036. Granite Warriors

Lloyd’s bedroom was large, as large as Toby’s own, but Lloyd’s was tidy.

He carefully explained the game Granite Warriors to Toby. He’d told his friend about it before, but didn’t think Toby had been listening.

“The Granite Warriors is played like this.” Lloydee pressed the Game On button.

Enter your name (Toby) as a Player. Toby then becomes a member of the Adventure Soldiers team. The game is played on three Levels to obtain the highest score. The Player can choose just one from three items that may help them through the Levels. There’s a choice of Fire - a Rope - or an Axe

LEVEL ONE: Toby, Adventure Soldier has to negotiate a number of obstacles and terrains.

The first is to scale a mountain and avoid sudden avalanches, snow drifts and bottomless chasms, to build up points. Points are deducted if Toby doesn’t complete them all in a given time. Points are carried forward to the next task.

As his friend played the game Lloyd gave a running commentary:

“And Toby the fearless Adventure Soldier has in just three minutes climbed the mountain and he has now to find his way through the snow drifts that might hide a bottomless chasm --- and yes, he’s done it, dodging the sudden avalanche that could have ended his game.”

The second is to navigate a river in a dinghy, riding the rapids, and avoiding the falls.

“Again Toby has secured the dinghy and is beginning the hazardous journey down the dangerous river. Oh, he was nearly tipped out of the dinghy by that unexpected white water, and only just managed to scramble ashore before the waterfall, although I’m not sure this Adventure Soldier’s choice of Fire was much use there”, shouted Lloyd getting excited, and nearly deafening Toby in the process. 

The third is for Toby, the Adventure Soldier to find a way through a jungle avoiding snakes, tigers and giant flesh eating plants.

“Now for the most dangerous part of all. The jungle, hot steamy and full of man eating animals and plants. But he soon eliminates the snakes and sees off the tiger --- oh very clever, he sets fire to the huge tooth-filled jaws of the plant. And another success. His score is high at this point.”   

For all three, the points are built up or lost on completion of all tasks within a set time limit. The score is carried to the next level.

LEVEL TWO: Toby now finds himself in a deep sided gorge, closed in on three sides. The ground is covered in large rocks and boulders. Some of these are the Granite Warriors and Toby needs to release them from their immobile state to fight against the Marauders when they arrive. He has only a certain time to do this, and awaken as many of the warriors as he can. Toby has to decide which are the warriors and which are just rocks and boulders. It is now a game of strategy. To pick the wrong boulder means he loses some of his points, to select a real warrior means a higher score.

“This is where it gets well good,” encouraged Lloyd. “You have got to get around and between some of the rocks and take out the correct ones or you’ll fail this test. There are clues as to the right ones, but just as many false leads. Play it very very carefully, Tobe.”      

Toby was really enjoying himself, “Hey this is cool, Lloydee”, and it seemed he was a natural player as his score rose into the thousands.

With a large number of Granite Warriors amassed for the battle, Toby enters the third and final level.

LEVEL THREE: A horde of Marauders ride into the gorge blocking off the exit to Toby and his army of Granite Warriors. The more of the Marauders that are wiped out, the higher the score.  If a Granite Warrior is smashed into pieces by a Marauder then Toby loses points. If Toby the Adventure Soldier is a casualty then Game Over.

The final score is determined by how many of the Marauders and how many Granite Warriors are left within the given time scale.

“Toby, the Adventure Soldier is leading his troops into battle. Oooh a nasty move there. Watch out for that Marauder --- ooops. Five of his Granite Warriors have successful broken down their defences --- and it’s a goal. Oh, sorry wrong game. That’s right Tobe smash them, --- now. Time is running out and there are still Marauders coming from all sides. Quick Toby there’s two behind you --- .”   

Toby’s score at the end of the game was even better than Lloyd’s or his brother Simon’s. Toby, Adventure Soldier became Team Leader. And the new team leader’s verdict? Wicked! 

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