Will you:
Attempt to fight the poltergeist? — 414
Make for the door as quickly as possible? — 29
396
The feathered woman snarls, tugging a black wand from her belt. ‘You dishonour the blood of the Sanchen!’
‘No!’ The cry comes from Ventus, as the Wiccan witch aims the tip of her wand at you. There is a blast of cold, black fire – then you are falling backwards, screaming in agony. The last thing you remember is the rain, spearing down from the black skies, beating against your pain-wracked body. Then the light fades and a feverish darkness takes you. Turn to 338.
397
‘I am a shadow, a nothing,’ replies the witchfinder, tugging the brim of his hat lower over his eyes. ‘I was once a king’s hound, the embodiment of his justice, his divine retribution. I have killed demons in their scores, vampires, witches, pagans . . . the dark things of the underworld that would seek to make these lands their own. I have given my soul and body to that life – to that duty. But now. . . .’ He raises a gloved hand, turning it over in the slanting beams of light. ‘I cling to what I have left. My humanity.’ He catches your eye, his fingers curling into a fist. ‘When the darkness comes, that’s all we have left.’
Return to 494 to ask another question, or turn to 433 to continue.
398
The workshop is a huge, rectangular hall, the furthest reaches obscured by smoke. It is hard to fathom how such a vast space could exist inside the tower; clearly some magic or enchantment must be at play here. Despite its size, the hall is full to bursting point with workbenches and machines, the latter a chaotic mishmash of saws, blades and other mean-looking cutting tools. Many of these are in operation, chopping or shaving logs of wood which are being fed into the machine by iron grappling claws attached to chains.
As you step warily between the deafening, screeching equipment, you spot store rooms off to either side of the chamber. Packed inside each of these is rank upon rank of wooden soldiers, all standing still and silent, their features almost lifelike.
Just as you are about to take a closer look, a shower of sparks draws your attention to a nearby worktable. It has started to rise up off the floor, lurching from side to side as if suddenly possessed of some demonic life force. Behind you, another table is scraping across the ground. You duck just in time as it lifts up above your head, fast-spinning blades missing you by scant inches. Panic starts to grip you, as you realise the whole workshop is now shifting and spinning, surrounding you in a dizzying maelstrom of snake-like chains and buzzing saws.
It is difficult to make sense of what is happening. It isn’t until you back up to the foot of the stairs, hugging the ground while blades spin overhead, that you realise the workshop is actually a single, huge creature. The tables are its arms and legs, jointed by chains – and the whirring blades are its deadly armaments, bristling from its many limbs. Finally, as you watch with mouth agape, an iron claw swings onto its shoulders, giving the monster a grinning visage of gnashing metal teeth.
And then, as one, the wooden soldiers start to advance, shuffling towards you from out of the storerooms. Your immediate instinct is to run, but the saw monster has other ideas. A set of blades slice down from above, cutting through the metal walkway in a shower of bright sparks. Your only escape route has been closed off. You have no other option but to fight:
Special abilities
Spinning saws: Roll a die at the end of each combat round. On a roll of or you are caught by the deadly buzz saws and must take 4 damage, ignoring armour. If you roll or more, the toy soldiers are caught instead, and must take 4 damage. (If the toy soldiers have already been destroyed, ignore a result of or more.)
Stabbing swords: At the end of each combat round, if the toy soldiers are still alive, then you must take 2 damage, ignoring armour, from their wooden blades.
Wood and metal: Saw and the soldiers are immune to bleed.
If you win a combat round against Saw, you can choose to apply your damage to Saw or the wooden soldiers. If Saw is defeated, the soldiers are also automatically defeated.
If you manage to overcome this saw-wielding fiend, turn to 219.
399
‘Good, follow me and I explain on the way.’ Boom pads over to the doorway, carrying only his carved staff. You hesitate before following, wondering how a single staff will help defeat the hordes of undead.
‘Surely we need more weapons?’ you protest, as you emerge in the narrow alley.
‘Don’t be worrying about skellies. We go deeper into ruins so they not follow. They not like the bad spirits.’
Before you can reply, the shaman has shot out from the mouth of the alleyway, heading quickly across the open plaza. You struggle to keep up, the pea-green mist making it difficult to navigate the shambling groups of undead. Several times you almost run into the deadly creatures, but you manage to weave aside just in time to avoid their snatching hands and stabbing spears. Thankfully, by keeping on the move, the undead are unable to catch you.
‘I got a plan to defeat Mortzilla,’ says Boom, perching for a moment on a vine-covered wall.
He sounds barely out of breath, while you are panting and gasping in the stifling heat.
‘What’s the plan?’ you croak dryly, wiping the sweat from your eyes. ‘Tell me it doesn’t involve more running . . .’
He gives a hooting laugh. ‘We almost there. Listen. Mortzilla not harmed by weapons of this world. Too powerful a spirit. But the spirits of his world . . . they can do him harm.’
The shaman leaps off the wall, landing, rolling, and then springing back to his feet. ‘We use the boom stick,’ he shouts, waving the staff. ‘It eat the spirit energy. Then we use it against Mortzilla. Make him go boom!’
You slide down off the wall, joining him at the centre of a circular courtyard. Beyond the shifting veil of mist, you see a series of buildings – mostly ruined and overgrown. As Boom promised, the undead have not followed.
‘See this,’ the shaman displays his rune-carved staff. ‘This will hold magic of three spirits. You defeat spirits and I put them into boom stick. Once we got three, we go pay Mortzilla a visit.’
You nod, squinting in the ghoulish light. ‘And where are the spirits?’
‘There be five,’ he grins, displaying the number with a raised hand. ‘They inside the temples. But remember, we needing only three. Choose and we go boom them.’ Turn to 510.
400
With the stone guardians defeated, you advance on the black temple. It is an imposing structure of spine-like towers, arched windows and high columns. The mist has receded, but in its place is a presence – thick and palpable. It pushes against you like an invisible hand, forcing you to grit your teeth as you struggle onwards, your will matched against that of some unseen foe.
Bea is the first to stumble, falling to her knees. ‘I can’t . . .’ she mutters weakly.
You notice Ventus staggering as if blind, his fists batting away at some invisible foe. Benin has also stalled, gripping his staff with white-knuckled hands. You go to his aid but the priest puts out a hand to stop you. ‘No . . . continue . . . if you can . . .’ He gasps, struggling to draw breath.
Alone, you clamber up the stairs of the temple, crawling the rest of the way to finally reach its dark, imposing doorway. Turn to 419.
401
The trapped wisps provide just enough light for you to see by. Leaning over the hole, you can make out a metal floor several metres below. Deciding to take the risk, you slide your legs over the edge of the opening and drop down.
You find yourself in a narrow passageway, your shoulders brushing against the warm metal walls. Beneath your feet grey smoke spirals up through the meshed floor, carrying a noxious-smelling stench. Choosing a direction at random you head along the passage, your footfalls clanging and echoing noisily in the claustrophobic space. After several hundred feet you come to a symbol, marked out on the floor in what looks like grime and oil. As you ponder what it
might mean, your eyes catch some words daubed on the wall. They read:
Seeing is believing
Ignorance is blind
Turn around bright eyes
Tell me what you find
Three symbols are drawn underneath the words, one of which matches the shape you are standing on. Turning on the spot, you notice that the floor is divided up into square grilles, forming a maze. Some contain numbers, others have been left blank. You wonder if this is some type of puzzle.
Then you hear a child’s voice, echoing through the walls. ‘Someone’s come to play! Tell me the number or here you’ll stay!’
‘What number?’ you growl angrily, scratching your head in confusion.
(The following diagram is a top-down view of the maze you are standing in. The dark blocks represent walls and the square grilles represent the floor panels.)
If you are able to solve the puzzle, then speak your answer and turn to the corresponding entry number. Otherwise, frustrated and angry by this child’s silly games, you demand to be let out of the maze. Turn to 43.
402
(If you have the word explorer on your hero sheet, turn to 515.)
You put out a hand to greet the scholar. In his haste the man knocks straight into you, dropping his charts and scroll cases onto the dusty promenade. You offer an apology, stooping down to help retrieve his belongings.
‘Flaming flummoxes!’ The man pats at various pockets, finally hoisting a pair of spectacles onto the end of his nose. He glares down at you with his widened, magnified eyes. ‘Wait, you’re the new one, aren’t you? How bothersome – not sure we have the room. But then, you won’t be around long. We’ll get you started straight away. Follow me. Keep up, Andos.’
He hurries off again, leaving you clutching the various charts and scrolls. As the ginger-haired youth stumbles past, he leans around his pile of books and gives you an apologetic smile. ‘He’s like that all the time. I think it’s the heat.’
‘What are all these for?’ you ask, walking beside him.
‘His lordship’s studies,’ Andos replies. ‘Our last place fell down. Again. So, we’re moving. Again.’
The scholar turns down a side path, which winds back through the trees to a more secluded area of the beach. Here you find a large two-storey building of white stone – a veritable mansion compared to the others you have seen.
‘This belongs to the harbourmaster,’ says the youth. ‘Price we paid for a room, you could have bought the king’s palace five times over. Rip off, if you ask me.’
‘Stop dilly-dallying!’ snaps the scholar, removing his straw hat to fan his bright red face. ‘Let’s get those things safe inside – then we can get you briefed and started.’ He disappears inside the house. Andos gives you a pitying look before staggering after him. Turn to 386.
403
Amongst the creepers and brambles, you spy an object resting on the stone. It looks like a cone-shaped seed, pulsing with a golden light. You may now take the following item:
Elder seed
(talisman)
+1 magic
Ability: druid career
As you step out from the hollow tree, you realise that you feel different. Something has been awakened inside you, a vibrant force that throbs with energy and life. Looking around, you see glimmering lines cutting across the floor of the cave. They pulse with an ancient magic, as old as the land itself. Ley lines. You realise that the roots of the elder tree are tapping into these lines, greedily sucking at the magic to nourish and sustain itself. It is an appetite you now share – your body filled with a constant craving for this raw energy, to fuel your newfound powers.
The druid has the following abilities:
Thorn cage (co + pa): Instead of rolling for a damage score, you can cast thorn cage. It automatically encases one opponent in a cage of thorns, inflicting 1 damage die (ignoring armour). It also inflicts 1 point of damage to the same opponent at the end of each combat round for the duration of the combat. Thorn cage can only be used once per combat.
Ley line infusion (co): Call on the fickle powers of nature to aid you. Instead of rolling for a damage score, roll 1 die. If the result is:
Both you and your opponent take 1 die of damage, ignoring armour. Roll separately for each.
or You are healed for 5 health and your opponent takes 1 die of damage, ignoring armour.
or You are healed for 8 health and your opponent takes 1 die of damage, ignoring armour.
You and an ally are both healed for 8 health and your opponent takes 1 die of damage, ignoring armour.
You can only use ley line infusion once per combat, and you cannot alter the outcome of your die rolls.
When you have updated your hero sheet, turn to 476.
404
Benin strides over to the creature. He makes a quick inspection of the body before turning away in revulsion.
‘Ooh, what is it?’ asks Bea, her voice shrill in the echoing chamber.
‘A dwarf I think,’ replies Ventus, wrinkling his nose. ‘And I suspect he was guarding that . . .’ The monk crosses the room to a large stone casket, set within a circle of runes. They still pulse with a faint glow, but at a gesture from the monk they crackle and spark, and then fade to nothing. ‘This is what Allam was seeking.’ He raises a glowing fist into the air. With a roar, he brings it down hard, shattering the stone lid. ‘Agh, no!’ Ventus suddenly staggers backwards, covering his face.
‘A curse!’ cries Bea, cowering behind her raised arms.
You can feel it from where you are standing. A fierce heat washing through the chamber. But whereas the others seem to be driven back by its intensity, you find yourself unmoved. Instead, you cautiously advance, much to the surprise of Benin.
‘Stay back!’ he cries in warning. ‘The magic . . . it will burn you!’
You are already standing over the casket, looking down at a hammer-shaped object resting on a bed of glowing coals. Somehow you can feel the heat prickling against your skin, but there is no pain. You reach into the casket and take hold of the hammer, your hands settling around the grip. You smell burning flesh as your skin comes into contact with the super-heated metal, but it feels distant – like you are looking down at someone else’s body, not your own. You lift the relic, admiring the intricately carved head-piece.
Suddenly, the panels that encase the head of the relic snap open and a bright white light pours forth, filling the room with dazzling radiance. You lift the object above your head, holding it aloft like a torch, as its light blazes like the heart of a sun.
‘By Judah, it’s the light of the divine!’ gasps Bea, bowing her head with reverence.
Benin seems less sure, squinting as he struggles to focus on the glowing centrepiece. ‘It’s powerful . . . very powerful,’ he remarks. ‘Allam believed it was the key to the forest.’
Ventus removes his cloak, gesturing for you to wrap the relic within its folds. ‘Then the forest is our next destination,’ he asserts. ‘At last, we will finish what Allam started all those years before. Let the One God guide us on the true path.’ (Congratulations, you have retrieved the relic from Duerdoun. Return to the quest map to continue your journey.)
405
You shift position, putting your weight behind the wheel to turn it in the opposite direction. As it revolves, screeching and squealing and setting your teeth on edge, you see that the previous portal has now faded away. There is a repeated series of rumbles followed by a booming thump. Then a different portal appears, this time against the west wall.
Will you:
Step through the magic portal? — 416
Turn the wheel clockwise? — 388
406
Without a second thought, Damaris strides over to the first restraint and brings her staff down hard, shattering it to pieces.
‘Stop!’ Conall looks back over his shoulder, his eyes bulging beneath his protruding brow. ‘The demon is a trickster! Its words are lies!’ He spins on his heel, stalking towards
her.
‘Wait!’ You hurry to head off the warrior, positioning yourself between the two feuding Wiccans. ‘Damaris, wait – there has to be another way?’ you plead.
The witch ignores your protests, continuing to smash through the remaining restraints.
‘You betray me for a demon!’ Conall lifts his runed axes, preparing to strike you out of the way. ‘This is the end of us! The end of you, witch!’ Turn to 393.
407
Your choice was a bad one. The rock monster smashes your soldier to pieces, stomping over the battered remains as it continues to advance. (Remove your soldier from your hero sheet. Then return to 427 to fight this monster yourself.)
408
Legendary monster: The fisher king
The high walls of the gorge amplify the roar of the nearby waterfall, plunging down from out of the mist to crash amongst the boulders and churning, white-frothed water. After hours of trekking in the wretched jungle heat, you are grateful to have found this oasis of life. You throw aside your pack and drop to your knees, cupping your hands in the chill waters and gulping it down as if each swallow could be your last.
After taking your fill, you find yourself studying your reflection. The face staring back is as thin and haggard as when you first fled Durnhollow. You lean closer, pulling away your collar to view the dark patch of blue-black scales. Every day, every hour, there seems to be more of them – spreading over your body like a disease.
You quickly sink your hands into the water, scattering the reflection as you draw more water to your lips.
It is then that you hear the sound . . .
Since trekking through the jungle, you have become accustomed to the noise – the croaking frogs, the hoarse, jabbering shrieks of the monkeys, the incessant buzz of the midges and flies. But occasionally a sound will stand out from the rest, competing for attention.
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