The Eye of Winter's Fury

by Michael J. Ward

Savage call (co): Instead of rolling for a damage score, you can utter a savage call. This will automatically raise your brawn score by 2 for the remainder of the battle.

  Savagery (mo): You may raise your brawn score by 2 for one combat round. You can only use savagery once per combat.

  Scarlet strikes (dm): Automatically inflict damage equal to the brawn of your main hand and left hand weapons to all remaining opponents, ignoring armour. Scarlet strikes can only be used once per combat.

  Sear (mo): Add 1 to the result of each die you roll for your damage score for the duration of the combat. (Note: if you have multiple items with sear, you can still only add 1 to the result.)

  Shackles (sp): (see webbed). You can only use shackles once per combat.

  Shadow thorns (dm): Summon barbed roots to rip and tear at your opponents. This causes 1 die of damage to each opponent (roll once and apply the same damage to each). Shadow thorns can only be used once per combat.

  Shape shift (co): Instead of rolling for a damage score, you can let Nanuk take full control of your body, shape shifting into a bear. This raises your brawn by 3 and restores 4 health but also lowers your armour to zero for the remainder of the combat. While in bear form, you cannot use combat abilities but you do benefit from blood frenzy. Once you have shape shifted, you cannot change back until the combat is over.

  Shatter (co): If your damage score causes health damage to your opponent, you can also shatter them. This reduces their armour by 2 for the remainder of the combat. You can only use shatter once per combat.

  Shock blast (co): (see revenge). You can only use shock blast once per combat.

  Shoulder charge (co): Use the result of one of your speed dice for your damage score (adding your brawn or magic as normal). This ability can only be used once per combat.

  Sidestep (co): (see dodge). You can only use sidestep once per combat.

  Sideswipe (co): (see retaliation). You can only use sideswipe once per combat.

  Silver frost (mo): Use silver frost to ‘freeze’ your opponent’s attack speed result, forcing them to use the same dice result in the next combat round. You can only use silver frost once per combat.

  Siphon (pa): All of your opponent’s results become a when rolling for their damage score.

  Sixth sense (mo): (see watchful). You can only use sixth sense once per combat.

  Skewer (co): Instead of rolling for a damage score, you can skewer your opponents. Roll 1 damage die and apply the result to each of your opponents, ignoring their armour. This also lowers their speed by 1 for the next combat round. You can only use skewer once per combat.

  Slam (co): Use this ability to stop your opponent rolling for damage when they have won a round. In the next combat round only, your opponent’s speed is reduced by 1. You can only use this ability once per combat.

  Sneak (mo): You may change the result of one of your opponent’s speed dice to a . This ability can only be used once per combat.

  Sound the charge! (sp + co): (requires a horn in the left hand) Roll an extra die for your attack speed. If you win the combat round, you may also roll an extra die for your damage score. This ability can only be used once per combat.

  Spin shot (co): This ability inflicts 2 damage dice to your opponent, ignoring armour – plus 1 extra die for every speed point difference you have over your opponent in this round. You can only use this ability once per combat.

  Spirit breaker (co): Once you have successfully used take the bait, you can play a spirit breaker. This can be used in any subsequent combat round instead of rolling for a damage score. This inflicts three damage dice, ignoring armour, and reduces your opponent’s armour by 2 for the remainder of the combat. This ability can only be used once per combat.

  Spirit call (co + pa): Instead of rolling for a damage score after winning a round, you can summon a bear spirit to fight by your side. The bear spirit causes 2 damage at the end of each combat round to one nominated opponent. This ability can only be used once per combat.

  Splinters (co): (see cleave). You can only use splinters once per combat.

  Shatter (co): If your damage score causes health damage to your opponent you can shatter them. This lowers their armour to zero for the next combat round only. You can only use shatter once per combat.

  Stampede (co): Instead of rolling for a damage score, you can summon a stampede! Choose an opponent on the combat list – they immediately take 3 damage dice, ignoring armour. The next opponent below them on the combat list takes 2 damage dice, and any remaining opponents below them on the list take 1 damage die, ignoring armour. This ability can only be used once per combat.

  Sure edge (mo): If your hero is equipped with an axe, sword, dagger or spear, you can use sure edge. This adds 1 to each die you roll for your damage score for the duration of the combat.

  Sweet spot (pa): Before a combat begins, choose a number 1–6. Each time your opponent rolls this number, they automatically take 2 damage.

  Tactical manoeuvres (co): If your transport has a speed of 5 or greater, you may use tactical manoeuvres. This allows you to avoid taking damage from your opponent/s in a single combat round and increases your hero’s speed by 2 for the next combat round only. This ability can only be used once per combat.

  Take the bait (co): (see entry 382 for full description.) This ability can only be used once per combat.

  Thorn armour (co): Use this ability to raise your armour by 3 for one combat round. It also inflicts 1 damage die, ignoring armour, to all your opponents (roll once and apply the same damage to each opponent). This ability can only be used once per combat.

  Thorns (pa): You automatically inflict 1 damage to all of your opponents, at the end of every combat round. This ability ignores armour.

  Tormented soul (mo): You may sacrifice 4 health to instantly restore a speed or combat ability that you have already used. This ability can only be used once per combat.

  Torrent (mo): When using cleave, lash or shadow thorns, you can roll two damage dice instead of one. This ability can only be used once per combat.

  Trickster (mo): You may swap one of your opponent’s speed dice for your own. You can only use trickster once per combat.

  Twin blade (co): Use instead of rolling for a damage score to inflict the total of your attack speed dice to two opponents, ignoring their armour (they must be next to each other on the combat list). This ability can only be used once per combat.

  Unstoppable (mo): When an opponent wins a combat round, you may spend 5 health to automatically win it back and roll for damage. You can only use unstoppable once per combat.

  Upper hand (dm): You automatically win the next combat round (without needing to roll for attack speed). Upper hand can only be used once per combat.

  Vanish (co): (see Dodge). Use vanish to turn invisible for several seconds, avoiding your opponent’s damage. You can only use vanish once per combat.

  Veiled strike (pa): Each time you use evade, sidestep or vanish in a combat you can immediately inflict 1 damage die to a chosen opponent, ignoring armour.

  Venom (pa): Your opponent loses 2 health at the end of every combat round for the remainder of the combat. This ability ignores armour.

  Vital artery (co + pa): Instead of rolling for a damage score after winning a round, you can use vital artery. This inflicts 1 damage die to a single opponent, ignoring armour, and does a further 1 point of damage at the end of each combat round for the duration of the combat. You can only use this ability once per combat.

  Vortex (co): Instead of rolling for a damage score, you can cast vortex – a spinning whirlwind of dark energy. At the start of each subsequent combat round, roll a die. On a or result, you have been hit by the vortex and must lose 2 health. A result of or higher, each opponent is hit instead and must lose 2 health. Once cast, the vortex stays in play for the rest of the combat. The die result cannot be modified.

  Warg strike (co): Instead of rolling for a damage score you can go for the jugular by casting warg strike! Roll 1
die to determine the outcome. On a or result, your opponent takes 2 damage dice, ignoring armour. or , your opponent takes 3 damage dice, ignoring armour. or , your opponent takes 3 damage dice and must take an extra 1 damage at the end of every combat round for the duration of the combat. You can only use this ability once per combat.

  Watchful (mo): Use any time in combat to change an opponent’s result to a . You can only use this ability once per combat.

  Wave (co): Assault your enemies with a wave of psychic energy. This does damage equal to your current magic score, ignoring armour. You can proportion this damage amongst any/all of your opponents, but no single opponent can take more than half of your magic score, rounding up. You can only use wave once per combat

  Weaver (pa): Each time you play a combat ability, you may heal 2 health.

  Webbed (sp): This ability reduces the number of dice your opponent can roll for attack speed by 1, for one combat round only. You can only use this ability once per combat.

  Wind chill (pa): Each time you play a speed ability, all opponents must automatically take 2 damage ignoring armour.

  Windblast (sp): (See webbed.) You can only use windblast once per combat.

  Windfall (co): When your opponent’s damage score causes health damage, you can use windfall to restore one speed ability that you have already used. You can only use windfall once per combat.

  Wither (co): Instead of rolling for a damage score, you can cast wither. This inflicts 2 damage dice to a single opponent, ignoring armour. It also reduces their brawn or magic score by 1 for the remainder of the combat. You can only use wither once per combat.

  Also by Michael J. Ward from Gollancz:

  The Legion of Shadow

  The Heart of Fire

  Copyright

  A Gollancz eBook

  Copyright © Michael J. Ward 2014

  All rights reserved

  The right of Michael J. Ward to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  First published in Great Britain in 2014 by

  Gollancz

  The Orion Publishing Group Ltd

  Orion House

  5 Upper St Martin’s Lane

  London, WC2H 9EA

  An Hachette UK Company

  This eBook first published in 2014 by Gollancz.

  A CIP catalogue record for this book

  is available from the British Library

  ISBN 978 0 575 09575 5

  Typeset by Input Data Services Ltd, Bridgwater, Somerset

  All characters and events in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor to be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  www.destiny-quest.com

  www.orionbooks.co.uk