The knight suddenly lurches into life, drawing an elegant sword from the scabbard at his side. Raising the sword to his chest, the silent knight marches towards you, his armour creaking and clanking in an eerie, menacing manner. You prepare to defend yourself:
Special abilities
Mighty blows: Voldring rolls 2 dice for damage.
If you are defeated, you find yourself back on the hilltop, turn to 153. If you defeat Voldring, the knight’s body turns to ash. All that is left is a stone rune with a circle carved into it. If you take the Rune of Voldring, make a note of it on your hero sheet. There is a sudden flash of light and you find yourself back on the hilltop. Turn to 153.
222
The skeletal knight crumples into a pile of loose bones and dust. You may now take any/all of the following items:
Ragged cloak
Ancient sword
(backpack)
(main hand: sword)
Perhaps someone can repair this item
+3 brawn
You find little else of interest in this mouldy, decaying room, so you decide to head through the archway. Turn to 1.
223
‘Ah yes,’ grins the witch. ‘Sweet, love-sick Liselle.’ She reaches over and snatches a book from a nearby shelf. Flicking to a particular page, she hands the book to you. It appears to be a simple recipe book for cooking sauces. ‘Look, is it really my fault the girl had cobwebs in her ears? The recipe I gave her was for a herb-and-mushroom garnish. Ha! Love potion indeed. I suspect she got the ingredients wrong. Substituted the greenwort for findlewort. Can I really be held accountable for a young girl’s foolishness?’
Will you:
Accuse the witch of another crime? — 113
Attack the witch? — 137
Help the witch to escape? — 101
224
You travel along several stone passageways before coming to the top of another set of stairs. You follow them down to a stone door covered in sigils and runes. Through your clouded vision, you watch as your hands pass over the strange inscriptions, lighting them up one by one. Then the stone door grates open with an echoing boom, revealing a dark chamber.
You walk forward, past shelves stacked with boxes and chests. Everything is illuminated by a dull purple light. You realise it is coming from the brand on your arm; the three entwined snakes giving off a strange, unearthly glow. At last, you come to a wooden box. Carved into its side are the words ‘Artefact 51’. You open the box and take out the stone fragment that is held inside.
You are walking down more corridors – the edges of your vision obscured by a blurry fog. Turning down another passageway, you enter a large domed chamber. In the middle of the chamber is a stepped dais that leads up to a curved, stone arch. Again you pass your hand through the air, making a series of arcane gestures. Suddenly the archway begins to glow with a golden light. As you step closer, you see a scene slowly starting to form within the archway. It looks like a courtyard, bathed in moonlight. And a man is standing there . . . beckoning to you.
You clutch the stone to your chest and step through the portal. Turn to 263.
225
As you pass along the passageway, you notice that the walls are not as smooth as those you encountered earlier – nor is there any acid coating the floors and walls. You sense that you have entered a much older cave network. Turn to 231.
226
You are at a stalemate. To proceed further with the game you must put more money on the table. Decide how much gold you will add – and the gambler automatically adds the same amount. You must bet at least one extra gold crown. (If you have no more money, then you have lost and lose all your gold. Turn to 11.) Then roll a die. If the result isor less turn to 259, if the result is or more turn to 67.
227
You search through the backpack. There is little of interest, except for some dog-eared notes, scribbled hastily onto parchment, and a red leather-bound book.
Will you:
Look through the notes? — 301
Examine the book? — 115
Return your attention to the stones? — 153
228
The huntsman was a skilled warrior – but no match for your prowess. You search the body and find 15 gold crowns. You also find the following items, which you may take:
Huntsman’s axe
Huntsman’s jerkin
(main hand: axe)
(chest)
+2 brawn
+1 armour
You settle down next to the fire to warm yourself as the chill of the evening settles around you. After helping yourself to some of the freshly-cooked rabbit, you spend the night in the huntsman’s wagon.
You rise at daybreak. After washing yourself in a nearby stream, you leave the wooded hills and head back to Tithebury Cross. You decide to avoid a meeting with the woodsman, having failed to bring his daughter home safely. Return to the quest map to continue your adventures.
229
It is late evening when Beatrice finally appears at the window. ‘Time for a nice slice of pie,’ she declares, licking her lips. The old woman picks up the pie and takes it inside. You wait patiently in the garden, wondering what will happen to the woman when she eats it. Could it be worse than what happened to you on the hillside?
You creep towards the window, hoping to take a quick peek inside. At that moment, Martha comes rushing up to the garden gate, waving her arms around frantically. ‘I’ve changed my mind! I’ve changed my mind!’ she cries. ‘We have to stop her eating it! Quick!’ Turn to 255.
230
The leader backs away. ‘Think yer can best me, huh?’ he snarls. ‘It’s time to show yer what yer really up against!’ In horror, you watch as the man’s body begins to change. His face stretches outwards to form a pointed snout, his nails and teeth lengthening into deadly claws and fangs. Coarse black hair erupts from the man’s flesh, bursting through the seams of his ragged clothing. Within seconds you are staring at a man-sized rat, its pink tail whipping back and forth through the air. With a high-pitched squeal, the ratling lunges forward, foamy saliva drooling from its jaws. With no time to heal, you must take on this foe with the health that you have remaining:
Special abilities
Tail lash: For everyyou roll during this combat, the ratling’s tail automatically hits you for 1 damage, ignoring armour.
If you defeat the ratling, turn to 125.
231
After several minutes, the passageway becomes a narrow ledge, overlooking a huge cavern. Its walls and columns are coated in forests of glowing fungi, their pale light illuminating a giant, glittering web that stretches from floor to ceiling. At the centre of the web, resting on the sticky criss-crossing strands, is the biggest spider you have ever seen, its massive fangs dripping with a deadly green venom.
If you still have the word torch on your hero sheet, you can choose to set fire to the web (turn to 7). If you don’t have a torch or choose not to set fire to the web, you can:
Attack the spider — 60
Flee and return to the well — 246
232
As you proceed along the tunnel, you quickly become aware of a distant rumbling sound. It gets louder and louder, growing in intensity. Then, all of a sudden, the stone and rock beneath your feet is thrown upwards with tremendous force. You are sent sprawling onto your back, as a white bulbous head erupts from the soil. It looks like a giant maggot, eyeless and blind.
As you scramble to your feet, the beast swings its bloated head in your direction. Then it pulls its enormous, rippling body out of the pit and squirms towards you, its jaws snapping together hungrily. You will have to defeat this creature before you can continue down the tunnel:
Special abilities
Acid: The burrower’s mouth drips with a deadly, corrosive acid. Roll a die at the start of each combat round. If you roll aor ayou automatically take 2 damage from the acid. This ability ignores armour.
If you defeat the burrower, turn to 116.
233
The man backs away, his shirt soaked with blood and sweat. ‘Think yer can best me, huh?’ he snarls. ‘It’s time to show yer what yer really up against!’ In horror, you watch as the man’s body begins to change. His face stretches outwards to form a pointed snout, his nails and teeth lengthening into deadly claws and fangs. Coarse black hair erupts from the man’s flesh, bursting through the seams of his ragged clothing. Within seconds you are staring at a man-sized rat, its pink tail whipping back and forth through the air. With a high-pitched squeal, the ratling lunges forward, foamy saliva drooling from its jaws. With no time to heal, you must take on this foe with the health that you have remaining:
Special abilities
Tail lash: For everyyou roll during this combat, the ratling’s tail automatically hits you for 1 damage, ignoring armour.
If you defeat the ratling, turn to 174.
234
The lake spirit is powerful, knocking aside your flimsy weapons with its giant, watery fists. As you stagger backwards, losing ground to this fearsome foe, there is a sudden flash of white light. Risking a sideways glance, you see that the wizard’s staff has started to glow. The lake spirit drifts towards it, like a moth attracted to a flame. The nearer it gets, the smaller and smaller it becomes, until it is little more than a gentle wave, lapping around the foot of the glowing staff. There is another flash and the light is gone.
The wizard lowers his arms, his chanting finished. Exhausted, he drops to his knees. You rush to his side, offering him support as he stumbles back to his feet. ‘I’m OK, I’m OK,’ he says, patting your arm. ‘It is done. The lake spirit is now trapped in the staff. It is mine to command now – the rainmaker is complete.’ He tugs the staff out of the earth and holds it up, admiring it as if it was suddenly made from solid gold. It looks much the same to you: just a length of ordinary polished wood.
‘With this, I may be able to defeat the weather spell and bring some rain to this land.’ He regards you for a moment, then he offers you a warm smile. ‘You have done well. Come, let’s go back to my tower. I’m sure I have something I can offer you as a reward. Turn to 243.
235
As you head east, the trees start to thin, the ground becoming steeper and more rugged. Soon you are picking your way between boulders and narrow wind-seared gullies. Following the directions you were given, you come to a series of worn steps, carved into the granite cliffs. These take you to the top of a high pinnacle of rock, where a tall stone tower stands stark against the azure-blue skies.
As you approach, you see that the tower is visibly shaking from side to side, dislodging dust and stone from its walls and crenellations. A booming, banging sound can be heard coming from somewhere inside the tower. You call out, asking if anyone is home. A pair of window shutters fly open from high up the tower, and a bald-headed man with a wispy white beard sticks out his head. ‘Help me!’ he cries. ‘Please don’t go! I have a problem and I need help!’
You draw your weapons and agree to hear him out. ‘It’s my tower. I’m trapped in my tower. One of my . . . experiments has escaped and is now running loose. Please get rid of it so I can come down!’
You warily approach the front door, as the tower shakes and rattles on its foundations. Trying the door you discover it is locked. ‘I can’t get in,’ you shout up to the wizard. Suddenly, the door is blown off its hinges by some powerful force, sending pieces of splintered wood hurtling past your head.
‘OK, no longer a problem,’ you add dryly. From inside the tower, you hear a roar – like a fierce, howling wind. Bracing yourself for what is to come, you step inside. Turn to 33.
236
‘Good! Help me clear some of this up – we’ll need it.’
You look at Martha quizzically, wondering what plan she has in mind. She re-enters the house and returns a few moments later with a basket. Several of her children follow at her heels, whispering excitedly to each other. Together, you gather up some chunks of the vinegary-smelling turnip. Once the basket is full, Martha starts back towards the house.
‘What is it for?’ you ask with interest. Martha turns and gives you a sly grin. ‘I’m going to make Beatrice Fletcher eat humble pie.’ Turn to 13.
237
You are at a stalemate. To proceed further with the game you must put more money on the table. Decide how much gold you will add – and the gambler automatically adds the same amount. You must bet at least one extra gold crown. (If you have no more money, then you have lost and lose all your gold. Turn to 11.) Then roll a die. If the result isor less turn to 259, if the result isor more turn to 67.
238
While one of the men winds up the bucket, the white-robed man walks over to your side. ‘You will need a light, my friend,’ he says. ‘Edward, some wood please.’
One of the villagers, a boy of around thirteen, runs over and places a length of wood in the man’s outstretched hand. Holding it aloft, the priest utters a short prayer. Suddenly, the end of the wood ignites, becoming a blazing torch. He eyes it with a smile of satisfaction.
You swing yourself over the side of the well and clamber into the water bucket. The priest hands you the torch, then slowly you are lowered inch-by-inch into the cold, murky darkness. Make a note of the word torch on your hero sheet, then turn to 202.
239
You are almost to the other side when your foot catches on one of the strands, causing it to wobble back and forth. You think nothing of it, until you hear the skittering sound coming from above. Almost too late, you spin round – to catch the two giant spiders swinging towards you on strands of webbing. One hits you squarely in the chest, its venomous mandibles sinking into your shoulder. You drop your torch with a cry of pain, its flame instantly igniting the flammable webbing.
‘The web! The web!’ hisses one of the spiders. ‘Kill it! Kill it!’ As the silken strands go up in smoke, the spiders leap at you, seeking to trap you in their deadly webbing.
Special abilities
Venom: You have already been bitten! At the end of every combat round you must automatically lose 2 health.
If you defeat the spiders, turn to 179.
240
Alert for danger, you step warily around the camp fire and are amazed and horrified by what you see. A giant grey wolf watches you from the edge of the light, its amber eyes reflecting the dancing flames. You notice an oily black liquid dripping from its fangs – the same liquid you saw in the bottle.
With a bestial snarl, the wolf launches itself at you. You have no choice but to fight this ferocious creature:
If you defeat the wolf, turn to 64.
241
Your sword slices through the last of the turnips, sending a spray of white fleshy pulp showering across the vegetable patch. The creature topples to the ground, its strange spindly legs kicking in the air for a few seconds, before finally becoming still. You drop to your knees exhausted. In every direction, chunks of turnip lie across the ground, each one giving off a strange, vinegary smell.
A child’s cry alerts you to the fact that you are no longer alone. Spinning round, you see two young children watching you from the edge of the garden, mouths agape. A third has run back to the shack. Raised voices follow, then a young woman emerges from the building, striding angrily onto the hillside. A screeching baby is held under each arm – both carried along like a sack of potatoes.
‘Henry, if you’re playing games again, I swear I’ll . . .’ Martha sees you and stops dead in her tracks. Her eyes scan the scene of turnip devastation.
‘What . . . what have you done?’ she gasps. ‘My turnips!’
Will you:
Reveal Beatrice’s plan? — 211
Blame the strange turnips? — 289
Make a run for it? — 185
242
Manni moves with startling speed, dispatching one of the goblins with a well-aimed swing of his axe. Two of the smaller goblins break away and attack him, leaving you to face the goblin chief alone. With a snarl, this
larger goblin charges towards you, his meat cleaver raised high above his head:
If you defeat the goblin chief, turn to 260.
243
Back at the tower, the wizard rummages through the wreckage of his front room and produces three items. ‘Thank you again,’ he says. ‘Please, choose one of these magical artefacts as a reward for your bravery.’
You may choose one of the following:
All-weather hat
Rain-soaked robe
Weather ring
(head)
(chest)
(ring)
+1 speed
+1 magic +1 armour
Ability: lightning
Thanking the wizard, you leave the tower and resume your journey. (Return to the map to begin a new quest.)
244
The moment you touch the stone there is a bright flash of light, followed by a dizzying sensation of movement. When the light fades, you find yourself on a narrow rock bridge, spanning a cloud-filled gorge. Warily, you advance along it, trying to ignore the vertiginous drop to either side.
You halt when you see a man approaching you from the opposite direction. All but his eyes are hidden behind swathes of blue cloth, that swirl and dance in the wind.
‘You trespass in the halls of ancient kings,’ booms a deep voice, from somewhere above you. ‘Many have come here. All have failed. Fight my champions and prove your worth.’
Legion of Shadow Page 13
