If you wish, you may now purchase a lead dog for your dog-team:
Marrow wind (80 gc): +2 speed +2 toughness
Gruntus (120 gc): +2 speed +3 toughness
Sid Savage (175 gc): +3 speed +4 toughness
(Note: You can only have one lead dog at a time. You may replace lead dogs whenever you want by purchasing a new one from Leeta. Remember to update your hero sheet with any changes.) You may now view the dog equipment (turn to 477) or explore the rest of the compound (turn to 106).
503
The next tremor comes without warning, building quickly into a ground-hammering quake. Everything becomes blurred as the world tilts and shudders, throwing you one way and then the other, the sound of moving stone rumbling in your ears.
Everard knocks into you, his eyes darting round frantically. Cracks have started to branch through the courtyard, some widening into dark fissures. Nearby, a wall slides away from view as if dropped suddenly from all existence.
‘Take this!’
You turn to see Everard removing a pin from his cloak. He presses it into your hand.
‘What token is this?’ You look at it, confused – a silver pin, fashioned in the shape of a hound.
‘Safe passage,’ he shouts. ‘Wear it!’
You slide the pin into the cloth of your jerkin, nodding back at him.
Then the ground pitches, rising up into a steep incline. Rocks, tiles and splintered wood bounce and slide past you, joining the grating explosion of noise that is getting louder and more deafening. Bodies, both dead and living, are dragged past as the ground rolls over on itself, presenting a dark abyss below.
You scrabble for purchase, hands scraping across the rough stone. Your eyes are set on the grey sky above, the lip of the rock moving against the backdrop of ragged, dawn-lit clouds. Screams and wails are audible above the din. Don’t look down . . .
You hand settles around something hard and leathery. A wing. You grip it tight, your descent halted, legs kicking and flailing in the dusty air. Gritting your teeth, you manage to drag your other hand onto the dead creature: one of the flying reptiles that first assaulted the keep. Its body is pinned to the earth by a black spike, possibly from one of the tower steeples. You hang onto it for dear life.
The world shudders, the roaring only getting louder. You sense the earth shifting again, starting to fall back into the crevasse. You make the mistake of looking down, your stomach lurching as you see the stone crumbling away, falling into the darkness.
You tighten your grip on the creature, aware of a sickening ripping sound coming from its dead body. Your added weight is pulling against the spike, threatening to tug it loose and send you both tumbling into the abyss.
‘No!’ You grapple against the creature, trying to secure a better hold – but gravity is intent on dragging you down . . .
Another squelching crunch; muscle and bone tears away from the spike.
Nanuk! Nanuk!
You feel a stirring in your mind. Then the familiar cold of the Norr rushes in – as it did when you were healed. But this time it moves straight through you, flowing out of your body and into the corpse of the drakeling. A wing flutters. Webbed feet scratch at the stone. Just a reflex action, perhaps . . . No, the head is moving, the beak snaps open, and from its ragged lungs comes a terrifying screech. In horrified alarm, you realise that your magic has brought the monster back to life. Its body is ravaged, innards half-hanging out of terrible wounds. Bones protrude from a broken neck, but still it is alive, shrieking like a nightmare become real.
Its frantic movements dislodge the spike. For several gut-wrenching seconds you are in free-fall, arms gripped around the beast. Then its wings snap open and you are flying, buffeted on the searing thermals rising from the pit. The flight is ungainly, diving and rolling in a sickening series of spins, the membrane of one wing flapping uselessly in the wind. And yet the drakeling is managing to stay airborne, taking you through the blinding dust and out into the rift.
‘No!’ You will the monster to turn around, to take you south – back across the keep. ‘Nanuk! Turn south!’ Nothing seems to work – no thought, no amount of pulling and tugging will make the drakeling deviate from its course. Instead, you feel powerless; an unwitting passenger, clutching tight to the frightened beast as it struggles across the black void that yawns beneath you. Turn to 528.
504
For defeating the witch, you may now help yourself to one of the following rewards:
Sepulchre snare Valediction Oblivion helix
(cloak) (main hand: dagger) (ring)
+2 speed +2 brawn +2 speed +4 brawn +2 brawn
Ability: choke hold Ability: cruel twist Ability: curse
When you have updated your hero sheet, turn to 538.
505
The knight fights with a maddened fury, his relentless strikes forcing you to the edge of the tower, where a section of the battlements have crumbled away. As he goes to deliver what he intends to be the final blow, you dodge aside, using your strength and weight to hurl him over the side.
You almost follow him over, but Anise grabs a hold of you, pulling you back.
‘Thank you,’ you manage to croak.
‘Don’t mention it,’ she gasps, her quick breaths frosting the air.
Together you lean over the edge, watching as the falling light is swallowed by the darkness.
‘You couldn’t change it,’ says Anise, noting your silence. ‘There was nothing you could have done to save him.’
You turn, searching for the medallion. It is still lying in the dust where you dropped it, but now its appearance has changed – the chain and disc have become blackened and charred, giving off a sickly-yellow smoke. If you wish, you may now take:
Knight’s end
(necklace)
+1 brawn +1 magic
Ability: corruption
Anise is suddenly tugging at your sleeve, gesturing wildly at the wind-blown rooftop. ‘No signal fire . . .’ she cries in exasperation. ‘What are we going to do now?’ Turn to 560.
506
You manage to outrun the terrordactyls, but not before their claws and teeth have left their mark. Your transport has suffered serious damage in the assault. (You must lower your transport’s toughness and stability by 2.) When you have updated your hero sheet, turn to 492.
507
‘Have you received news from the capital?’ you ask icily. ‘I understand the king has been deposed.’
Maune looks at you askew. ‘I was in the city for a time. I was under the impression Mordland spies were responsible for the king’s death, and that of his son.’
‘His son?’ You try and rein in your anger, fists clenching tighter around your weapons.
‘Malden. The king in waiting. A good man. His wounds were ill-deserved, his death more so.’
You bow your head, taking a moment to compose yourself. ‘He had another son.’
‘Oh, the ghost prince.’ Maune sounds indifferent. ‘He was taken by the Wiccans. There was fear he might be used as a bargaining piece, but such schemes are beyond the minds of . . .’ his eyes flick to Skoll with contempt. ‘Hill men.’
‘And Rile?’ You lift your eyes. ‘What of him?’
Maune frowns. ‘He is a Cardinal, blessed by the holy light. He does his duty, as must we all in these dark times. People need a leader, if only until a new king is chosen. Although those that claim such a blood right have been found . . . lacking. At least with Rile on the throne the Church has a stronger standing at last.’
‘Convenient,’ you shoot sharply.
Maune takes a breath before answering. ‘If you had ever seen Mordland, boy, you would understand what is at stake. Their land is heathen, given over to false gods and demon worship. Their true faith however, is only reserved for their emperor; a twisted man both bloody and cruel. The holy light is all we have, to keep such evil from our borders. The king didn’t believe . . .’
‘The king didn’t believe in launching
more crusades,’ you interject tersely. ‘So think, Maune. Why would Mordland have him killed?’
The paladin starts to answer, then checks himself. He gives another sigh. ‘Mordland will do anything to weaken our kingdom, to spread panic and chaos. They underestimate us.’ The paladin’s light flares bright about his body. ‘Most of our enemies do.’
Will you:
Ask Maune why he is here? 97
Ask for food and water? (ends the conversation) 486
Attack the paladin? (ends the conversation) 433
508
‘Home?’ Jackson scoffs incredulously. ‘You seriously think yer getting to the mainland this side of winter? I tell you, I should shoot you now and put you out of yer misery. The sea east of here is all froze up. No traffic at all, unless you try for one of the whaling vessels. But even those are probably holed up at Ryker’s or already headed back south.’
‘What about overland?’ you ask, starting to feel despondent. ‘There must be a way.’
‘Yeah, there’s a bridge at Bitter Keep.’
‘There was a bridge at Bitter Keep,’ you correct.
‘Ah, well I’d say you’d need to grow a pair of wings then, smart guy. How else you crossin’ that rift?’
Will you:
Ask another question? 450
Discuss something other than news? 685
Leave? Return to the map
509
You push through a wall of trailing roots to discover another opening. This leads you into a winding tunnel, which snakes erratically through the trunk of the tree. A foul-smelling green ichor seeps from the walls and ceiling, forming sizzling puddles that slowly eat away at the wood and dirt. In some sections the acid has burnt through entirely, forming deep pits that stretch away into the bowels of the tree. You navigate these with care, to avoid slipping into the deadly channels.
At last the tunnel curves and then widens into another vast chamber, again carved from the bole of the tree. The ground is perfectly flat and smooth, revealing the banded growth rings that radiate from the centre. A number of hollow depressions have been cut into the various rings, some containing wooden pieces, others left vacant. You notice a pile of chopped wood in a corner of the room. Investigating these you discover that they are all circular cross-sections of trees, containing different numbers of growth rings. You wonder if these might allude to some sort of arcane puzzle.
You sort through the cross-sections, spreading them out on the ground in front of you. There are pieces with the following number of growth rings: 2, 15, 17, 21, 23, 53 and 72 rings. You assume these are to be placed in the vacant holes, following a pre-ordained pattern.
Decide where you want to place your seven numbers. The numbers that you place over the symbols must be totalled to give you a final answer to the puzzle. If you think you have solved the puzzle, turn to the appropriate numbered entry to discover if you were correct. If you are wrong, or unable to solve the puzzle, then you decide to ignore this odd distraction and continue onwards. Turn to 13.
510
Rummaging through your pack, you pull out the book that you found in Segg’s library. You quickly flick through its pages, reading up on the rules of the game. (Make a note of entry number 776 – you can refer to this entry at any time while carrying the book, to study the rules of ‘Stones and Bones’.)
When you are ready to play, turn to 335.
511
After several rounds of choosing and swapping stones, you end up with the following hand:
The monk waits for you to make your next choice, slurping noisily from his next mug of ale.
Will you:
Discard the one of snakes? 134
Discard the three of swords? 650
512
You manage to break away from your opponent, passing the finish line in fourth place. This qualifies you to enter the final race. However, you only receive 60 gold crowns for your fourth place ranking. (Replace the keyword rookie with the word veteran.) Return to the map to continue your adventure.
513
Your hands move across the console, activating the runes and throwing the orb’s magic against your advancing opponents. They stumble through the onslaught, their enchanted stonework blasted and pummelled by the energies channelled against them. As the surviving statues near your location, you vault over the balcony and charge into the fray, using your own weapons to finish off their crumbling forms.
Amongst the smoking rubble, you discover glowing fragments of stone imbued by the magics that have been unleashed. If you wish, you may now take one of the following special rewards:
Frost nexus Earth bond Shadow hex
(talisman) (talisman) (talisman)
+2 magic +2 brawn +2 brawn
Ability: blizzard Ability: resolve Ability: blind strike
(requirement: mage) (requirement: warrior) (requirement: rogue)
When you have updated your hero sheet, turn to 737.
514
Rage consumes you, delivering your blows with a savage zeal. Bodies fall. Ice showers across the ground. A small part of you finds comfort in the destruction – each death a release for the tortured souls trapped by the witch’s magic.
But your foes are many – pressing in constantly, giving you no room to manoeuvre. Magic spills in waves from your body, blasting the statues with a wrathful fury, sending severed limbs spiralling through the air. It seems you have the upper hand – until a troll shoulders into you, throwing you back against the wall. Before you can recover, another statue – a Skard warrior – wraps his thick arms tight around you, dragging you into a crushing embrace. The troll charges in again, a frozen club raised above his sharp-tusked head . . .
But the blow never lands. Instead the arm explodes, splintering into fragments of ice. Another explosion sends the troll staggering, a spear-tip protruding from its chest. You hear a man’s bellowing cry from the far side of the hall. A flash of steel whips past your face, clunking dully into the face of the Skard behind you. He is flung back, his grip loosening – just enough for you to break free, spinning round to deliver the killing blow.
You turn again, to see more of the statues falling and shattering against the ground. (If you have the keyword repentance on your hero sheet, turn to 36. Otherwise, turn to 682.)
515
The wooden guardian has been defeated. You may now help yourself to one of the following special rewards:
Verdant cape Canopy cover Werewood claws
(cloak) (head) (gloves)
+1 speed +3 brawn +1 speed +1 brawn +1 speed +2 brawn
Ability: unstoppable Ability: overpower Ability: gouge
With little else of interest in the room, you decide to continue onwards. Turn to 13.
516
You slip the robes over your armour, tugging the cowl down to hide your face. Then you step out from the pillar, moving forward with head bowed, arms by your side.
The acolytes’ attention is focused on the ritual. As you near, one of the men turns, glancing at you with dark eyes. ‘You’re late,’ he hisses, ushering you to take your place alongside the others.
You move past him, aware that you are now surrounded by the enemy.
Nanuk. You open up your mind, letting the bear’s strength pour into you.
Spectral claws flash from your fingers. You punch through the two acolytes standing beside you, killing them before they even have a chance to react. The woman starts to turn, eyes widening. You drive both fists into her, retracting them in a shower of blood. She drops like a stone, the poker rattling across the ground.
Then you spin to face the remaining three acolytes: young and startled apprentices. For a moment, you wonder if they will run – but on seeing their mistress fall, a bitter fury overtakes them. They stand their ground, cruel daggers flicking into their gloved hands. It is time to fight:
Speed Magic Armour Health
Coven acolyte 10 7 4 30
Coven acolyte 10 6 4 30
Coven acolyte
9 6 4 20
Special abilities
Dark mending: At the end of each combat round, each opponent will heal themselves for 2 health. This cannot take them above their starting health and once their health is reduced to zero, this ability no longer applies.
Outnumbered: At the end of each combat round, you must take 1 damage from each surviving opponent, ignoring armour. This ability only applies while you are faced with multiple opponents.
If you manage to defeat these villainous mages, turn to 523.
517
You urge the guard to show his hand. He nods in agreement, placing his stones face up on the table in front of him. ‘There, beat that!’ he grins triumphantly. Turn to 570.
518
Raising your hands you trace the circular patterns with your fingers, connecting the lines and whorls with the magic that now flows through you. The runes start to flicker and then glow, illuminating a trail to the centre circle, where purple energies crackle above the podium. For a brief moment you glimpse some creature trapped within the bright maelstrom – a writhing ball of shadow, with tentacles whipping out through the air – then it is gone. The energy sparks out and the runes dim.
When you walk over to the podium you discover that the elemental is now trapped inside the orb, filling it with a powerful magic. (Congratulations! You have now created a shadow orb. If you wish to take this, simply make a note of it on your hero sheet, it does not take up backpack space.) Turn to 684.
519
You manage to shunt one of your opponents aside, narrowly avoiding the crevasse. Recovering quickly, you pull away from the other racers, passing the finish line in second place.
Congratulations! This qualifies you to enter the final race. You also receive a prize of 150 gold crowns for your second place ranking. (Replace the keyword rookie with the word veteran.) Return to the map to continue your adventure.
The Eye of Winter's Fury Page 43
