Revisiting Battleblade Warrior

I’m taking a break from Lone Wolf for a bit, so I grabbed a random gamebook from my shelf…

Battleblade Warrior

I don’t remember this one at all, though according to my own website I played it back in 2018, and I wasn’t overly fond of it. Well, let’s try it today.

The story opens six years into the siege of Vymorna, my home city. The lizard people continue to hammer away at us, starving us out, hurling fire over the walls to deplete what little we have, and summoning demons so we can’t sleep at night. But one night I do get some sleep, and our patron god tells us two things: a) he has it just as bad up there where he’s under siege by demons and b) there’s a magic sword that will turn this tide of this whole war with the lizard people (somehow). And I was chosen.

I was chosen, with 7 skill, 17 stamina, and 10 luck. I’m not sure this was a wise choice.

My mother gives me a bow and silver arrows, and a healing balm. Then I sneak off into the night, make a luck roll, and escape into the river. And like that, I’m out of the city!

But the river isn’t very safe, especially for a clumsy skill-7 oaf like myself. I had a minor run-in with a galley in the fog , which drenched my backpack and ruined my food. Then I was accosted by some goblins with blow-darts, and miraculously rolled a 3 to make the skill check. And now that I’m coming up on some rapids, I wonder if my phenomenal luck can hold out…

The vultures have a good feeling about this adventure. That’s a good sign, right?

Nope. There’s not even a skill roll. The boat tanks and I’m thrown ashore. I wring out my soaked clothing and have to start walking. I choose to walk around the edge of the jungle, a longer walk but which doesn’t involve, you know, the jungle because those are super dangerous. Several hours later I know I’ve made the right choice when I see the vultures circling overhead, and that’s always a good omen.

And it kind of is… for me anyway. I find a dead adventurer pinned to a tree with dozens of arrows and spears, a truly grisly sight. But whoever did this didn’t take the guy’s lunch, only his other valuables. And since I’m out of food, I’m not in a position to be picky.

So I munch my lunch and keep on hiking, sweating and slowly making progress overland. The ground gets rougher, and eventually I come to a rise. My way down is blocked by a triceratops. I know they’re vegetarians, but probably also territorial, so I give him a wide berth.

Which is a bad move, because a T.Rex was also giving him a wide berth. I run right into his legs, fail a skill check, and am eaten in a single gulp.

My adventure ends here.