If you defeat Elvera turn to 445. If you are defeated, turn to 424.
430
You follow Bern back into the forest, following a narrow trail that takes you up into the black mountains. After an hour of trekking through the barren, rocky foothills you arrive at a small stone cabin, almost invisible against the dark cliffs that loom behind it.
‘Cornelius likes his solitude,’ grins the ranger. ‘Can’t say as I blame him. Nice vacation spot, I suppose.’ He points to the breathtaking view, that takes in the whole of Mistwood and the misty fenlands to the south.
However, your attention doesn’t waver from the cabin. Something is wrong. Your arm is tingling, where the mark is concealed beneath your clothing. It grows stronger, the closer you get to the small building. Bern appears to have sensed something also. He is sniffing the air, his eyes scanning the nearby rocks.
‘Do you . . .?’
Bern puts a finger to his lips, stopping you in mid-sentence. Stealthily, he approaches the door of the cabin, which you notice is standing slightly ajar. Golden light flickers along his arms to pool in the palm of his hands. He is preparing a spell. You follow suit, readying your own weapons with an increasing feeling of unease. Turn to 466.
431
When you awake, you find yourself on a pallet bed inside a smaller tent. Sahna is sat by your side, a basin of water and a cloth resting on her knees. ‘How do you feel?’ she asks tensely.
‘Like I just swallowed a lamprey worm,’ you scowl, sitting up on your elbows.
‘I know,’ she says, putting the basin and cloth aside. ‘I hope you forgive me. The truth is, without that thing inside you, you would never make it down to the city.’
‘Wait a moment.’ You slide your legs off the bed, suddenly alarmed. ‘How long was I out?’
Sahna grins. ‘Don’t worry. Only half an hour. You still have plenty of time to make it there and back. Are you ready?’
You nod and agree to get going. The more time wasted, the less time you will have to find the crown and get back before the worm . . . You wince, not wanting to think about that.
Sahna escorts you to the shoreline. ‘The lake is deeper than it looks. We think there might be channels that lead out into the western ocean – it’s the only explanation for some of the things reported down there. Big sea monsters.’ She shivers. ‘Good luck. I hope, for all our sakes, that you’re the one to finally make it.’
You strap on your pack and then wade out into the chill water. ‘Yeah, me too,’ you mutter under your breath. Turn to 569.
432
The old man’s eyes twinkle. ‘Why yes – yes I do. Bah, forget those old things,’ he waves his hands dismissively at the junk that litters the room. ‘I’ll show you some real beauties; treasures that I found in these here halls.’ He reaches underneath his pallet bed and pulls out a small, gilt chest. Opening the lid, he holds it out to you.
‘Take your pick,’ he grins, licking his toothless gums. ‘But for these beauties I want 400 gold crowns a piece, or no deal.’ When he catches your look of surprise, he scowls. ‘Hey, don’t gawp like a gutter fish. I gotta save for my retirement ain’t I? This is my personal pension fund right here.’
The following items are available for 400 gold crowns each:
Splintered band
Abyssal blade
Black pearl
(ring)
(main hand: dagger)
(necklace)
+2 brawn
+2 speed +3 brawn
+2 magic
Ability: retaliation
Ability: deep wound
Ability: curse
(requirement: warrior)
(requirement: rogue)
When you have made your choices, return to 626.
433
‘You don’t remember anything do you,’ sneers the assassin, circling around you like a predatory wolf. ‘I thought you would have worked it out by now.’ The assassin’s face begins to ripple and change, shifting into the pale features of a young man. Then they shift again, becoming a woman’s face, with angular cheeks and almond-shaped eyes. The body follows suit, narrowing around the waist and broadening at the chest. ‘There,’ says the now-female assassin, admiring her new slender form. ‘Always did prefer this one. It was one of your favourites too, once upon a time.’
The assassin sheathes her weapons, before pulling back the sleeve of her left arm to reveal a branded mark identical to your own. ‘We are the Nevarin,’ she says, spitting out the words with gusto. ‘The shadowborn generals who led the legion into this world a thousand years ago.’
‘That’s impossible,’ you snap angrily. ‘A thousand years . . .?’
The assassin’s expression sours. ‘We are immortal. We do not age like the humans on this primitive planet. Have you never stopped to wonder why you cannot die? Why your body heals faster than any normal human’s? Why others fear you?’
‘But . . .’ You shake your head, not wanting to hear the truth.
‘When the gate was closed, we were cut off from our kin. Since then we Nevarin have searched for the Nexus. It has been a mission that has spanned a thousand years . . . but at last the keystone has been remade. No thanks to you!’ She gives a snort of derision. ‘A shame that a little blow to the head gave you a conscience all of a sudden. If the master hadn’t stepped in and taken control of you at Avian’s castle, all would have been lost.’ The assassin raises a finger in the air and extends it out towards you. ‘You know, I can remove that little memory blockage if you want me to.’
‘No!’ you growl between clenched teeth. ‘I don’t want to remember. I don’t want to know what I am . . . what I was.’
‘So be it.’ The assassin draws her twin swords with a ring of steel. ‘Please tell me you haven’t forgotten how to fight as well.’ In a blur of grey and black, the woman dives past you. You can barely keep up with her speed as she rolls and then somersaults back onto her feet, landing in a battle-ready stance. Turn to 442.
434
You find the body of a dead mage, lying amongst the refuse at the bottom of the pit. Some of the man’s items and clothing are still salvageable. You may take up to two of the following:
Channeler’s robes
Quicksilver boots
Ebenezer’s spell book
(chest)
(feet)
(left hand: spell book)
+3 magic +2 armour
+2 speed +1 magic
+2 speed +2 magic
Ability: focus
Ability: quicksilver
Ability: sear
You also find a purse of gold. (You have gained 50 gold crowns). As you scan the rest of the pit, looking for any other chance treasures, you discover a small circular grill in one of the walls. A quick examination reveals that it is protecting a pipe outlet. Relieved that you have finally found a way out, you tug the grill free and then enter the tight crawl-space. Turn to 453.
435
To your surprise, you find yourself face to face with the jester. His painted lips pull back, revealing long white fangs. As he reaches forward to bite your neck, you lift up the items that Spink gave you. The jester draws back, emitting a chilling, high-pitched laugher.
‘Oh, you want to play do you!’ he cackles.
Special abilities
Itchy and scratchy: At the start of each combat round, roll a die. On a result ofthe Jester sprinkles itching powder on you, reducing your speed by 1 for that combat round.
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 the jester, turn to 374. If you are defeated, turn to 424.
436
You quickly show the gold ring to the old man. His eyes widen with surprise and then recognition. ‘My ring . . . you are the one
!’ he gasps. ‘Help me up. There isn’t much time. You must warn them . . . they are all in great danger!’ Turn to 604.
437
Whoever came before you has used magic or some powerful explosive to blast through the foundations of the building. The narrow tunnel you are following twists and turns past jutting stones and bent metal bars, to finally bring you out into a wide pool. Above you, light is playing across its surface like liquid gold. You push yourself upwards, finally surfacing in a small stone chamber. This part of the building has not been flooded – magical torches splutter along three of the walls, casting a golden sheen over the two giant statues facing you. Each one depicts a giant bearded warrior, armed with a two-headed axe. Between them, in an alcove in the wall, is a pedestal. And resting on it is a sparkling crown.
You pull yourself up out of the pool, relieved to be finally breathing air once again. As you approach the pedestal, you suddenly pause mid-step, your eyes coming to rest on the stone statues either side of you. Something tells you that this might be a trap. You back up, scanning your surroundings. At the other side of the room, beneath the carved face of a leering dwarf, you notice a stone door, standing slightly ajar.
Will you:
Try and take the crown? — 701
Leave the chamber via the open door? — 520
438
As you continue across the swamp, you spot a pale watery-yellow orb gleaming through the mist. Having lost all sense of direction, you decide to head towards it in the hope that it might be a fellow traveller, or at least some building that will provide a helpful landmark on your journey.
The land quickly begins to rise, becoming a series of boggy hills covered in boulders and patches of crab grass. Relieved to be out of the brackish water, you trudge across the soggy ground towards the light. It is coming from inside a rock cave, resting on top of one of the hills.
You step inside, the light hovering just ahead of you. It appears to be a strange ball of magical light, which is bobbing up and down as if on a string. As you near, you see that it is on a string; the globe is attached to a greeny-brown tendril that dangles from the dark ceiling. You go to touch it – and suddenly, there is a deafening roar as something lurches out of the darkness. Stumbling back, you realise, in horror, that the light is simply a lure, attached to the forehead of an immense fish-like creature. As it crawls towards you on slippery fins, your eyes become fixated on its immense, cavernous maw. Inside, you see row upon row of hooked teeth, forming a deadly tunnel of gnashing death, that leads all the way back into the creature’s stomach. Determined not to become its next meal, you draw your weapons and prepare to defend yourself:
Special abilities
Indigestion: The creature’s rubbery skin is difficult to penetrate. If you win an attack round, you can either strike the angler fish as normal (against an armour value of 16) or run into the creature’s stomach and attack it from the inside! If you decide to enter the stomach, then you automatically lose 5 health from the fish’s teeth, but you can roll for damage as normal, and the damage you inflict ignores the creature’s armour. The fish then spits you out – meaning you must win another attack round to decide whether to attack as normal or enter the stomach again.
If you defeat the angler, turn to 452.
439
To the east of the island, a pathway leads across another lake of bubbling lava and then passes into a cave set into the rock. To the north, you see a series of loose stones bobbing in the lava, forming a make-shift pathway over to a crescent-shaped island. Towering over this island is a huge giant of living flame, surrounded by flickering sprites of fire that dance and pirouette around its blazing form.
Will you:
Take the pathway over to the cave? — 426
Cross the stepping stones to face the giant? — 502
440
‘Deaders.’ Sahna grins, nodding her head. ‘They’re what the guards call our volunteers. Treasure seekers, mercenaries, adventurers . . . call them what you will, but the truth is – so far, hardly any of them have returned from that lake. The few that have, well . . . perhaps death was the better option. Raving and mad for the most part. There really hasn’t been much of a success rate. So far.’
Return to 343 to ask Sahna another question.
441
You quickly explain your story, that you were at Talanost with Avian Dale when the legion was attacking. Avian had asked you to find a Jenlar Cornelius, believing that he would have information to help them close the shadow gate.
The man nods impatiently as he listens to your story. Before you have even finished, he is struggling to gain his feet. ‘Yes, yes – I believe you. I have no choice in this matter . . .’ He leans into you, grabbing your arm. ‘Now, help me up. There isn’t much time. You need to warn them – warn them all that they are in grave danger!’ Turn to 604.
442
‘What can you possibly hope to gain by this?’ you scowl, drawing your weapons. ‘Power, destruction. For what? To turn these lands to ash and ruin?’
The assassin throws back her head, laughing. ‘Oh, Nevarin. To think that you were once such a devout follower of the shadow. You were one of the best – I looked up to you. I wanted to be you. And now,’ her smile fades, replaced by a cold mask of loathing, ‘I will take your life and absorb your power, Nevarin. At last, you will finally taste death!’
The assassin leaps into the air, spinning and twisting gracefully as her swords perform a deadly dance of flashing steel. With an answering flurry of deft moves, you press your own attack:
Special abilities
Deadly venom: Once you have taken health damage from the shadowstalker, at the end of each combat round, you must automatically lose 3 health.
If you defeat the shadowstalker, turn to 558.
443
After a gruelling battle, the giant finally staggers and then topples backwards. Its immense body smashes into the side of the chamber, sending cracks branching through the stone. As they begin to widen, water starts to gush into the chamber.
You put the crown safely into your pack, before approaching the body of the downed giant. Amongst the rubble there are a number of treasures, which must have been hidden within its stone form. You may now take one of the following:
Stone crescent
Avatar’s circle
Kaggadour’s cloak
(left hand: shield)
(ring)
(cloak)
+2 speed +2 armour
+1 magic
+2 speed +2 brawn
Ability: slam
Ability: overload
Ability: savagery
(requirement: warrior)
(requirement: mage)
The cracks in the wall continue to expand, until there is a white torrent of water pouring through from the lake beyond. You battle against the surging flood, forcing yourself through one of the larger cracks. At last, kicking off from the jagged walls, you propel yourself out into the lake. At last, you are free of the building with the precious crown of kings in your possession! turn to 637.
444
With teeth clenched, you struggle against your compulsion to absorb the magic. As the swirling tendrils of magic dissipate, a ringing cry draws you back to the situation at hand. ‘Bern!’ you gasp. Turn to 539.
445
The undead witch crumbles into a black powdery dust, which is blown away by the howling wind. You may now help yourself to one of the following items:
Book of Black Deeds
Gown of midnight
Gourd of healing (1 use)
(left hand: spell book)
(chest)
(backpack)
+2 speed +2 magic
+1 speed +2 magic
Use any time in combat to restore 6 health
(requirement: mage)
Ability: evade
The stable doors are flung open as two mounted horses gallop out into the courtyard. On the back of each horse, a small child clings desperate
ly around their parent, their rain-slick faces still trembling with fear. The husband reins in his horse next to you.
‘Thank you, traveller,’ he says. ‘There are more horses in the stables, I suggest you leave this cursed place while you still can.’ He shivers as he looks up at the tall, dark spires of the castle. ‘Judah’s light protect us.’
He kicks his horses flanks and races out of the courtyard. His wife follows, her head bowed to the wind and rain.
Will you:
Saddle up a horse and leave the castle? — 281
Return to the great hall to help the others? — 408
446
Amongst the mounds of gold and jewels, you find a number of interesting items. You may now choose one of the following:
Magician’s crook
Scarab sandals
Steadfast ring
(main hand: staff)
(feet)
(ring)
+2 speed +3 magic
+2 speed +2 armour
+1 armour
Ability: radiance
Ability: steadfast
Having searched through the cave and filled your pockets with gold, you reluctantly decide that it is time to leave. Return to your previous entry number.
447
It appears that the pieces of cloth and wood are the remains of Hal’s balloon. Amongst the charred splinters, you find a box-shaped object made of brass. Picking it up, you see that it has a number of gears, cogs and buttons along one side, and a strange protruding lens on the other. If you wish, you may now take this item:
Legion of Shadow Page 25