The Heart of Fire
Page 54
Beyond the ruins the jungle continues south until it meets a vast wasteland of orange-grey rock, shimmering in the heat haze. You clamber up onto a nearby ridge to get a better view of the barren plateau. It presents many days of arduous travel, but such matters quickly pale into insignificance next to the one landmark that has remained a constant these last few days: the colossal black volcano. Even at this distance you can feel its formidable presence; its air of inescapable doom.
You sense that is where Cernos is now headed: to find the dwarven city of Tartarus and recover the demon-sword, Ragnarok. (Return to the quest map to continue your adventure.)
684
Appearances can be deceiving. Stepping out onto the ramshackle bridge, your stomach gives a dizzying lurch as it sways alarmingly from side to side. But, after taking a moment to balance yourself, the bridge soon settles into a rhythmic swaying, allowing you to take your first cautious steps out across the gorge. The wood creaks and groans beneath your weight, the tightly-wound vines squeaking in protest, but miraculously the bridge holds – much to your relief, as you glimpse the raging river thousands of metres below.
After a knee-trembling crossing, you finally make it to the forest at the other side. Relieved to be back on solid ground, you give the gorge a triumphant glare, before heading into the trees. Turn to 614.
685
Searching the cave, you also discover one of the following rare treasures:
Spinneret of shadows
Widow’s weave
Anansi’s hood
(left hand: wand)
(chest)
(head)
+2 speed +3 magic
+2 speed +3 magic
+1 speed +3 magic
Ability: webbed
Ability: weaver
Ability: webbed
Before you leave you help yourself to a trophy, to celebrate your victory over the spider. (Make a note of Anansi’s eye on your hero sheet, it does not take up backpack space). If you have the glaive of souls equipped, turn to 450. Otherwise, return to the quest map to continue your adventure.
686
The surviving tigris have already dashed into the jungle, heading for the compound. You understand their eagerness for revenge, but you worry their headstrong attack – even with their superiority of numbers – may still fail to overcome the compound’s sturdy defences.
As you break out of the trees you see the tigris have already started their attack, and put paid to many of your concerns; several of the compound’s walls have been breached and one side of the fort is already ablaze. Sounds of battle ring out from the compound as the hunters rally to defend their camp. Turn to 669.
687
You have no idea how long the battle has raged, but when the attacks finally stop coming you see that the ground is now littered with bodies. The few remaining squirrel monkeys rush for cover, wailing and howling like mourners at a funeral. Their cries bring fresh enemies to the stairs, seeking to halt your ascent of the monkey temple. Turn to 754.
688
The hidden room is clearly some sort of vault, containing the temple’s treasures. Many of these are of little interest: clay tablets covered in indecipherable script, urns and pots possibly used for ceremonies, and some rotted sets of clothing looking like they once belonged to a sect of priests.
However, amongst these artefacts you spot some valuable-looking items. Brushing away the dirt and cobwebs, you inspect your finds. If you are a warrior, turn to 550. If you are a rogue, turn to 511. If you are a mage, turn to 531.
689
Reaching the bottom of the ravine, you decide to follow the course of the river. After a short trek, you see a ramshackle cabin at the edge of the treeline. Next to it is a raft and paddle, pulled up onto a bank of gravel. Eager for some friendly company at last, you approach the cabin. However, your steps falter when you hear angry mutterings coming from inside, punctuated by outbursts of high-pitched, manic laughter.
Will you:
Knock and enter the cabin? — 638
Steal the raft and head downriver? — 512
Sneak past and continue on land? — 703
690
You are about to turn back when you hear a screech from up ahead. It sounded like a woman’s voice, raised in alarm. As you pass around a series of shell-covered rocks, you spy an old woman perched on a boulder. She is crouched down, her tattered dress hanging off her wrinkly, weathered skin.
‘I smells it! I smells it!’ The woman swings around, her face almost entirely hidden by a curtain of matted grey hair. ‘Muireal! Gorma! Come quick! It’s over here!’
You hear the sound of feet crunching through the sand, then two women, equally old and frail-looking, emerge from the trees. They are both cackling with delight.
‘What is this?’ you ask in bewilderment, looking from one woman to the next. ‘Are you survivors?’ You nod towards the wreckage. ‘Was your ship attacked?’
The first woman fumbles in her ragged dress, then pulls out a pulpy white object. She rests it on the palm of her hand, turning it to face you. In horror you realise it is a giant eyeball, with goo-covered tendons still hanging from its back. ‘Oh, I sees it! Lovely! Tasty!’ giggles the crone, moving the eye up and down.
‘Yes, fine strong bones!’ gasps the tallest of her companions – adorned in skulls and other grisly artefacts. ‘Been a while, dear sisters; travellers not as dependable as the sailors.’
The third tugs a comb from her tangled grey hair. You grimace with revulsion when you see it is made from human finger bones. ‘Oh, I do miss my sailors,’ she croons, stroking the ghoulish comb. ‘Since you lost your singing voice, Ceana, I suppose we must take what we can.’
‘Blame me,’ hisses the first, turning her magic eye to view her companions. ‘You took my teeth, Muireal. And my eyes!’
‘I made the maps, didn’t I?’ pouts Muireal, fanning herself with the comb. ‘Without them we wouldn’t get a morsel.’
‘Shut it, dearies!’ snarls the one with the skulls. ‘This one’s getting jumpy – and we ain’t getting any younger!’
Before you have a chance to flee, the three women spring at you, hissing and snarling like starved animals. You must fight:
Special abilities
Shawl of skulls: Gorma is immune to all passive effects, such as bleed, disease and venom.
Comb of sailors’ fingers: Once you suffer health damage from Muireal, you are automatically inflicted with disease, losing 2 health at the end of each combat round.
Eye of a kraken: At the end of each combat round, Ceana heals her two sisters, restoring 4 health to each. This cannot take Gorma or Muireal above their starting health. Once Ceana is defeated, this ability no longer applies.
At the beginning of each combat round, choose the siren that you wish to fight, rolling against their attack speed. If you win the combat, you must direct your damage against your chosen siren (unless you have an ability that can strike more than one opponent, such as cleave). If you lose the combat, the chosen siren strikes back as a single opponent, rolling for a damage score as normal.
If you manage to silence the siren sisters, turn to 657.
691
The ghostly servant appears in the doorway, clapping his hands together in glee. ‘At last, Pondicut’s Beneficiary Substitutionary Perambulations!’ He floats above the cluttered sea of books, heading straight for a black-leather bound tome. After tugging it loose and tucking it underneath his spectral arm, he floats over to another book, singing its title with euphoric delight.
By defeating the wyrm you have helped the ghost to retrieve some of his missing books. (Make a note of the key word clean up on your hero sheet.) You leave the spectral servant to continue his blissful book hunt, heading out of the archway and continuing south. Turn to 842.
692
The pipes branch and interlace, forming a convoluted network of conduits stretching the full height of the rock wall. They appear to be carrying super-heated air from a duct
in the ground to a similar pipe attached to the forge bellows. On various sections of the piping, wheels have been attached to the couplings to allow the pipes to be turned, altering or cutting off the flow of air.
‘These help to heat the forge,’ says Virgil, wiping the sweat and grime from his brow. ‘Anything we can do to lower the temperature will make it harder for those demons to heal.’
Will you:
Attempt to shut off air to the bellows? — 705
Examine the cogs and pulleys? — 786
Head up the stairs to the forge? — 601
693
You sever the creature’s wings, dropping it to the ground. As the drecko scrabbles in vain to defend itself, you step in quickly and deliver a killing blow.
You may now help yourself to one of the following rewards:
Fang of the fearless
Rainbow-skin brassard
Brightscale hauberk
(main hand: dagger)
(gloves)
(chest)
+2 speed +1 brawn
+1 speed +1 magic
+2 brawn +2 armour
Ability: deep wound
Ability: regrowth
Ability: radiance
(requirement: rogue)
(requirement: mage)
(requirement: warrior)
The tigris have seen off the rest of the drecko. Only one of their pack was lost in the fight – the unfortunate male who was carried away in the first attack. The tigris honour their lost comrade with a brief silence, heads bowed and paws clenched at their sides. Then their leader, Grey-hair, beats his chest three times. There are answering gestures from the rest of the pack, before they resume their march – expressions hard and resolute. Turn to 702.
694
‘Good! Follow me!’ The witchfinder drags you with him, through the twisted cell door and out into the passageway. ‘The Wiccans will provide all the distraction we need.’
‘But where are we going?’ you ask, stepping around the rubble that chokes the tight corridor.
‘We’re getting out of here,’ snaps Virgil impatiently. ‘Come, this way.’ He deviates down a side-passage, his magical blade lighting the way through the murky gloom. Turn to 478.
695
You duck your head and pass through the opening. As your eyes quickly adjust to the gloom, you find yourself in a cobwebbed cave. Carved into the far wall is a low rock shelf and, above it, several alcoves – a couple of which contain bone trinkets. At first you suspect this might be a shrine to some forgotten spirit or god, but on closer examination of the shelf you see names carved into the stone. Some are unreadable but a few seem more recent – Frobisher, Coronado, Finsbottom . . . This cave is clearly a traveller’s shelter, the rock shelf acting as a raised bed. You are also reminded of the custom whereby the last traveller always leaves a gift for the next visitor to find – a way of providing aid to fellow adventurers.
Will you:
Search the cave for supplies? — 757
Leave and resume your journey? — 689
696
You walk over to the bars, being careful not to get too close to the humming runes carved into the black iron. Peering past them you can see a small rectangular store room, stacked high with stone tablets. There is also a podium, fashioned from a complex weave of red and black granite, cradling a carved idol.
Sadly, there is no obvious mechanism or means to raise the barrier. Virgil pats you on the shoulder, sensing your obvious frustration. ‘Some things are best left alone. . .’ He touches one of the bars with the tip of a blade, eliciting an angry flicker of magic from the runes.
Admitting defeat, you give the room a last covetous glare, before following Virgil back to the main aisle. You continue to head east, until you reach another large chamber. Turn to 842.
697
As a special reward for freeing all of the tigris, you may now choose one of the following items:
Cart wheel
Brazen bar
Captive’s collar
(left hand: shield)
(left hand: staff)
(necklace)
+2 speed +1 armour
+2 speed +2 magic
+1 speed
Ability: roll with it
Ability: knockdown
Ability: bleed
(requirement: warrior)
Once you have made your decision, turn to 669.
698
A well-aimed strike punctures one of Cernos’ wings. The follow-up blow takes the demon across the chest, hurling him back against the runed door. He scrabbles to find his feet, looking battle-weary for the first time. Black blood seeps between his charred scales.
‘I am defeated,’ he rasps, struggling for breath. ‘I yield.’
You glare at the demon, knowing the trickster for what he is. This creature would never surrender . . .
And you are proved correct – the demon’s expression changes in a heartbeat, flaring into a vicious snarl. He lunges forward, his dagger-sized claws slashing for your throat. Any lesser opponent would have been cut down in those fatal seconds . . . but not you.
You turn aside as the demon hurtles past, bringing your weapons around in a spinning arc. They slice through the demon’s remaining wing, gouging a strip across his back. As your weapons complete their circle, you see more blood spatter across the cratered ground.
The demon tries to recover but, wrong-footed by your strike, he falls – collapsing onto his back with a grunt of pain. You stride towards the prone beast, your face darkened by fury.
‘It’s over, Cernos.’
The demon’s eyes go wide. ‘Indeed, it is . . .’ His gaze flickers over the spines protruding from your arms, and the black scales rippling across your chest – visible beneath your shredded armour. ‘Barahar’s blood . . .’ He nods with grudging admiration. ‘You are truly becoming a demon prince.’
‘I am becoming nothing!’ You snap. ‘I can stop all this . . .’ You point the tip of your weapon at Cernos’ chest. ‘At last, your heart will serve some good in this world.’
As you draw back to deliver the final blow, a sudden jolt of pain lances across your torso. You stagger back, surprised to see a white light flashing beneath the surface of your skin. ‘What . . . what is this?’ Another burst of pain drives you to your knees. You drop your weapons, putting your hands to the smarting wound. ‘Is this some trick, devil?’
Cernos looks equally confused. ‘Strange magic,’ he hisses. ‘There’s something buried there.’
You plunge a clawed hand into the scaly flesh, whimpering with pain as you gouge out the glowing object. It is a small metal ball, covered in bright sigils. The moment you hold it within your palm, the light winks out.
Before you can gather your senses a fist comes down, slamming into your cheek. For the next few seconds you are reeling in a daze, spitting blood and broken teeth. Then something cold reaches around your throat. When the dizzying nausea finally passes, you open your eyes – to see Cernos’ cruel visage inches from your face, his clawed fingers gripping you tight.
‘Never take your eyes off the prize, prophet.’ He draws back his other hand, the leathery skin creaking as it folds into a fist. . .
But the blow never lands. Instead, the cave blossoms with a piercing white light. You hear a man’s cry – then the crack of a flint-lock pistol. Cernos goes tumbling back in a shower of blood. Another crack and a bullet whistles past the writhing demon, blowing chips out of the far wall.
You twist around to see two figures silhouetted by the bright light. Their sharp profiles mark one as wearing an open coat and a broad-brimmed hat; the other is armoured in sculptured plate, a long cloak whipping back from their shoulders.
‘Told you it would work, Avian.’ The figure with the hat marches forward, holstering his smoking pistols and drawing a fresh pair.
‘Indeed, Virgil, you’re full of surprises.’ His companion raises a polished white staff, its headpiece crackling with magical energies. ‘A
nd I would say our timing, as always, is impeccable.’ Turn to 647.
699
When you finally come to a halt, breathing fast from your exertions, four bodies lie crumpled around you. You gaze upon the serene expressions carved into the golden masks, and wonder if the maidens are now at peace, or whether their spirits will be forever damned to haunt this dark place.
You may now help yourself to one of the following rewards:
Sun blaze
Burnished breastplate
Maiden’s mask
(main hand: sword)
(chest)
(head)
+2 speed +3 brawn
+3 brawn +2 armour
+1 speed +2 magic
Ability: sear
Ability: blind
Ability: sear
(requirement: rogue)
(requirement: warrior)
With the guards defeated, you approach the double doors and push them open. They creak against an age-old crust of dirt and sand, slowly revealing a small chamber beyond. Two flickering torches illuminate another set of doors in the opposite wall – this time fashioned from stone and dressed in more elaborate carvings. Directly in front of them is a plinth, with a golden mirror resting between a sculptured pair of hands. It is currently turned to face you, catching your reflection on its polished surface.
Above the mirror, cut into the low-ceiling, is a short rectangular shaft leading up to daylight – and at its top is another identical mirror, sparkling in the afternoon sun. If you have the word sun seeker on your hero sheet, turn to 677. Otherwise, turn to 779.