Loyal Heart

Gamebook

Pavel Tomcsányi

Introduction

On the south of an equatorial continent, there is an ape people kingdom called Joschonara. It’s a jungle territory. The natives live according to natural patterns in harmony with nature. They call themselves the Joschols. They lived peaceful life here for many generations and didn’t annoy anyone. They elected a king among themselves every 11 years. It’s over two hundred years, king Pafftenog reigned over the ape people when a forest horn, that had been silent for ages, sounded on their northern border. The resounding tone of that horn meant only one thing. Attack! The peaceful ape people didn’t have any powerful army to face to the unexpected invasion of the outlanders who came from the sea on big ships. The Northern territory stayed under aggressors’ rule and they took invasions to the midlands and caused panic. King Pafftenog didn’t want to watch the destruction of his country. He knew it would be better to hit their enemy’s heart instead of building an army to fight back. The Joschols aren’t warriors. However, they are quick and insidious. Therefore, he sent a message to his brave Joschols, who are not afraid of the enemy from the sea and who have enough honor and courage. The one who gets into the Askals’ territory, it is the name of their enemy, prevents plunder and kills the Askals’ king Karkesan, that one becomes a king.

Game Rules

Fight (Fight)

The way you use your weapon describes your fight. If the fight comes, you will throw a hexagon cube once more and add the fight points to your score. You can throw once more after six. Then your rival throws and they can make the same with their fight score. Compare your results. The one with higher result hits the other. One condition point is taken away of the hit player. The fight can change within your wandering. It depends on the weapon you use. Your fight score is 3 at the beginning.

Condition (C)

Your condition describes your health. If you are hurt, your condition goes down. It can increase again if you get better, but it cannot reach over the original score. If your condition goes down to zero or under zero, your character dies. Your condition score is 12 at the beginning.

Good hit

If the difference between the fight score of all the players is 4 or more, the hit player loses 2 points instead of 1 because his rival has hit him well.

Fortune

Fortune has saved many strong and brave heroes or bad luck has buried them. It can happen to you. If you are asked to take your chance, throw the cube once again. 1, 2, or 3 mean bad luck. 4, 5, or 6 mean luck.

Fortune’s honey

There’s nothing like succeeding in everything you touch. It’s possible that you can learn that you received 1 luck point. Put it down in your diary. If you are the fortune’s favourite and you have some extra luck, you can make any of your throws better. Every time you use this option, you have to take 1 extra luck point away. Ex. if you have 2 luck points, you can add two more throws to your compulsory throw until you will be satisfied. Of course, you have to take both luck points away in this case. If you don’t have any extra luck points, you will throw only once until you receive some new points.

Masks and secrecy

Sooner or later you will have to go in your rival’s territory. You can’t do that without a mask, it helps you to look like your enemy. In this case you will be asked to compare the quality of the mask. Throw the dice once and add the result to your detection limit. Then throw the cube instead of your rival and add the result to his attention (will be specified later). The player with better result wins. The way is similar to fight, but you can throw the cube only once. If the results are identical, throw again. Your secrecy limit is 0 at the beginning of the game.

Something about you

Your name is Borgan. You are a single-minded young Joschol man and you heard about the king’s appeal. You don’t want to become a king but you are fed up with the Askals and their invasions. That’s the reason for your decision, after hearing about another attack, to react to the king’s appeal.

Equipment

If you really set off, you will get “hakso”. It’s juice made of tropical fruit with leached herbs and it’s in a pumpkin shell. A few swallows of this nectar provide energy and force to do anything. At the beginning you only carry one use supply with. Every time you drink, you add 5 condition points. You can drink any time, but not in fight.

Your best weapon is a bamboo stick and you can work with it very well. Although it is hollow, it is very strong. You also have ten poisoned darts in a little bow on your belt. You can fire them from the stick if you put a dart into it and blow hard. The dart causes weariness and disorientation to people you hit, the weak ones can die. The stick improves your fight with 2 points. It means that if you fight with it, your fight score is 5 at the beginning (3 for fight, 2 for the stick).

Fight with more rivals

It’s not pleasant but it can often happen. In that case, follow these instructions. If you fight with more rivals, compare your throws with all of them. However, you can hurt the first one only. You hurt another one and you get the first one out. If you are better in fight with the second one, the third one … you don’t hurt them, they only don’t hit you. Each of them, who is better than you in a current round, hurts you. However, you hurt each of them till their condition score will go down to zero.

1.

You got up early in the morning and left your home. You reached the destination at noon and you stopped in front of the king’s palace. It’s built in the tops of huge hundred-year-old trees. Two Joschols with machetes are standing near the main ropes. They guard the gate of the palace. You want to go by but they’re stopping you. “Where are you going, buddy?” One of them is asking. What’s your answer?

“It’s none of your business.” And you can go on. --> 3.

You are going to say the right reason why you are here. --> 2.

You’re going to show them the force of your stick to remember that they shouldn’t annoy you anymore. --> 4.

2.

The guards smiled. “You’ve been the twentieth in recent three days. Anyway, only few people accepted the king’s message.” “Who knows where they are,” the other one smiled encouragingly. Then they let you climb up the ropes.

>>> 5.

3.

“It’s none of your business” you said calmly and went. “But it is my business” was one of the guards answer and two strong arms knocked you down the rope. You fell on your back and lost 1 condition point. “You may remember it next time”, the other guard said and they lifted you. One of them brought you to the king.

>>> 5.

4.

“Do you want to threaten us, kid?!” You are trying to hit one of them with your stick but it has wrapped in the rope. Before you can learn what’s going on, one of the guards is hitting you with the flat side of his machete. You lost 1 condition point. One of them brought you to the king.

>>> 5.

5.

It didn’t take a long time and you found yourself in a large hall high in the treetops. This place looks larger than from the ground. There are several exits ending somewhere inside your leader’s palace. In front of you there is king Pafftenog sitting on a huge wooden throne. He’s tall and strong. Two guards staying one behind the other are watching all your steps. You’re explaining why you came. The king’s watching you with doubts and he’s saying: “Do you know, boy, what kind of task you are going to face? Many brave men have enlisted but only few of them passed the exam. We don’t want anybody who thinks that they can do that to set off on the journey. The loss of every single life is bad in this time. However, you should know that everyone has a chance and you can take it. If you pass, we will see that you can cope with it and we will let you try to enter the Askals’ territory then.” One of the guards is taking you in a locked room. There’s a little wooden ring hanged just under the ceiling. It’s quite high and it’s clear you can’t reach it from the ground. “If you bring the ring, you’ll pass the exam,” the guard said leaving the room. The door shut. You’re standing under the ring thinking about the ways of getting it when suddenly, a secret gate in front of you opened. Some wooden monster drove out of it. You hardly jumped aside and the wooden thing stand under the ring. You can see some little windows on it, the Joschols are sitting there and they’re probably controlling the robot. “It will be really interesting,” you think. The wooden monster won’t give you the ring easily. Your only chance is to fight with the machine. Its wooden arms are strong, but not as skillful as yours.

WOODEN ROBOT

FIGHT 3

C 12

Your Condition is 4 , --> 6.

If you win , --> 7.

6.

The hits of the wooden arms are too strong and painful. With the broken stick, you’re falling on the ground and lying by the feet of the tireless monster. The machine moved away from you and let you alone. The door you had used before to come in opened and two Joschols helped you to hobble to the king. “I see it was really hard. You’re not ready to set off on your own in our enemy’s territory and face the traps outside. Go home. You’ll thank me one day.” This is the end of your effort.

7.

You’re skillfully slipping through the wooden limbs and you’re beating the strong hits back. Finally, you managed to get behind the monster where you used the stick as a crowbar and blocked its movement. You’re pushing the bamboo stick with all your force, the robot is slowly leaning on one side and finally, it’s falling down with noise. It’s helplessly lying on the ground and you hear some people abusing inside it. You climbed on it and you were able to jump for the ring without any problem. The door opened. Two Joschols brought you to the king. “Congratulations. You seem to be a great adept. You can set off on the journey in the morning. But now take a rest and have something to eat.” You got a lot of delicious food and drink and in the evening you went to a comfortable bed. You woke up early in the morning and felt really strong. If you lost some condition in the fight with the robot, you can gain 6 points. It’s time to leave. You set off with a guide who’s going with you on secret paths to the northern border of a relatively safe territory. When you came on the place where you can see some cues of the Askals’ activity, your guide stopped. “You have to walk on your own now, I have to go back. Take this, you’ll certainly need it.” He gave you a pumpkin with hakso, wished you good luck and disappeared in bush. You’re going north. You had been walking for two hours when you saw some fight, two Askals with swords against one Joschol with a broken stick. The enemies are better and their triumph is just a matter of time. Something unexpected would have to happen to set the fight back.

You’re going to hide and watch the fight --> 9.

You want to help the Joschol --> 8.

8.

You don’t want to watch the barbarians who are going to kill your countryman. You’re trying to think something up. You’re going to:

Attack with your stick --> 10.

Use the darts and hit one of the barbarians --> 11.

Run out and shout: “Run away. The wild ketorax is coming.” --> 12.

9.

You don’t have enough courage to help your countryman. You’re flattering yourself that’s clever. It didn’t take a long time and they killed him. They started searching him, but they didn’t find anything. Later, they started searching surroundings. Take your chance.

Luck --> 13 .

Bad luck --> 14 .

10.

You’re pressing your stick hard and starting fight. The Askals didn’t expect it and before they realized what was going on, you hit one of them well. One of them is fighting with the Joschol, the other one turned to you. Take 2 points off their condition.

>>> 15.

11.

Take one dart off your score. You were aiming at the aggressors, blew and hit one of them. They noticed the place the dart had come from and you’ll have to fight face to face. You left your hiding place and started fighting. Your force is equal to theirs, one against one. You’re fighting against the man you hit with the dart. Take 2 points off his condition and 1 point off his fight because he was poisoned with a dart.

>>> 15.

12.

You jumped out of your hiding place. You’re waving with your hands and shouting that they have to run away because of the monster. They broke the fight for a moment and they’re gazing at you with surprise. They didn’t believe you and you’re betrayed. The Askals split up, one of them is still fighting against your countryman and the other is going to fight against you. You must fight.

>>> 15.

13.

They kept on searching the bush but they didn’t find you. They dragged away. When you were sure that they had gone, you left your hiding place. You’re heading north.

>>> 16.

14.

The Askals have found you! You’re not waiting anymore and before they’ll recover, you’re going against them with your stick. Fight against both of them at the same time.

First Askal

Fight 4

C4

Second Askal

Fight 4

C5

If you knock both of them down --> 49.

15.

Askal

Fight 4

C4

If you win --> 17.

16.

The track goes on through the dense jungle and it’s almost straight. You’re going on for an hour and now you’re coming to the crossroads of three tracks. All of them go north but each of them in a different course. They look like a trident.

You have a map --> 21.

You’re going right --> 24.

Straight --> 20.

Left --> 48.

17.

Both Askals are dead, the other Joschol survived. He’s leaning against a tree and breathing. Although he’s been hurt, he’ll survive. He’s still surprised to see a friendly man. “If it wasn’t for you, I would be dead now.” He passed you a little bottle with blue liquid. “Take this. I got it from a shaman. After drinking it you’ll look like an Askal. It might be useful for you. But don’t drink it right now because its effect is limited. I won’t need it anymore, I’m going home.” You helped him to bound his wounds and after a short rest you said goodbye to him. You searched the Askal soldiers but you don’t mind their swords. You’re more interested in a little map which one of them had. It shows the fastest way to the port on the north. However, it’s clear that your enemy uses the way a lot, too.

>>> 16.

18.

You came in a shanty. Nobody has lived for ages. You can see a lot of dust and spider-webs everywhere. That’s why you’re surprised when you’re finding a rolled rope in the dust under the table. You’re taking it. There was nothing more to see and you left the shanty. You found a narrow path to the north in the bush.

You’re going on it --> 29.

You’re going back to the crossroads --> 16.

19.

The shanty doesn’t look strong enough to go there. You found a narrow path to the north in the bush.

You’re going on it --> 29.

You’re going back to the crossroads --> 16.

20.

You’re going on the middle track. It seems to be more smoothed, it’s probably used more. You were going for a few minutes when you heard some voices behind the turn. You stopped. You have no idea that the Askals can be there, but you’re not sure. You’re going to:

Hide in the bush next to the path --> 22.

Stay on your place and get ready to fight --> 23.

21.

You’re able to use the map well. You found out that the turns left and right are longer and the straight path is the most comfortable.

>>> 16.

22.

You’ve hidden in the bush. When the voices came closer, you understood that it hadn’t been such a bad idea. Three Askal soldiers went out the crossroads. One of them is carrying a sword, the second one a halberd and the third one an axe. You’re going to:

Capitulate --> 25.

Stay in the bush and hope they won’t notice you --> 31.

Stand up and fight against them --> 28.

23.

You’re sure that they are the Askals and you don’t want them to leave without fight.

You’re going to welcome them with your darts --> 26.

You’re going to hide behind the bush and attack with the stick in your hand --> 27.

24.

You’re walking on the right track. This path hasn’t been used for ages and it’s grown with vegetation and from time to time it’s really hard to go on. You’re tireless and you can move in the jungle well. After toiling for an hour you found a place that had been surely larger several months ago. There is a wooden half-destroyed shanty slowly grown in shrubs. You can go inside because the door is broken out.

You want to go in --> 18.

You’re not going inside and you’re going to find a track to the north --> 19.

You’re going back to the crossroads, turn to --> 16.

25.

You left your stick in your hiding place not to provoke the Askals. You’re getting out and suggesting that you don’t want to fight. At first they were surprised. It was strange that some Joschol would capitulate so easily. One of them had an idea it could be a trap and he attacked you. You avoided the first two attacks but the third soldier went round you. The axe in his hands finished that short fight and your life, too.

26.

You filled the stick with a dart and aimed at the turn. You’re patiently waiting and you’re pretty nervous. The voices came closer and three soldiers appeared. One of them is carrying a sword, the second one a halberd and the third one an axe. They stopped and they’re looking at you. You’re no longer waiting and sending them your present. One of the soldiers held his neck because you had hit him. He tore the dart out furious and threw it away. All of them drew their swords and started running against you. It’s time to fight face to face. The struck Askal started staggering, the poisoned dart’s doing its work. It took 2 of his fight points and 4 condition points. They all are attacking you right now.

>>> 28.

27.

With a cocked stick you’re waiting near the bush in the turn, the voices are coming closer. “If they are the Askals, they’ll catch it,” you’re thinking. The first person has just appeared, you’re recognizing your enemy and hitting him hard. He caught it right in his head. You jumped in front of him. You’re recognizing that there are three people. One of them has got a sword, the second one a halberd and the third one an axe. Fight against them at one moment. The first of them lost 3 condition points because you had hit him pretty hard.

>>> 28.

28.

Soldier with a sword

Fight 5

C 5

Soldier with a halberd

Fight 4

C 4

Soldier with an axe

Fight 3

C 5

You’ll win --> 30.

29.

You’ve been going north for several hours. You’re alert. The sun got over the highest point in the sky and it’s going west. Green bush is all around and nothing indicates the fact you’re in a war. It’s getting dark soon. You reached the place where the three tracks gather. You came on one of them and just one of them goes on to the north. You want to set off when you hear some fizz in the bush on your left side. You feel that somebody wants to attract your attention. You’re going to:

Learn what’s going on. --> 32.

Send a poisoned dart there. --> 33.

Ignore it and go north . --> 35.

30.

Good job. The combination of the hits with the stick and your swiftness became fatal for your enemies. They’re lying here dead. You found a notice by one of them: MATERIAL STORE. Add it on your list. You cleared the bodies away and set off to the north .>>> 29.

31.

Some soldiers are only going past and they aren’t watching their surroundings. They’re truly thinking that they are in the territory under their control.

>>> 29.

32.

You’re surprised and curious about what or who’s trying to attract your attention. You’re looking at the bush more carefully and everything is clear immediately. One Joschol in torn clothes is shrinking there. He has fear in his eyes and he’s gesticulating that you should come closer. You did and now you’re realizing that he’s hurt. He told you that there’s a port on the north and you shouldn’t go there if you like your life. You’re assuring him that’s just the place you aim to. He’s telling you about the slaves who are hunted on the board of the ships and taken away. He’s saying that you must be crazy if you really want to go there. He’s breathing badly and nothing can help him. You stayed with him until he blew out for the last time. Now you have bigger taste to get into the Askals territory and get their king off. You laid down the dead man and set off to the north.

>>> 35.

33.

You don’t want to risk anything. You’re quickly putting a dart into your stick and sending it towards the sound. The shot flew over the bush and you’re holding a fight pose. Nothing. Suddenly something has fallen over there.

You’re going to look what you hit --> 34.

You’re going on --> 35.

34.

You went in the bush. You’re really sorry when you’re finding a Joschol’s body in torn clothes. It seems that he was hurt and his weak body wasn’t able to face your poisoned dart. You think that he must have escaped from somewhere. You can’t do anything now, so you’re going out of the bush.

>>> 35.

35.

It’s getting dark and you’re still going north. You’re creeping through the bush and walking carefully. You’re not lingering on the path because it’s quite well-trodden and probably used very often. You’re spending the most of the time along this path.

You’re going to use a bear trap --> 37.

You’re going on --> 42.

36.

You’re making some space with your stick and firmly going on. At the moment when you were thinking that nobody had probably used the path for ages, some strong sprouts twisted under your feet and you lost balance. You’re trying to bring yourself off with a stick and not fall down. Take your chance.

Luck --> 51.

Bad luck --> 50 .

37.

You have an idea that you could make the way funnier to the aggressors. You prepared a trap and hid it in the middle of the path. Then you hid yourself behind the trees. It’s clear that sooner or later you’ll meet your enemy, so why you shouldn’t use the trap here. You had spent half an hour in your hiding place before two enemy soldiers appeared on the path. One of them has a sword, the other a halberd. Dusk is falling on the forest helping you to hide your trap. The silence was broken with a sharp click and the roar of a soldier. He’s kneeling and holding his bleeding leg. The force of the trap has surely broken his bone. The other Askal came to him quickly and tried to open the trap. That’s why he put his halberd on the ground. Now it’s the right time to attack them. How are going to do that?

Hit one of them with a dart --> 39.

Attack with the stick --> 38.

38.

You suddenly attacked. You don’t mind the soldier in the trap, he’s not dangerous. The other Askal didn’t have time to pick up his halberd from the ground and he drew his dagger. You’re going to fight against him. Take 1 point off his condition because a dagger is not as dangerous as a halberd.

>>> 40.

39.

You sent a dart off your hiding place and hit a soldier. He touched the place he had been bitten in. He let his mate in the trap, picked up his halberd and now he’s going right to you. He’s searching the bush with the iron head of his weapon. You’re no longer waiting and rushing to him. The other one is not dangerous for you. Your rivals lost 3 condition points.

>>> 40.

40.

Soldier

Fight 4

C 6

You’ll win --> 41.

41.

You killed your enemy. The soldier in the trap is watching you with doubts and he’s afraid of his dear life. The card turned and you know it. You started asking him and learnt easily that there are three ships in the port. One of them is a slave ship that takes the prisoners away. The second one is a war ship and the third one brings supplies. What are you going to ask him about?

“What do you do with the prisoners?” --> 45.

“Who are you?” --> 44.

“Why did you attack us?” --> 46.

42.

You’re going on the well-trodden path. You almost crashed with two soldiers in one turn. One of them has a sword, the other a halberd and you all are really surprised. Fight is unavoidable. It’s too late to use darts and that’s you believe in your swiftness and your stick. Fight with both at the same time.

Soldier with a sword

Fight 5

C 5

Soldier with a halberd

Fight 4

C 5

You’ll win --> 43.

43.

You sent them down with precise moves. Now they’re lying at your feet. You didn’t find anything important with their bodies.

>>> 47.

44.

“We’re coming from a far country which is north-east of your continent. Our ships got over the ocean and we discovered your country.” He passed out in the moment he finished it.

>>> 47.

45.

“We seldom kill, your men are of higher price when they stay alive. We take them to our country where they serve as the slaves.” He passed out in the moment he finished it.

>>> 47.

46.

“There’s no more food in our country. There are lots of people and we look for other food sources, natural sources and places to stay.” He passed out in the moment he finished it.

>>> 47.

47.

You cleared both bodies away and you’re going on the same way. Dusk’s fallen on the jungle. You trust in your Joschol senses. The nocturnal animals woke up and you can hear them from the surrounding corners. The weak moon light is showing you the way which is struggling through the huge tree tops all around. After an hour of your night wandering you saw something. You stopped and bent down a little bit. For sure, you see some fire light almost one hundred meters in front of you. It doesn’t seem like fire. You’re carefully creeping to the light. You found a small enemy camp. It’s the place where the trees in a thirty-meter circle were cut down. There’s a fire place in the middle and something is being grilled there. Thirty canvas tents are built around. There are about twenty Joschols in chains on the further side.

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