The Heart of Fire
Page 5
Will you:
Ask about her patient? — 115
Ask about the strange object? — 92
Ask about the crates in the other room? — 35
20
With the goblin defeated, you search its body. You find 10 gold crowns and may take any/all of the following items:
Rusted knife
Pilfered ring
Wishing well coin
(main hand: dagger)
(ring)
(talisman)
+1 speed
+1 magic
Ability: charm
Ability: bleed
You wonder what a goblin would be doing in such a village. Perhaps it came here to loot or seek shelter, but somehow it became infected by the zombie curse. It is a thought that sends a shiver up your spine. Will you suffer the same fate? Grimly, you turn away from the body and head back onto the landing. The light is still flickering from the room below, so you decide to investigate. Turn to 55.
21
‘He was King Gerard’s youngest son – born a weak and sickly child.’ Lazlo gives a sigh, lowering his gaze. ‘He was an embarrassment, to his father and to his twin brothers. Around court he was nicknamed the goose. A pale boy of timid nature – he hadn’t much hope.’
The man’s eyes rise to meet your own. ‘Then he started to have dreams. Visions. As you can imagine, they embarrassed his father even more. Gerard was a great king, much loved by his men. He was an army man and his coffers were near empty from warring with the east. He was starting to lose the support of his court – a series of defeats to Mordland and there was talk of,’ Lazlo flicks his wrist, producing a sliver of steel from the sleeve of his shirt, ‘ . . . replacement.’ He spins the blade in the palm of his hand. ‘He was desperate – and in desperate times, what else can you do?’ The blade stops spinning, its tip pointed in your direction. ‘You call a crusade. He convinced the church that Allam was a holy prophet and sent him west with an army. Kill two birds with one stone – remove an embarrassment from court and take more land for the crown. For Gerard, it was the perfect solution.’
‘How could you know this?’ you ask, sounding sceptical. ‘Allam is revered. Pilgrims flock to Carvel because of him. He was sanctified by the church.’
Lazlo gives a nonchalant shrug. ‘That’s just my opinion.’ He slips the blade back into his sleeve. ‘The outcome, I think you will agree, benefited the king and the church more than it did poor Allam.’
Will you:
Ask what he thinks about prophets? — 149
Enquire as to your whereabouts? — 9
Ask about Carvel’s ‘masked crusader’? — 39
State you wish to leave? — 167
22
The tinker, a young woman in a grease-stained shirt and breeches, looks up from polishing a set of greaves. She smiles at you cheerfully. ‘Good day, traveller. Might I interest you in one of my special deals?’ The tinker turns and gestures to a rack of weapons and armour. ‘Faith can only go so far in protecting us from the evils of this world. Oft times I prefer a good blade and some chain between me and my enemy. What d’you say?’
You peruse the items on offer, noting that many of them, despite the obvious ‘spit and polish’, have certainly seen better days. However, a few notable bargains catch your eye. The following are available for 100 gold crowns each:
Head splitter
Silver streak
Inscribed mantle
(main hand: axe)
(left hand: dagger)
(cloak)
+1 speed +2 brawn
+1 speed +1 brawn
+1 magic +1 armour
Ability: savagery
Ability: feint
Ability: iron will
After viewing the items, you turn back to the bustling streets of lower town. Turn to 36.
23
The blacksmith swings the mighty hammer as if it weighed no more than a roll of parchment. However, despite its obvious strength the creature is slow-witted and clumsy, the cramped room making it hard to benefit from the range of its weapon. Using the close quarters to your advantage, you step around the demon’s ungainly attacks, hacking and blasting at the scaly body. At last, dripping with sweat from the intense heat, you finally fell the monster, bringing its mighty hammer crashing to the ground.
You may now help yourself to one of the following rewards:
Forger’s hammer
Dread forge gauntlets
(main hand: hammer)
(gloves)
+2 brawn
+1 brawn +1 magic
Ability: pound
Ability: retaliation
You may also take the sheet of enchanted iron that the forger had been working on. (Simply make a note of this on your hero sheet, it does not take up backpack space). Keen to leave this sweltering heat behind, you are grateful to discover another portal tucked away inside an arched alcove. Without delay, you step through it – wondering what will await you on the other side. Turn to 46.
24
Dawn finds you out on the moors, frost still crisp on the ground as you trudge across the undulating hills. Joss sets a brisk pace, her bow slung over her shoulder, quiver resting at her hip. You can’t help but marvel at her single-minded devotion – to have waited nearly a lifetime for the return of the tower, dutifully keeping her husband’s memory alive when all hope must have been lost. With the tower’s sudden reappearance, you can understand her urgency as she pushes through the coarse brush, barely stopping to draw breath.
Behind her is the paladin, Anse. He is now wearing a white surcoat over a padded blue jerkin. His silver crucifix hangs across his back, his other weapons bristling from the numerous belts and wraps about his body.
And rattling along at your side is Polk. The rugged warrior is struggling to keep up, huffing and puffing through his beard. A crossbow is cradled in his arms, loaded and ready for action. ‘Are we there yet?’ he gasps for the umpteenth time that morning. ‘I swear, when this is over I’m retiring . . .’
You have stopped dead in your tracks, letting Polk trudge on for several paces before he looks around, confused. ‘It seems we have arrived,’ you reply, pointing ahead. Polk puts a hand over his eyes, squinting over the next rise.
‘Well, would yer look at that.’
The tower is a monolith of black stone, cracked with veins of spitting fire. Its pointed spires stab through the clouds, looking like a giant hand of shadow grasping for the sun. In some parts, sections of the tower have crumbled away – but, rather than fall loosely to the ground, they hang suspended in the air, captured as if in a painting.
‘I guess it didn’t look like that when last you saw it?’ ventures Polk, glancing sideways at Joss. The woman is speechless, gazing upon the black tower with fear and apprehension.
‘I have to find my husband,’ she breathes at last, starting down into the valley.
Silently, the rest of you follow, wondering what horrors you will find inside this malign-looking tower. Turn to 190.
25
As your magical blade slashes through the misty apparition, you see it recoil – the lightning flickering more angrily than before. Armed with the knowledge that this creature can feel pain, you continue to hack away at its whirling form, sending ribbons of mist spiralling away into the gloom. Soon the elemental is no more, the wind that created it dying down to an ineffectual breeze.
Keeping your weapon drawn you continue into the barrows, eyeing your surroundings warily. After several minutes, you see a series of oval hills looming out of the fog; burial mounds where the traveller insisted you would find ancient weapons and treasure. To your left, you notice one of the mounds has a ring of candles placed on top of it; their tiny flames flicker in the wind. To your right, you can see an opening in the side of one of the hills. It looks like it was once covered by a boulder, which has now been pushed aside.
Will you:
Investigate the candles? — 40
Enter the open b
urial mound? — 61
26
‘This is actually for you.’ Anna hands you the casket. ‘It’s Jolando’s and he asked me to give it to you, as a thank-you for saving his life.’
The casket is plain, with no decoration or mark. It feels heavy in your hands. Opening it up, you find a black-bladed dagger inside, with a small leather pouch and an envelope tucked alongside it. If you wish you may now take:
Cutthroat’s carver
(main hand: dagger)
+1 brawn +1 magic
Ability: bleed
The pouch contains 15 gold crowns; the envelope contains an iron key. You turn it over in your hand, looking for any clue as to its use.
‘It’s the key to Jolando’s safe house,’ says Anna. ‘He will leave town for a while, until the troubles have died down. His safe house is now yours. I can give you directions.’ (Make a note of the entry number 49. Anytime you are in Carvel and wish to visit the safe house, turn to that entry number.)
Will you:
Ask about what happened to the thief? — 54
Ask about the statue above the door? — 98
Thank Anna and leave? — Return to the map
27
Malak’s face lengthens into a scowl. ‘The shroud is a place of demons and spirits – where the raw elements rule over all. It is the centre of everything, the meeting place of worlds.’
‘And the old magic comes from this place?’ you ask frowning.
Malak clicks his tongue. ‘Yes, you fool. The dwarves were the first to commune with the spirits, binding their power into runes. Over time, they learned that they could summon more sentient spirits; those who would gift them greater powers.’
Malak raises his hands, summoning crackling flames to his fingertips. ‘We have to learn control. If we don’t, we can lose ourselves to the magic and then . . .’ He snaps them closed, extinguishing the flames. ‘Only with control can we understand true power. Not like those Wiccan fools who dabble freely in the darker magics; magics that will turn them all into gibbering demon spawn.’
Will you:
Ask about the Wiccans? — 265
Ask about the testing? — 213
Leave and return to upper town? — 77
28
Damaris turns to face you. Taking your hand, she places it on one of the dark runes glimmering against her robes. ‘Do you feel it?’
The rune tingles against your skin, pulsating with a powerful energy. ‘The dwarves used runes,’ you nod, appraising the other sigils that adorn her clothing. ‘A way of binding spirits from the shroud to do their bidding.’
Damaris smiles. ‘You know something of the art then. Yes, we are able to reach into the shroud, the ghost world, and commune with the spirits there. The minor spirits are easily bound. The demons, however . . . Well, they can prove more . . . wilful.’
If you have the word duty on your hero sheet, turn to 253. Otherwise return to 126 to ask Damaris another question.
29
You doubt you stand much of a chance against an opponent you can’t even see. Instead you turn and run, splashing through the murky water towards the door. All around you various missiles are being flung through the air but miraculously, apart from some minor cuts and bruises, you manage to reach the door unharmed. You are even more grateful to discover that the door is unlocked. You push it open, the grimy water gushing around your legs as it spills out into the corridor beyond. There is a series of angry bangs and thuds coming from behind you. Quickly, you attempt to push the door closed, struggling against the force of the rushing water. It finally closes with a metallic clink, leaving the poltergeist to vent its fury alone on the other side.
After brushing the grime and dirt from your clothes, you take a moment to study your surroundings. The corridor is fashioned from black stone, smooth and without decoration. To your left, it continues for several metres before ending in a set of worn stairs leading up to a decorative wooden door. To your right there is an open metal grill, beyond which you can see a set of rusted stairs spiralling down towards the sound of buzzing, hammering machinery.
Will you:
Take the stairs up? — 417
Take the stairs down? — 382
30
A sudden jealous craving comes over you as you gaze upon the finely-jewelled sword. You take an angry step forward, demanding that the old man hand over his possessions.
‘Ah, very good,’ he snorts. ‘The manners of a Wiccan and the smell of one, to boot. You know, you do look very threatening. Apart from your hands, which are shaking like leaves.’
You glance down, aware that that the man has a point – your whole body is trembling from exhaustion and the bitter cold. The man watches you with a thin smile. ‘I suppose the test of good manners is to be patient with bad ones. Let’s see. The sword is not my property, so I suppose you would not be stealing from me. Although its owner might take offence.’
He picks up the scabbarded sword and tosses it towards you. It slides across the wet ground to settle at your feet. If you wish you may now take:
Winter’s fall
(main hand: sword)
+1 speed +1 brawn
Ability: silver frost
‘Presumably you want gold as well.’ His attention shifts to his pack. ‘But I’m afraid we don’t have a need for it on these . . . little ventures.’
‘You said we,’ you enquire suspiciously. ‘You have a companion. Where did they—’
Suddenly you hear a bellowing roar coming from somewhere deep inside the rock. It is followed by someone’s cry and a loud ground-trembling boom. The man smiles at your startled reaction then shrugs his shoulders, continuing.
‘Are you planning on leaving now or do you want my clothes as well? This coat was tailored in Venetia; the lining is Lakrosa silk from across the Dune Sea.’
You ignore his banter, fixing your gaze on the dark rock. ‘What was that noise?’ you ask worriedly.
‘What was what?’ asks the gentleman, leaning over the cooking pot and taking a sniff of its contents. ‘Ah, yes. The stew is ready. Would you like some tea? I brewed some earlier. Silver Grey, the finest.’
There is another monstrous roar, dislodging stone and dust from the rock walls. The man moves around the fire and settles down on a blanket, acting as if nothing untoward is happening. ‘You can join me if you like,’ he says, raising a cup of steaming tea to his lips. ‘No sense in parting company when there is a good meal to share.’
Will you:
Join him by the fire? — 187
Ask about the disturbance? — 156
31
The cobbled lane bends back on itself as it winds crookedly up the face of the grey rock. Exposed to the elements, a fierce wind sweeps in from the rolling highlands to batter the awnings and signs hanging outside the buildings. These, you notice, have been cut into the rock itself, their interiors lit by flickering lantern light.
Most of the buildings appear to be hostels or homes, but there are also a few stores. One catches your eye; an apothecary, with an image of a potion bottle painted on its wooden door.
Will you:
Visit the apothecary? — 120
Keep heading to upper town? — 77
Descend to lower town? — 36
32
You find yourself stumbling forward into a dusty attic, its sloping ceiling forcing you to stoop. Thankfully the tremors have now subsided, but their aftermath is still evident to see – boxes of junk have been thrown around and upended, spilling their contents across the floor. Of the child there is no sign, although you notice another glowing doorway at the other side of the attic.
Will you:
Stop and search the room? — 108
Hurry through the portal? — 440
33
Quest: Bullets over Blight Haven
You hurry across the barren moors, a chill wind at your back. With night fast approaching and the black clouds promising a storm, you are desperate not to spend another
freezing night without adequate shelter. From the ridge you had spied a village, nestled at the foot of the valley. There had been none of the usual signs of life: no smoke from chimneys or flickering lights at windows. Nevertheless it had been a lucky find, offering a welcome alternative to a bed of hard ground and a damp cloak for warmth.
As you near the village, you pass through a copse of dark gnarly trees. A weather-beaten length of parchment has been nailed to one of the trunks. You immediately walk over, grabbing its edge to stop it flapping in the wind. The paper carries the seal of the king, a crown and a crook, marking it as an official document of the realm. The neat-flowing script has been inscribed in holy runes, making it impervious to the elements. The message reads:
Blight Haven
On Mindas Day, Beltaine, in the year 1385 of the Ascendant The Holy Protectors, King Leonidas and Lord and Lady Justice hereby decree that the village formerly known as Andor’s Haven is fated for termination and cleansing. Any person found on said land will be considered a trespasser and punished in accordance with The Seventh Holy Writ.
Cold rain starts to fall, spattering off the rocks and leaves. A distant crack of thunder sends a nearby crow to flight, cawing and screeching as it hurries away between the spidery branches. The storm is coming – and it makes your decision an easy one.