Legion of Shadow
Page 10
Regeneration: At the start of each combat round, the troll regains 2 health. Once the troll’s health has been reduced to zero, he cannot heal. (Note: This ability cannot take the troll’s health above his starting value of 60).
If you defeat the troll turn to 122. If you are defeated, you have no choice but to return to the quest map.
157
You sidestep one of the ghouls and rush over to the glyphed door, planting your back against the wall next to it. You remember Fetch mentioning that the ward on the door was used to keep the undead in the catacombs from getting out. Perhaps it will work its magic on these ghouls as well.
Gibbering like hungry hounds, the ghouls spring at you. Your heart skips a beat as you watch the filthy undead creatures hurtle through the air towards you, their clawed hands ready to tear you to pieces . . .
Suddenly, a sizzling bolt of light shoots out from the door, streaking into each of the ghouls in turn. With a howl of pain, the ghouls are sent reeling back into the far wall, their bodies writhing in a crackling white fire. You don’t waste a moment and, taking your weapon, you finish off each of the ghouls in turn, backing away from the charred bodies once your work is done.
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
Pleased at your good fortune, you turn back to the glyphed door. Perhaps the scroll of opening that Fetch gave you will deactivate the glyphs. Turn to 197.
158
Warily, you step through the doorway. If you have the word leader written on your hero sheet, turn to 220. Otherwise turn to 201.
159
‘Hmm, that’s more like it,’ she nods. ‘Now, follow me. I assume you’re capable of that, at least.’ With a swish of her red shawl, the girl turns and heads back into the woods. You bite down on your tongue and follow, reminding yourself that you are here to protect her and return her home safely, no matter how rude and temperamental she is.
You have only gone a little way into the trees, when the ground starts to slope downwards, becoming moist and spongy underfoot. Soon you are squelching through thick mud, the air buzzing with black flies.
‘Just up here,’ says the girl, pushing her way through the low-hanging branches. ‘Findlewort grows in bogs. And this looks just about perfect!’ She stops and points through the tangled undergrowth. Ahead, you see a sludgy-looking mire and at its centre, a small island covered in root-like plants. ‘There they are. Now, go get me some. I just need a little for my potion.’
Eager to get it over with, you push past her and wade into the thick mire – the dirty sludge reaching up to your waist. The girl watches you from the mire’s edge, chewing nervously on a fingernail.
‘Hurry up,’ she shouts. ‘And be careful!’
You reach the island and pull yourself up onto the bank. After taking a moment to catch your breath, you snatch up some of the findlewort and stuff it into your backpack. Just as you are about to slide back into the mire, you notice a series of ripples spreading out across the surface of the water. As you watch, the ripples start to move, forming an arrow-like pattern that is headed straight towards the island.
Suddenly, there is a blinding spray of mud and pondweed as something huge lunges out of the swamp. For a second all you can see is giant teeth and black scales. Then you are frantically fighting for your life:
If you defeat the crocodile, turn to 118.
160
‘You have acted with honour,’ wheezes the undead warrior. ‘And for that you will be rewarded.’ He raises a hand, and suddenly you hear a deep rumbling sound coming from the far side of the chamber. Hurrying around the tomb, you see a hidden panel in the wall slowly revolving to reveal a secret cubby-hole.
‘I asked to be buried with all my belongings,’ says the crusader. ‘Now, choose one of my treasures as a gift.’
You may take one of the following items:
Crusader’s mantle
Crusader’s vestments
(cloak)
(chest)
+1 speed
+1 brawn +1 armour
Ability: charm
Ability: heal
‘I will remain here,’ rasps Valadin Roth. ‘To protect the book from all who would seek to take it. Good luck, it warms my cold heart to know that there are still honourable heroes in this world.’
Thanking the knight, you decide to head out of the catacombs and return to Fetch. You wonder how he will take the news . . . Turn to 146.
161
You step over the dead rats and enter the room. Covering your nose, you quickly rummage amongst the broken furniture and rotting remains. You can take up to two of the following items before the stench forces you to leave:
Ragged boots
Gourd of healing (l use)
Rat-bitten gloves
(backpack)
(backpack)
(gloves)
Perhaps someone can repair these
Use any time in combat to restore 6 health
+1 brawn +1 armour
You may now take the staircase up to the second level (turn to 151) or leave the farm building (return to the quest map).
162
The stadium erupts into deafening applause as you stand over the body of your defeated opponent.
‘I don’t believe it,’ gasps the wizard-announcer, his carpet grinding to a halt in a shower of sparks. ‘Shara Khana is no more . . . we have a new grand champion!’ He throws his arms up into the air, jumping around in glee.
You may now take one of the following items as your reward:
Tiger’s fury
Tiger’s heart
(talisman)
(talisman)
+1 speed
+1 speed
Ability: berserker career
Ability: cat’s speed
(see below)
(requirement: warrior)
If you take the Tiger’s fury talisman and you are a warrior, you may now learn the berserker career (turn to 398 to find out more about your new abilities). When you are ready to continue, turn to 414.
163
The elderly man is visibly shaking, almost on the verge of tears. ‘I told her to keep her mouth shut, I told her! But she never listens to me, never listens to a word I say.’ He grabs your arm, gripping it tightly. ‘You’ve got to believe me. It’s the witch that done it. I saw it all – two days ago, down in the village. The wife, she stood nose to nose with the witch and gave her what for. She only went and accused her, didn’t she – said the witch not doing her job, not doing a thing to help us poor farmers out.’ He looks up, shaking his pitchfork at the blazing hot sky. ‘It’s the heat,’ he whimpers. ‘It’s the darn heat that’s doing us all in. Loosened the wife’s tongue it did, made her say bad things. And the witch – she was furious she was. Never heard a woman go on so . . . said she would put a curse on us. A curse on us all. And she’s gone and bloomin’ done it. Look!’ He pulls on your arm, turning you to face the eerie, mist-laden fields. ‘Tell me, that ain’t natural. That ain’t natural is it? Things have gone all strange. Things ain’t what they meant to be!’
Will you:
Agree to help the farmer? — 139
Ask the farmer about the strange mist? — 31
164
‘Good, good!’ The man reaches into his robes and pulls out a large iron key. He fits it into the heavy padlock and twists it with a loud ‘click’. Removing the lock, he pushes on the gate, which gives a grating squeal as it opens out onto the moonlit expanse of undergrowth and crumbling headstones.
‘Good luck, my friend. And be on your guard. Oh wait . . .’ He puts his hand in a pocket and produces an old, rolled-up piece of parchment. ‘Take this. It is a scroll of o
pening. You will need it to enter the catacombs.’
Make a note of the scroll on your hero sheet (it does not take up backpack space), then turn to 178.
165
‘Shiny fings! Lots and lots of shiny fings. Give it ’ere,’ demands the troll excitedly, holding out one of his big leathery palms. You drop the gold into his hand – then, while he struggles to count it all (‘One and two and three and . . . oh where woz I again?’) you quickly inch past him and hurry across to the other side of the ravine. Turn to 140.
166
The skeletons are quickly reduced to a pile of bones and grave dust. If you wish, you may now take any/all of the following items:
Rusted helm
Dented buckler
(head)
(left hand: shield)
+1 armour
+1 speed +1 armour
Will you:
Take the passageway to the left? — 134
Take the passageway to the right? — 88
167
You manage to beat away the tree roots and grab the footlocker. Bruised and bleeding, you scarper through the remaining roots and make for the safety of the far side of the room. After taking a few moments to recover from your ordeal, you kneel down to inspect the locker. To your annoyance, you discover that it is locked.
If you have a grime-coated key turn to 74. Otherwise, you are unable to open the sturdy locker and must now discard it. You leave the room via the archway, turn to 154.
168
The trail meanders south and, to your relief, you find that it takes you out of the tight press of trees into wide, golden meadows and hills carpeted with hawthorn and blackberry.
At last, you come to the end of the trail, which leads up to the gate of a small thatched cottage. Everything about the place seems homely, from the neatly-tended garden to the white picket fence.
You walk up to the red front door and give several loud knocks.
‘Who is it?’ calls a high-pitched voice from inside. You state your name and explain that the woodsman sent you. ‘Lovely. Just lift up the latch and walk right in!’
You lift the latch and push open the door. Turn to 184.
169
The door opens a few inches, before it jams against something resting behind it. Peering through the gap, you see a number of objects piled up against the door, forming a barricade. To push it aside you will need to pass a brawn challenge.
Brawn
Barricade
11
If you are successful, you can enter the room (turn to 180). Otherwise, you may explore the room at the end of the hall (turn to 158) or leave the farm (return to the quest map).
170
There is a bright flash – then you find yourself back on the hillside. ‘Master! Master!’ The bird is hopping around the body of the scholar, who is now lying on the grass, right next to his backpack. With a groan, he sits up and rubs his head.
‘Wha . . .what happened?’ he asks.
The bird gives a warbling cry of joy. ‘Look! He’s alive!’
The man pushes himself onto his feet, swaying for a moment as he regains his balance. ‘By the heavens, I don’t know what happened. I just touched a stone and . . .’ He notices you and scratches his brow. ‘Do . . . do I know you? I’m Perinold, I think. Yes . . . Perinold.’
‘The magnificent!’ injects the bird, strutting around proudly. ‘Now, master, you should thank this adventurer for saving your life. You were a goner there – of that I am sure.’
Still a little befuddled by his experience, Perinold puts a hand to his belt and unfastens a pouch of money. ‘If my faithful bird speaks the truth, then I owe you a debt of gratitude. Please take this.’ He hands you the pouch. You accept it gratefully, before bidding the scholar (and his bird) farewell. You have gained 20 gold crowns and the following rewards:
Perinold’s hipflask (1 use)
Scholars’ circle
(backpack)
(ring)
Use any time in combat to boost your magic score by 2 for one combat round
Special ability: eureka
Return to the map to continue your adventure.
171
The flooded tunnel forms a narrow-sided chute, which suddenly flings you out into nothingness. For several desperate seconds you are in freefall, then you plunge into a deep pool of freezing-cold water.
You propel yourself back to the surface, to find yourself in a flooded cave. The walls are covered in thick clumps of glowing fungi, their phosphorescent light giving your surroundings an eerie, otherworldly glow.
You spot a muddy bank and swim towards it, pulling yourself up out of the pool. It is then that you notice the sparkling, glittering strands covering the nearby wall of the cave. As you lean back, tilting your head to take in the sight, you realise that it is a large web, and it is covering the only exit from the cave.
Will you:
Search the cave? — 193
Attempt to cut through the webbing? — 189
172
As Avian strides into the dining hall, the torches along the walls light up one by one, throwing their warm glow on the magnificent oak table that stretches the whole length of the room. Without slowing his pace, Avian clicks his fingers and there is a ‘whoosh’ as a wave of showering sparks washes across the table’s surface. You blink in surprise as the once empty table is suddenly filled with an immense feast. There are platters of roasted meats, a greased suckling pig, bowls of grapes and berries, mountains of cake and sweetbreads. It is like something from a child’s fairytale.
‘Please, I hope you will forgive the magic food,’ says Avian, gesturing for you to take a seat on one of the high-backed chairs. ‘It doesn’t taste as good as the real thing, but it does save on kitchen staff.’
Eagerly, you slip into the chair and begin helping yourself to a plate of honey-roasted beef. Avian watches you with a smile. ‘I see you are hungry. Good. Enjoy the feast.’ He turns and heads back up the hall, towards a side door.
‘You aren’t joining me?’ you ask in surprise – your mouth already full of food.
‘I have some small matters to attend to,’ says Avian. ‘Please, eat your fill and then retire to your room. Just take those stairs up to the tower room.’ He waves a hand towards an archway at the end of the hall. ‘We will talk in the morning. Farewell.’
Once Avian has left, you tuck into the rest of the feast, amazed by the rich and succulent flavours of the food. Soon, you are leaning back in your chair, surrounded by piles of empty plates and platters. After pouring yourself another goblet of mead, you decide to head to your room – a large, circular chamber at the top of one of the towers. Surprised by how tired you suddenly feel, you find yourself making a beeline for the comfy-looking four-poster bed. Within minutes you are fast asleep. Turn to 252.
173
To push aside the heavy stone lid, you must pass a brawn challenge.
Brawn
Tomb lid
8
If you are successful, turn to 112. Otherwise, you are forced to leave the tomb and take the passageway deeper into the catacombs. Turn to 1.
174
The ratling lies dead at your feet. You search the body and find 5 gold crowns. You may also take any/all of the following items:
Leader’s edge
Studded leather
(main hand: sword)
(chest)
+1 speed +1 brawn
+2 armour
You may now:
Search the rest of the room — 251
Leave the farm — Return to the map
175
‘Wait up, wait up!’ There is a thump as the man knocks his head on the underside of the table. ‘Ugh, third time in as many minutes.’ Rubbing his forehead, the man stands and holds out his hand. You shake it warmly, asking him what he has for sale.
‘I’m a tinker,’ says the man, stepping back and taking a bow. ‘I find things and I repair them. Let’s see . . . you look like the advent
uring sort. Guess I might have some armour you might like. Not the good stuff, like what those mighty inquisitors wear. Although,’ he makes a point of eyeing up your current equipment, ‘beggars can’t be choosers, can they?’
He spreads out a choice of objects on the table. You may purchase any of the following, for 20 gold crowns each:
Notched blade
Simple coif
Buckled boots
(main hand: sword)
(head)
(feet)
+1 speed +1 brawn
+1 brawn +1 armour
+1 speed +1 brawn
‘If yer got any bits and pieces on you, I may be able to knock something special together for you,’ says the tinker.
If you have a damaged shield and crocodile skin — 191
Otherwise, you thank the tinker and leave — 46
176
You decide not to risk exploring the flooded tunnel. Planting your feet against the nearest wall, you push yourself upwards, swimming back towards the surface of the pool. At last, you break out of the water, coughing and spluttering for air. Wet and tired, you drag yourself onto dry land and rest. When you have finally recovered, you retrieve your torch and return to the first junction, choosing to take the other tunnel westwards. Write the word torch on your hero sheet, then turn to 103.