Legion of Shadow

by Michael J. Ward

(feet)

  (main hand: dagger)

  (head)

  +1 speed +1 brawn

  +1 speed +2 brawn

  +1 speed +1 armour

  Determined not to share the same fate, you decide to keep your distance from the strange mushrooms. You quickly cross to the other side of the cave, where you take another tunnel heading north. Turn to 361.

  288

  The coach driver smirks. ‘Look, it’s the count’s orders. He don’t like his guests bringing weapons into the castle. All them dukes and nobles . . . they each got their petty differences. Would be a blood bath if we let ’em all in one room with weapons to hand.’ He nods to his open palms. ‘So, come on, stranger. We don’t want any trouble now, do we?’

  Will you:

  Hand over your weapons? — 294

  Explain that you are no feuding duke? — 332

  Try and leave the castle? — 345

  289

  Martha shakes her head in bewilderment. ‘They . . . they just came alive? I always suspected they were magic . . . but I never expected this.’ She glances down at the squirming babies in her arms. ‘Those turnips were to feed my family. Just think if we had tried to eat them. It’s too horrible to consider!’

  Will you:

  Confess to the truth? — 211

  Leave the hillside and return to Beatrice? — 58

  290

  The hooded man recounts a legend: ‘Two hundred years ago, a crusader came to Tithebury Cross. He had a disease – a terrible affliction; some records say it was the plague. In his fever, he spoke of a book that he was protecting. The village priest did what he could, but the crusader could not be saved. He passed away . . . but not before he implored the priest to obey his final, dying wish: to bury him in the old catacombs beneath the church, with all of his belongings. And so the wish was granted.’

  Fetch walks over to the rusted gate, placing his pale hands against the iron bars. ‘It was many years before the bad things started to happen. The noises, the whispering . . . the dead walking. The land itself had become corrupted.’ He turns to look at you, eyes glinting from beneath the hood. ‘The locals keep this place under lock and key. They fear what lurks in the catacombs beneath their church. The priest put a spell of warding on its door, not to keep the villagers away, but to keep what was inside from getting out. That is where I need you to go. That is where you will find the book!’

  Will you:

  Ask why he can’t get the book himself? — 69

  Ask about a reward? — 57

  291

  You walk over and shake the sleeping man. To your surprise, you discover that he is dead. Blood has congealed on one side of his head, where an ugly gash is visible through his lank, wet hair. You guess that someone was hoping to knock him unconscious, but did a better job of it than they were probably intending. You search the body for some signs of who the traveller might have been. Sadly, there is nothing much of interest – just a purse containing 10 gold crowns and the following items:

  Wayfarer’s ring

  Silver cross

  (ring)

  (necklace)

  +1 brawn

  +1 speed

  Ability: charm

  Ability: heal

  As the traveller no longer has any use for these items, you may take them if you wish. After you have made your choices, you turn back to view your surroundings.

  Will you:

  Search the desk (if you haven’t already)? — 279

  Leave the room? — 349

  292

  ‘My name is Woad,’ says the tree. ‘For fifteen centuries I have been a guardian of this forest, protecting it from those who would bring ill to this land. Once, there was many of us – brothers and sisters of the wood – sworn to guard these borders and keep the land safe. Now there is only me.’

  The tree gives a heavy, rumbling sigh. ‘They are all dead now. Their spirits have flown, leaving bark and branch to wither away. That will be my fate also. My magic wanes and I have not the strength to battle this blight for much longer.’

  Will you:

  Ask what happened to the other trees? — 325

  Put the tree out of its misery and attack? — 331

  Offer to help the tree? — 344

  293

  You enter the arena to face your third opponent. ‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ booms the announcer. ‘It’s time to welcome the pride of the western plains – the one and only, Nalsa the black lion!’

  As the portcullis clatters open, you hear a thunderous roar from within the tunnel. You ready your weapons as the black lion steps out into the arena. It is huge, at least a head taller than yourself, with a thick mane that hangs down over its thickly-muscled shoulders and fore-legs. The beast twists its head, snarling at the jeering crowds. Then, with a roar, the lion bounds towards you, covering the distance in a matter of seconds. You must now fight for your life!

  Special abilities

  Mighty roar: If Nalsa wins two consecutive combat rounds and causes health damage in both rounds, at the start of the third round he issues his mighty roar. This increases his speed and brawn by 4 for the rest of the combat. Nalsa can only use this ability once.

  If you manage to defeat the black lion, turn to 379.

  294

  You grudgingly hand over your weapons. (You must remove your main-hand and left-hand items from your hero sheet and make the necessary adjustments to your attributes. Keep a note of these, as they may be returned to you at a later date.)

  The coach driver grins. ‘Why, you are the obedient little cub, ain’t yer.’ He kicks open the lid of a chest and tosses the items inside, with little regard for their worth or well being. ‘There. They’ll still be waiting for yer if . . .’ He stops mid-sentence to clear his throat. ‘Sorry, when you leave.’ The smirk that settles across his face does little to put you at ease.

  ‘Oi, this way,’ calls the guard. He opens the door and gestures to the passageway beyond. ‘Head down there and take the first door on yer left. Understand?’

  You glower angrily at the two men. This was hardly the warm welcome you had been expecting. ‘Thank you for your . . . generosity, gentlemen.’ You give them both a steely glare, before entering the passageway. Turn to 317.

  295

  You step over the strands of webbing and approach the wriggling bundle. Taking a knife from your backpack, you carefully slice through the silken cords to reveal the inside of the web-like cage. Tangled up in the sticky strands is something large and furry . . . with pointed ears and sharp teeth!

  Backing away, you watch as the creature struggles free of the webbing. It lands on the ground, shaking its black leathery wings. Then its blood-shot eyes fix on you . . . With a deafening screech, the freed creature springs into the air, its fangs reaching for your throat:

  Special abilities

  Bleed: After the batwing makes a successful attack that causes health damage, you must take a further point of damage at the end of each combat round. This damage ignores armour.

  If you defeat the batwing, turn to 120.

  296

  The painted screen depicts a row of brown-robed monks, kneeling in prayer beneath a bright star. Pushing it aside, you enter the small stone chamber beyond. It is semi-circular, with a black door in the middle of the facing wall. Strange glyphs have been carved into the wood, glowing with a faint, white light.

  This must be the door that Fetch spoke of – the one that has been warded to keep the undead from escaping the catacombs. You rummage in your backpack and pull out the scroll of opening. Turn to 197.

  297

  The giant ghoul lies dead at your feet. You may now help yourself to one of the following special rewards:

  Iron-mane

  Silverghast

  Gorgis grip

  (cloak)

  (main hand: dagger)

  (left hand: fist weapon)

  +2 speed +3 armour

  +2 speed +4 magic

  +2 speed +4 brawn
>
  Ability: second skin

  Ability: quicksilver

  Ability: rake

  When you have made your decision, turn to 879.

  298

  Warily, you step through the doorway. If you have the word leader written on your hero sheet, turn to 220. Otherwise turn to 201.

  299

  You are roughly shaken awake. Opening your eyes, you discover Avian leaning over you. ‘What happened?’ he asks tensely. ‘How did you get here?’

  Still groggy with sleep, you allow yourself to be helped into a sitting position. As your surroundings slowly come into focus, you discover that you are still inside the stone chamber. Only metres away is the stepped dais and the strange, magical archway.

  ‘I said, what happened?’ insists Avian, shaking you once again.

  ‘I’m . . . I’m not sure,’ you reply, rubbing your aching head. ‘I remember falling asleep and then I was . . .’

  Suddenly, the archway begins to glow. Avian looks over his shoulder, surprised. ‘What is this? Someone communicating . . .’ He rises to his feet, as a scene slowly starts to form at its centre – a scene of chaos and destruction.

  A grey-bearded man, encased in thick plate armour stands facing you. He looks panicked, as crowds of people race past screaming and calling for help. Behind them you can see towers and buildings on fire – the ground shaking as further explosions rip across the skyline.

  ‘General Ravenwing,’ gasps Avian. ‘What is this? We’re being attacked?’

  ‘It’s an invasion!’ bellows the warrior, raising his shield as shards of rubble shower across the paved street. ‘The shadow gate has been opened. The legion is coming through!’

  Avian runs back and grabs you by the arm, yanking you to your feet. ‘Come on. We need to see what has happened to the city. If Talanost falls I dread to think what will become of us.’ He pushes you roughly through the archway . . .

  In the blink of an eye, you find yourself on the paved street. Behind you, an archway, identical to the one in the stone chamber, is glowing with a pale blue light. Avian steps out of it, a white staff now gripped in his hands.

  You scan your surroundings, staring in wide-eyed horror at the extent of the devastation. The entire city is aflame – most of its once-proud buildings reduced to charred shells of rubble. And hovering above them, framed against the hellish purple skies, is a swarm of creatures, like floating eyeballs with tentacles. From these bulbous orbs, bolts of black fire tear through the remaining buildings, sending stone and rubble flying in all directions.

  ‘Someone opened the shadow gate,’ says Ravenwing, shouting to be heard over the chaos. ‘We think it was one of the magic students at the school. They broke into the reliquary last night.’

  ‘But that’s impossible,’ replies Avian furiously. ‘They would have needed the keystone . . . NO!’ He spins to face you. ‘It can’t have been! I was sure!’

  You back away, momentarily startled.

  ‘But you passed the final test.’ Avian shakes his head in confusion. ‘The magic food . . . it would have poisoned you. How? How did you betray me?’

  ‘Wait!’ you implore hastily. ‘I was made to do it. By this!’ You tug down your sleeve, revealing the branded mark.

  ‘Judah’s light!’ growls Ravenwing, drawing his sword. ‘Avian. What are you doing bringing that here?’

  Before Avian can reply, there are cries of alarm from further down the street. A dishevelled mob of soldiers are spilling out of an alleyway, their armour battered and smoking. Behind them the buildings buckle and shake – and then topple to the ground, as a giant creature stomps through them, snarling with rage. It looks reptilian, with black scales that seem to shimmer in the purple half-light. In one hand it carries a mighty black mace and, in the other, a whip – its length rippling with black fire.

  ‘This is only the start of it,’ cries Avian, raising his staff. ‘Ravenwing, we need to gather the mages from the school. We need to form a perimeter.’

  The general nods. ‘Can they hold against the might of these forces?’

  ‘We don’t have any choice,’ Avian replies. ‘We need to buy time for the king’s army to get here.’ He turns to face you, scowling in disgust. ‘I don’t know who you are or what you have done, but if you have any shred of honour left inside of you, you will do what I ask.’

  You nod frantically, the ground trembling and shaking as the giant behemoth advances towards you.

  ‘Listen to me!’ snaps Avian, gripping your shoulder. ‘Go back to the castle. I need you to find a man. His name is Cornelius, Jenlar Cornelius. If anyone knows how to defeat this foe it is him.’

  Avian presses something into your hand. Looking down, you see that it is a white key. ‘This unlocks the chest at the foot of your bed. Now, go! Cornelius is a hermit – he lives south of the castle, on the edge of Black Marsh. Find him and bring me the information!’

  He pushes you into the glowing portal. A heartbeat later, you are back in the castle chamber. You turn and watch as the giant creature bears down on Avian and Ravenwing. The behemoth gives an eldritch screech, then belches black flame from its nostrils. Avian raises his staff – a white light bursting from the gem in its crook.

  Then the portal flickers and vanishes. The scene is gone . . . and there is silence. Turn to 275.

  300

  As you go to leave, you notice something glimmering beneath the lake. You drop to your knees, brushing away the loose snow, to reveal a gold chest suspended within the ice. If you wish to try and break through the ice and retrieve the chest, turn to 644. Otherwise, return to the quest map to continue your journey.

  301

  You flick through the parchment. Most of the spidery writing is indecipherable, however, a hastily-scrawled drawing of the stone circle grabs your attention. Four words have been written next to it – Malachi, Talos, Allura and Voldring. Each name is ringed in red ink and a single word scribed underneath them. ‘Dangerous.’

  Will you:

  Examine the book? — 115

  Turn your attention back to the stones? — 153

  302

  You rush to attack Lady Roe, while Eldias moves to intercept the baron. The vampiress raises a blood-coated sickle, then gives a hellish ear-splitting screech as she flings herself at you:

  Special abilities

  Blood harvest: Each time you take health damage from Lady Roe, the vampiress can automatically heal 2 health. This cannot take her above her starting health of 50.

  Vampire: You can use your stake and reflect abilities (if you have them) against this opponent.

  (Note: You cannot heal after this combat. You must continue this quest with the health that you have remaining. You may use potions and abilities to heal lost health while you are in combat.)

  If you defeat Lady Roe turn to 455. If you lose the combat turn to 424.

  303

  You deposit the gold in the boy’s cap. He scoops it into his grubby hands, then stuffs it into the pocket of his breeches.

  ‘Well, who was it again?’ he asks, screwing up his face. ‘Ah yeah – Cornelius. Well I told yer I’d tell yer all I know, and it ain’t much. The locals call ’im the marsh man cos he lives out in that ’orrible swamp, all on his own. They say he’s a bit crazy – all that marsh gas gone to his ’ed – but he sees things.’ The boy shivers, clutching his cap to his chest. ‘He knows the future. All of it. Those that find ’im . . . they get their fortunes told. And it ain’t always to their liking.’

  You ask the boy if he knows the current whereabouts of the ‘marsh man’. He shakes his head. ‘Can’t ’elp yer there, mister. I stick to the town, where I knows I can make a decent living.’ He gives you a wink as he slaps his cap back onto his head. ‘Now, you want this tour or what?’

  Will you:

  Agree to take the tour? — 265

  Politely decline and enter the town? — 348

  304

  Exhausted from your trek across the swamp, you are relieved
when the mists finally begin to recede – scattering at the head of a salty sea wind. Through the thinning haze, a dark mangrove of tall trees and straggly vegetation is now revealed.

  As you get closer to the mangrove, the water becomes steadily deeper, until you are wading up to your waist through the stagnant murk. The stilt-like roots of the trees quickly form an infuriating maze, making your progress slow and tiring. Several times you are forced to sink beneath the water and swim, in order to navigate past the thicker, winding roots.

  Eventually, you spy a solid island of reeds and grass. Several clumps of wrinkled, tubular plants are growing along its banks, capped with small black flowers. You assume that these are the black mandrake that Bern spoke of. Quickly, you clamber up onto the hilly mound and tug one of the plants free.

  ‘I hope this was worth it,’ you muse, as you place the plant, complete with its long trailing roots, into your pack. Hoisting the bundle back onto your shoulders, you gaze down at the cold, wet murk of the swamp, and release a heavy sigh. It will be a long and tiring journey back to the wreekin village.

  Suddenly, you are jolted out of your thoughts as the ground shakes violently from side to side. Unable to keep your balance, you fall backwards into the swamp, surfacing just in time to see the hilly mound that you were standing on, rise up into the air. Beneath it, sand and water drain in rivulets across a huge face chiselled into stone; a face that is alive and contorted with rage.

  As the water swells and froths around you, two enormous shoulders and then two vast limbs tear themselves free of the swamp. Frantically, you grab onto the nearest branch and cling on for dear life, while boulder-sized rocks and giant clots of earth rain down from the sky.