Gamebooks (Choose Your Own Adventure Style)

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

22 Minutos:  Tibicenas Alternate Endings Part 3


Time to go to CHOICE #11 and follow those single file wolves.


"All your instincts scream that you shouldn't do it.  It's crazy, and you shouldn't have even proposed it.  But you do it".


The wolves are going into the center of the fire at 13:44.  At 13:45, the area is burned out and can't produce any more flames.  I sneak around, hoping the wolves won't see me.  They're now in a circle.  The ground opens, and an earthquake cracks open the ground.  The wolves howl with excitement as they see the fissure appearing.


"Try to keep your heart from coming out of your mouth and click here".


ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED:  "Discover the nature of the first crash (estruendo)".


"The wolves are howling with ecstasy."


Some trees fall down and occasionally crush some of the wolves.  But this doesn't seem to faze them.  A hand comes out of the fissure, with claws the size of a small car.  Its color is the same as the wolves.  The second hands appear, and then the demon rises.


The wolves celebrate upon seeing the demon, and a supernatural roar can be heard.


CHOICE #19 is to either run away, look for a hole to approach and strike the demon, or attack the wolves while they're distracted.  The first takes me back to an earlier CHOICE about fleeing from or approaching the demon.


Let's fight the wolves for no reason!  I launch one wolf into the fissure, and it disappears.  The rest of the wolves are now watching me and stop their ceremony.  One of the wolves climbs the demon's foot and growls at me.


CHOICE #20 at 13:47 is to either attack the demon or the wolves.


Opting to attack the wolves lets me grab a flaming branch and hit one of the animals.  When I hit a 2nd wolf, the others begin to keep their distance.  I throw the branch, and some of the wolves retreat.  I jump on the demon's foot and slide to the other side.  Its skin is cold and smooth, as if it had been polished.


I hear the wolves pursuing me.  They're about to surround me.  But there are more flaming branches.


CHOICE #21 at 13:48 is to attack, or go on the defensive.  Time to be aggressive!


Doing so goes to DEATH #3 with the same gory fire text.  But we get a new page that might as well be our ending instead.  (Though it won't count as another Death on the counter because of the ending #).


"You hit the wolves, and when they leave avoiding your strikes, you hit the demon again.  You alternate between attacking one and the other, trying to buy enough time to tear apart the giant's foot.  A breach.


You open a breach in the demon's foot.  It's minor damage that does nothing more than make some lava come out, but it fills you with excitement to see it.  It gives you the energy to hit again.


Unfortunately, you haven't realized that the fire has trapped you.  Your legs catch fire, and the rest of your body follows immediately".


It's strange that the book doesn't count this as a separate Death, because you burn to death fighting the wolves and the demon instead of trying to fight a wildfire.



Results So Far


0 Good Endings

1 Deaths

1 Bad Non-Death Ending

0 Neutral Endings

1 Inconclusive Endings

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

22 Minutos:  Tibicenas Alternate Endings Part 4


Let's try defense mode in CHOICE #21.


I do this by having my back supported on the demon's foot.  A wolf jumps on me, but I dodge and the wolf crashes into the giant.  It hits hard enough that the wolf is now afraid.


The other wolves seem to be frightened too.  I forget the wolves and hit the demon.  Not much results from this other than lava coming out, and the branch breaking.  Suddenly, it's dark, as if something covered up the sun.  I can still see a little bit with the help of the flames and embers (rescoldo).


CHOICE #22  at 13:50 is to run away, or use my body to attack the demon.  Trying to escape does not lead me to the CANONICAL ENDING like I expected.


"You run, but you don't even manage 3 steps.  You don't know how many wolves you have on top of you, but you know that they're all biting you at once".


Pass to page DEATH #1.


"The pain is indescribable.  You shout with all your strength while its intensity grows more and more.  Their fangs are hammering you.  They're so big that your muscles separate, tense up, and break in a stabbing pain.  You think you can't scream more, when suddenly, an intense heat begins to surface (aflorar) in the wound.  You scream twice as much.


The saliva of the creature seems to be made of lava.  And that magma begins to fall on your skin.  Some flames from the inside of the animal's mouth hit you in waves.  The pain is infinite.  You want it to finish now.


But it doesn't happen.  The seconds it takes for you to die are sufficient that the pain makes you insane.  And all that had been from the first bite."


ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED:  DEATH #1.


You wouldn't think lava wolves would be afraid of a flaming branch, but here you go.



Results So Far


0 Good Endings

2 Deaths

1 Bad Non-Death Ending

0 Neutral Endings

1 Inconclusive Endings

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

22 Minutos:  Tibicenas Alternate Endings Part 5


In this alternate CHOICE #22, I'll attack the demon instead of running into the wolves' mouths.


One wolf bares its teeth at me and I avoid it at the last second.  Another tries to kick me.  They're concentrating more on the demon's foot bleeding lava rather than me.


The wolves seem to let me keep attacking the monster, and wait to surround me later.  They don't expect me to try a shoulder charge on the demon!


I get another ending for my efforts.


"You whack the demon, and the crack breaks at last.  Lava begins to form globules, almost under pressure.  It makes a full impact on your body.


You hurt 1000 times more than any other pain you've experienced.  The pain is intense, stabbing, unbearable.  You're at the point of death.  You thank death.  It means the suffering will end.


Then the lava stops coming out.  You can see, through the crack, that something is blocking the exit.  It seems to be a person wrapped in flames, or if it weren't impossible, made of fire.  It seems to be trying to leave the demon, and implores you.  It needs for you to make a bigger crack, but dying occupies all your time."


ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED:  ENDING #5 "Useless sacrifices".


Why doesn't the text give it a "MUERTE #"?  How is our ending a "FINAL"?  This is clearly a Death!


EDIT:  I think this is the first point in a CYOA covered here where all options in a CHOICE lead to Death.




Results So Far


0 Good Endings

3 Deaths

1 Bad Non-Death Ending

0 Neutral Endings

1 Inconclusive Endings

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

22 Minutos:  Tibicenas Alternate Endings Part 6


Attacking the demon instead of the wolves in CHOICE #20 just results in DEATH #1 again, but here's some different text just before the end.


"You throw yourself against the demon and hit its skin with your fists.  It's cold, supernaturally cold.  It doesn't have a pulse, and it gives you the impression of touching a statue in a museum.  But you know that it moves, that somehow it's alive.


You launch yourself at it with your whole body, and the demon doesn't bat an eyelid (inmutarse).  Its skin is too thick, and you don't manage to do anything.  You continue punching it and only hurt yourself.  Meanwhile, the wolves are approaching, and one jumps on your neck".



Results So Far


0 Good Endings

3 Deaths

1 Bad Non-Death Ending

0 Neutral Endings

1 Inconclusive Endings

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

22 Minutos:  Tibicenas Alternate Endings Part 7


Let's rewind to CHOICE #19 and look for a hole.


The demon has finished standing up, and its body disappears among the burning trees.  "The wolves rub against its immense foot, like a dog welcoming its owner after a long vacation".


Now that the wolves are distracted, I see a hole.  I can now go directly toward the demon if I want.  The narration has this to say:  "You swallow saliva one last time.  One.  Last.  Time".


CHOICE #23 at 13:47 is to either "launch into action", or think of a plan first.  As the reviled Final Fantasy XIII quote goes, "Real heroes don't need plans!"


This leads us to another DEATH #1, though the text before it may entertain you.


"You begin to look around, looking for some way to reduce the number of wolves.  One giant rock you could push, or a tree you could tip onto them, but you don't see anything.


In your search for the perfect strategy, you realize something.  One of the wolves is staring at me.  It isn't dancing, or celebrating anything.  It's quietly watching you.


You hide, but it's too late.  You hear growling, and you know they're coming for you.  You don't even try to escape.  You simply stay in place with closed eyes and wait.  It doesn't take long to notice a bite".


Results So Far


0 Good Endings

3 Deaths

1 Bad Non-Death Ending

0 Neutral Endings

1 Inconclusive Endings

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

22 Minutos:  Tibicenas Alternate Endings Part 8


I'll think of a better idea after CHOICE #23.  Or maybe not.


I run without making a noise, probably because my character put points into a nonexistent Sneak skill.


I'm now behind the smoking remains of a tree that's still hot.  Apparently the wolves don't notice me.  From my new hiding place, I see the possibility of tipping a tree onto the demon's foot.  CHOICE #24 at 13:48 is to either do that, or "reflect and find another way to act".


Tipping over the tree gives us another path to DEATH #1.


"You continue looking around, looking for ways to do real damage to the enormous demon that you have beside you.  Now it has something in its hand, like a ball of light you can't identify. . .


A growl at your back takes you out of your thoughts.  You rapidly turn around, and your suspicions are confirmed:  there's a wolf a few centimeters from you.  You cover yourself with your arm and it bites you".

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

22 Minutos:  Tibicenas Alternate Endings Part 9


I think I've found a mistake in the book.  The links for the options in CHOICE #24 are reversed!  Taking the second option makes you tip over the tree instead of thinking of another plan like the text says.


In this route, I run for it without regard for my safety.  The wolves pursue, but I must be a track and field star.  I charge into the tree, which causes a chain reaction.  Timber!  The tree conks the demon on the foot, and the wolves are about to jump on me.  The roots form a barrier between the wolves and I.  Just enough time to start running.


"The tree finishes falling, and the demon's foot explodes into 1000 pieces, like a store window being hit by a stone. Lava begins to flow from it, like an open faucet, and the demon screams in pain".


The lava wave devours one of the wolves, and the rest start running.  Whether they're pursuing me or saving their skins, I'm not sure.  I jump between the fire and the other scorched (chamuscado) trees and bushes.  The demon leaves its ball of light in the sky, spins around, and tries to go towards me.


The foot may be healing itself, as it's scarring (cicatrizar).  The demon is ignoring everything else but me.  Now I'm between its legs, and it grabs me.  Here's a new ending for a change!


"The demon raise you through the air at a high velocity.  Suddenly, you find yourself above the trees and the mountain.  You try to look around, but it press you with too much force.  You begin to get queasy.


'Insignificant being', it says with a voice that could topple mountains, 'You have stopped me for the first and last time'.


It begins to press, and you notice your ribs breaking.  You notice how it hammers you in the lungs, and blood begins to bubble inside.  You try to scream and only a red foam leaves your mouth.  Your hips break next, and the rest of your bones are smashed like sticks.


The pain is agonizing, and when you think you've died, that everything will end, the demon stops pressing.  It opens its mouth and swallows you.  The fire inside is 1000 times more painful than everything else."


ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED:  ENDING #4:  David and Goliath


Another Death that the author chooses not to classify as a MUERTE for some reason.  Besides, the scenario turned out like neither 1 Samuel 17, or 2 Samuel 21:19.


Results So Far


0 Good Endings

4 Deaths

1 Bad Non-Death Ending

0 Neutral Endings

1 Inconclusive Endings

[RefSteel]

Going way back to the "Dragons Realm" book - I have to take back my faint defense. Yes, the forest path the one that led to the voice calling for help, but not because the river was drowning out the noise, since apparently the cry wasn't vocal but telepathic! Um. Time to move on to the current book.

Another Death that the author chooses not to classify as a MUERTE for some reason.

I don't think the author's idea is to categorize endings as Deaths and Non-Deaths. What's happening here is that there are a bunch of different endings that all kill the protagonist with fire, and a bunch that kill the protagonist with Magic Wolves, and a bunch that (I think we haven't yet met at least one of the Common Death Types - maybe a car crash). So for those common-to-this-story types of death, the author wants to include graphic descriptions of the protagonist's demise, but doesn't want to write e.g. half a dozen different, specific death-by-fire scenes, and therefore just writes one that will fit well enough for all of them and points you to that again and again, after setting it up properly for each path.

So the "Death #X" pages aren't really part of the path structure: In a "normal" CYOA, "Go to Death #X" would just say, "The End" - maybe with a one-liner making it completely clear that your character died - and leave the details to the imagination. This author replaces "The End" with, in effect, "Your character dies by method 2. If you've seen that before, you already know how it goes even if you don't remember all the page numbers. If not, go read the grisly description for this common/generic-for-this-book type of death here." So when a death isn't labeled as "Death #X" it doesn't mean the author forgot to count it as a death - it just means that death has its own unique description whose conclusion isn't duplicated in any other ending.

As such, I would argue that the first option in Choice #17, the Aggressive option in Choice #21, attacking the demon in Choice #20, "launch into action" in Choice #23, and "thinking it over" (after fixing the option-reversing error you spotted) in Choice #24 should all count as separate deaths from the first times you ran up against "Death #2" and "Death #3" - which would put the number of Deaths at 9. Of course, that's just my opinion; obviously you can track the statistics any way you like!

Thanks again for posting these. You've inspired me to start writing a reader-directed story of my own!

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

So the "Death #X" pages aren't really part of the path structure:  In a "normal" CYOA, "Go to Death #X" would just say, "The End" - maybe with a one-liner making it completely clear that your character died - and leave the details to the imagination.  This author replaces "The End" with, in effect, "Your character dies by method 2.  If you've seen that before, you already know how it goes even if you don't remember all the page numbers.  If not, go read the grisly description for this common/generic-for-this-book type of death here."  So when a death isn't labeled as "Death #X" it doesn't mean the author forgot to count it as a death - it just means that death has its own unique description whose conclusion isn't duplicated in any other ending.

As such, I would argue that the first option in Choice #17, the Aggressive option in Choice #21, attacking the demon in Choice #20, "launch into action" in Choice #23, and "thinking it over" (after fixing the option-reversing error you spotted) in Choice #24 should all count as separate deaths from the first times you ran up against "Death #2" and "Death #3" - which would put the number of Deaths at 9.  Of course, that's just my opinion; obviously you can track the statistics any way you like!

Thanks again for posting these.  You've inspired me to start writing a reader-directed story of my own!

I think I'll stick with my current ending-tracking system, since I'm already so far into the book that it would get confusing otherwise.  Feel free to think of them however you like!  It really does seem like some of the text before the "numbered ending" would be the ending itself in a standard CYOA.


So you may want to take the total ending count with a whole salt shaker instead of just a grain this time.

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

22 Minutos:  Tibicenas Alternate Endings Part 10


For this episode, I'll rewind to CHOICE #10 at 13:32 to start.


Choosing to "fight the fire, even though you know it's useless" gives us another DEATH #1, though with some different text to keep RefSteel happy.


"You try to call the firefighters, but you have no coverage in this zone.  You don't know what to do, but you don't stop.


You find a palm leaf on the ground and begin to use it to put out the fire.  The blaze is too extensive, but you think that with luck you could prevent it from extending through this area.  You begin to hit the flames with the palm leaf and, surprisingly, you discover that you're putting out new fires.  Maybe you aren't smothering the flames, but undoubtedly you are avoiding make them grow.


Then a swipe (zarpazo) tosses you to the ground.  One of those wolves snuck up from behind and struck you.  'You have erred, human', pronounces the beast with a horrible and raspy voice, 'This fire is ours'.  You're going to answer, but it bites you in the neck".


ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED:  "Talk with a tibicena".


Results So Far


0 Good Endings

4 Deaths

1 Bad Non-Death Ending

0 Neutral Endings

1 Inconclusive Endings