The Heart of Fire
Page 28
‘And what about you?’ you ask warily.
‘Well, a couple of gunshots has probably done it now . . .’
‘I meant, are you . . . like those things out there?’
The man gives a sigh, then removes his hat, doffing it to you in greeting. His eyes are like pale discs, full moons shining in an equally white face. He grins, revealing his sharp canines once again.
‘Eldias Falks . . .’ you gasp, recognising the witchfinder who handed you over to the inquisition. The witchfinder who accused you of murder.
The man staggers over to the table, resting his palms on the surface to recover his breath. His movements appear sluggish and pained. ‘I see my reputation proceeds me.’ He meets your gaze with a half-cocked smile. ‘But as you can see, perhaps I’m something of a disappointment; a shadow of what I once was.’
‘You’re a vampire.’ You take a step back, glass crunching underfoot.
Eldias glares at you with his pale, unnatural eyes. ‘A hazard of my profession, I’m afraid.’ He licks his lips, his gaze falling to your arm. You look down to see a small shard of glass protruding from your skin. Blood has started to seep out of the wound.
Will you:
Reveal how you know him? — 317
Ask about the zombies in the village? — 94
Ask how he became a vampire? — 76
Ask why he is in Blight Haven? — 180
348
A preliminary search offers up little of interest. As you are about to turn away, you suddenly catch something sparkling at the corner of your eye. Dropping down onto all fours, you see a collection of gemstones scattered in the narrow space beneath a fallen slab of stone. You slide onto your stomach and attempt to push your shoulder into the gap, reaching out with your fingers to grab the stones. But, after much groaning and cursing, they remain tantalisingly out of reach.
The only way to get to the gems is to remove the stone slab. You can either push it away using brawn or blast it to pieces using your magic. Take a challenge test:
Brawn/Magic
A rock and a hard place
12
If you are successful, turn to 112. If you fail, turn to 153.
349
Three glass pots catch your attention, filled with different fabric dyes. A label has been glued to the side of each one, written in a child’s hand. If you wish, you may choose one of the dyes and use it on a head, chest, cloak, feet or gloves item that you are wearing:
Mighty monster metal
Putrid pixie puke
Slimy stringy snot
(special: dye)
(special: dye)
(special: dye)
Add 1 armour to an item you are wearing
Add 1 magic to an item you are wearing
Add 1 brawn to an item you are wearing
You may now examine the cloth scraps on the table (turn to 51) or leave the room via the half-open door (turn to 391).
350
Amongst the putrid mould and clumps of animal hair, you spy a number of interesting items. Some appear to be from previous adventurers, whilst others look worryingly part of the strange spirit that once inhabited this festering place. As well as a pouch containing 20 gold crowns, you also find one of the following rewards:
Braids of the outcast
Weirdstone
Silver bullet
(head)
(ring)
(necklace)
+1 speed +1 magic
+1 magic
+1 magic
Ability: fearless
Ability: focus
Ability: quicksilver
When you have made your decision, you return to the courtyard. Turn to 510.
351
Using the Handy Herbalist’s Spotter’s Guide you are able to recognise some of the rarer herbs and plants that might help you in making a cure. You pick these and stuff them into your backpack. Record the word gatherer on your hero sheet. You may now investigate the wishing well (turn to 13) or search the reverend’s home (turn to 210).
352
Warily, you step between the guards, who both shoot you a mean glare from beneath their leather helms. You offer a thin smile by way of greeting, trying not to choke on the odour of ale and sweat emanating from their dirt-stained armour.
‘Behave yerself or yer’ll see the point of ma blade,’ mutters one, his scowl revealing black-stained teeth.
‘A point well made.’ You smile thinly, glancing down at the man’s rusty sword.
Ignoring his bemused frown, you push on the door and enter the shop. Inside, you find a dark, dingy room, devoid of furnishings save for a row of hunting trophies along one wall and a bear-skin rug spread across the slatted floor. Behind a counter, a grizzled man slouches in a high-backed chair, idly picking at his teeth with a dagger. His matted black hair and tangled beard give him a wild appearance, perfectly in keeping with his choice of decor.
Will you:
Ask to see the man’s wares? — 235
Admire the hunting trophies? — 12
Leave the shop? — 199
353
‘Impressive, very impressive,’ grins the demon, who has watched the entire fight with a bemused indifference. ‘But futile all the same.’
Ventus stalks towards the dais, his fists still bunched into balls of crackling light. ‘Explain yourself, demon spawn. Why are you a prisoner here?’
The creature twists to face him, wings flaring out from its spiked shoulders. ‘My crimes are endless. As is your ignorance. Clearly you know nothing of whom you address.’
Bea is crouched by Benin’s side, tears tracking down her dusty cheeks. ‘You are a monster!’ she screams in anger. ‘Do not trade words with it, Vent! Do not listen to it!’
Ventus continues to study the creature. ‘You are a demon prince.’
‘I am Cernos,’ nods the demon. ‘I have been a prisoner here for thousands of your mortal years. I have served my time and now I desire freedom.’ Its crimson eyes flick to you, its horned brow creasing together. ‘Grant it or you will die here.’
Ventus snorts, raising his fists. ‘I don’t see how you can stop us, demon.’ His gaze moves to the runed manacles that bind the creature’s wrists and ankles.
‘Oh, it won’t be me, brother of the light.’ The demon lifts its eyes to stare past you. A familiar sound reaches your ears – of snapping, cracking wood. You turn slowly, a cold dread prickling your skin.
‘No! It can’t be!’ Bea cries in desperation. ‘That’s impossible!’
The vines and branches are weaving themselves back together again, knitting the gaping wounds in the giant’s body. With a deep, rumbling roar, the beast levers itself back onto its feet, towering above you in all its menacing glory.
‘Your weapons cannot defeat Orgorath,’ hisses Cernos. ‘You either free me – or die.’
Will you:
Free Cernos from his bindings? — 453
Ignore Cernos’ request? — 468
354
With the stone guardians defeated, you advance on the black temple. It is an imposing structure of spine-like towers, arched windows and high columns. The mist has receded, but in its place is a presence – thick and palpable. It pushes against you like an invisible hand, forcing you to grit to your teeth as you struggle onwards, your will matched against that of some unseen foe.
Murlic is the first to stumble, falling to his knees. ‘I can’t . . .’ he mutters weakly.
You notice Conall staggering as if blind, his fists batting away at some invisible foe. Damaris has also stalled, gripping her staff with white-knuckled hands. You go to her aid but she puts out a hand to stop you. ‘No . . . continue . . . if you can . . .’ she gasps, struggling to draw breath.
Alone, you clamber up the stairs of the temple, crawling the rest of the way to finally reach its dark, imposing doorway. Turn to 419.
355
Across the other side of the cave is a deep fissure, cutting through the rock. As you approach,
you see that it is edged with a thick black soot. You wonder if the goblins had created this, using the explosives. Perhaps they had intended to dig deeper into the mountain, looking for treasures. Instead they released a plague of bugs.
Ducking your head, you pass through the fissure into another vast cavern. The walls and floor are slick with a gooey slime. At the far side, glittering in the green glow from the rock crystals, is a gigantic ant. Unlike the others, this one is female. Black scales cover her segmented body, rising along her spine to form a black crown on her head.
‘The queen . . .’ you gasp.
From the back of the creature’s black carapace a silken tube spits out a steady stream of eggs, which gather in an ever-increasing pile against the cave wall.
Hundreds of eggs.
You realise that this must be the source of the bug threat. However, as you gaze upon the queen’s thick armour and monstrous, blade-like arms, you wonder if you have the power to defeat such a foe. Turn to 307.
356
‘An interesting offer,’ replies Sir Bastian, nodding with approval. ‘If you are willing to agree to my terms then you have yourself a deal.’
‘Terms?’ you ask in disbelief, trying to ignore the sniggers coming from the farrier.
‘Well, there’s my repair costs,’ sniffs the knight. ‘For my armour. Not to mention feed for Wilma here. Oh, and I want first choice of any treasures that come our way. A fair deal, don’t you think?’
You find yourself struggling for words, mouth agape.
‘Indeed, I see the honour renders you speechless! To share in my adventures – to have the bards sing of Sir Bastian and his faithful squire. Forty gold crowns up front.’ He extends his hand, beaming a broad smile. ‘For a legend such as myself, it’s an outright steal!’
‘Yer can say that again,’ smirks the farrier, tapping home another nail. He looks up from his work, frowning when he sees that you are actually contemplating the offer. ‘Blimey, there’s one born every minute,’ he sighs, shaking his head.
If you wish to hire Sir Bastian then the knight will provide you with the following for 40 gold crowns:
For glory: Sir Bastian will help you fight a legendary monster. If you are defeated then Sir Bastian will flee the combat and you will have to hire him again if you wish to receive further aid.
Man-at-arms: Sir Bastian adds 2 to your damage score for the duration of the combat.
Wilma’s wallop: The knight’s warhorse has a powerful kick. For each you roll for your attack speed, Wilma hits an opponent with her hooves, doing 3 damage, ignoring armour.
A just reward: If you defeat the legendary monster, Sir Bastian gets first choice of the treasures. When you are offered a choice of rewards, roll 1 die. or the knight takes the first item, or the second item and or the third item. You must then choose from the remaining two items.
Remember that Sir Bastian will only stay with you for one encounter. If you wish to use his services again you must hire him for 40 gold crowns. When you have made your decision, turn to 199 to explore more of Raven’s Rest, or return to the quest map to continue your journey.
357
Damaris points to a black smudge on the horizon. You squint, trying to make out what it is. At first you assume it is some dark lake or patch of rocky scree, but then you see the golden sunlight catching on hundreds of sharp, barbed edges.
‘The forest of thorns,’ you gasp.
Damaris nods. ‘There is something at its centre. Something ancient and powerful. I sense it is of the old magic – of the old times. And I believe that it could help us win this war.’
You glance at the witch, frowning. ‘A weapon?’
Damaris shakes her head quickly. ‘No, it is living, that much I can sense.’
‘Then why not just . . . go there and find it?’
Damaris snorts. ‘The forest is impenetrable. No blade or magic can fell those cursed trees.’ She turns and raises her hand. There is a dull grating sound as a secret panel in the wall slides open, revealing a set of worn stairs. ‘Come, follow me.’ Turn to 497.
358
‘We all Shara Khana,’ states Scar-face, patting his chest then pointing to the rest of the pack in turn. ‘Not have names like skins. We all pack. All Shara Khana. That is our name.’
You look back towards the rock shelf, where more members of the pack are appearing from the forest. It is a paltry gathering – only a dozen tigris, eight males and four females. The only child that you can see is the one you helped to save, still clutched protectively in their mother’s arms. ‘Is this all that is left of your pack?’ you ask, bewildered.
Scar-face fixes you with his round, yellow eyes. ‘Hunters take the rest. That is why we leave. To save Shara Khana. I believe that is what Shonac would do.’
Will you:
Ask about Shonac, the great spirit? — 334
Leave for the marsh? — 722
359
You are perched on the edge of a stone bench, glaring at the angelic statue opposite. The winged figure is beaming down at you with a radiant smile, arms open wide in welcome invitation. It doesn’t really seem to belong in the cold, featureless corridor of the church.
It has now been several hours since you arrived back with Benin. The priest immediately retired to his chambers with a medic and another priest to prepare the antidote. Since then, you have heard no word regarding the cure or the bishop’s condition.
Tired and frustrated, you finally get to your feet – preparing to leave. It is then that the double doors at the end of the passageway fly open and an inquisitor appears, striding purposefully towards you. He is dressed in thick plates of white and gold armour, a glimmering sword scabbarded at his side.
Panic rises in your stomach, your hands dropping to your own weapons. Your first instinct is to run – after all, it was the inquisitors who imprisoned you in their dungeon at Durnhollow, seeking to find answers to your strange prophetic powers. But you hold your ground, trying to relax your tensed muscles; trying not to look like a guilty escapee.
As the inquisitor nears, his sullen face creases into a broad smile. ‘Come, the bishop will see you now.’
Breathing a sigh of relief, you follow the inquisitor back down the hall. The doorway leads through to a set of stairs that wind up to a short landing. There you are taken through another set of doors into a plush chamber, dominated by a four-poster bed. Propped up amidst a sea of pillows and blankets is a thin elderly man with wispy white hair. A tray with soup, bread and fruit rests on a table next to him.
As you enter, he claps his hands.
‘Ah, praise be to the One God, here is our brave hunter – the kind soul who aided my dear Benin.’
‘I am pleased to see you are well,’ you smile, halting at the end of the bed. You bow your head in reverence, not entirely sure what the correct formality is for such meetings.
The bishop gestures to the far wall, where a stone altar is set beneath an arched window. A cloth has been laid across its surface and a priest is now carefully arranging a number of items on top of it.
‘We have some small treasures from our vault that I can off—’ His voice trails off into a fit of coughing. Another priest is immediately at his side, offering a cup of water.
The inquisitor takes your arm. ‘The bishop is still unwell. Come, choose a reward and then we can leave him to his rest.’
You walk over to the altar and examine the three items. You may now choose one of the following:
Prayer beads
Ivory spire
Cardinal’s cappa
(necklace)
(main hand: wand)
(cloak)
Ability: heal
+1 magic
+1 brawn +1 armour
Ability: focus
Once you have made your decision, the inquisitor escorts you to the main entrance of the church, where Benin is waiting for you. Turn to 69.
360
You awake with a thumping headache, your clothes
soaked with rainwater and mud. Painfully, you try and sit up, every muscle of your body protesting. It takes several minutes for you to remember what happened, how you came to be here . . . Then realisation dawns.
Quickly, you scramble to your feet. Your backpack has been emptied out onto the track, its contents lying scattered in various pools of mud. Fearful of what the robbers might have taken, you frantically take stock of your supplies and equipment.
To your annoyance, the robbers have made off with half your gold, one item of equipment and one backpack item. (You must remove these from your hero sheet.) Wincing with pain, you stuff your remaining gear back into your pack and hoist it onto your shoulders. Things could have gone worse, you reflect grimly. Perhaps the robbers had a conscience after all.
‘Crazy land, crazy people,’ you mutter, rubbing the bump on the back of your head.
Across the track, the wooden signpost points away into the thickening gloom: ‘Raven’s Rest – 1 mile’. Hoping it will bring you better fortune, you set off in the direction of the settlement. Turn to 199.
361
You set out your plants and herbs on the table top. A few of the bottles already contain a milky-looking solution, labelled ‘elixir base’. To make the cure, you will need to decide which ingredients you will use and in what order they will be added to one of the bottles.
Will you:
Add lemongrass? — 171
Add meadowsweet? — 321
Add white willow? — 247