@ Carl,

As regards the walkthrough, there's really a choice of two sacred weapons to search for. I can't go into more detail as for some reason the spoiler text box isn't working for me! I might do both walkthroughs and send it in to Andy some time in the future.

By the way: does anybody know what's happened with the House of Hell movie?? They had some video diaries, but after the second one they stopped.

Carl
Fri May 23 12:45:33 2014

Yeah Robert I completed it with the weapon you get from the house by sneeking past the cops (whatever it's called). But now that it is complete I like discovering what else the book offered without obviously trialling the whole program.

Great addition!

House of Hell was one of my favourites when I was a kid. This is really a gem of a website I have only just discovered! When will the original gamebooks be uploaded? I want to play the classics again?

Do you remember "Crypt of the Necromancer?" That cannot be completed without cheating in real life surely? Razzak was just too tough an opponent, maybe even harder than Reiner Heydrich, assuming you can even get to him!

Let's have them, Jackson and Livingstone should give authorisation!! =P

Carl
Fri May 23 12:47:37 2014

The most difficult of the trilogy definitely!

Horror was great for the story and entertaining but dead easy by comparison.

Robert Douglas
Sat May 24 00:18:26 2014

@ Carl,

The sacred axe is Icelandic in origin - namely Hreinleika, which (I hope!) translates as 'Purity'.

While Wizard have physically republished about twenty or so titles, I'm not sure if there are any future plans to put the entire original series online. You might be able to get the rest via e-book. However, there are plenty of fan-written titles to choose from!

Crypt of the Sorcerer was perhaps one of Ian Livingstone's best works and, yes, I believe it was even more difficult than Curse of Drumer! That encounter with Reiner Heydrich certainly was one of the longest battles in any FF gamebook; destroying a vampire is a difficult and perilous task to perform!

I'm a big fan of the more gothic horror gamebooks: 'Dead of Night', 'Legend of the Shadow Warriors', 'Moonrunner'.... and the more recent 'Howl of the Werewolf' by Jonathan Green. But almost all the FF titles were exciting and each offered something unique to the series.

Sunni
Sat Jun 14 02:28:27 2014
Star - optimum ending reached

Fought off my best friends and then I have to fight the Big Bad. At least I had the chance to grab a bite.

My thanks to the author for a great gamebook with scenes so distinct you could convert it to a video game or a movie. Another cool-sounding name for a weapon "Hreinleika"

6 dowk, many

Sunni
Sat Jun 14 02:38:46 2014

Crypt of the sorcerer was my first FF book and competes with Creature of Havoc as my no 1 favorite :)

It would be wonderful to be able to have the originals beside the fan-sequels as a series.

I don't know how the gamebooks on this site are arranged, are they arranged by date of uploading?

Robert Douglas
Sat Jun 14 09:18:03 2014

@ Sunni,

Glad you enjoyed TCOD, and that you lived to tell the tale! It would be nice to see a movie inspired by FF - published or amateur - and CGI techniques are rapidly improving to accommodate the fantasy/sci-fi genre. Speaking of which, I haven't seen the House of Hell movie yet. Yes, online gamebooks on this website are in date order of uploading; the most recent addition will be placed at the top. It would be great to see fan-written sequels published and in the shops. I was watching Frasier the other day and Niles (his brother) explained that his dream would be one day to see his name in the library book catalogue - I can understand that. Of course, being a comedy, it didn't quite work out the way they'd hoped!

Sunni
Mon Jun 16 01:29:45 2014

@Robert Douglas

I guess one day I'll get down to printing them properly to line up on my shelf then.

Robert Kingett
Mon Jun 16 21:20:57 2014
Star - optimum ending reached

after a few tries I was able to beat this book... the battle system can be really, really, unfair at times but the writing will be something that holds everyone in this horrific quest!

SPOILER

END SPOILER

look in doors to singular rooms to find goodies

Robert Kingett
Mon Jun 16 22:20:04 2014
Star - optimum ending reached

I also did not know that there were 2 paths. I will have to play around with beating it the other way. I need to go into the forest, path. yay!

Robert Douglas
Tue Jun 17 13:50:25 2014

@Robert Kingett,

Yes, if you have Maddesby's notes then ignore them and take the other route towards Little Tapston. If you don't have them the forest route will be automatic anyway. The second weapon can be found somewhere in the forest - but it will take some important decisions on your part to claim it!

Apologies if you found the combat system unfair: I wanted to make TCOD a challenge where fate (die rolls) plays a part; I find some gamebooks a little too easy if most encounters have a paltry 6, 7, or 8 Skill, with very few being at 9 or 10. I have posed Skill average at about 9 or 10 - and 'boss' foes at 12 or higher! - although there is often a way the player can overcome such impossible odds by discovering magical aid, information, weapons, etc. For example, somewhere within the Black Night sanctum, there's a door with a dial. Work out the code, and beyond that is one way to reduce the odds against you. I would have put this in a spoiler box, but for some reason it won't work.

Clive55
Wed Jun 18 09:42:02 2014

Loved the secondary weapon (and route) you could use to complete this story.

SPOILER

END SPOILER

I LOVE these kinds of fantasy stories so I played this with great eagerness. Good work!

Robert Douglas
Wed Jun 18 13:16:14 2014

@Clive55,

You've found the other blessed weapon to battle Drumer and his minions! You're on the right track but lack a star denoting successful conclusion of the adventure. Have you yet to complete it?

As regards nature of the second weapon: hmm...is it, or isn't it? Was Maddesby actually jumping the gun in his comment? Did God bless it centuries before Jesus walked the Earth? Or was it fashioned then imbued with power by one of pure heart? The same thing goes for the Hreinleika - just because it was wielded by a penitent knight, it could actually be pagan yet put to good use. A similar thing goes for Samhain or Samwain (variations on how it's spelt) is something we know as Halloween. The Church certainly tolerates it within schools yet this was something practised by Celtic tribes thousands of years ago (as described within TCOD). And I'm sure both interpretations are identical as regards the astrological calendar. But, at the end of the day, that's something for each reader to decide as they see fit.

Clive55
Thu Jun 19 01:37:33 2014

I don't think I've completed with the best possible endings on both routes then. And you raise the very interesting (and, granted, controversial) idea of the origins of all things from earlier times, back before Christianity spread far and wide. To be perfectly honest.. and I preface this by saying I'm a 40 year old man who considers himself fairly well-grounded.. the earlier religions resonate with me more. I think that's part of the appeal for me, books like these. One of the hardest things I ever had to do in my life was "come out" (lol) and admit to my friends and family that the pentacle I wear almost daily is more than mere "fashion". It, and what it represents, calls to me very closely. I'm stumbling with it (perfectly natural, I suppose, after years of not knowing where to look when all-things-existential reared their hugeness before me) but I feel more in my skin. And in case any other reader here is curious.. no, I don't downplay Christianity. Heavens, why would I? lol It represents one of the penultimate lessons and acknowledgments of our nature! :)

Robert Douglas
Thu Jun 19 03:22:56 2014

@ Clive55,

There are two 100% successful endings to TCOD, both of which will lead you to the traditional 400. A few others may end with Drumer's demise but your own doom.

I'm not particularly religious, but like you I'm quite fascinated by all the different forms of worship (and there's quite a few!). However, my characters made little reference to 'Church' or 'Pagan' origins, as I didn't want to offend too many people belonging to those religions. Reverend Maddesby's comments were unavoidable, of course, but when writing his dialogue I had to see the world from his perspective and beliefs. The problem with gamebooks is that they often feature magic, undead, necromancy, etc - likely to unsettle a few religions. But there's an old adage: you can't please everybody. Or: try to please all parties, and you'll never get anything done!

Interesting about your pentacle...I once bought a Celtic cross for around my neck when visiting Glastonbury. Very bizarre place what with all the various religions centred there! Must be something to do with ley-lines....

Djinni
Tue Jun 24 16:00:15 2014
Star - optimum ending reached

Great writing!

Robert Douglas
Wed Jun 25 23:46:48 2014

@ Djinni,

Thanks, and well done!

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