137
You draw your weapon, declaring that you have found the witch guilty. The old woman’s eyes widen in surprise. ‘You’re going to kill me? But it’s the Speaker that is the cause of all this. He is the one you should be threatening!’
Will you:
Attack the witch anyway? — 92
Help the witch to escape? — 101
138
You sprint over to the stairs and start to climb them. The way is dark, almost pitch black. Slipping on a stone, you find yourself falling forwards, flat onto your stomach. You barely have time to right yourself before the ghouls are upon you. Thankfully, the confines of the staircase means that the ghouls can only fight you one at a time. Even so, this will be a tough battle. You must defeat this foe three times in a row. You are unable to restore your health between fights (except by using potions):
Special abilities
Piercing claws: The ghouls’ attacks ignore armour.
If you manage to defeat the ghouls, turn to 106.
139
‘Oh thank you! Thank you!’ says the farmer. He all but pushes you into the swirling, white mist. ‘Good luck,’ he says. ‘And please . . . be careful!’ You assure him that you will, drawing your weapon as if to underline the point.
As you cross into the swirling banks of mist, the first thing that hits you is the cold. The wispy tendrils of fog are like ice, almost burning your skin with their freezing touch. Within seconds you are shivering, your breath forming clouds in the chill, damp air.
You press onwards, pushing your way through the blighted corn, no longer sure what direction you are headed in. Whichever way you turn, the mist is there – swirling around you like a cruel tormentor. Perhaps it is just your imagination, but you are convinced that you can see shapes moving through the insubstantial haze. Each time you try and focus on one, they are gone – drifting away like ghosts on the rolling currents.
As you head deeper into the mist, you stumble across a large, cross-shaped pole sticking out of the ground. It is frosted with ice, sparkling in the eerie white luminescence. For a moment, you ponder what the pole was used for. Then you realise . . .
Something is moving towards you through the field, making a bee-line for your position. As the sound of snapping corn gets louder, you ready yourself for battle. From out of the mist lurches a creature of nightmare . . . a man made entirely of straw, his ragged clothes coated in ice. With an inhuman howl, the creature raises its hands, revealing a deadly set of splintered claws. You must now fight the scarecrow:
If you defeat the scarecrow, turn to 204.
140
You join a dirt track, which takes you up into the cloud-tipped mountains. As you scale the edge of a ridge, you get your first glimpse of Avian’s castle. The impressive structure stands grand and regal on a plateau of rock, its white-stone walls and blue spires gleaming in the afternoon sunlight. It is a startling, breath-taking view – and one that you wish the young knight from the academy had lived to see. His letter of introduction is now clutched firmly in your hands.
At your approach, the hinges of the drawbridge give a noisy squeal, then slowly the wooden platform begins to lower itself across the moat. Eventually, with a dull echoing boom, the bridge comes to rest across the murky waters. You cross to the gatehouse, where a man is waiting for you beside an open portcullis.
‘Well, well. I am glad the troll didn’t cause you too many problems,’ he smiles. You see that he is a tall man, broad-shouldered and muscular. His age is indeterminate – the grey of his hair at odds with the youthfulness of his face. Clad in regal-looking robes and a feathered cloak, the man is as striking and imposing as his castle.
‘I am Avian Dale,’ he says. ‘And you are?’
Will you:
Hand over the letter of introduction? — 102
Tell Avian the truth? — 196
Say you are a traveller, looking for lodgings? — 188
141
Under pressure to escape the ravenous undead, you rush forwards and put your hand to the door. The moment you touch it, you are thrown backwards, as if a mighty wind had suddenly lifted you off your feet. With your arms flailing at your sides, you find yourself careering into the advancing ghouls. For a moment, the ghouls are caught off guard as you slam onto the stone floor between them. Then they pounce, jabbering and howling with glee.
You manage to dodge out of the way of their deadly claws, furiously kicking and punching at their filthy, dirt-covered bodies. At last, you are able to scramble to your feet and draw your weapon.
The ghouls circle around you, slavering and hissing.
Will you:
Fight the ghouls where you stand? — 59
Fight the ghouls by the door? — 157
142
The village is eerily quiet as you hurry along its winding lanes; nearly everyone is out in the woods, seeking vengeance against the witch. In the distance you can see smoke and flames rising into the clear night sky. You guess it is the witch’s cabin, which has been torched by the angry mob.
Only one man remains in the village. The Speaker waits patiently on the hall steps, rubbing his hands together in gleeful anticipation. As you stride towards him, the witch’s phial held tightly in your fist, he looks up in surprise.
‘What is this?’ he scowls. ‘I want the witch’s head! Where is it?’
‘I don’t have her head,’ you say defiantly. ‘But I do have this.’ You remove the stopper from the glass phial and throw its contents into the Speaker’s astonished face. He staggers back, clawing at his skin as it sizzles and burns. You back away, gagging as a sulphurous smoke fills the air.
Then the man’s cries suddenly become a bestial roar as he begins to transform. His body widens, splitting out of the flimsy blue robes to reveal muscular black skin. From his back, two enormous leathery wings expand outwards, their veins pulsing with a hellish light. Finally, the Speaker removes his hands from his face, to reveal a demonic visage, contorted with rage.
‘See me for how I truly am,’ he snarls. ‘Now, you will pay for your insolence!’
If you have the words black book written on your hero sheet, turn to 121. Otherwise, turn to 217.
143
You slay the goblin, its lifeless body sinking down into the mire. Exhausted, you pull yourself up onto the bank, your clothes sagging heavily from the mud and water. After taking a moment to recover, you clamber to your feet and begin your pursuit of the remaining goblin, following its trail through the undergrowth. Turn to 150.
144
In his haste, the ruffian trips and falls, sprawling onto his stomach. Before he can get back to his feet, you are on top of him, pinning him to the ground. ‘Ger off me!’ he shrieks. ‘The boss made me do it! The boss! We ain’t had any fresh meat for ages.’
Suddenly, the door to the farmhouse is flung open and a wiry man in a long open coat comes running out, brandishing a sword.
‘Let him go!’ he demands. You barely have chance to draw your weapon before the leader is upon you, his blade whipping through the air in a steel blur.
* Once you have lowered the leader’s health to 12 or less, turn to 230.
145
‘I should go,’ says Martha anxiously. ‘I don’t want to be caught here with . . . that thing.’ She points to the giant turnip. ‘You should too,’ she adds. ‘The villagers will not be forgiving if they suspect us both of dabbling in witchcraft.’ Martha runs to the door, checks that the coast is clear and then departs without another word.
Finding yourself alone in the cottage, you wander over to examine the well-stocked shelves in Beatrice’s kitchen. If you wish, you can help yourself to any of the following:
Healing salve (1 use)
Miracle grow (1 use)
(backpack)
(backpack)
Use any time in combat to restore 6 health
Use any time in combat to raise your brawn by 2 for one combat round
You stuff the herbal mixt
ures into your backpack, then give Beatrice Fletcher a final nod of farewell. Return to the map to start a new quest.
146
You return to the gate without incident. Fetch is waiting for you on the other side, pacing up and down impatiently. He jumps to attention as you approach.
‘At last! At last!’ he hisses, withdrawing the key from his robes and fitting it into the lock. ‘I thought you’d become another addition to the graveyard.’ With a dull click, the gate is unlocked. You pull it open and pass through, banging it shut behind you.
‘Well?’ asks Fetch, watching you intently from beneath the brim of his hood. ‘Did you get the book?’
Will you:
Leave the book in the tomb? — 280
Take the book from Valadin? — 271
147
The spider drops onto its back, its hairy legs trembling and shaking in their death throes. You may now take the following item:
Spider’s leg (1 use)
(backpack)
It may come in useful, one day
You break through the rest of the webbing and leave the cave. Turn to 208.
148
Beatrice gives you a shocked glare. ‘Do you realise what will happen to me if Martha wins? I’ll be the laughing stock of the whole village. I’ve never lost – look!’ She stabs a finger in the direction of her turnips. ‘Look at them. My poor little beauties are suffering in this wretched heat and I’ve done everything – everything! Martha is using witchcraft to get the better of me. I always knew she was a bad apple. Lost her husband last year and with all those mouths to feed – seven little brats at the last count – I know she’ll stop at nothing to win that prize. A nice medal it is too, been in the village for generations – and one that she’ll melt down in a second for a few measly coins, I’m sure!’ She takes a deep breath and then holds out the earthenware pot. ‘I can’t do this myself. If I was caught . . . well, my reputation would be in tatters. But you – you could do it.’
Will you:
Agree to the task? — 63
Refuse and leave? — Return to the map
149
After listening to the woodsman’s gloomy warnings, you are initially surprised by the pleasant and inviting woodland. The path is easy to follow, leading you past gentle tree-lined hills and picturesque meadows of wildflowers. The sun casts dappled patterns over the leafy clearings, ringing with birdsong. You can’t imagine these woods hiding any deadly monsters . . .
Half an hour later and you find yourself grudgingly eating your words. Almost without warning, the trees have closed in on all sides, swallowing the sunlight and replacing the gentle sound of birdsong with the eerie rustle of leaves and creaking boughs. The path has narrowed, becoming little more than a game trail littered with rocks and wandering tree-roots. Picking your way carefully along the dark trail, you keep an anxious eye on the tangled knot of trees to either side. This is prime territory for an ambush.
The trail leads you along the crest of a hill, then plunges down into a wooded valley. The sound of a chuckling stream can be heard from somewhere off to your right, where the ground rises steeply into rocky hills. You are considering whether to leave the trail and refill your water skin, when a scream from up ahead shatters the silence. It sounded like a young girl.
Drawing your weapon, you break into a sprint, racing along the narrow, winding trail. After a few minutes, you skid to a halt, ears pricked for any further clues as to the girl’s whereabouts. Then you hear another scream, coming from the trees to your left. You leave the trail and plunge into the undergrowth. Turn to 37.
150
You haven’t gone far before you find the corpse of a goblin – a kitchen knife protruding from its chest. Perhaps the woodsman’s daughter knows how to defend herself after all. You search the body and find 5 gold crowns. You may also take any/all of the following items:
Goblin leathers
Goblin grog (2 uses)
(chest)
(backpack)
+1 armour
Use any time in combat to restore 4 health
You push your way through the tight undergrowth, to find yourself back on the main trail. There is no sign of the woodsman’s daughter.
Will you:
Follow the trail to Grandma’s house? — 168
Head east into the hills? — 152
151
The wooden stairs are rotten. After only a couple of steps, your foot goes through the wood with a loud crack. Carefully, you withdraw your leg from the jagged splinters and continue up the creaking staircase.
Reaching the top, you find yourself on a narrow landing. Opposite you is a closed door, its surface scoured by a series of deep claw marks. At the end of the landing, a door stands open – the space beyond swathed in darkness.
Will you:
Open the closed door? — 169
Enter the room at the end of the hall? — 158
152
As you head east, the land rises sharply, becoming a series of rocky hills covered in gnarly vegetation. You quicken your pace, aware that the sun is already beginning to set, casting an auburn brilliance over your stark surroundings.
You haven’t ventured far into the hills before you spot a thin column of food smoke rising into the darkening skies. Could this be the huntsman’s camp that the young girl mentioned? You hurry towards it, the succulent aroma of freshly-cooking meat providing all the encouragement you need.
You finally reach the campsite, set in the sheltered hollow of a bleak, stony hill. A skinned rabbit slowly roasts over a roaring fire, the dripping fat causing the flames to spit and sizzle. Behind it, you can see a covered wagon and a straggly line of trees where a piebald pony is tethered. The beast looks agitated, tugging against its restraints.
There doesn’t appear to be anyone around. Then you notice a straw basket lying on its side in the grass. Next to it is a broken bottle, from which a black bubbling liquid steams. Turn to 240.
153
Large tablet-shaped stones mark the north, south, east and west points of the circle. On each of the stones is a rune, carved into the grey rock. The north stone has a circular rune, the south stone has a crescent-shaped moon. To the east, the stone is marked with a flame symbol, and to the west the stone is marked with three horizontal wavy lines. You feel as though you are drawn to touch each of the runes.
‘Careful,’ squawks the bird. ‘My master touched those stones – and then a door appeared. Then he never came back!’
Will you:
Touch the north stone? — 221
Touch the south stone? — 244
Touch the east stone? — 35
Touch the west stone? — 105
If you have examined all four stones, turn immediately to 117.
154
You enter a large flag-stoned chamber. A solitary beam of moonlight breaks through a hole in the ceiling to illuminate a stone tomb at its centre. As you approach, you see that a figure of a knight has been etched in high relief on the lid of the tomb, his gauntleted hands grasping a mighty two-handed sword.
‘You have come for the book, haven’t you?’ wheezes a voice from the darkness. You hear a scuffling sound to your right. Turning, you watch as an undead creature shambles into the pool of moonlight. You assume it was a man once, but now his sallow skin hangs in loose tatters from his exposed bones.
‘My name is Valadin Roth,’ says the man, his voice little more than a whisper. ‘I am the crusader – sworn to protect the book until the end of days.’ His ivory fingers tap the jewelled pommel of his sword. ‘I implore you – do not take the book. It is a thing of evil and must stay here. If you wish to take it, then you leave me no choice but to fight you.’
Will you:
Ask about the book? — 194
State that you are taking the book? — 109
Leave the book under the crusader’s protection? — 160
155
With a screeching wail, the witch is knocked back into a h
igh-stacked cupboard, which crashes down on top of her, burying the old woman under a pile of books, scrolls and bottles.
You have defeated the witch and may now take one of the following items:
Ruby slippers
Third eye
Hag’s shawl
(feet)
(talisman)
(cloak)
+1 speed +1 armour
+1 speed
+1 magic +1 armour
Ability: click your heels
Ability: charm
Ability: charm
You may also take the witchfinder’s signet ring. If you take this item, simply make a note of it on your hero sheet (it does not take up backpack space). After you have made your choices, you perform the grisly task of removing the crone’s head, as evidence of your victory. Then, you leave the cabin. Turn to 89.
156
‘I like da fightin’ talk!’ says the troll, giving a rumbling belly laugh. ‘I is hungry and could do with some nice tasty ’uman. Come ’ere and let me clobber ya then.’ You draw your weapon and prepare to defend yourself:
Special abilities
Knockdown: If your hero takes health damage from the troll, you must reduce your speed by 1 for the next combat round.
Legion of Shadow Page 9
