the ability to Shift into another creature, there is no limit to the number of times that you can use this information. However, each time you make a change, you must deduct 4 from your STAMINA score- Shifting is draining on your body. Sometimes a Shift will be offered as an option in the text- if there is a special task that you need to perform. You may also Shift into the shape on another creature before any battle encounter. A Shift will last as long as a particular encounter, or for the location that you are on only. Once that section is over, you will revert to your natural form, although you do not need to deduct an additional 4 STAMINA points when you revert.
Battles
You will often come across sections in this book which instruct you to fight a creature of some sort. An option to flee may be given, but if not- or if you choose to attack the creature anyway- you must resolve the battle as described below. You may either fight the creature in your natural form, or you may prefer to change into some shape that you have already learned how to mimic.
If you want to fight as another creature, you must make the change before battle starts. You may not change shape during a battle. Instead of using your own SKILL and STAMINA scores, you will use those of the creature which you are imitating. Either way, the battle procedure is the same.
Roll both dice once for the enemy. Add its SKILL score. This is
the enemy's attack strength.
Roll both dice once for yourself. Add the number rolled to your current SKILL
score. This total is your attack strength
If your attack strength is higher than that of the enemy, then you have wounded it.
If the enemy's attack strength is higher then it has wounded you. If both attack
strengths are the same then you have parried each other's blows, and neither has been
wounded.
If you have wounded the enemy subtract 2 from its STAMINA score. You
may use your LUCK here to do additional damage (see below).
If the enemy has wounded you subtract 2 from your own STAMINA score.
Again, you may use LUCK at this stage (see below).
Make the appropriate adjustments to STAMINA and LUCK
scores, where relevant.
Begin the next attack round by returning to the first step. This sequence continues
until the STAMINA score of either you or the creature you are
fighting has been reduced to zero (death).
If you win, don't forget that you may want to gain the abilities of the enemy that you have just defeated!
If you have been fighting as another creature, your body will return to its natural form, and your SKILL and STAMINA will revert to what they were before the Shift took place (minus the 4 STAMINA Shifting penalty). If you have been fighting in your natural form, any wounds that have been inflicted on you will, of course, remain.
Escaping
On some sections you may be given the option of running away from the battle should things be going badly for you. However if you do run away, the creature automatically gets in one wound on you (subtract 2 STAMINA points) as you flee. Such is the price of cowardice. Note that you may use LUCK on this wound in the normal way (see below). You may only Escape if that option is specifically given to you on that page.
Fighting more than one creature
If you come across more than one creature in a particular encounter, the instructions on that page will tell you how to handle that particular battle. Sometimes you will treat them as a single monster, sometimes you will fight each one in turn. You cannot normally Shift forms after the battle has begun, and so must remain in your chosen shape until all the enemies are dead. Also, if you are fighting more than one creature, you cannot learn to mimic all the creatures that you kill- there is not normally enough time to learn the shape of one creature before the next attacks you. You are forced to limit yourself to trying to gain the ability to Shift into the form of the last creature you killed only.
Using luck in battles
If you have just wounded a creature, you may Test your Luck as described above. If you are lucky you have inflicted a severe wound and may subtract an extra 2 points from the creature's STAMINA score. However, if you are unlucky, the wound was a mere graze and you must restore 1 point to the creature's STAMINA (i.e. instead of scoring the normal 2 points of damage, you have now scored only 1).
If the creature has just wounded you, you may Test your Luck to try to minimize the wound. If you are lucky you have managed to avoid the full damage of the blow. Restore one STAMINA point (i.e. instead of doing 2 points of damage it has done only 1. If you are unlucky you have taken a more serious blow. Subtract 1 extra STAMINA point.
Remember that you must subtract 1 point from your own LUCK score each time you Test your Luck.
Restoring Skill, Stamina, and Luck
Skill
Your SKILL score will not change much during your adventure. Occasionally, a page may give instructions to increase or decrease your SKILL score. Your SKILL score cannot exceed its Initial value unless specifically instructed.
Stamina
Your STAMINA score will change a lot during your adventure as you fight creatures and injure yourself. At the beginning of your adventure, you do not start off with any provisions (food or drink), but you may find some as you proceed. These can only be eaten when the option is given in the text, and only one portion may be eaten at a time, unless your STAMINA is already less than 8, in which case you may eat 2 portions. Eating a portion of provision will replenish your STAMINA by 4 points. Your STAMINA score can never exceed its Initial level.
Luck
Additions to your LUCK score will be awarded throughout the adventure when you have been particularly lucky. Details are given in the section of the book. Remember that, as with SKILL and STAMINA, your luck score may never exceed its Initial value.
Time
Time plays an important role in the book. The paragraph you are on will frequently tell you that some period of time has passed. You must keep a careful note of these in the TIME box on your Adventure Sheet. Every 24 hours, darkness will fall, and you will need to prepare for the night wherever you are in Darkwood Forest. Once you have completed your current location (traps, searches, encounters etc), you must make a note of the paragraph number that you are on, and then turn to section 100.
Equipment
You will start the adventure with no equipment or weapons, other than your brain and natural abilities. Until you find some sort of a bag or backpack, you will be able to carry a maximum of only four items or portions of provisions. Items which are excluded from this limitation are gold pieces (of which you can carry as many as you find) and items which you wear (such as boots, armour or jewellery).. Once you find, or purchase, a backpack, you will no longer have this restriction. Stepping into Darkwood Forest so under-equipped may seem extremely foolhardy, but you have only two thoughts on your mind. Throughout the book you may find valuable items, for which a gold piece equivalent will be stated. These items may not be used in place of gold pieces (i.e., you cannot make purchases with them), but indicate the value that you can earn for the item if you sell it.
Escape and revenge.
HINTS ON PLAY
There is one true way through Darkwood Forest, and it may take you several attempts to find it. Make notes and draw a map as you explore- this map will be invaluable in future adventures and enable you to progress rapidly to unexplored sections.
Not all areas contain treasure; many merely contain traps and creatures which you will no doubt fall foul of. There are many "wild goose chase" passages and while you may indeed progress to your ultimate destination, it is by no means certain that you will find what you are searching for.
It will be realized that entries make no sense if read in numerical order. It is essential that you read only those entries you are instructed to read. Reading other entries will only cause confusion and may lessen the excitement during play.
Keep an eye on how much time has passed in the game since you began. Unnecessary delays, or fruitless exploration will cut into your valuable time. If too much time passes, you may find that you are no longer able to complete your mission. Remember, you have only four days to find Rancibrawn!
Do not let your own STAMINA fall too low. There will be occasions in which the text gives you no option but to shift your shape. If your STAMINA is already 4 or less, then the shift will reduce your strength to zero- death!
The one true way involves a minimum of risk and any player, no matter how weak on initial dice rolls, should be able to get through. The journey will not be easy- particularly for the weaker character- for your enemies will be both strong and numerous. May the luck of the gods go with you on your adventure ahead!