At last you reach Mathis, who is struggling to unsheathe his sword. Your horse whinnies and snorts with fear as the huge beast bears down upon you. The ghoul is huge, bigger than you first thought – its spiked carapace tapering back into a long ridged tail. Around each of its limbs are a set of golden bracelets, glowing with black magic. You assume these might be bonds of some sort, controlling the beast.
There is a grating ring of steel as Mathis tugs his sword free, its point flaring into a burst of white magical light. The ghoul opens its jaws, emitting a blood-curdling howl. Then, in a grey-white blur, the creature swings its tail in a savage swathe. You see skeletons smashed to pieces as its immense length whips out towards you . . . then your mount is hit and you are flung up into the air.
You throw your arms around your horse’s neck, clinging on for dear life. Then the danger of your situation hits home. Quickly, you slip free of the stirrups and push away from the flailing animal. You land in a roll, as the panicked beast crashes down amongst a group of skeletons. Narrowly, you avoided being crushed beneath your own mount.
There is no sign of Mathis or the others. The ghoul is now charging towards you, crunching the bones of the fallen skeletons beneath its splayed hands and paws. You ready yourself to take on this immense undead creature alone. Turn to 720.
715
Back at the camp, you are quickly swamped by a crowd of young soldiers, full of questions. You give a piecemeal account of the battle as you hurry past, following Lansbury into the war tent. Word of your return has clearly reached the ears of your superiors also. Inquisitor Mathis is leaning over the map table, with a face like thunder. Beside him, Redguard is pacing nervously.
‘Ancient relics will not win this war,’ Mathis roars, before either of you have even had a chance to speak.
Redguard quits pacing and glances over at you. His disappointment is clear. ‘You disobeyed my order to stay within the camp, Lansbury. Explain yourself.’
‘Sir, I had to try,’ she implores, stepping up to the map. ‘Look, with both of these statues operational, we could dominate the bone fields. The undead would not be able to get a foothold here.’
Redguard’s brow wrinkles as he studies the map. ‘What is their range?’
‘I can’t say for sure,’ she shrugs. ‘A couple of miles, maybe more.’
The captain gives a start. ‘A couple of miles?’ He glances over at Mathis. ‘That would seriously restrict the enemies’ movements. It would mean Zul’s army would be forced to use the cover of the valley. We could dictate where they strike.’
The inquisitor snorts, thumping the table with a gloved fist. ‘Zul is a genius. What is there to stop him from turning these weapons back on us?’
Lansbury raises a hand, shaking her head. ‘Nothing I have read has suggested they are capable of harming anything other than undead. In the shadow war, the legion raised them in their thousands during the final assault. Those weapons were the mages’ answer.’
‘Fortuitous for us,’ adds Redguard, his eyes fixed on the inquisitor.
Mathis grinds his teeth together, his fingers tightening their grip on the table. ‘I already have reinforcements on their way. Until then, no one is leaving this garrison. Understand?’
Lansbury bows her head and nods glumly. ‘As you wish,’ she mutters. ‘I just hope, by the time they arrive, it isn’t already too late.’ Return to the quest map to continue your adventure.
716
The creature writhes and twists, its tentacles slamming against the stone floor and ceiling as it enters its death throes. You duck beneath its flailing limbs, pushing yourself back through the water to avoid getting knocked unconscious. Finally, the tentacles stop moving, hanging lifeless in the water amidst a black cloud of ink and blood.
After scanning the room for any further signs of danger, you proceed to the edge of the shaft. Manoeuvring yourself around, you take hold of the sides and push yourself down into the murky darkness. As you head deeper into the structure, your eyes start to adjust to the dim light. Amongst the reeds and algae that have attached themselves to the walls, you see a number of floating objects. You may help yourself to one of the following:
Ink-stained vest
Pirate bandana
Captain’s boots
(chest)
(head)
(feet)
+2 speed +1 brawn
+1 speed +2 brawn
+2 speed +1 armour
After several hundred metres, the shaft angles to the right, depositing you in a large round chamber. Turn to 587.
717
As the undead horde reaches the base of the hill, it quickly fragments, clearly looking to assault the hill from different sides. Thankfully, it looks as though no one is commanding the force or issuing orders – therefore, it quickly descends into a confused rabble, with separate regiments scrambling to attack at their own pace and speed.
The pack of snarling ghouls are the first to make it to the top of the hill, appearing from the north exit. (Remember which rod you placed here, as it will help you with this battle.) The creatures scamper forward, using their arms and legs to propel themselves along the ground. Behind them, packmasters dressed in furs and leathers, crack their whips, driving their beasts into a frothing rage:
Special abilities
Frenzy: While the packmasters are still alive, the ghouls can roll 2 dice for damage and choose the single highest result each time.
Piercing claws: The ghouls’ attacks ignore your armour.
At the beginning of each combat round, choose the opponent that you wish to fight, rolling against their attack speed. If you win the combat, you must direct your damage against your chosen opponent (unless you have an ability that can strike more than one opponent, such as ignite). If you lose the combat, both opponents get to strike against you. If it is a draw, the round ends as normal.
If you manage to defeat this first wave of attackers, turn to 778. If you are defeated, turn to 723.
718
The tremors are the result of a giant creature, which is stomping through the tight press of soldiers, snarling with rage. It stands on two enormous hoofed feet, its scaled body shimmering with purple light. In one hand it carries a spiked black mace and in the other a whip.
‘A Lord of Pain!’ you hear one of the men shout. ‘Stand firm! Stand firm!’
You start towards the beast, intending to help Ravenwing’s men, but then you skid to a halt as an immense black shadow passes overhead. Looking up, you gasp in horror as an orb-like monster floats towards the battlefield. It has the appearance of a giant eyeball, surrounded by tentacles. From its single eye a beam of black light lances through the air, slamming into the defenders and sending bodies hurtling in all directions. You must now decide which boss monster you will fight.
Will you:
Attack the Lord of Pain? — 627
Attack the Death Orb? — 684
719
Before the body slides from its saddle, you may help yourself to one of the following rewards:
Plate of the fallen
Dark tower
Thunder hammer
(chest)
(left hand: shield)
(left hand: hammer)
+2 speed +4 armour
+2 speed +4 armour
+2 speed +4 brawn
Ability: finery of the fallen
Ability: impale
Ability: shock!
All around you, dust continues to choke your vision as Redguard and his men battle the remaining knights. Turn to 734.
720
The ground trembles as the enormous ghoul hurtles towards you, its powerful claws leaving deep trenches in the dirt. You suspect that the glowing bracelets around each of its limbs are what the necromancers are using to control the beast’s movements:
Special abilities
Unleash the beast: If you win a combat round against Ghoulash, you can choose whether to direct your damage against the creature or one of its mag
ical bracelets.
Iron clad: The bracelets are immune to bleed, disease, impale, piercing and venom.
If you manage to destroy all four bracelets before the creature is dead, turn to 736. If you defeat Ghoulash first, then turn to 702. If you are defeated, turn to 732.
721
To the east, a black fog has drifted in, twisting and swirling around the jagged peaks of stone. From this unnatural fog, you can see ghostly bodies slipping free, their hands stretching out to form demonic claws.
Klaret faces them without fear, his staff spinning in his hands as he cuts them down in a fiery display of explosive magic.
You must now fight the following battle between Klaret and the shades:
Special abilities
Grave chill: The shades automatically inflict 2 damage to their current opponent at the end of every combat round, ignoring armour.
Fire storm: If Klaret rolls awhen rolling for his damage score, he unleashes a firestorm. This allows him to add an extra 10 points of damage to his score.
Field medic: If you are a medic, you can cast mend on Klaret once during his combat. You may still use this ability on yourself, if you engage in combat afterwards (see below).
If Klaret falls in battle, you must take his place, fighting the shades with the health they have remaining. If you defeat the shades, turn to 653. If you are defeated, turn to 661.
722
Bones snap and splinter as the immense giant is brought toppling to the ground. You may now help yourself to one of the following rewards:
Pain in chains
Shield of bones
Razor fists
(main hand: morning star)
(left hand: shield)
(gloves)
+2 speed +4 brawn
+4 brawn +2 armour
+1 brawn +3 armour
Ability: pound
Ability: piercing
Ability: rake
(requirement: warrior)
You look over to see how the others are faring. Mathis’ opponent is already a smoking heap of dust and bone. His sword blade is now turned on Ravenwing’s giant. Together they bring it down, at the same moment as Redguard fells his own opponent, severing its spine and sending its over-sized skull spiralling across the battlefield. Turn to 728.
723
You feel a wash of warmth spilling through your body, knitting your wounds and broken bones together. With a gasp, you awaken, coughing and gasping for air. Lansbury is kneeling at your side, rubbing the palms of her hands, which still sparkle with magic.
All around you are the charred, smoking remains of the undead.
‘What . . . happened?’ you manage to croak.
‘I’m afraid you missed all the fun,’ smiles Lansbury, helping you to your feet. She points to the statue atop the hill. You notice that it is now glowing with a white radiance.
‘The statue did this?’ you ask, looking around at the devastation. You can see piles of smoking bones that were once giants, tattered remains of a flock of bone wyverns, even a whole pack of ghouls, their bodies thrown like rag dolls across the hilltop.
‘I told you it was a weapon,’ beams Lansbury, patting the side of the statue. ‘Any undead that comes near it . . . boom!’
As your attention shifts back to the wasteland, you see a few surviving necromancers making a run for cover. ‘They will be back,’ you sigh, heavily.
Lansbury shakes her head. ‘I doubt it. This angel will guard the hill and destroy anything that comes within reach. Even if the necromancers try and deactivate it, they will find a few little surprises of my own.’ She gives you a mischievous wink. ‘Come on, I expect Redguard and Mathis will want to know what just happened.’ Turn to 715.
724
You find a purse containing 50 gold crowns. You may also choose one of the following rewards:
Pot of mending (1 use)
Band of elements
Budak’s signet
(backpack)
(ring)
(ring)
Use any time in combat
+2 magic
+1 brawn +1 magic
to restore 12 health
Ability: lightning
Ability: steal
You step over the remains of the shadowy assassin and head back into the fray. Turn to 747.
725
The high walls of the chamber are covered in shelves and racks, containing a dazzling array of armour and weapons. A statue of the Dour king dominates the centre of the room, its cold eyes and cruel smile making the hairs on the back of your neck prickle. You almost feel as though this ancient warden is watching you, his expression one of scornful amusement at your efforts to steal his prized treasures.
Wrenching your gaze from the statue, you turn instead to the king’s impressive armoury. You notice that some of the weapons have started to glow with a dull reddish light. As you watch, they suddenly lift themselves off their racks and begin to float towards you. In alarm, you realise that these must be the magical guardians of this place. The weapons slice and cut through the air, forming a deadly maelstrom of pointed steel:
Special abilities
Whirling blades: At the end of every combat round, the fast-moving blades inflict 2 damage, ignoring armour.
Sinister steel: The weapons are immune to barbs, bleed, thorns, impale, piercing and venom.
If you manage to defeat the king’s animated armoury, turn to 561.
726
You may now help yourself to one of the following rewards:
Pot of mending (1 use)
Spider sapphire
Serpentine spiral
(backpack)
(ring)
(ring)
Use any time in combat
+1 magic +1 armour
+1 brawn +1 armour
to restore 12 health
Ability: webbed
Ability: immobilise
All around you, dust continues to choke your vision as Redguard and his men battle the remaining knights. Turn to 734.
727
You search the body of the two-headed giant. In a pouch around its waist is a bag containing 50 gold crowns. You may also help yourself to one of the following rewards:
Grimm reaper
Tooth ’n claw
Pauldrons of might
(main hand: axe)
(ring)
(cloak)
+3 speed +5 brawn
+1 speed +1 brawn
+2 speed +3 brawn
Ability: brutality
Ability: sideswipe
Ability: fortitude
Special achievement: If all four heroes – Gull, Laine, Janna and Klaret – are still alive, you may receive an extra reward. Turn to 735. Otherwise, turn to 731.
728
Beyond the smoking bodies of the giants, the steep-sided walls of the valley rise up to either side. Within its lengthening shadows you see a floating palanquin of bone, hovering several feet off the stony earth. Standing atop the grisly platform is a hooded man, his grey robes edged with gold.
Black lightning flares from his outstretched fingers, sizzling into the mages that dart and soar overhead. Expertly he fends off their attacks, both shielding himself from their fireballs and picking them off one by one. Their blackened bodies and frayed carpets crash to the ground around his floating palanquin. A dark laughter echoes within the valley.
‘It’s Zul,’ scowls Ravenwing, raising his shield. ‘We must be cautious.’
‘We have bigger problems,’ adds Redguard.
Two flesh golems are lumbering towards you, previously hidden by an overhang of rock.
‘We’ll take these,’ says Ravenwing, nodding towards Redguard. ‘You two, take out the mage’.
You glance over at Mathis. The inquisitor gives you an answering glare, full of distrust and unanswered questions. ‘So be it,’ he says grimly. The two of you advance, while Ravenwing and Redguard block off the advancing golems. Turn to 552.
729
&n
bsp; With the shadowstalker defeated, you may now help yourself to one of the following rewards:
Shadowblade
Velocifero
Eye of shadow
(left hand: sword)
(main hand: sword)
(necklace)
+2 speed +3 magic
+3 speed +3 brawn
+1 speed
Ability: retaliation
Ability: riposte
Ability: haste
When you have made your decision and updated your hero sheet, turn to 636.
730
The giants may be powerful, but they are slow. You dart past their clumsy attacks, slicing and cutting through their animated bones. At last, the four mighty warriors lie dead at your feet, the dark magic that once held their bones together, now shattered and routed.
Amongst the remains you find 40 gold crowns and one of the following rewards:
Titan plate
Blinding dust
Bone gavel
(chest)
(talisman)
(main hand: hammer)
+1 speed +2 armour
+1 speed
+3 speed +4 brawn
Legion of Shadow Page 43
