‘But were there no clues?’ you ask intently. ‘Perhaps we can track this dwarf. Find out what happened?’
Benin sighs, then straightens, forcing a smile. ‘You have already done enough for us. Thank you, my friend – but this is a matter for the inquisition now.’ He gestures to the entrance of the church, implying your conversation is now at an end. Grudgingly, you decide not to pursue the topic. After bidding Benin farewell, you leave the church and resume your journey. (Return to the map.)
79
You descend a set of creaking stairs into the cramped crew’s quarters. Several bunk beds and hammocks line the walls, with a table and bench nailed to the centre of the room.
You search the beds, looking for any clues that might explain what happened to the original crew. To your surprise, a few items have escaped the goblins’ attention. The first is a note, which looks to have been torn out of a journal. It reads:
The storm is getting worse, I fear. Some of the crew want to turn back. For once I am in agreement – I don’t see how we can navigate the Sisters in such weather. But Betsy is adamant. I think if any captain could, perhaps it is her. I will say another prayer to the One God. Let His light guide us to safety.
You also find a red bandanna hanging from a bed post and a small gold ring caught in the crack between two floor boards.
‘Ugh!’ shrieks one of your team. ‘You gotta be kidding me!’ You turn to see them backing away from a bunk bed. Resting on the lower mattress is a human hand preserved in a bottle of vinegar. ‘Who would want to keep that?’ they grimace.
If you wish, you may take one of the following items:
Marauder’s bandanna
Motley band
Luke’s left hand
(head)
(ring)
(talisman)
+1 brawn
+1 brawn +1 magic
Ability: high five!
Ability: sneak
Finding little else of interest in the crew’s quarters, you head back to the deck. Turn to 159.
80
‘I am a priest, devoted to the One God,’ says Benin, proudly. ‘My power comes from within – from my kha.’ He glances around at the smoking circle of devastation. ‘I prefer to use my powers for good – for healing – but there are times when more . . . direct measures are required.’
Will you:
Ask Benin what he is doing here? — 57
Examine the remains of the creatures? — 133
Continue on your journey? — 157
81
You are able to make sense of the complex runes and glyphs. They provide a powerful set of enchantments designed to punish unruly spirits. If you wish, you may take the following item:
Book of Binding
(backpack)
This ancient tome might
prove useful in the future
You find little else of interest amongst the other books and scrolls. You may now examine the parchment on the table (turn to 362) or leave the room via the iron door (turn to 46).
82
‘What’s there to know about Carvel, dearie?’ The woman frowns, screwing up her face. ‘It’s the end of the road – the cross on the map – for those looking for some place better. Allam was the first, a prophet and a king’s son. Brought the whole army here on some holy crusade. Well, he pops his clogs and now look what we got,’ she nods to her boisterous clientele, who are currently singing a bawdy song about a barmaid and a saint. ‘I followed one of them here; a simple man with dreams of making a new start. He didn’t find what he was looking for, but I did.’ She lifts up her hands, gesturing to her surroundings. ‘I suppose love got me something worthwhile, in the end.’
Return to 52 to ask the bar woman another question.
83
You drop the bark shavings into the mixture and stir it around with one of the spoons. To your surprise the bark quickly dissolves into the liquid, giving off a pungent-smelling steam. As you continue to observe your creation, the mixture starts to change colour – going from green to brown, then to a bright golden-yellow. You hold it up, marvelling at the shimmering magic that seems to dance around the bottle. Could this be the cure? It certainly looks like you have created a powerful elixir of some description. You must now take:
Unknown elixir (1 use)
(backpack)
This could be the miracle
cure that Eldias needs
With your work in the laboratory complete, you hurry back to the church. Turn to 372.
84
The statue shows a young man in his early twenties, dressed in long decorative robes. In his right hand he holds a staff; in the other a book. A marble plaque at the foot of the statue reads:
Saint Allam Medes
Third blood of King Gerard I
Pray for the soul of the prophet.
By his will and faith
the One God’s light was brought to the west.
One of the guards steps forward, his hand tightening around his sword grip. ‘Not too close, stranger. No one touches the statue.’ He scowls at the rows of pilgrims that are kneeling in prayer. ‘Someone tried to deface it last week. A Wiccan disguised as a pilgrim. Trust no one.’ He glares at you intently, until you move away from the statue.
Turn to 77 to continue your exploration of upper town.
85
You have chosen the path of the rogue. You may permanently increase your health by 5 (to 35). Make a note of this change on your hero sheet. Then turn to 182.
86
You smash through the shield, severing the shadow warrior cleanly in two. As you stagger back, breathing hard from the fight, you hear the voice once again in your ear.
‘The Wiccan will endure. Our legacy will live on.’
The shadows wind their way across the stony ground. When they reach the far wall they creep up the cracked stonework, forming a doorway of midnight black.
‘Your head is full of stones,’ hisses the voice. ‘Fill it with memory.’
You take a step towards the door. Suddenly the torches go out, throwing the room into freezing darkness. A second later they reignite, their blue radiance falling on a vast array of treasures. Somehow you have been transported to an ancient vault, beneath the hill.
There is the sound of grating, squealing rock. You turn around to see a short passageway, leading up to a circle of daylight . . . but, alarmingly, you see that the circle is growing smaller, threatening to trap you here forever. You realise that you have mere seconds to grab what you can from the Wiccan warrior’s tomb.
To your left is a pile of weapons and armour. To your right is a long oak chest, inlaid with runes of iron.
Will you:
Search the weapons and armour? — 50
Open the chest? — 34
87
You emerge in a huge cavern, brightly lit by luminous mushrooms growing along the walls. It is hard to get a sense of scale, even with the light – the ceiling is lost from view, somewhere in the chill darkness above. The wind provides the only sound in this vast space, making an eerie moaning sound as it whistles between the rocks and channels.
Warily, the party progresses across the cavern. After a hundred metres you hear Surl making a disgusted grunt. His foot is caught in something green and sticky. As he tugs his foot loose, he pokes at the slime with his sword.
‘What’s this? he sniffs. ‘Hey, we got some goblin snot!’
‘Shut it,’ growls the captain, eyeing his surroundings warily. ‘I heard something . . .’
Everyone is silent, turning slowly on the spot. For a moment all you can hear is the murmur of the wind, then you hear something else – a skittering, metallic sound. It is hard to make out where it is coming from. Slowly, your eyes are drawn upwards, towards the dark ceiling . . .
Then you hear a cry from behind you. Spinning around, you manage to catch sight of the young mage being dragged into the air, kicking and flailing. He is lost from sight in seconds.
‘Wh
at is it?’ shouts Vas, falling into a crouch. ‘I don’t see—’
There is another scream, as one of the party is hit by something – it looks like a stream of green sticky goo. They are slammed back onto the ground. Then another streaks out of the dark, hitting the unfortunate mercenary and yanking them off their feet. You are about to run to their aid . . . then all hell breaks loose.
From above you, more gooey threads rain down from the dark. Several hit members of the group, who barely have time to register their shock before being tugged upwards by some powerful force.
‘Move it!’ bellows the captain. He raises his shield just in time to block one of the sticky strands. It splats across the face of the shield, which is ripped from his grasp and goes hurtling back up into the darkness. ‘Give us some covering fire. Artillery!’
He races forward, the others following, while one of the remaining mages hurls a blazing ball of fire across the cavern. As the flames arch overhead, they illuminate the ceiling of the cave for the briefest of moments – and there, scuttling over the dark rock, is a swarm of giant insects.
‘Ants!’ shouts Surl. ‘Bloomin’ ants! Run!’
To dodge the gooey missiles you will need to take a speed challenge:
Speed
Outrun the slime
10
If you are successful, turn to 186. If you fail the speed challenge, turn to 281.
88
You hand over the household spirit, much to Anna’s delight. ‘Oh, this is wonderful!’ she gasps, clutching it tightly to her cheek. ‘Oh, I never thought my dear twins would be reunited. Here, take one of my special remedies as a reward for your kindness!’
You may now choose one of the following:
Healing salve (2 uses)
Elixir of life (1 use)
(backpack)
(backpack)
Restores 2 health at the start of every combat round for one combat
Use any time in combat to restore your health to full
(You can now remove the household spirit from your hero sheet.) If you wish to view Anna’s other wares, turn to 120. Otherwise, you may now leave the shop and head to upper town (turn to 77) or to lower town (turn to 36).
89
The woman stiffens at your question, looking personally insulted. Polk quickly intercedes. ‘A fair question,’ he proffers, nodding his head. ‘Why would you risk your life for us? I asked you because you don’t look like a mercenary lap dog. All of them out there,’ he waves a thumb at the bustling taproom, ‘got more space in their heads than a beggar’s bank vault. You see, when we’re talking the shroud,’ he drops his voice to almost a whisper, ‘we’re talking treasure. Rare magic. Things you can sell on for a pretty penny or two.’ His eyes flick to Joss. ‘And sure, we’re doing a good deed too.’
‘But why not hire a whole band of mercenaries?’ You frown, bunching your shoulders. ‘Pay them for their muscle, not their wits.’
Polk glances at Anse – the two warriors share a knowing smile. ‘And I thought you was bright, kid. Look, mercenaries talk. Once word got out that a tower – that’s been missing for forty years – suddenly shows back up . . . every treasure hunter and thief in Valeron will be descending on it like flies on a meat wagon. And what’s more, the inquisitors will soon have that place locked down when they get wind of it. So we have a narrow window of opportunity, see, get what I’m saying?’
Will you:
Ask about Anse’s strange markings? — 270
Ask about the shroud? — 238
Agree to the mission? — 24
90
‘We are here to train the wayward flock,’ he grins, showing off the gemstones embedded in his teeth. ‘Old magic and the Church – it’s an uneasy alliance we have. They favour the magic of the one – the magic that comes from within.’ He prods your chest with a finger, then grimaces as he wipes his hand on his coat. ‘But our magic comes from the elements; from the shroud.’
Malak’s head lolls to one side, his eyes half-closed. ‘You test my patience. Such things can be learnt from a book; go find a library and appease your ignorance there.’
Will you:
Insist he tells you more about the ‘shroud’? — 27
Ask about the testing? — 213
Leave and return to upper town? — 77
91
With the beast defeated you may now choose one of the following rewards:
Stone blood
Windbreaker
Dark vein bracers
(talisman)
(left hand: shield)
(gloves)
+1 armour
+1 speed +1 armour
+1 speed
Ability: heal
Exhausted from the fight, you drop to your knees in the snow, your breath coming in fitful gasps. Behind you there is the crunch of booted feet. Someone kneels close beside you, putting a hand on your arm. You hear words being spoken but you cannot make them out . . . a white noise is roaring in your ears. Feeling dizzy, you sway backwards. The grip on your arm tightens. You see a face, eyes glinting behind the slanted holes of a black mask.
Then darkness takes you.
The forest is vast, stretching away in every direction as far as the eye can see. But not an ordinary forest. This place reeks of corruption, an all-pervading sense of doom that infects the very air, chilling your skin and gnawing at your soul. It is the trees. A warped and misshapen mass of thorny branches, twisted into unnatural shapes. There is some malign sentience to this forest, as if it is alive, a single creature with a single purpose . . .
You struggle through the wiry branches, aware that the thorns are ripping at your clothes, scratching at your skin. But you must keep moving. There is a darkness at your back and the light is ahead of you, promising freedom.
‘Free me . . .’ A voice in your head. A whisper.
At last you break out of the trees, stumbling into a clearing. The light is blinding, a radiant pillar of whiteness that rises up from the craggy earth into the star-lit heavens. Tired from your journey, you stagger and fall, dragging yourself across the ground towards the light. Somehow you know this is the reason you are here.
A voice, back in the forest, calls out. You can’t make out the words but they sound like a warning. You ignore it, crawling onwards . . . ever onwards toward the light.
‘Free me . . .’ The voice in your head. Persistent. Commanding.
You manage to find your feet, stumbling into the light, hands held out blindly before your face. Then the light is gone. You feel powerful tendrils wrapping around your body. A snake-like face hovers before your own, its mouth widening to reveal yellowed fangs. You try and scream but there is no breath left in your body. The breaking, snapping sound is your bones, shattering like the dead wood of the forest.
In the distance, a lone voice calls.
You jerk awake to find yourself lying on a comfortable mattress, covered in thick blankets of fur. Bright sunlight filters through the shutters of a window, falling across the man who is watching you intently from the end of your bed. He is tall and handsome, his blond hair cascading across broad shoulders. The face, the smile, seem strangely familiar.
‘Well, I see you have woken at last,’ he smirks, rubbing absently at a bruise along his left cheek. Jewelled rings sparkle from his fingers. ‘I was starting to wonder if Jeeves would have to sing to get you to rise. And trust me – that would be a last resort.’
‘Who are you?’ you ask hoarsely, pushing yourself up in the bed.
‘I have a few names about town,’ he grins. ‘But Lazlo is my birth name. Will that suffice?’
Something of his manner pulls at a memory. Then realisation dawns. ‘You were the masked man!’ you exclaim, eyes widening.
Lazlo spreads his arms and takes a formal bow. ‘Indeed I am,’ he smiles impishly.
Will you:
Ask him about the strange dream? — 62
Enquire as to your whereabouts? — 9
Ask about C
arvel’s ‘masked crusader’? — 39
92
You go to touch the splinter of wood but Anna reaches forward quickly, knocking your hand away. ‘Do not touch it!’ she snaps angrily. ‘Stay well away from it.’
‘But it’s just a burnt piece of bark,’ you shrug. ‘Does it have anything to do with him?’
The woman follows your gaze to the man lying on the bed. ‘That . . . bark as you call it, is part of a very powerful charm. When it was broken it released a hex – a curse. This man will die in a matter of a few hours unless I break the spell.’ She fixes you with a determined stare. ‘It won’t be easy – and I need your help.’
Will you:
Ask about the patient? — 115
Ask about the crates in the other room? — 35
Ask what you need to do? — 130
93
You remember the story you overheard in ‘The Pilgrim’s Rest’ about the valuable sword that had been left behind. Seeing your chance to acquire this treasure, you quickly raise your hand, offering to join Surl and the mage. The captain nods then gives you a hearty shove, sending you staggering forward into the camp. ‘Get to it then, runt!’
With weapons at the ready, the three of you search the cabins. It appears that everything – cupboards, shelves, chests – has already been rifled through and anything of value taken, including food. There are a few signs that a fight took place – sword nicks in a wall, a scorched area of floor and arrows protruding from a makeshift shield.
The Heart of Fire Page 9