Will you:
Push on the panel next to ‘Fairwater View’? — 390
Push on the panel next to ‘Road to Perdition’? — 469
481
You ready yourself for combat as the ooze slithers into the cave. Clearly the creature has some sentient intelligence, as the moment it comes close to you, it suddenly spreads out, forming a slimy net to swallow you up. This ooze could prove to be deadlier than it first appeared:
Special abilities
Glutinous maximus: Every time you win a combat round, you are reduced to using one speed dice for the next round of combat while you pull your weapons free from the slime. You can’t use abilities to avoid this.
If you defeat your sticky foe, turn to 494.
482
With your attention focused solely on the Dwarven chest, you fail to notice your attacker until it is almost too late. A skittering rock alerts you to their presence, allowing you to throw yourself aside as a barbed spear strikes the ground, missing you by scant inches. You spin round, to find yourself facing a giant, nightmarish creature. Its head and torso are human, but its lower body is that of a black, armoured scorpion. The creature’s venomous tail arches high above its head, its pointed tip dripping with the same black venom that coats the wickedly-barbed spear:
Special abilities
Black venom: After Scorpios makes a successful attack that causes health damage, you must lose a further 2 health at the end of each combat round, for the remainder of the combat. This damage ignores armour.
If you defeat this deadly predator, turn to 506.
483
The elderly man grunts with pain. ‘Bah, just my luck to find the one adventurer who doesn’t carry a healing potion.’ He looks down at his injured leg. Blood has soaked through his breeches, where a rip in the fabric has exposed a nasty jagged cut. ‘Can’t put any weight on this,’ he grimaces. ‘I’m next to useless until I get a healer.’ Turn to 538.
484
Three columns of runes are set into the stone on the door. Above it, carved into a cross-section of rock, is a message in an angular script. If you have The Compendium of Dwarven Lore then turn to 530. Otherwise, you cannot decipher the strange markings, so you decide to leave the chamber. Turn to 496.
485
The foul stench of decay wafting out of the cave makes your decision an easy one. Not wishing to meet whatever is inside, you return to the clump of tree roots and carefully climb back down into the cave.
Will you:
Take the tunnel north? — 472
Take the tunnel east? — 524
486
The swamp giant lurches forward, knocking aside trees and roots in its efforts to reach you. Then, from out of the dark skies, you see a feathered body swoop down in front of the monster, forcing it to take a teetering step backwards. Your eyes strain to follow the rapidly-moving object as it darts and wheels around the confused giant – then, as one of its dives brings it closer towards you, you see that the creature is in fact a large golden eagle, and riding on its back is one of the dryads.
‘Wasn’t going to let you have all the fun now, was I?’ she shouts, as the eagle blazes past in a flurry of grey feathers and claws. It is Solandris, and she is armed with a magical, glowing bow. The dryad’s arrows already pepper most of the giant’s upper body, and her relentless attacks have succeeded in drawing its attention away from you. With the giant distracted, you now have a chance at defeating it:
Special abilities
Knockdown: If your hero takes health damage from the giant, you must reduce your speed by 1 for the next combat round.
Body of rock: Your opponent is immune to piercing, impale, bleed, venom, thorns, barbs and lightning.
If you defeat the swamp giant, turn to 509.
487
Your final blow sends the count’s golden mask skittering across the floor, revealing his scarred, disfigured face. It begins to wither and age before your very eyes. ‘No! I will not die!’ hisses the vampire. He tries to grab you, but the count’s legs give way beneath him. He collapses to the ground, his body crumbling into a pile of grave dust.
Congratulations! You have defeated the vampire lord. You may now take one of the following special rewards:
Silk cut
Cloak of shadows
Velvet slippers
(main hand: sword)
(cloak)
(feet)
+2 speed +2 brawn
+1 speed +2 armour
+1 speed +3 magic
Ability: riposte
Ability: feint
Ability: haste
(requirement: rogue)
‘A good show,’ says a voice.
You look up to see Eldias Falks watching you with a grim smile. ‘Carry on like that and you’ll put me out of business.’ Removing his hat, the witchfinder walks towards you, offering out his hand. ‘Well done, my friend. Truth and justice have triumphed this day.’
If you are a rogue and have the witchfinder’s signet ring turn to 498, otherwise turn to 515.
488
To your surprise, a hairline crack of light appears across the lid of the chest, splitting it in two. The newly-revealed halves slide back with a scraping rumble, revealing a soft, velvet-lined cavity. You lean over and take a look inside the chest. Turn to 397.
489
Having being held at knife point and then ordered to obey these strangers, you are feeling more than a little testy. You state that you wish to leave, explaining that you have your own important matters to attend to.
Bern places a hand on your shoulder. ‘Friend, I may need your help. All will be revealed to you when we get to the grove.’ His eyes stray to your covered arm, where the brand is burning beneath your skin. ‘I know what you are. You are shadow born. A survivor from the shadow war. The queen will want to meet with you.’
You ask the warrior if he can tell you more about the strange mark. He scowls, stepping away from you. ‘I don’t wish to talk of it here. What your people did . . . what they are capable of . . .’ He visibly shivers. ‘I should kill you, stranger. I would have every right. And yet,’ he cocks his head to one side, his eyes narrowing, ‘there is something about you. My instinct tells me that you have no malice in your heart. That I do not understand . . . but the queen will be your judge, not I. Now, come with us. Time is pressing. If you wish to learn more, then the queen will give you your answers – if you are deserving of them.’
You agree to accompany the warrior. If the queen really can help you to understand more about your former life, then perhaps it will throw light on what happened that fateful night at Avian’s castle. Turn to 356.
490
You have barely set foot in the cave before you hear something moving towards you from the fetid darkness. It is impossibly large, its chitinous sides scraping along the walls. As it nears, you catch a glimpse of spider-like legs and a head of squirming, translucent tentacles. Quickly, you back out of the cave, the stench and the size of the creature overwhelming your senses. But there is no escape. The mutated insect follows you out onto the ledge, its massive bloated body squeezing out of the hole. Every inch of its skin is covered in thick black plates, each one giving off a green smoky hue. As it raises its tentacled head, the insect opens its mucus-filled mouth and gives a knee-trembling wail, soaking you in spit and the half-digested remains of its last meal.
You have no choice but to fight this deadly adversary:
Special abilities
Soft spot: If you win a combat round, you must immediately roll 1 die. If you get aorresult then your blow glances off the creature’s armoured exoskeleton and you cannot roll for damage.
If you defeat Wormwood, turn to 517. (Special achievement: If you defeat Wormwood in five combat rounds or less then turn to 533.)
491
You struggle free of the net and clamber back to your feet. Suddenly, there is a whoosh of crackling magic followed by a loud explosion. When you turn, you see that pa
rt of the thorny wall has been blasted apart – and the wreekin leader is now fleeing through it. Before you can give chase, there is another explosion right in front of you, sending torrents of water and mud high into the air.
You spin round, to see one of the wreekin holding a wand fashioned from strips of bone. It levels the wand at you again, preparing to fire another blast. Quickly, you charge towards it:
Special abilities
Charge her up!: The wreekin mage does not roll for damage if it wins a combat round. Instead, for every two rounds of combat it wins, it launches a bolt from its wand. This automatically does 10 damage to your hero, ignoring armour. You cannot use vanish, evade or sidestep to avoid this.
If you defeat the mage, turn to 449.
492
The chest is an extraordinary piece of craftsmanship, sculptured to look like two dragons, entwined in each other’s wings. You settle down onto the ice, wiping the dripping water from the jewel-encrusted lid. Worryingly, you notice a large keyhole staring back at you. After trying the lid of the chest, you discover that it is locked.
If you have a rune key, turn to 777. Otherwise, no matter how hard you try, you cannot break open the chest. After kicking it several times in frustration (and getting a very sore foot!), you head back to camp. Return to the quest map.
493
At the bottom of the stairs is a cold, gloomy crypt, its walls lined with wooden coffins. The steady drip of water is the only sound in this silent, unsettling chamber. As you look around for an exit, the count appears at the foot of the stairs.
‘Fool!’ he laughs, his voice echoing from the cold, stone walls. ‘Did you think you could run from me?’
Suddenly, the lids of the coffins are thrown back and from each, a skeleton emerges. There is the hideous scraping of bones, as they shamble towards you, their jaws cracking open to reveal sharp, serrated teeth.
‘Feast my ancestors,’ commands the count. ‘There is plenty for you all!’
With nowhere to run, you must now battle these undead foes:
Special abilities
Body of bone: The ancestors are immune to bleed and venom.
(Note: You cannot heal after this combat. You must continue this quest with the health that you have remaining. You may use potions and abilities to heal lost health while you are in combat.)
If you defeat the skeletons, turn to 505. If you are defeated, turn to 424.
494
As you deliver your final blow, the ooze collapses – its gloop cascading down around you to form lots of separate puddles. Floating in these puddles are various items of equipment. You may now take any/all of the following:
Great helm
Sludge waders
Ardent edge
(head)
(feet)
(left hand: sword)
+1 speed +1 brawn
+1 speed +1 armour
+1 speed +2 brawn
Ability: parry
With your enemy defeated, you now have more time to examine the cavern. If you have Lorinwold’s Field Guide to Roots, Herbs and Leaves then you may pick 2 root grass. Make a note of these on your hero sheet.
You also notice a high ledge leading around the edge of the cavern. To reach it you will need to try and climb up the rotted roots hanging down from the ceiling.
Will you:
Try and reach the ledge? — 318
Take the north tunnel? — 472
Take the east tunnel? — 524
495
You peel back your sleeve, revealing the branded mark. Without looking at it, Bern quickly snatches your hand. ‘Do not show that here,’ he whispers, through clenched teeth. ‘Don’t you understand what that is? What you are?’
You shake your head, explaining that you have no memory of your former life. Bern leans in close to you, ensuring that he is not heard by Talandra or the others. ‘That is a shadow bond. It means you are a survivor from the shadow war – and that makes you dangerous. What your people did . . . what they are capable of . . .’ He visibly shivers. ‘I should kill you, stranger. I would have every right. And yet,’ he cocks his head to one side, his eyes narrowing, ‘there is something about you. My instinct tells me that you have no malice in your heart. That I do not understand . . . but the queen will be your judge, not I. Now, come with us. Time is pressing. If you wish to learn more, then the queen will give you your answers – if you are deserving of them.’
You agree to accompany the warrior. If this queen really can help you to understand more about your former life, then perhaps it will throw light on what happened that fateful night at Avian’s castle. Turn to 356.
496
The next chamber is filled with stony rubble, where a section of the ceiling and one wall have toppled inwards. As you step foot into the room, some of the rocks and small boulders begin to tremble and shake. Then, all of a sudden, they lift up into the air and begin hurtling towards the centre of the room, where they clash and scrape together, forming themselves into the body of a giant humanoid creature.
The monster’s arms start to revolve around its body, until they are a spinning blur of grey stone. With a rumbling howl, it starts towards you, throwing up dirt and rubble as it speeds across the ground:
Special abilities
Knockdown: If your hero takes health damage from Rumbler, you must reduce your speed by 1 for the next combat round.
Body of rock: Your opponent is immune to piercing, impale, bleed, venom, thorns, barbs and lightning.
If you manage to defeat Rumbler, turn to 540.
497
Your final blow sends the creature reeling backwards into the murky swamp water. It lurches and sways for several moments, then its slimy, black body turns to a liquid sludge, oozing back into the pool.
The boggart has been defeated. Searching the small island you find the remains of several of its unfortunate victims. You have found 30 gold crowns and may take one of the following items:
Bright greaves
Nightwalker tunic
Sanguine slippers
(feet)
(chest)
(feet)
+1 speed +2 brawn
+1 speed +2 brawn
+2 speed +2 magic
Ability: steadfast
Ability: nightwalker set
Ability: charm
(requirement: rogue)
(requirement: mage)
If you have Lorinwold’s Field Guide to Roots, Herbs and Leaves then you may pick 2 bramble thorn and 1 root grass from the island. (Make a note of the herbs on your hero sheet.)
You then continue your journey through the swamp. Turn to 304.
498
As Eldias goes to shake your hand, he gives a gasp of astonishment. ‘That ring! Where did you get it?’ He draws back, looking at you uncertainly. ‘That was my brother’s ring.’
You explain how you came upon it, having killed the witch that was terrorising Tithebury Cross. The man listens to your account in silence. When you have finished, he plants his hat back onto his head and then folds his arms.
‘It takes years to perfect my craft, but perhaps – if you are willing – I could pass on the rudiments of my profession. What do you say? Do you wish to become the embodiment of justice – to punish all witchcraft, vile sorcery and evil that walks this land?’
If you wish to learn the witchfinder career turn to 521. Otherwise, you politely decline Eldias’ offer. Turn to 515.
499
Ah good, good.’ The old man places a filleted fish onto the hot stove and then adds a variety of spices and peppers. Soon, the chamber is filled with the succulent aroma of grilled, peppery fish. ‘This will put hairs on your chin and your chest,’ he chuckles, dishing you out a plate (which looks suspiciously like it was once the top of a broken stool) and serving you a generous portion. You tuck in hungrily, your quest and its burdens momentarily forgotten. It isn’t until your stomach makes an unsavoury rumbling sound that you are reminded of the lamprey worm and t
he urgency of finding the crown.
Getting to your feet, you thank the old man for his time and generosity. ‘The crown you seek is back the way you came, through the flooded room,’ he says, nodding to the blast hole. ‘I did tell you about the stone giant didn’t I? Tall as a ship’s mast and twice as wide. You be careful with that one.’
Heeding the man’s advice, you make your way back through the blasted tunnel. After climbing down the kelp ladder, you wade across the chill waters of the flooded chamber and enter the passageway. Turn to 619.
500
The camp is deserted. Redguard and his soldiers are now stationed at Ravenwing’s camp, under the command of Inquisitor Bovis. You check the infirmary tent for any supplies that may have been left behind in the army’s haste to leave. Most are locked away in magically-sealed boxes, but you do find a few potions left on the shelves. You may take any of the following, however once these items are taken, you cannot return here again.
Pot of mending (1 use)
Elixir of swiftness (1 use)
(backpack)
(backpack)
Use any time in combat to restore 12 health
Increase your speed by 4 for one combat round
Legion of Shadow Page 28
