Legion of Shadow

by Michael J. Ward

  You must now fight this deadly adversary:

  Special abilities

  Charge: Zen can roll 3 dice for speed in the first round of combat. He is immune to any abilities that reduce his speed dice for this first round.

  Trample: If Zen gets awhen rolling for his damage score, your hero is trampled under the beast’s mighty hooves. This adds an extra 5 to Zen’s damage score.

  If you defeat Zen, turn to 216.

  383

  You start to pull back your sleeve, to reveal the mark, but the queen recoils, looking fearful for the first time. ‘Please, I do not need to see it. I feel its presence and it is a dark thing. That is why I would ask that you leave our lands. I will not have the taint of shadow here.’

  ‘But what is it?’ you implore, anger edging into your voice. ‘I don’t remember anything. I woke with this on my arm – and since then, everyone has judged me, the moment they see it.’

  The queen raises an eyebrow. ‘Yes, unfortunate – or perhaps fortunate that your past has been taken from you. That mark is what all the shadowborn carry. It means that you obey the legion and would give your life for it. It also grants you many powers, although I imagine these are now forgotten to you.’

  It takes several moments for the queen’s words to sink in. ‘Wait – I am to obey the legion. You mean, I am just like those things I saw in the city – the monsters that came through the shadow gate? Are you saying that this mark on my arm . . . makes me a monster?’

  The queen looks you straight in the eye. ‘I don’t see a monster standing before me. You saved my life and the dryad grove. You are only a monster, shadow walker, if you choose to become one.’

  To ask the queen another question, turn to 376. Otherwise turn to 336.

  384

  The barman looks busy, scurrying from one end of the bar to the other. When you finally manage to grab his attention, he hurries over, rubbing his hands on his greasy apron. ‘What yer want?’ he asks gruffly.

  Will you:

  Ask about Jenlar Cornelius? — 411

  Ask if there is any work going? — 420

  Ask about local rumours? — 378

  Turn your attention back to the taproom? — 404

  385

  You silence the vampire with a killing blow, watching as the giant man topples backwards, his body exploding into plumes of black ash as he hits the ground.

  Baron Greylock has been defeated. You may now take one of the following items:

  Cloak of white winter

  Winter’s bite

  Baron’s boots

  (cloak)

  (main hand: axe)

  (feet)

  +1 speed +2 brawn

  +2 speed +2 brawn

  +1 speed +1 armour

  Ability: piercing

  Ability: bleed

  Ability: dominate

  (requirement: warrior)

  Eldias is still sparring with his foe, agilely dodging the vampire’s attacks. She makes a hasty lunge, throwing herself off balance. Eldias takes the opportunity to dart over to a broken table. Ripping one of the wooden legs free, he makes several cutting motions with his sword. A second later, he is holding up a sharp-ended stake. As Lady Roe clambers to her feet, hissing and spitting like a venomous snake, Eldias throws back his arm and hurls the stake straight through her heart. The vampire’s horrified scream is cut short as she disintegrates into a fine black dust.

  Eldias sheathes his sword and flashes you a cocky smile. ‘Now that, my friend, is how you do it in style.’

  You can’t help but marvel at the man’s self-assured skill. He makes killing these deadly foes look like child’s play. It seems you are not the only one to appreciate his performance.

  ‘Bravo!’

  The sound of clapping forces you to turn. The count is standing amidst the wreckage of his hall, watching you both with dark, hungry eyes. At his side stand two guards, dressed in heavy chain mail armour.

  ‘It is time,’ hisses the count, his lips curling back over his fanged teeth, ‘for you to die.’ Turn to 392.

  386

  You nervously pace up and down, waiting to be called into the pit. Through the portcullis grill, you can see the wizard zipping around the crowded stalls, performing his pre-match warm-up. Finally, you hear your name called, and the portcullis rattles open. Taking a deep breath, you walk out into the pit to be greeted by a tumultuous roar from the crowds.

  The opposing portcullis lifts open and, for the first time, you glimpse the other fighter. It is a woman, dressed in black leathers. As she steps out into the murky light, you give a gasp of astonishment. Instead of a human face, the woman has the striped head of a tiger. You notice that she carries no weapons on her person, only vicious claws that protrude from her tiger-like paws.

  ‘Ladies and gentlemen, this distinguished fighter needs no introduction. Hailing from the steamy jungles of Terrall, we have the heart of darkness itself . . . the savage, the deadly and the ever-so-slightly sexy, Shara Khana!’

  The crowd cheer and stamp their feet as the woman takes a bow. ‘I am Shara Khana,’ she announces with pride. ‘And no man, woman or beast, has ever bested me in combat.’ She turns to face you, her piercing, lambent eyes filled with a hungry malice. ‘Such a hapless cur. I look forward to feasting on your still-beating heart!’ With astonishing speed, the tigress springs towards you, her sharp claws fully extended to rip and rend.

  It is time to battle your toughest foe yet:

  Special abilities

  Cat’s speed: Shara Khana rolls 3 dice to determine her attack speed. Your hero’s special abilities can be used to reduce this number, if available.

  If you manage to defeat Shara Khana, turn to 162.

  387

  You step down from the carriage, wincing as the cold wind and rain lashes against your face. Lady Roe seems unperturbed by the stormy elements. She throws back her head, spinning round on the spot with glee.

  ‘Oh, how I love a good storm,’ she gasps, lifting her hands to catch the rainwater. ‘My dear papa couldn’t have asked for better weather.’

  She starts towards a pair of black-wood doors at the base of one of the towers.

  You follow her but are brought up short by the coach driver, who blocks your way. His grizzled features look almost bestial in the flickering storm-light, his long black beard dripping with water.

  ‘Yer can’t go thata way,’ he says, his rancid breath forcing you to recoil. ‘Yer can see Lady Roe later. At the meal.’ He stabs a finger in the opposite direction, towards a smaller door set underneath an arch. Outside of it are several barrels and boxes, with piles of rotting leftovers heaped inside. A scraggly dog is currently sniffing at the contents. ‘It’s the servant’s entrance for you,’ grins the coach driver.

  For a moment, you wonder if a mistake has been made. You turn back, but Lady Roe has already entered the castle – the oaken doors banging closed behind her.

  ‘Come on, move it,’ he growls. ‘Yer wanna catch yer death out here?’

  The driver pushes you towards the other door. You reluctantly oblige, wrinkling your nose as you pass the rotted food. Surely, Lady Roe never meant for you to take the servant’s entrance, did she? You open the door and step inside. Turn to 396.

  388

  You find yourself back in the rift, facing a pathway of stone that winds down the side of the crevice. Following it, you soon find yourself outside another cave opening. Turn to 426.

  389

  You hack and slash your way through the creature’s many heads. At last, after an exhausting battle, the beast finally lies dead, its immense body slowly sinking into the mire. You may now take one of the following rewards:

  Hydra-scaled gloves

  Hydra’s wing

  Marsh striders

  (gloves)

  (left hand: shield)

  (feet)

  +2 magic +2 armour

  +2 speed +2 armour

  +2 speed +2 brawn

  Ability: reg
rowth

  Ability: deflect

  Ability: sideswipe

  (requirement: mage)

  (requirement: warrior)

  (requirement: rogue)

  You also find the decayed bodies of several other unfortunate travellers, lying in the bog. From their remains, you are able to loot 30 gold crowns. Return to the quest map to continue your adventure.

  390

  The moment you apply pressure to the wall panel, it swings outwards revealing a small, candlelit landing. There are two sets of stairs here – one set leads up to a door of banded black iron and the other spirals downwards, past cobwebs and flickering torches.

  Will you:

  Head up the staircase? — 322

  Head down the staircase? — 493

  391

  ‘Good luck,’ says Bart. ‘This time you’re going to need it.’

  As you walk out into the arena, you are met by a roar of applause and cheers. The stadium is full to bursting point, and to your relief, most of the crowd are chanting your name, waving their blue-coloured tickets in the air.

  ‘Welcome one and all, to the first of our semi-final match-ups,’ announces the wizard, zipping around the stadium on his flying carpet. ‘In the red corner today, we are honoured to have the self-proclaimed king of the frozen tundra – King Louis the Sixteenth!’

  Two enormous white fists shake and rattle the portcullis. There is the sound of grating, squeaking metal, then, to your surprise and alarm, you see the portcullis ripped free of the wall. You dodge aside as it goes careening past you in a ball of twisted metal. With a roar, a giant white ape bounds out of the tunnel. Rising up onto its hind legs, the creature beats its broad chest, its savage snarls revealing a mouth filled with inch-long teeth.

  ‘Well that’s a grand entrance and no mistake,’ laughs the wizard, his carpet lurching rapidly to a safe distance.

  The white ape drops back onto all fours, and then charges towards you, the ground shaking and trembling underfoot. This will certainly be a fight to remember:

  Special abilities

  King of the swingers: The white ape’s swinging fists are hard to avoid. At the end of every combat round, you automatically take 15 damage. Armour can be used to absorb this damage.

  If you manage to defeat this powerful opponent, turn to 359.

  392

  The two guards charge towards you, their gleaming swords held high above their heads. Eldias intercepts them, his own swords cutting a skilful dance through the air. One of the guards goes down in seconds, his armour dropping empty to the ground as his body is turned to ash. Ducking beneath the remaining guard’s swing, Eldias kicks him backwards. Then, sheathing one of his blades, he summons yellow fire into the palm of his hand.

  ‘I judge you,’ he shouts, his voice suddenly taking on a frightening intensity. ‘And I find you guilty!’ He hurls the fire at the guard. It hits him squarely in the chest, lifting him off his feet and slamming him against the far wall. The guard crumples to the ground, his body turning to dust.

  With a snarl, the count spins on his heel and makes a run for it, his black cloak billowing out behind him. You are about to pursue when a scream echoes around the chamber. It came from the far end of the hall, where the last survivors are defending themselves from a mob of vampires. You can see Spink and the blacksmith with their backs to a pillar. The scream must have come from one of the vampires, as you spot an explosion of black ash billowing across the room.

  ‘They need help,’ scowls Eldias. ‘There are too many of them.’

  He draws a pistol and starts running towards the crowd of vampires. ‘Go after the count,’ he shouts back. ‘I’ll handle these. Go!’

  Without a moment’s hesitation, you hurry after the escaping count. Turn to 450.

  393

  The tunnel ends abruptly in a large, rough-hewn chamber. Knotted roots hang down from the ceiling, glowing with a bright yellow light. Beneath them, chewing at the ends of the roots is the largest beetle you have ever seen.

  The moment you enter the cave, the insect stops feeding and turns to face you. Between a pair of stag-like antlers, its enormous mandibles click back and forth, dripping with glowing tree sap.

  ‘That’s it!’ gasps Shay in horror. ‘That is what has been feeding on all the trees. It has been absorbing their magic . . . growing bigger and stronger, while the trees wither away.’

  You realise that the roots hanging above you must belong to Woad – the only tree left standing in the withered glade. To save Woad you will have to defeat this monstrous bug.

  The creature’s wing cases snap open, revealing pale, translucent wings. As they hum into life, the giant beetle flies towards you, its razor-sharp antlers looking to run you through. You push Shay to safety, then prepare to take on this mighty mutated insect:

  Special abilities

  Pincer movement: If you roll awhen rolling for your hero’s attack speed, you are immediately caught in KerKlick’s pincers and must lose 2 health. This ability ignores armour. If you have an ability that lets you re-roll dice then you may use it to try and avoid this.

  Unnatural growth: At the end of every combat round, KerKlick raises its brawn by 1, up to a maximum of 10.

  If you manage to splat this over-sized bug, turn to 368.

  394

  Despite your wound, you are able to expertly weave between the assassin’s flashing blades. At last, you strike him down. In his final moments, the albino grabs your arm and pulls you close.

  ‘You are shadow born,’ he rasps. ‘I was hired to kill you . . . to stop you . . . you were following the knight . . . to kill him.’ His grip tightens, his gloved fingers digging into your branded flesh. ‘His death . . . the arrow . . . it was meant for you. The fool died trying to protect you!’

  With a final gasp, the assassin’s eyes close and his body becomes limp.

  You drop to your knees, exhausted and sick from pain. For what seems like an eternity, you sit hunched in silence, dwelling on the assassin’s words. Were you really intending to kill the knight? Was it your plan all along to steal his documents so you could enter Avian’s castle? You peel back your sleeve and gaze down at the purple brand. You wonder if it is the mark of a killer. An assassin, perhaps?

  You struggle to your feet, more determined than ever to find the truth about who you are – what you are. Perhaps Jenlar Cornelius will be able to provide the answers that you seek.

  For defeating Logan, you may now take one of the following as your reward:

  Death strike

  Logan’s runners

  Magpie’s mischief

  (left hand: bow)

  (feet)

  (ring)

  +1 speed +3 brawn

  +2 speed +1 brawn

  +1 armour

  Ability: bull’s eye

  Ability: sidestep

  Ability: steal

  (requirement: rogue)

  If you are a rogue, turn to 410. Otherwise, after you have rested and bandaged your wounds, you resume your journey. Return to the quest map.

  395

  ‘They are poachers,’ says the leader, eyeing the corpses with contempt. ‘They are trespassers in the grove and their foolish actions may have harmed the . . .’

  ‘Enough! Do not speak of our secrets!’ This comes from the woman behind you. She presses her knife deeper into your neck. ‘This one must have seen something. Let me get the truth out of them – my way!’

  The leader looks displeased at being spoken to in such a way. There is a heated exchange in a dialect that you have never heard before. It ends with you taking a kick in the back, which forces you down onto your knees. ‘There will be no grove and no magic unless we take action.’ The woman behind you grabs hold of your head, pulling it back – then places the blade of her knife against your throat.

  ‘Hold! All of you!’

  To your surprise, it is a man’s voice. From the corner of your vision, you see a warrior in forest green leathers emerge from the tre
es. He has long blond hair, braided with feathers and cords, and about his neck hang a number of beaded charms. ‘Since when do the dryads hunt so openly,’ he scowls, ‘and without judgement or mercy?’ He starts forward into the clearing, a yellow glow cascading down his arms to gather along the tips of his fingers.

  ‘Bern Farstrider,’ snaps the woman standing at your back. ‘This is none of your concern. Stand down or face the consequences.’

  From around the circle, there is the creak of bowstrings as the archers nock arrows and take aim at the warrior.

  He shakes his head sadly. ‘Has it really come to this – that my return is welcomed with an arrow in the back. Well, so be it.’ Turn to 474.

  396

  You find yourself in a kitchen, filled with noise and steam as a number of cooks hurry around a set of bubbling pots. Your arm is grabbed by the coach driver, who proceeds to lead you through the hot, noisy kitchen into a quieter side passage. You follow it into a small room where a number of chests and boxes are lined up along the walls. A guard in heavy chain mail, stands by the far door. He glares at you from beneath his helmet, a halberd held across his chest.

  ‘Yer weapons,’ says the coach driver, holding out his dirt-stained hands. ‘Hand ’em over.’

  Will you:

  Do as the man says? — 294

  Refuse to hand over your weapons? — 288