Song of Alain (Hit Point Version)

By Chris Lundy

Pull up a seat and hear the Song of Alain! The epic tale of a mostly noble bard in over his head against hideous monsters and really difficult people. Hack, slash, sing and talk your way out of challenges. Manipulate foes in a trance or blow them back with a burst of sound!

Choose your path through a hilarious and dangerous adventure with a great ending...if you can make it that far.

You are Alain Heath, a bard in love. You've already wooed your lady, but in order to win over her father, you need to gain great renown. Becoming the official bard of Trevor Whiteflame, the hero of the land, is the best way to do it. The problem is, Trevor's life is fraught with dangers. Goblin hordes, evil sorcerers and a living, walking volcano are just some of the perils you'll have to face. In fact, the only reason the bard position is available is because the last one went up in smoke.

A buddy cop movie in a sword and sorcery world, you'll have to deal with Trevor's lunkheaded sword-happy ways, while managing to keep both of you alive.

This game book is similar to the Choose Your Own Adventure, Twistaplot, or other book series. But, instead of turning to a page, you click on a link. You are encouraged to keep track of your health, manna, gold and karma as they change throughout the story based on the choices you make.

Some of the decisions don't end in damage, they just change details of the story, enriching your character. So, on second or third readings, I encourage you to make different choices just to see how things turn out.

It's 45,000 words, not including the free samples of several other stories.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Chris Lundy
• Release date: Jan 22, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311156549

Chris Lundy

Hi,Thanks for taking a few minutes away from reality with me.You'll find a variety of stories here, from literary fiction to pure imagination.Sometimes I'm silly. Sometimes I go to very dark places. Come along for the ride.Be an enabler and support my writing habit by buying shirts and bumper stickers: http://www.zazzle.com/verylittleknowledgeI also share writing tips on my blog, WhatILearnedByWriting.com.Have fun,~Chris

Book preview

Obligatory Introductory Statement

Do not read this book from beginning to end! When you get to a decision, choose what action you'd like to do. Each decision has two or more choices. They are probably highlighted and underlined. For most PC users, hold down the Control button and then left click on the highlighted, underlined words and you will instantly be brought to the next passage. Readers using mobile devices just need to tap the words.

Not every decision is life or death. Some of them have no impact on the game at all. It just fleshes out the characters a bit. Sometimes, there is more than one right answer, so feel free to experiment every time you read it.

If you die, you are given the chance to either start at the beginning, or start back at the last major decision.

Just a note on the hit point losses. These numbers came from actual rolls I made. If it was a serious attack, I rolled a d8. A lesser attack, d4, etc.

Alain wields a rapier and a crossbow. He also has an enchanted rope that makes climbing a cinch. In this version, the decisions are made based on how many hit points and manna you have. Keep track on some scratch paper. Because nothing makes fantasy more fun than constant math!

Health: This is pretty self explanatory. If it drops to 0, it's game over, man. Game over.

Manna: There are plenty of times you can cast spells to help you get through challenges. If you don't have the manna for them, you can't cast.

Gold: If you manage to survive long enough to make it to the castle in Prythias, you might find a shop that will sell potions for 100 gold. These potions either increase hit points or manna.

Karma: This is just a way to keep score, just to see how good of a person you are. Alain always tries to do the right thing. So, let's see if you can play character.

0-16: Chaotic Evil: The ends justify the means, huh? Remind me never to be in the same adventuring party with you. You'd probably stab me in the back while I'm rescuing a baby.

17-24: A Bit Of A Bad Boy: Your moral compass is really just a divining rod for gold. You'll do the right thing as long as there's some kind of reward. I mean, let's face it: If monsters didn't have treasure, would anyone really want to go out looking for them?

25-35: Noble:You make the right decisions, even if they are the tough decisions. You might not be rewarded with tons of gold, but you can sleep better at night. You might not be that much fun at parties, but that's okay, you were busy that night anyway.

36-44: Epic: You are noble beyond compare! You always make the right decisions. You even make paladins feel bad about themselves.

You might want to make a note of your final stats when you're finished. I'm entertaining the idea of writing a sequel in which your final stats roll over into the next book.

There are three difficulty levels to this game. You may start any at any one you choose.

Easy: You start at 36 health, 14 manna, 50 gold and 0 karma.

Medium: You start at 32 health, 12 manna, 25 gold and 0 karma

Hard: You start at 28 health, 10 manna, 5 gold and 0 karma

The Song of Alain

Word had spread pretty quickly, even if other bards were trying to keep the news to themselves so they'd get the job. Trevor Whiteflame, the hero of legend, was hiring a new bard.

As you, Alain Heath, sit in Trevor's immense banquet hall, you can see that the competition is going to be fierce. Local bards you know are here, but dozens more have traveled in from other lands. There are a lot of elves. You curse under your breath. Elves always get the best bard gigs.

You are sitting all the way down the end of the line next to the horses. Why are there horses? They brought in the 4-ton carillon, a rack of 36 brass bells on wheels that a very enthusiastic elf plays, expecting to woo Trevor. Most of the others had pipes, lutes, or your favorite, a mandolin.

After hours of waiting, Trevor finally saunters down from his bedchambers. It is a testament to his reputation that a room full of bards got quiet as he enters. His perfectly disheveled hair looks like it could flow in the wind even indoors. His fine, white tunic is open at the top and rolled up over the elbows, giving the impression that his clothes can't contain the muscle. All you can do is look at the scars that are revealed and wonder just how dangerous this job is. Even though he's in normal clothing, he still has a sword at his side. Does he carry it everywhere? you wonder. Even in the bathroom?

Greetings, bards, Trevor begins, in a voice that fills the room. If you all played together, I'm sure it would be quite a concert. However, I have need for just one of you...until that one dies and I need another. You see, my last bard, Eury, was incinerated by dragon's breath last week, as, I'm sure, most of you heard.

You did hear. Eury was trained in the same theater company as you. But how often does something like a dragon come along?

Trevor splits the group, sending the female bards into another room. I can't have female bards. They all wind up in love, he tells the men, with a chuckle. He mentions to a manservant to make sure the female bards are served wine and stay around for a party later.

He then whittles out the very old or the too young.

This is dangerous. I can't have more blood on my hands, he says. You imagine that, although being a gracious host, this audition process is taxing and keeps him from doing other things. So, he doesn't want to have to do this again in a week.

One by one, bards take to the stage while Trevor sits in a chair so large it could be called a throne. You're starting to worry when several elves make it past the first round, ushered into another room for a second round of judging. After a few hours, the one with the carillon was sent home, though. Trevor's patience was wearing thin and he just didn't know what to make of the giant bell contraption.

But I'm good, fair hero. My name is known from here to Callhan. If you'll just give me a chance-

You're a nobody. Not to me, anyway. You belong on the side of the road playing for copper pieces, he says with about as much disgust as he can bother with.

Finally, the manservant calls Alain Heath of Granthos.

Walking past Trevor, the differences are staggering. Even slouched in the chair, Trevor looks bigger than you. A wiry young man who never really filled out in adulthood, you nevertheless have been called handsome and charismatic by fans, and, of course, by your love, Keren. You call upon the confidence they've given you as you take the stage.

But what song to play? Heading here, you knew you were going to sing The Song of Heronima, an epic poem set to music about a warrior of old. But the elf with the carillon just mangled that song. Surely, you could do it ten times better. Your repertoire is varied; should you go with another song? Phaedra's Eyes is a crowd pleasing ballad of love. It's slow, but complicated. It really shows your range as a singer and player. Then, there's always the song you wrote last year that you've only played for Keren: Stage Direction, a mid-tempo piece about finding a place to play music, but really about finding your place in the world.

What song do you play?

The epic The Song of Heronima?***SongofHeronima

The ballad Phaedra's Eyes?***PhaedrasEyes

The original Stage Direction?***StageDirection

***SongofHeronima***

+1 Karma!

Hello, Lord Whiteflame. I, too, am going to perform 'Song of Heronima,' but on my mandolin.

Trevor just sighs and looks out the window at the setting sun. You decide not to watch his reactions and begin the song – note perfect, except for some flourishes you throw in just for style. By the time you reach the first chorus, you've blocked the room out of your mind. You're there, with Heronima, in his epic battle against the shadow wolves.

You accidentally glimpse at Trevor, and you see he's hunched forward in his seat, body moving up and down with the rhythm as if he's on horseback. You know you've nailed it.

In the pitched finale, everyone can hear the desperation of battle in your voice. The chaos of the fight in the multiple melodies played at once. You chant the final verse – Heronima's dying words, and the song comes to a close. Just as you pluck your last string, Trevor leaps from his seat.

Huzzah! he cries, cheering. "Now, that's how you sing about a hero!"

You've made it past the first round, and you're escorted into the next room to await round two.

***roundtwo

***PhaedrasEyes***

Hello Lord Whiteflame. I am here to play you Phaedra's Eyes." Your nervousness dies down as the slow melody calms them.

You're halfway through the first chorus when Trevor says Stop. It's deadly silent.

"What, do you people think I need help wooing women? I guess you need a love song to help you get a girl. Look at you: I could use you for a walking stick. Go home, loverboy. Who's next?"

Sadly, your career as bard to an epic hero has been cut short before it could begin.

The End

Start Over

***StageDirection***

+2 Karma!

You decide on Stage Direction. It may not be the fanciest song, or even known to anyone in this room, but it comes from the heart. And that has to count for something, doesn't it?

My name is Alain, and this is a song I wrote last year called Stage Direction. I hope you like it, you say nervously. Trevor does not look pleased.

The song opens with a catchy hook. It softens Trevor's grimace. The first verse is about finding a stage upon which to play music, and trying to find an audience. That doesn't get much of a reaction. But by the second verse, he figures out the metaphor about finding a place in the world, and appears to be listening to every word. When the song ends, Trevor's quiet for a second.

You're the first one today to sing a song of your own...and it was actually good, he says, thoughtfully. I wonder what kind of song you'd write about me.

You've made it past the first round, and you're escorted into the next room to await round two.

***roundtwo

***roundtwo***

It's uncomfortably silent as you enter the other room. Every bard looks up at you, scowls, and goes back to fidgeting. You find a quiet spot and sit, trying not to think about the fierceness of the competition.

Several more join you in this storage area. There are 18 others when the door opens again and Trevor sticks his head in.

I've sent them all home. It's time for round two, he says.

You and the other 18 walk back into the banquet hall. The bards who failed are still filing out. The one with the carillon is the only one still in the room. He's having trouble hitching his rack of bells to his horses. But you figure he's just stalling so he can stick around.

You've all showed you have great talent, Trevor begins.

He pulls a sheet off a target on the far wall. He draws his sword, glowing and beautifully made. He stands in front of the target.

In a fight, I charge my opponent. I'm going to need someone who can fire arrows around me to hit the enemy. Who's first?

At first, no one steps forward. Then everyone shuffles to form a line. While they are getting into position, Trevor's manservant rushes into the room, carrying something. You notice something is off about him. He doesn't look the way he did before.

The item he carries could be a sculpture. It looks like two black triangles overlapping, with a glowing blue sphere in the center.

You realize – too late – that look in the manservant's eyes. He looks like he's in a trance, compelled to bring the item to Trevor. You call out to warn him, but Trevor isn't paying attention.

When Trevor touches the item, the blue orb cracks. The two triangles detach and crumble in mid-air. A green string pushes out of the orb as it floats in front of him.

The bards have managed to shut up long enough to watch as other green strings loop out of the orb until the orb itself is broken away. The strings stretch and thicken. You can see scales form on them. Heads form on the end of the strings.

The manservant's spell is broken, and he runs to another room. Trevor swings and hacks off one of the strings. The green ball falls to the ground. It swells to the size of your mandolin-then a man-then a horse-and still it grows. Serpentine bodies writhe over one another.

Trevor hacks again but the snakes, attacking in unison, bite him. He roars in pain, but begins to fight back, until the venom of a dozen snakes sinks into him. He staggers backward and falls.

The mound of snakes all look to the bards. They charge at you as one. That's when you realize that these snakes all share the same body. It's about 15 feet long from tip of tail to where it splits into a dozen snakes, each one another 15 feet long.

The bards scatter in panic. The room is big, but not that big. The monster will get to them all eventually. They start singing magic songs boosting the abilities of each other, but no one is actually doing anything to get boosted.

It seems to have an animal intellect. Putting it in a trance or distracting it with an illusion could work. Then again, a more direct approach might be needed. You're quick with your crossbow, and there are plenty of vantage points to fire from in here. Your Sonic Boom spell creates a powerful blast of sound, and is possibly your best weapon, but it costs manna. Finally, you have an antidote in your pack. It might work on Trevor's poison. Perhaps you can get him in condition to finish the battle.

What do you do?

Trance (2 manna)***gronskeTrance

Illusion (3 manna)***gronskeIllusion

Crossbow***gronskeCrossbow

Sonic Boom (4 manna)***gronskeBoom

Heal Trevor***gronskeHeal

***GronskeTrance***

-2 manna!

-5 health!

You pluck your mandolin and weave your magic. But it's trance effect is lost in the cacophony of all the bards playing.

It strikes out, six inch fangs stab your shoulder. Thankfully, it doesn't focus on you, since there are other targets in the room. Perhaps it knows that its poison will do the work, as you immediately begin to feel weaker.

Well, that didn't work. What next?

Illusion (3 manna)***GronskeIllusion

Crossbow***GronskeCrossbow

Sonic Boom (4 manna)***GronskeBoom

Heal Trevor***GronskeHeal

***GronskeIllusion***

-3 manna!

-8 health!

Eagles eat snakes, so you imagine one large enough to devour this one.

The wall shatters and giant wings fill the ball room. Deafening screech and four-foot talons. The monster looks at the eagle. At first, it coils to attack. You notice a look in its eyes, like it was thinking about the eagle and decided it wasn't real. It might be smarter than it looks.

It strikes out, hits one other bard...and you as well. Six inch fangs stab your shoulder. Thankfully, it doesn't focus on you, since there are other targets