Legion of Shadow

by Michael J. Ward

  Like a hero returning from a grand crusade, you are carried back into Tithebury Cross, where the Speaker is waiting for you on the steps of the village hall. He is rubbing his hands together in glee.

  After being lowered to the ground, you drop the crone’s head at his feet. ‘You have served me well,’ he grins, his gaunt features looking particularly skull-like in the flickering torchlight. ‘This is a great victory.’ He removes the money pouch from his belt and hands it to you. (You have gained 30 gold crowns).

  ‘A drink!’ roars a nearby villager. A drink for our hero!’

  You soon find yourself in the crowded tap room of the ‘Pie and Blackbird’, its walls resounding with song and merriment. As you recount your tale of heroism to the spellbound audience, you notice the village priest watching you from the doorway. He shakes his head sadly, then turns and leaves.

  ‘Come on!’ insists one of the farmers. ‘What did you do next?’

  A fresh mug of ale is placed in your hands and within minutes you are back to sharing your impressive tale: ‘Now, did I tell you the bit about the toad?’

  Your quest is now complete. Return to the map to continue your adventure.

  90

  The passageway ends in a rectangular chamber, its walls lined with cobwebbed recesses. Within each one you can see piles of bones and skulls, glinting in the yellowy-green light that seeps from the cracked flagstones. Across the other side of the chamber, two passageways lead off into deeper sections of the catacombs.

  As you step into room, you notice two decayed skeletons, leaning against the left-hand wall. Sensing your presence, they immediately jerk into life, raising their rusty swords and shields. With slow, faltering steps the skeletons amble towards you. You must now fight:

  Special abilities

  Body of bone: The skeletons are immune to bleed and venom.

  If you defeat the skeletons, turn to 166.

  91

  You have defeated Spindle, the queen of spiders. You may now take one of the following rewards:

  Venomous fang

  Spindlesilk mantle

  Spindle’s eye

  (main hand: dagger)

  (chest)

  (talisman)

  +1 brawn

  +1 magic +1 armour

  +1 speed

  Ability: venom

  Ability: spindlesilk set

  Ability: charm

  If you previously set fire to the web, turn to 270. Otherwise, turn to 48.

  92

  ‘So be it,’ says the witch, with a hint of regret. ‘You are not the first, and certainly won’t be the last, to underestimate an old lady.’ She raises her hands, and green lightning begins to flicker and crackle along the lengths of her wrinkled fingers. ‘Can we do this quickly?’ she insists. ‘There is a mob on their way here, and I must be gone from this place.’

  Special abilities

  Warts and all: At the end of each combat round, roll a die. If the result is athen the witch has temporarily transformed you into a warty toad! As a toad, you can only roll 1 die to determine your attack speed at the start of the next combat round.

  If you defeat the witch, turn to 155.

  93

  The moment you step within range of the roots, they immediately come alive, whipping and thrashing through the air. To reach the footlocker you will have to fight your way past:

  You may leave the combat at any time by simply moving out of range of the roots. If you take this option, then you leave the room via the archway, turn to 154. Otherwise, if you defeat the tree roots turn to 167.

  94

  The elemental crackles and hisses, then is extinguished, becoming little more than a wisp of cloudy smoke. As you waft it away, your eyes settle on a door at the far side of the room. It swings open and the weather wizard emerges, tugging nervously at his white beard. After quickly scanning the room, he gives a hoot of laughter.

  ‘At last! At last! You did it!’ He rushes over and grabs you by the hand, shaking it so hard, you fear it may come off. ‘Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!’ he cries.

  You ask the wizard to explain what happened. ‘It was my rainmaker,’ he says, rummaging through a pile of scorched papers. ‘A-ha, here it is.’ He picks up two pieces of charred wood. ‘It got struck by lightning, right here in my tower. Broke in two, and released the water spirit that was trapped inside. The dratted thing went crazy – it was uncontrollable, so I had no choice but to shut myself away, in my upper rooms. Been stuck there for weeks now, living off magic bread. Have you ever tasted magic bread?’ He sticks out his tongue, pulling a disgusted face. ‘Horrible! Horrible!’

  You tell the wizard that the local farms have been suffering because of the heat. The wizard nods. ‘Yes, yes. I have been observing the weather – my speciality you see.’ He taps his nose in a knowing fashion. ‘That weather isn’t normal . . . some magic behind it I’m guessing, although why anyone would want to cause a drought, I just can’t fathom.’ He eyes the two broken ends of his staff thoughtfully. ‘Hmm. I need a new rainmaker. Well, no time like the present. Come on, let’s get cracking!’ Turn to 81.

  95

  Ignoring the girl’s protests, you race into the trees, in pursuit of the goblin. It isn’t long before you realise the foolishness of your decision. The undergrowth is thick and knotted, pulling and clawing at your clothes. Floundering onwards, you try your best to keep up with the fleeing goblin but it is soon lost from sight.

  Scratched and bleeding, you head back to the clearing. When you re-emerge from the trees, you see the girl watching you with an amused expression.

  ‘Well that was very brave of you, wasn’t it?’ she says in a mocking tone. ‘Leave a poor defenceless girl behind while you go playing off in the woods. Now, do something smart for once and get me down. NOW!’ Turn to 21.

  96

  You approach the door to the farmhouse, stepping over the straggly weeds and vines that snake across the cracked stone path. Trying the handle, you discover that it is locked. To break down the door, you must pass a brawn challenge.

  If you are successful, turn to 119. If you fail, you are left with no choice but to leave the farm and return to the road. Return to the quest map.

  97

  Boss: Bridge troll

  At the southern edge of Tithebury, the quiet woods and meadows give way to dusty, boulder-strewn slopes and craggy cliffs. After several tiring hours of navigating the maze-like valleys, you finally arrive at a wide ravine. You walk up to the edge and tentatively peer over the side of the vertiginous drop. Below there is nothing but clouds and water vapour, thrown up from the numerous waterfalls, which spill into the sheer precipice.

  The only way across the ravine is by way of a rickety old rope bridge. With no other choice, you cautiously step out onto the bridge, clutching the sides for support as it sways alarmingly. After taking a deep breath, you begin to cross.

  You have just passed the halfway point when you spot something clambering up the far side of the ravine. It moves quickly, using its long, muscled arms to pull itself onto the bridge.

  You realise that this must be the troll the locals told you about; the one that guards the pass. It advances towards you, the bridge creaking and swaying with each heavy footstep. Standing a head taller than a man, the creature’s leathery skin is brown and mottled, its face little more than an enormous snout, protruding between two yellowed tusks. As the troll nears, your attention focuses on the large, mean-looking club it is now tugging free from its belt.

  ‘Oi you,’ says the troll, stopping several paces in front of you. ‘To cross da bridge ya gotta give me forty of those shiny fings or I gonna clobber ya. What’s it to be?’

  Will you:

  Pay gold to cross the bridge? — 135

  Attack the troll? — 156

  98

  You push aside the lid – the chamber echoing with the sound of grating stone. As you lean over the tomb to look inside, a rotted, skeletal hand suddenly shoots out of the d
arkness, grabbing you around the throat. Gasping for breath, you jerk backwards – your sudden movement snapping the hand from its limb. There is a wheezing cry from inside the tomb as something bangs and rattles to get free.

  You rip the still-twitching hand from your throat, throwing it away with disgust. As you ready for battle, you watch as a mould-covered skeleton lurches out of the tomb. In its remaining hand it grips a mighty, rune-etched sword, its glowing blade untarnished by the rot and mould that seems to permeate every other surface of this room.

  Clad in little more than a tattered cloak and some mildewed rags, the ancient warrior stumbles towards you, its mouldy bones creaking in their sockets. You must now fight:

  Special abilities

  Body of bone: The knight is immune to bleed and venom.

  If you are victorious, turn to 222.

  99

  This is your opportunity to choose the path you wish to follow – the warrior, the mage or the rogue. The warrior is a master of weapons and armour. Although slow in combat, the warrior compensates for this with a hardy endurance and mighty strength. If you have a high brawn or armour score, then the path of the warrior could be for you. If, on the other hand, you have a high magic score, then you may favour the path of the mage – mastering arcane magics to smite your foes or impede their abilities. Finally, the rogue is the master of speed and deception. Whilst weak and vulnerable in longer fights, the rogue excels in exploiting weaknesses and avoiding damage. If you have a high speed and brawn score, then the path of the rogue may be a wise choice.

  Will you:

  The path of the warrior? — 214

  The path of the mage? — 256

  The path of the rogue? — 250

  100

  You quickly search through your pack, rooting around for the scroll. Just as you are about to tug it free, the ghouls are upon you, jabbering and howling with glee. You have no choice but to battle these three deadly opponents:

  Special abilities

  Piercing claws: The ghouls’ attacks ignore armour.

  If you manage to defeat the ghouls, turn to 127.

  101

  You grab the last of the witch’s spell books and place them inside the open sack. She looks at you in surprise, then offers you a smile. ‘Thank you,’ she says. ‘You have a kind heart.’ After tying up the sack, you help the witch to load her belongings onto the horse. In the distance you can hear the jeering crowd, advancing through the woods.

  ‘I must go,’ says the witch, hoisting herself into the saddle. ‘My time here is at an end.’ She leans over to you, beckoning you closer. ‘Listen to me. The Speaker is a changeling. He is the one responsible for the villagers’ woes. He is the one that has brought the goblins here – and the dark things of the underworld. It has taken me many years to track down that demon-spawn. Now that I know the true nature of its form, it wants me dead.’ She reaches into the pocket of her dress and pulls out a small phial. Inside the glass casing is a clear, blue liquid. ‘If this potion comes into contact with its skin, it will reveal the changeling for what it truly is.’

  You take the vial and thank the witch. She places a hand on your shoulder and whispers something – a blessing perhaps – then she kicks the flanks of her gelding and gallops away. As the angry mob descend on the clearing, you decide to make your own speedy retreat, back to the village. Turn to 142.

  102

  Avian takes the letter of introduction and studies it thoughtfully. ‘Ah yes, the graduate from the academy. How splendid. I have been expecting you.’ He rolls up the parchment and gestures towards the courtyard. ‘I am anticipating great things from you. Shall we get started and see what you are capable of?’ As you move forward, he stops you, placing a hand on your arm. ‘Although, I should warn you. Honesty is one of the traits I value highly in my apprentice.’ Turn to 126.

  103

  You make your way carefully down the passage, avoiding the deadly puddles of white gooey acid. After several minutes, you come to a junction – the passageway splitting into tunnels to the north and south. To the north, there has evidently been a cave-in, as the tunnel is blocked by rubble and stone. To the south, you notice the tunnel walls are glistening with big, fresh dollops of white goo. As the north tunnel is impassable, you decide to head south. Turn to 273.

  104

  Martha removes a ring from her finger and offers it out to you.

  ‘Thank you, for all that you have done,’ she says. ‘I want you to take this. It is my wedding band. No – please, don’t look so shocked. It hasn’t brought me much luck in this life. Perhaps it will give you better fortune.’

  You may take:

  Widow’s band

  (ring)

  +1 magic

  Ability: heal

  You thank Martha for the kind gift and then you both leave the cottage. Return to the map to continue your journey.

  105

  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 in a flooded cave, its oily black waters lapping around your waist. At the centre of the cave is an island, illuminated by a shaft of pale green light. Its radiance outlines the figure of a woman, dressed in a trailing gown of weeds and lilies. Her emerald eyes watch you intently.

  ‘You trespass in the halls of ancient kings,’ booms a deep voice, from somewhere above. ‘Many have come here. All have failed. Fight my champions and prove your worth.’

  The woman draws a leaf-shaped sword from her belt, its blade flickering with magic. Patiently she waits for you. With few other options, you wade through the water and drag yourself up onto the island. The woman smiles and nods, then rushes to attack:

  Special abilities

  Healing touch: At the end of each combat round, Allura heals 2 health. Once her health has been reduced to zero, she cannot heal.

  If you are defeated, you find yourself back on the hilltop, turn to 153. If you defeat Allura, her body turns to water vapour, which drifts away across the cavern. On the spot where she was standing, you find a small stone rune with three wavy lines cut into its surface. If you take the Rune of Allura, 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.

  106

  It is a miracle, but you managed to defeat the three ghouls. You may now take any/all of the following items:

  Grave dust ring

  Ghoul hair

  Ghoul claw

  (ring)

  (backpack)

  (left hand: dagger)

  +1 brawn

  This may come in useful one day

  +1 speed +1 brawn

  Ability: piercing

  You decide not to risk the stairs in the pitch blackness, so you decide to head back to the pulpit and investigate the room behind the painted screen. Turn to 296.

  107

  The target dummy is soon reduced to a pile of straw and sack cloth. Avian claps his hands as he walks over.

  ‘Impressive, very impressive. I see much potential in you.’ He snaps his fingers and a sword flies out from one of the racks, landing in his outstretched hand. ‘Now, fight me,’ he says, raising his sword. ‘And I’ll teach you how to become an even better fighter.’ Turn to 99.

  108

  ‘Ah yes,’ grins the witch. ‘You might have got me there. That woman was as heartless as they come. Although, I never thought she would go through with her plan. Beatrice was fond of her social standing in the community. She would never have risked been seen performing such a deed.’ The old woman’s eyes sparkle with mischief. ‘I suppose she must have found someone who was . . . hmm, less concerned with such things.’ She gives you a knowing wink and then returns to her packing.

  Will you:

  Accuse the witch of another crime? — 113

  Attack the witch? — 137

  Help her to escape? — 101

  109

  ‘I feared you would say tha
t,’ the old warrior wheezes. He reaches down to the scabbard at his waist and pulls loose his great, two-handed sword. ‘It gives me no pleasure to take your life,’ he rasps, shambling towards you. ‘Although, your death will at least provide me with some company in this dark place.’

  You must fight:

  Special abilities

  Faithful duty: For everythat Valadin rolls, he automatically heals 2 health. This ability cannot take him above his starting score of 35.

  Body of bone: Valadin is immune to bleed and venom.

  If you manage to defeat the undead crusader, turn to 123.

  110

  You provide the clothier with the ragged boots and a length of spindlesilk (deduct these two objects from your hero sheet). Using these materials, the clothier creates the following item, which you may now take:

  Spindlesilk boots

  (feet)

  +1 speed +1 magic

  Ability: spindlesilk set

  If you do not want the item, then the clothier agrees to pay you 20 gold crowns for the garment. Once you have made your choice, turn to 68 to look at more of the clothier’s items, or turn to 46 to leave.

  111

  Quest: The black book

  Night has fallen; the full moon shines brilliantly against a cloudless backdrop of stars. As you hurry along the rutted lane towards the welcoming lights of Tithebury Cross, you find yourself pausing outside the graveyard. A wooden sign has been tied to the old, rusted gate. It reads simply: DANGER. KEEP OUT. Peering through the spike-topped railing, you see a dark hill, tangled and overgrown with weeds. It leads up to a steepled church, standing silent and forgotten on the hill.