Vault of the Vampire

Background - 

In the war room, Phillipa is looking over the mass of reports.  Paper is everywhere, scattered all over the table.  We see that they are reports are from various recovery teams who are hunting the authors.  Into this scene steps Ian who takes a seat at the table.

Ian "How is it looking?"

Phillipa "Well there has been progress, but its slow going.  We won't get anyone in time though.  Any options from your side?"

Ian just shook his head.

Phillipa "Come on Ian, you own a games company full of nerds!"

Ian "Bryan does not really let me in anymore."

Phillipa looks dangerously over the report she is holding at him "Who are you more scared of?  Him or me?"

Ian does not answer and instead gets up and heads over to Games Workshop HQ.

Cut to GW HQ Board Room, Ian is sitting opposite Bryan Ansell.

Bryan "Look Ian, books are no use, I want models, more models!  Look how well Warhammer is selling!"

Ian "Yes but we need Fighting Fantasy to do well!  Come on you must have someone."

Bryan "Nobody is free! I've got people painting, Citadel are making the minis, Rules are being written, we have white dwarf.  I can't spare anyone!"

Ian "What about Carl from the roleplay team?   He has done one before."

Bryan "What do you mean roleplay team?  We have roleplay?  But that does not have minis!"

Ian "Is that a yes?"

The phone goes and Bryan picks it up and starts talking about an article in White Dwarf.

Ian "Ill take that as a yes."

Ian makes his way down to the WFRP basement and tells Carl Sargent to follow him.

Cut back to the war room.  Ian walks in with Carl.

Phillipa "Ah good Keith you are back."

Carl/Keith "Its Carl."

Phillipa without looking up "Here you are Keith."

Ian turns to Carl and gives him a shake of the head, and to just go with it "Have  you got any ideas?"

Carl/Keith "Well I have an idea for a traditional horror, type, its called Vault of the Vampire."

Phillipa "What? Is the vampire competing in gymnastics?"

The room explodes in riotous laughter which goes on for far too long.  Nobody notices Carl.

Carl/Keith "Well if that's what you want."

Carl leaves, once the laughter stops everyone gets back to normal.  Ian starts looking around.  

Ian "Ah that was funny, imagine if that's what it was Carl?  

Ian keeps looking around, getting more frantic when he realises Carl has gone.  "Carl? Keith?  Oh no, it was only a joke!  Carl!  Carl!!!"

Still in 1989 and Vault of the Vampire is the second book from roleplay royalty Carl Sargent who writes under Keith Martin for Fighting Fantasy.  His previous entry was Stealer of Souls which was just fine. I am expecting his second affair to be a lot better though.  I have never played this one before but I like the idea of a hammer horror type vampire affair.  We have had plenty vampires in Fighting Fantasy but they are side characters and enemies, we have not had one as the main focus.  Really excited for this one. 

Covers - 

Well this one is pretty on the nose.  It is a vampire in a vault!  The vampire in question could not be more stereotypical if you tried.  At least he is more hammer horror than anything more modern such as Twilight, God forbid.  Although give him some glasses and it could be snooker legend Ray Reardon.

The vault itself looks like a vault but it only takes up half the cover, the top half is just plain and feels like wasted space.  I guess this was an attempt to make it feel underground.  Managed to fit in a maiden though!

The best part of the cover for me is the giant bloody V.  Using it for the V for both the Vault and Vampire words is cool and the blood fits the vampire theme perfectly.

Premise - 

Rumor's of great wealth and treasure have led me to Mauristatia, land of unscalable snow capped mountains and freezing mists.  The air is cold and damp so I am dressed in furs and I am riding in a coach as I start to wonder about the rumors as everyone seems poor.  I hilariously decide its because the people must not have found the treasure yet!  That is some wishful thinking!

The coach comes to a halt and the driver unloads the trunks and bags from the roof.  No mention if its just me in the coach but I assume not as I do not tend to have much stuff in these adventures.  Certainly not enough to have loads of luggage.  Anyway we are in the village of Leverhelven for an overnight stay and the tavern is described as small and not luxurious but the food and wine are good.  The people though are not for talking and wary of having a stranger in their midst.  They even bar the door.  

The place is called the Hart's blood but it does not seem to be a hunting area so I politely enquire about the name to the innkeeper.  This goes down like a lead balloon and he turns away from me.  One of the patrons even turns round and spits at my feet!

One old lady though declares that "Furriner's don't know no better" so I take this as a chance to speak to someone and buy her a drink.  After she downs it she tells me that the tavern is actually called the Heart's blood, H-E-A-R-T.

The patrons are stunned and the innkeeper is shouting at her to be quite.  But she will not be cowed.  She tells me that it is the Count!  People vanish from the village as the count takes them to his castle to die a terrible death.  Tears start to flow as she announces that her grand daughter Nastassia was taken yesterday by the coach and headless horseman.  Then she laments that no man is brave enough to go the castle and save her.

Through the tears she begs me to help.  Nastassia is only 17 and has done no harm to anyone.  A one armed man then approaches the table.  He says he takes me for a seeker of adventure and confirms the old lady's tale.  The count is a terrible and evil soul and Castle Heydrich is a place of horror.  He is a former warrior but due to his missing arm can no longer help but he has some gold put away from his better days that he will give me if I help.  

Everyone turns to look at me, imploring for help with their eyes.  I nod my agreement and instantly the door bursts open.  Outside waits a black coach pulled by four jet black steeds.  A spectral figure is standing in the doorway and he beckons at me with his skeleton hand but he says nothing..... as he is missing a head!

Playthrough - 

Of course we have Skill, Stamina and Luck as normal, but we also get a new one, Faith!  Its 1d6 plus 3. This indicates my purity of heart and my belief in the forces of good.  A high faith score will force certain creatures to flee from me, but also that they are more likely to notice me and become hostile.  

I can only thing of the Wham (or might be George Michael solo) song faith (or the Limp Biskit cover), so every time I have to test I will be manifesting George Michael as my in game charachter.

Well I guess it would be nice,  if I could touch your body...

We get told about magic, in that there might be items that allow you to cast a magic spell.  But do not worry about that yet as you are just a brave warrior who must use your wits and courage.

Provisions are back up to 10.  Must be what the coachman was taking in for me.  Slight twist to the rules.  You can eat them at any time outside combat again but you may only eat one at a time.  Sounds slightly more balanced now.

Next is a warning about afflictions.  Curses or other disadvantages of a sinister nature.  Instructions say it wont spoil our fun by saying much about them here but be assured that it is possible to rid yourself of them if you are brave, wise and lucky.  

I start with the bare minimum of equipment (knew that luggage was not mine).  Sword, Leather armour and shield.  I have a backpack which is described as like a rucksack or haversack!  Long term readers will realise this is causing me some angst!  Which one is it!?  I also have a lantern.

A nice little map on the inside cover as well.  

Skill - 10

Stamina - 20

Luck - 8

Faith -  6

I am a very average warrior, which might explain why I am chasing treasure in this backwater.

No illustration for the start which is a shame, especially since it is a blank space instead.  I follow the headless specter out into the misty night and he jumps up into the driver position as the coach door opens.  Do I want to get in, attack the headless horseman or Ignore the coach completely and ask a friendly local how to get to the castle.  Yeah I am not getting in that coach, I just unloaded my baggage after all. I will go and ask a friend.

What is the chances of that Bear being friendly?

The good people of the tavern tell me that the road is too dangerous and only the ghostly carriage can traverse it safely.  However there is a trail that heads north-east through the forest that leads to the castle.  They tell me to head to the foresters cottage to spend the night but I will need to cross a river.  The one armed man gives me 2 gold to pay the ferryman.  The forest is of course full of grotesque shaped trees and sounds of wolves.  Dawn is starting to approach when an arrow whistles past my ear.  A bear appears along with the archer who is poised to fire again.  Do I want to attack the archer or the bear, make a run for it or speak to them.  I feel if they wanted me dead they would not have fired a warning shot so I try to talk.

I let her know I mean no harm but I have left it too late and the arrow is already in flight and it costs me two stamina points.  She calls off the bear and walks over apologising as she is a forest ranger and just assumed anyone going around the forest at night must be up to no good.  So she is a shoot first ask questions later type of girl.  In fairness she does bind my flesh wound for me.  

Her name is Valderesse and I tell her of my quest.  She tells me the count is a very evil man and wolves and bats infest the area around the castle.  He steals away young women to be his slaves, or worse!  Valderesse tells me it was not always so.  The counts brother, Siegfried, was a good man but before she can elaborate there is the sound of thunder and heavy rain starts to fall through the trees.  She tells me to come with her to the ferry and gives me two meals to add to my provisions.

A ferryman that is not a skeleton for a change!

Yep the ferryman is a gnome.  He says it will be 2 gold for the ride but if I want I can stay the night in his hut.  How kind.  I get asked if Valderesse is with me.  As she is she picks up the Gnome by his jerkin and demands he lets me cross for free in return for her saving him from wolves last week.  She then tells me never to accept offers of hospitality from a gnome and instead to head to a foresters hut further up the path.  The gnome is subdued and as I climb onto the boat he whispers some words and the boat magically goes against the current and deposits me on the far side as Valderesse waves goodbye.

I walk on through the mist and notice the distinct lack of noise in the forest which is very unnerving.  After a few hours I come across a stone cottage with a wisp of wood smoke.  Peering through a gap in the door I see a man dozing by the stove with a large knife in his hand.  Apparently the smell of the food is quite good.  I am told if I did not sleep in the Gnomes hut earlier I am now very tired and must sleep here.  Do I want to attack or talk to him.  Well everyone has said the forest hut is a safe place so lets talk first.

Making a loud cough he wakes up and is a bit unsure but offers me some of the food which restores 4 stamina as a tell him what I am up to.  His name is Barandrum and is a retired warrior who was fed up of the bloodshed and wanted to spend some quite time with the creatures of the forest.  Lately though, the creatures are avoiding the place which he puts down to the evil from the castle.  He does say though to keep a look out for Lothar the Castellan as he used to be friendly.  But he has not seen him in months so he may be dead or under the counts spell.  He urges me to take another gift, garlic gloves from his herb garden that he places around my neck.  Now in game this must seem quite a crazy gift as we would not know the count is a vampire.  But the title of the book gives it away a bit and this is quite a useful tool in the old vampire fighting.  I spend the night and get back 4 stamina that I do not need.

The next day I have to take a skill test as I head up a hill which I pass.  I make my way up the hill and coming out of the mist and silhouetted against a three quarter moon is Castle Heydrich  I can walk up to the half open gates or scout around the place.  Seems prudent to walk around first.  

It is a two story building and in the south east and west they have towers.  Bats are flying in and out of the south west tower.  The arrow slits in the towers are too narrow to climb.  Windows give off some light on the ground floor both in the east and the west but the heavy drapes prevent me from peeking in.  I have to make a Faith test by rolling 1d6 and adding 3.  George starts singing, I know that not everybody has a body like you!  But I roll a 5 and fail the test and end up back at the castle gates as the only way in.

The wooden gate opens with a bit of the shoulder and I find myself in the courtyard.  Directly in front of me are brass decorated doors, clearly the main entrance.  But also there is a crypt and multiple doors to the west and a door to the south of the main building.  That is quite a choice.  The count will be in the crypt but its too early for that.  Main entrance is too obvious.  Technically west is left but which one?  

I choose poorly.

I get the option to run, or use an item or fight.  Its early days so I gamble and fight as I only have garlic.  Skill 6 Stamina 5 and Skill 7 Stamina 6.  I only have to fight one at a time as I stand in the doorway.  The better wolf gets one bite but they are dispatched.  I find nothing and get the option to go to the crypt, the south door or the big brass doors.  What happened to the other west door?  I am not going through the main entrance so south it is.

I need to use my lantern as it is a store room with sacks of grain and rats.  Do I want to head to the west door through the room or back out?  Well came this far.

The rats do not take kindly to this and rush to attack me.  Of course I can not fight them as there are too many of them.  Do I keep running or head back.  Lets keep going.

I slam the door shut behind me and keep the squeaking horde at bay.  Beyond is a dusty chamber with a wooden staircase heading up.  Ah I am in a tower!  I need my lantern out to light the way through a dark cobwebbed area.  Two rotten figures that smell of death appear and its time for another faith test.  But I've got to think twice, before I give my heart away.  I pass and the zombies are so taken aback by my singing that I slip past.  

The stairs end at a landing with a door of black wood and silver runes.  As I try to open it the handle becomes a claw and grabs me.  It says leave this place you are not allowed here and lets me go.   Do I want to try and get past or head back to the courtyard.  Well I feel if it does not want me to get past there must be something worth it.

I smash the door with my sword and it punched me in the stomach for 1d6 damage.  I roll a 5 so it must have been some punch so I immediately eat one of my sandwiches in the ruins of the door.

The stairs continue upwards and towards the bell tower.  I hear high pitched squeaking and fluttering up ahead and again get a prompt to go back.  Seems that would be a waste now so I press on.  

Funnily enough a bat swarm flies past and I need to test my luck.  I pass and scare the bats away with my lantern.  Among all the bells I am attracted to a silver one with a blue light.  Its another faith test, 1d6 +3.    And I know all the games you play cause I play them too.  I fail massively with a roll of 6.  I get the option to ring the bell, which might alert everyone or retreat back to the courtyard.  I have not come all this way to go back to the courtyard.  We are ringing it (to the tune of faith).

Sir George Michael himself appears!

The clapper makes no sound as it hits the bell and instead I start to swoon.  Then the former Count Siegfried Heydrich appears.  Clad in shining mail and the shield of purest white with a red cross.  Sounds like he was a Knights templar.  Apparently he is near 7 feet tall, blonde hair and a flawless face.  Siggy asks me to cleanse the place of shame and horror.  His brother slew him with treachery and he calls on me to restore our good name and free the people in Reiner's thrall.   He tells me all his equipment including his sword Nightstar has been hidden here but he does not know where.  So instead he tells me where to find his vassal Mihkhail's sword.  Which is slightly less awesome than his.  

I gain 1 faith and 1 luck for this.  I follow the instructions and find the magic sword in the trapdoor at the base of the tower.  It does nothing for my skill just gives me a magic sword which will be useful in a place like this.

Now finally we go back to the courtyard.  Only two choices now, crypt or big brass doors.  Lets go in the main door.

The doors take me to the entrance hall which is decorated by black and red wall hangings to give it a somber appearance.  There is a faint moaning sound and I get a pretty blind north, west or east choice.  Lets go left.  

Opening the door and its just a dusty cobweb storage area full of lumber.  I get the option to search it but a warning that I could be seen by a person in the main hall.  I do feel I have been pushing it a bit so I go back out instead and go North.  

This leads to a brightly lit corridor with small water colour paintings.  We get another huge selection of options with a doors to the North, East and West along with a corridor off to the east.  Lets try the West door.  

How are you even standing?

I am in a very posh dinning room.  As I go to have a look though the tiger skin rug comes alive and wants to kill me.  It is only skill 7 but its does take a bite out of me before it its put down for a second time in its existence.   Looking around I then find enough items to make up about 4 gold pieces worth of stuff.  I then go to the door to peer into the next room.

Its a snug!  Clearly for people that have just been winded and dined with some nice chairs and stools.  The big find here is a decanter of brandy which has enough for two drinks.  Each drink is worth 4 stamina points.  Says a lot when a drink of brandy helps your stamina as much as a provision.  Also in the haul is a small silver mirror.  

As I leave I hear the east door slam shut, worried that I have been found I can go North or East.  I decide to keep going North.  The door has a silver lock which requires a silver key which I do not have so I am forced to go east.  

Its another door to the North that I open.  This feels like I am in the manor from Resident Evil.  This room is a shrine.  Decorated with white and yellow clothes on tables, stools and writing desks.  Picking up a book I see it is about famous holy men and healers.  It is signed by one Gunther Heydrich and I add book of healers to my possessions.

The east wall has a spy hole so I take a look.  I see a chamber with a pair of motionless halberd wielding zombies.  There is a half open door behind them but with no way to get there I head off to the next door.  

This one has a plaque on it, Doktor Karl Adenauer.  I knock politely and a voice invites me to come in.  The good Doktor is an old man and the room is full of books and his piles of papers are neatly arranged.  He looks at me over a crystal ball mounted on a dragons foot as he introduces himself as a sage in employ of the Count.  He despairs that the count is a wretched man that never gives him enough money for his expensive books.  The Doktor is grumpy but not hostile. Should we attack or talk to him.  Well can try talking first.

Before I can say anything though he keeps talking.  It is clear that he is very obsessed with getting more books that the count wont pay for.  So I need to bribe him with gold.  He accepts treasure in kind and I get a shopping list.

Getting into the library - 6 gold

Where to find the count - 3 gold

Relatives of the count in the castle - 3 gold

Nastassia the missing girl - 2 gold

Whats in the crypt - 2 gold

Any afflictions I have - 2 gold

Well I only have 6 gold so I feel I need to use it for getting in the library which is oddly specific and expensive.

Dok gives me a silver key with the number 378 engraved on it and point me in the right direction and I end up back at the Silver door from earlier.

This time I have the magic reference number and I get in.  The library is shockingly enough full of books.  I am attracted to a section with the history of Mortvania and the Heydrich family.  Having a quick read I discover that when Siegfried was count the land flourished but when he disappeared and Reiner took over it has been fear and misery.  It seems a lot of previous counts have been tyrants with his great great grandfather Eckhart being rumored to be a Vampyre.  There is a note next to it saying "and now I have attained that blessed state".  Reiner's signature is on the book and I match the handwriting to the note.  Finally in the game my dude realises that it is a vampire I am up against.  

In the library is also a small book that I am mysteriously attracted to.  Specifically the shining page 188.  It is a lovely picture of a sword, covered in runes being held to the sky.  Add the book of possessions to your inventory.   

As I search for a way out I find a secret passage which of course takes me to the two zombies I was peeping on earlier.  Skill 6 and 7.  I take a scratch though and decide to have a swig of brandy.  Then I find some stairs and head up past a window where I get asked if I have Lycanthropy.  Luckily I do not and continue up.  

Another two doors.  One plain one in the west wall and a silver handed door on the south.  Well vampires do not like silver so lets try that one.   

Its another lounge, but this one is described as being more plain but bedecked in a lot of plants and herbs.  I am not alone though as another man enters.  He is described as being middle aged with greying black hair in a widows peak.  Wearing plain clothes and carrying a tray with goblets and a decanter he introduces himself as Gunthar Heydrich and asks politely what my business is here.  Do I want to attack or talk. Ill try talking first.

Gunthar gives me some food and wine, getting me 4 stamina points back.  He describes himself as a healer and he know Reiner is an evil and vile creature.  Tragically Gunthar is no fighter and even if he was, he could not bring himself to kill his own brother.  We see he is weighed down by the despair of the castle.  I cheer him up though by telling him I am here to take care of Reiner.  In thanks he gives me a silver crucifix on a chain but  warns me I will also need a stake which he does not have, or the sword Nightstar.  I get offered a chance to show Gunther a book.

I can give him back his book or ask him about the book of swords.  Can I not do both?  I would love to return his book but the sword book has a hidden reference that I can use here so I opt for that.  Gunthar is shocked, it is actually Nightstar but it has been magically trapped in this book.  He says Reiners sister (would it not be his sister as well?) Katarina could help with her magic, but there is a problem.  Katarina is every bit as evil as the count and she will want you to do something in exchange for her help.  He puts his head in hands and we are told he might be too depressed but I am a warrior and here for action!  I wander through the door he came from.  

I appear to be back on the landing with two doors to the north, one on the west or follow the corridor south.  Well lets go left, west door it is.

I am assuming you are Katarina, also evil.

It is a lavishly decorated suite of rooms with plush furniture, exotic carpets, rugs and tapestries.  The place is described as dripping in wealth.  The above lady is waiting for me and mutters that it is polite to knock first.  It says in the text she is Katarina but if you do not speak to Gunthar how would you know this?  Do I want to attack or speak to her?  Well I need her magic for the sword so lets talk.

She offers me some fine wine but I hesitate so she drinks from it first laughing to prove it is not poisoned.  She then asks me straight out if I am here to kill Reiner.  I can say yes, no or here to save the village girl.  I see no point in lying at this stage, she is probably wanting rid of him so she can take charge.

Well right enough she says excellent, she can rule as countess once he has gone.   Do I have the book of swords?  If so double the reference number.  So 376.

She takes a sharp intake of breath and tells me this is indeed Siegfried's sword as Reiner has trapped it in the book for he fears it a lot as one of the only things that can kill him.  Katarina confirms she can release it but before that she asks me to kill the Castellan Lothar.  Hmm I know he is one of the good guys as the Forrester told me and we know Katarina is evil.  I say yes though rather than getting into a fight as I want that sword.  But I can always speak to Lothar hopefully and find another option.

Katarina is happy with this and gives me precise directions on where to find him.  And the book shortcuts us straight there.  Lothar's room could not be more opposite and described as humble.  He does have a bunk bed though!  Lothar is tall, well built and in his late 30s.  He gives me a welcome and jokes I must be lost to come to a place like this.  One of the options says I need to attack him if beguiled but I am not.  Lets talk.

But is not that easy.  As I start to talk I am brought low by stabbing pains and I spasm in agony, losing 4 stamina points in the process.  Lothar acts quickly and pulls out some golden liquid and pours it down my throat.  I start to recover and he sighs as he says you agreed to help her didn't you.  I nod and he understands, explaining that even if I did not mean to go through with it, once word is given freely to the witch you can not break it without suffering consequences.  

Lothar tells me to keep away from Katarina as she is dangerous and taking on both her and Reiner would be very difficult.  He says if I can destroy Reiner, he and Gunthar could deal with her.  He then asks me to turn around while he accesses a secret door.  He returns with a bunch of keys and a stake with a silver point.  Handing over the Castellan's keys he tells me the count sleeps in the crypt but the crypt key is kept in the count's rooms to the south.  The silvered stake is to be used to destroy him while he sleeps.  Lothar then looks puzzled before saying he has overheard the count muttering many times that he has hidden something away with a magic lock and just repeats the same phrase forward and back, forward and back.  He says the count is evil but not mad so it must mean something.  I thanks him and follow his directions straight to the counts suite.

I use the keys to open up the suite and find myself standing on a stone balcony overlooking the courtyard.  The balcony goes all the way around and has three doors that I can access from it.  I pick the first door.

It seems to be a disused and covered in cobwebs and its got all the game hunting trophies on the wall.  And a suit of armour, which of course comes to life.  Its skill 8 but it gets put down, I have another sip of brandy.  And a search turns up nothing.  Lets try the next door.

Wow I was not expecting a church.  Rows of pews are lined up inn front of a pipe organ.  Lots of silver candles line the place.  As I enter though the organ starts to drone but no one is playing it, very ominous.  It seems to summon a mass of black rats!  I try and shut the door but one nips me for 1 stamina.  I then have to roll to see how many more bites I get, which is two more.  I run through though eating a sandwich, get past the door and slam it shut.

I find myself in some kind of workshop, but the tools are unfamiliar to me and its is full of prisms and lenses mounted on iron rings.  There appears to be small caskets made of different woods and I apparently deduce it is a jewelers workshop.  I find an amethyst pin worth 2 gold pieces but alas the silver bars are too heavy to come with me.  The real find is a ring of regeneration (no word on how I know it is a ring of regeneration) but in game terms I automatically gain 2 stamina points after I win a combat!  Not bad!  I am then asked if I have met Gunthar Heydrich.  Why yes I have, so I have to take a skill test which I pass.

Apparently I am not sure about the size of the rooms.  I know where Gunthar's and Lothar's rooms are and there must be a hidden room.  Right enough, after some searching I locate it and blunder in.  There I find a coffin which I tip over (I would have liked to check if anyone was in it first) and out comes a load of earth.  You have destroyed one of Reiner's coffins!  Gain 1 faith point.  Oh but I need some time off from that emotion!

By this time the rats have all buggered off so I can go back to the balcony and try the door at the south end.  I use the Castellan's keys to open the door and enter a lavish reception room.  There is even a chaise lounge and cushions!  Decanters of wines and biscuits are available and I am invited to try red wine (nope blood), white wine (nope don't want to get drunk and already been on the brandy) or biscuits (nope stamina full so not worth the risk) so rather boringly I head out the west door.

The bat I get but a vampire weasel?

This is the counts living room and the rich walnut paneling show us he is a creature of great taste.  However no time to enjoy it as his pet Bat and Weasel attack me.  I have to fight the skill 8 bat as normal but every round I have to roll another dice.  On a 5 or 6 the Weasel sinks its teeth in an I lose another 2 stamina and then another 1 for every subsequent attack round.  And even after that if you win lose another 3 points to stop the bleeding as it runs away.  Oh and if the bat gets me twice turn to page 85.  It does.

Do I have the curse of the healer?  Nope.  Well I get my first affliction, the curse of the bat.  No effects just now.  Eventually I put the bat down and shake off the annoying weasel as I pull out another sandwich.  

I do find 4 gold worth of trinkets but need to test my luck and pass.  And I immediately get the luck point back as narrow blade on the door just misses my hand.  That sounds like it would have been sore.

I don't know why I thought his bedroom would have a four poster bed.  Of course its a coffin!

I particular like the descriptions of the paintings on the walls of the ancestors.  One is blatantly sucking blood and another is posing with a fire demon!  I wonder if its my pal from Forest of Doom?  I open the coffin a lot more carefully and its not got an occupant, just more earth so I smash it up and add another faith point!  Time to pick my heart up off the floor!  Do I want to go poking around the safe or the first or second drawer in his desk.  Lets try the safe!

I unlock the safe, which I am surprised about, was it not locked?  Defeats the purpose of a safe.  It is full of credit notes.....  

Oh and a black iron key to the crypt.  Take a Faith test and add 3, which I pass.  Well with all the coffin tipping its less and I spin round in time to see a green specter starting to form.  Oh when that love comes down without devotion!  I have time to take one action, do I want to try or swipe at it with my sword?  I have a swipe.

Do you have a magic sword?  Yes I do, its not THE magic sword but its still magic.  He loses 2 stamina points.  But its still a Skill 10 and Stamina 12 fight even with that.  Easily the toughest fight so far and I get fairly battered.  Still not fully recovered after that weasel so its eating food each paragraph now for a bit.  Oh wait the ring of regeneration!  2 Back, and 2 more for forgetting about it after the bat and weasel.

Now roll a dice, its 1-5 one result, roll a 6 the other page.  I roll a 2 and promptly lose 1 skill point as the specter had drained my life essence!  Well that was brutal!

Have you fought a Minor Thassaloss?  I'm sorry?  A what?  No I have not.  When I get to the landing I hear a loud crunching noise behind the door.  Do I want to investigate?  No thanks I just lot a skill point and its probably a Minor Thassaloss!

I waste no time and make my way down the stairs and back out to the courtyard and head to the crypt.  As I get the key out a huge shadow looms over me.  But as I spin round its just a bat passing past the moon.  But do you have Lycanthropy?  No I am just Bat man.

Into the crypt we creep.  It is pitch black but I have my lantern and a magic sword.  The stone steps are covered in cobwebs and moss as you would expect in a good crypt.  Gargoyles line the walls, looking down at me as rats skitter about gnawing at human looking bones.  I open another door and immediately have to test my luck....and immediately fall into a pit trap.  It costs me 4 points of stamina and also breaks any brandy or holy water.  Luckily I drank all the brandy.  

I find two doors in the corridor, one is labelled the tomb of Boris the Drunkard and the other is Chancellor Schmidt, the meanest man in Mortvania.  I can try them out or bypass them.  Lets try out Boris.  

In the tomb I find a sarcophagus and open it up.  Boris is a normal skeleton but there is a fancy bottle.  Do I want to inspect the contents?  Well my guess it is booze since he was Boris the Drunkard.  Its more brandy!  Good brandy as well I am told which I immediately swig and get my 4 points back from falling down the pit trap.

I decide to avoid the chancellors tomb using the rule of Fighting Fantasy that I have have had one good choice so the other must be bad.  

The junction end in a black door with heavy iron bands but there are another two doors.  One of them says Doktor Pieter Faustus, Physician to the Count.  Well Lets check it out.

Pickled, erm, everything!

The room is full of surgical equipment, bottled specimens, freaks of nature, jars of fluids and of course plenty severe heads and limbs.  Do I want to leave or keep searching.  Well I am here anyway so lets have a look.

For all that is holy, what the hell is this?!

As I am looking around I hear a strange bubbling sound.  I won't even try and describe it, thank goodness it had an illustration.  It is a necrotic jelly and its only skill 7 but after taking my skill hit its still not great getting into a fight.  If I get wounded turn the page.  I am of course wounded.

Do you have curse of the bat?  Yes I do.

As the jelly slime drips over me my body starts to change shape and I start to grow black fur, I grow wings and turn into a bat and fly away.  Wait, did I just become batman?

 

Now that is an origin story!

Notable Encounters - 

If I had chosen to go to the castle in the Uber that the Count sent for me I would have met another passenger, an unnamed ghost who tries to intimidate you.  If your faith is strong enough he has no effect on you.  Otherwise prepare for a tumble out of the carriage.  One star, the driver did not even have a head, how could he see where to go?

If you end up walking you get into a bit of a scuffle.

Of course in the woods some wolves attack you, but one of them is more than he seems and turns a bit more humanoid.  No problem unless you are wounded which results in the lycanthropy affliction.  Good luck getting through the game without curing it as the moon appears quite a lot.

A lot of labs in the castle!

This one belongs to Karl-Heinz Matthaus and is guarded by his little imp like Homunculus.  Which of course you can kill but then you will miss out on meeting the alchemist.  Karl-Heinz is employed by Katarina to mix her potions to keep her looking young.  He lets slip that she is actually 76.  Handy man to meet if you have a Lycanthropy affliction but you need to steal some herbs from the kitchen for him. 

In true Fighting Fantasy tradition, stay away from the paintings.  Although hilariously if you recognise the defaced Siegfried you storm out in a huff.  But the count can trigger your Lycanthropy through his painting or else the eyes just leak blood. 

Everyone has an eccentric cousin.  Mine is called Murry.

But the Count's one is called Wilhelm.  The only one of the family I did not meet during my playthrough.  Wilhelm is all about luck, and not test your luck, but random dice roll.  If you attack him unprovoked you are punished in faith and luck penalties.  If you are in luck though and he is talking he gives you some good advice on the count, but much more likely he is having an episode and will not help or hinder you.  Watch out for this raven!

A secret chest!

Why was the count going one forward, one back?  Well its the code to get into this chest.  But first you have to crack it - 

Using the counts clue, you can translate what is in the chest and the convenient three numbered paragraph to turn too.  It is Siegfried's chainmail which increases your skill by 1 and even increases your initial skill.  But wildly if you have luck 12 when you pick it up you get bumped up to a massive skill 13!   

Jandor is one of the counts previous victims!

Jandor is indeed a vengeful spirt but the revenge she wants is against the count.  She was a magic user but was taken by surprise by the count and killed.  She directs you to her coffin and the magic ring inside which has some spells charged in it.  You get 6 spells - 

Forcewall - Pretty much create a forcefield around you.

Greatstrike - Next attack does 4 stamina damage if successful.

Jandor's Bolt - Do 6 stamina damage to an Undead creature.

Luckspell - Guess.

Shatter - Destroys a creature made of bone.

Trueheal - Get half stamina back.

You only get three though.  So You would think oh difficult choice here.  Nope, they are selected by ransom dice roll lol! 

If you find Siegfried's tomb he will check your inventory and tell you if it is game over or not.  If you have his book he will guide you through a blood sacrifice to release his sword Nightstar.  You get your stamina back but more importantly plus 1 skill or plus 2 if you are fighting a vampire.  Both can take you past your initial skill.

Artwork - 

Martin McKenna is back and still only 18 when he did this.  And honestly he just gets it.  The artwork is dark and foreboding and just fits the theme perfectly.  I love this so much, its up there with my favorite with Iain McCaig's city of thieves and deathtrap dungeon.  I can not heap enough praise here, there are no duds, its all top quality.  I can see now why people have Martin on the Mount Rushmore of Fighting Fantasy artists.  Only 18!  More talent in his pinky than my entire body!

From my walkthrough I really love Valderesse and her bear and the amazing tiger skin rug.  But the necrotic jelly that led to my demise is my favorite.  Loads more in the menagerie section as well such as the Major Thassaloss!

The Gnome's Dog.  He does not stay this peaceful.

The Giant rat encounter is made ten times better with this picture.

A rude interruption if you stay the night with the Gnome, turns out he works for the count.

Doktor Karl, but only if you ask him a specific question.  Watch out for that globe!

The Wraith was delighted when Mortvania scored in the world cup!

Katarina looking every one of her 76 years!

I never normally talk about the little page break illustrations.  They are nice but I did not really feel the need to mention them.  Until today.

This is the stuff of nightmares!

Big Bad - 

Count Reiner!

The actual Count.

Ok quick bookkeeping first.  The count is the big bad, he is the whole reason we are here.  Yes he is not the last opponent as Katarina makes a bid for power and you could argue she is the big bad, but I am not having it.  Right, glad we all agree.

Count Reiner Heydrich looms over the whole adventure, as he should.  From the very start you feel he is pulling the strings by sending his coach to pick you up.  The whole time it feels like he is just toying with you, like its all a big game.  Multiple times you can hear him mocking you outright.  So it is not like he is not aware of you, he just does not see you as a threat.  There is good reason for this, he is an absolute beast to defeat.

First you need to pass a faith test to stop him paralyzing you.  This will kill you if you are not wearing some garlic.  You can mitigate some of his strength by using a silver mirror and lobbing holy water grenades at him.  Magic can also be used but the count is resistant to magic so it is not quite as effective.  But you really need to chip away at it as when you do get into combat he is skill 13.  Yes skill 13.  Oh and you better have a magic sword or you can not harm him.  His stamina is a whopping 21 as well but you can whittle that down.  

Even then its not over, if you get him down to 4 stamina he turns into a gas cloud and attempts to escape.  You need a forcewall spell to keep him around.   Otherwise he comes back with 8 stamina restored.  If you then get him down again to 4 he gets desperate and tries to bite you.  His skill is reduced by 2 but that is still skill 11.  If he gets you twice you are dead.  

Finally you defeat him and he turns into gas again.  All over?  Nope.  Hope you have destroyed his coffins or he is able to retreat to them and the best you can do is escape.  Got the coffins, great you can find him in his last coffin in the crypt.  All good right?  Not quite!

You need to have the Crucifix or a shield of faith (only need one) and then one of a stake or the magic sword Nightsword.  If not you just have to flee.  But if you have them finally then the count is put down.

Then Katarina appears and tries to take you down.

Menagerie - 

This is about as stereotypical as you can get.  Ghouls, Zombies, Wolves, Wraiths, Specters and of course walking suits of armour.

Resident Evil meets Overcooked.

Ghouls still paralyze you with three hits.  Even giant ones!

Wilhelm's Raven is a b*stard, goes for your eyes and causes skill penalties!  

The theme of skill penalties happens a lot, such as when the specter got me for -1 skill.  And he is not alone.  A lot of others give you afflictions if they hit you a few times.  Also if you want to go full anger you pretty much can attack all the family and workers kicking about the castle and even on the way there.  This rarely goes well with either difficult fights or you are punished for killing innocents.

But there is some more exotic treats in store for you - 

The demonic steed.  My daughter has horse riding lessons every weekend that involves me getting up early and spending a lot of money so all horses are demonic to me.

The Wood Golem, the Stone Golems poor cousin.  I do love how he appears to be stepping out of the page towards you.

The Baobhan Sith will scream and attack you.  Which is perfectly fair since you try and kiss her.  Ah the 80s, a different time where unsolicited kissing was seen as gallant.  

The Major Thassaloss, an absolute beast that also shoots green light at you every turn.  Unless you have the shatter spell and then you can just one hit him.

Entertaining Deaths - 

To be fair for such a tough book, not many instant deaths.  Plenty of other ways to kill you.  

Getting hit by a huge ghoul three times.  You are paralyzed and eaten alive!

Being screamed at by a Baobhan Sith.

Searching a room when you have a major lycanthropy affliction.  A shaft of moonlight hits you and you turn into a werewolf.  

Attacking Katarina without a magic sword.  She captures you in a magic rug and places a copper bowl at your throat in preparation to collect you blood. 

Opening a drawer that you know to be booby trapped, you inhale poisonous gas and as you collapse convulsing as the count walks in.

Not having picked up enough items, the ghost of Siegfried tells you to flee the crypt which you do.  But Reiner is waiting at the entrance for you.

Getting bit by a vampire!

Saving Nastassia but being unable to finish off the count.  A hollow ending, but you live!

Katarina becoming the countess and you her slave, at least you live! 

But the winner for me for this book is - 

Attacking Doktor Karl, a dragons head materialises out of a crystal ball and incantates you.  Your body is then prepared for a ghoul as a delicious barbequed meal.

Pete's Corner - 

"Attacking innocent foresters probably made me worse than the Count!"

 

Final  Thoughts - 

First I want to say how much I loved this theme.  I thought the hammer horror type genre might be a bit too cringy but it absolute works here.  Mortvania may not be the most imaginatively named but it works really well for an adventure.  From the start in a backwater tavern where the spooky goings on start straight away.  The people that you meet feel real and a natural part of the adventure.  From Valderesse and Barrandrun in the forest to the Count's own family, sometimes you feel you are only moving through their world rather than everything revolving around you.  I do like that everyone in the castle is not just an evil villain.  There is a family dynamic going on here where some like Katarina are also evil but wants to be in charge and Gunther and Lothar who are trying to overcome the evil.  And of course Wilhem who is just mad.  Although the count employs quite an array of alchemists and doctors, I would like to be a fly on the wall for his HR interviews.

After some huge country wide adventures, it was interesting to be back in such a smaller environment, in this case a castle and the surrounding area.  It felt a bit like House of Hell in that regard.  Mapping it out showed as well just how much smaller this was.  But I feel this was much more RPG like as befitting the author.  Every interaction would give you multiple choices, so if you wanted to be a murdering maniac, you could be.  Alternatively if you wanted to try and talk your way out of each situation you could certainly try.  So while the scope is a lot smaller, instead it gave you a lot more variety on how you could play.  While I do like the big huge adventures, this was a pleasant change as it was done so well.  

And the writing makes it happen.  At one point I did get a bit worried when I was on a landing with no less than five choices on where to go next but all pretty non descript, it was like a blind T-junction on steroids.  But I did not have to fear, the fun is mapping out the castle, its actually really well designed.  In my play through I mentioned it felt like the mansion in Resident Evil and it really did, you never knew what was going to be through the next door, but you had to have a look!

The atmosphere was backed up by the artwork.  It really sold it for me.  It fits the theme and the tone perfectly.  Honestly its a wonderful job from Martin here and among my favorite in the entire series.  The art can make a good book great and the opposite is true.  I can not praise it enough. 

Great book then?  Well it is not without some flaws.  Most revolve around the crunch of the gameplay and difficulty.

Looking at the non standard mechanics ill start with Faith..."Cause I gotta have faith, faith, faith!"  Ok George, that's enough now.  This joke went too far after the second line.  In my head I was going to get to the climactic battle with Reiner just in time for the chorus.  

Faith is a good addition, but you better get a high score.  We were told that too high was bad as it attracts the bad guys.  Well its very rare that happens, it is much more damaging to have a low faith roll as 90% of the time it ends badly for you, especially at the end.  And when something goes well you get +1 faith score so it must be good.  I do like the mechanic though, adds a different elements to the book and it gets used a lot.

The afflictions are interesting and a lot more punishing, especially the Lycanthropy one.  It does force you to try and seek out a cure as leaving them will not go well for you.  Although it is easier to avoid them than cure them.  An interesting idea but I could take it or leave it, I think the book has enough going for it that they would not be missed.

Magic is the worst of them though.  It comes far, far too late in the adventure to be any good.  Just right on the final stretch which makes the use very limiting.  Some of the spells are interesting and it gives the final boss battles a bit more variety but you should absolutely get to choose.  Random dice rolls to select the spells is a nonsense.  It feels very tacked on for me and again, I do not think the adventure needed it.  

It also highlights the worst part of the book, random dice rolls.  I really hate this in Fighting Fantasy, we have abilities to test against, especially luck!  Yes roll dice but use the stats to pass and fail.  The magic is the worst and I get why you need to roll for Wilhelm to simulate the madness but it should be a test. There are a few more which determine stat penalties in the book but the main positive is they are not game breaking.  None of them I can see would stop you winning, the only one that would hurt is missing the shatter spell for the Major Thassallos but even then he can be beaten in combat.   I've changed my mind, the worst one is when you fight the Specter and you need to roll a 6 to avoid losing a skill point! 

And I would be remiss not to mention the difficulty.  Is it impossible? No I do not think so, but you need a pretty good skill and faith roll.  The enemies are not too bad with just a few skill 10 to get past, but its what they do if they do hit you.  Oh raven got your eyes, lose some skill.  Oh when you are fighting this bat the ferret is biting you.  Oh you got an affliction as it hit you twice.  Oh the Thassaloss is shooting you with green fire from its eyes at the same time.  It can be quite punishing.  But not terrible in Fighting Fantasy terms, plenty brandy to go around to heal you.  Its only really when you get to the boss fight that you need it.  But to be fair you can get the sword and armour to boost your skill, but realistically id say you need skill 11.  

But that's just for the very end to actually finish it, you can do a lot before then.  We have certainly seen a lot worse.  And you do not tend to notice it as much due to the whole actually having a good time playing it.  You do need to item hunt, but unlike other adventures where they can be really random, such as a stone in the forest containing a clue to get through a door in another country, these actually make sense and fit the story really well.

As much as I enjoyed the characters and the family dynamic, I think its the actual setting I enjoyed the most.  Yes its a stereotypical vampire setup but I like that.  And there is enough additions as well such as all the mad scientists going about.  The castle itself is probably the star.  And of course bought alive by the art!

  

But imagine would could have been.......

Score 8 out of 10.