From The Shadows
by hosted
Fighting Fantasy
Amateur Adventure
CONTRIBUTORS: Sylas, Cobb Webb, Al sander, Khaxzan, Odo_ital, Archmage
Edited by: Victor Cheng
From The Shadows
Deep within the foundations of the earth, a Chaos Gate is being created. Where exactly is not known. But one thing is clear – it must be destroyed, or all manner of hellish creatures will come through. The Dark Elves – servants of the night – have despatched four of their lieutenants across Allansia to further this campaign. They must be found, for each holds a clue essential to locating the hidden portal. Faced with this oncoming doom, a hero rises – YOU!
Do YOU have what it takes to stand against the agents of shadow? Can YOU destroy the portal before the very essence of Chaos is unleashed?
Two dice, a pencil and an eraser are all you need to embark on this adventure, which comes complete with its own elaborate combat system and a score sheet to record your progress. It is up to YOU to decide which routes to follow, which dangers to risk and which foes to fight.
fightingfantasy.org Editors Note: Implemented as a turn-to only adventure at this stage.
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INTRODUCTION
You are about to take the role in an adventure that will make you into a living legend, renowned and respected throughout the world. Before you take part in this quest, you must first determine your own strengths and weaknesses. You use dice to work out your initial scores. There is an Adventure Sheet at the back of the book, which you may use to record details of your adventure. On it, you will find boxes for recording your SKILL, STAMINA and LUCK scores. You are advised either to record your scores on the Adventure Sheet in pencil or to make photocopies of the sheet for use in future adventures.
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Skill, Stamina and Luck
Roll one die. Add 6 to the number rolled and enter this total in the SKILL box on the Adventure Sheet.
Roll two dice. Add 12 to the number rolled and enter this total in the STAMINA box.
Roll one die. Add 6 to the number and enter this total in the LUCK box.
For reasons that will be explained below, all your scores will change constantly during the adventure. You must keep an accurate record of these scores, and for this reason, you are advised to write small in the boxes or to keep an eraser handy. However, never rub out your Initial scores, except on those very rare occasions when the text specifically tells you so.
Although you may be rewarded additional SKILL, STAMINA and LUCK points, these totals may never exceed your initial Scores, except on very rare occasions, when you will be instructed on a particular page.
Your SKILL reflects your general expertise in fighting and combat – the higher the better. Your STAMINA score reflects your general constitution, your overall will to survive, your determination and overall fitness; the higher your STAMINA score, the longer you will be able to survive. Your LUCK score indicates how naturally lucky a person you are. Luck – and Magic – are facts of life in the fantasy kingdoms you are about to explore.
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Battles
During your adventure, you will often come across pages in the book that instruct you to fight a creature of some sort. An option to flee may be given, but if not – or if you choose to attack the creature anyway – you must resolve the battle as described below.
First, record the opponent’s SKILL and STAMINA scores in the first empty Encounter box on your Adventure Sheet. The scores for each opponent or creature are given in the book each time you have an encounter. You should also make a note of any special abilities or instructions, which are unique to that particular opponent.
The sequence of combat is then:
1. Roll two dice for your opponent. Add its SKILL score. This total is your opponent’s Attack Strength.
2. Roll two dice for yourself. Add the number rolled to your current SKILL score. This total is your Attack Strength.
3. If your Attack Strength is higher than your opponent’s is, you have wounded it. Proceed to step 4. If your opponent’s Attack Strength is higher than yours is, it has wounded you. Proceed to step 5. If both Attack Strength totals are the same, you have avoided each other’s blows – start the next Attack Round from steps 1 above.
4. You have wounded your opponent; so subtract 2 points from its STAMINA score. You may use LUCK here to do additional damage (see below). Proceed to step 6.
5. Your opponent has wounded you; so subtract 2 points from your STAMINA score. You may use LUCK to reduce the loss of STAMINA (see below). Proceed to step 6.
6. Begin the next Attack Round, starting again at step 1 with your current SKILL score. This sequence continues until the STAMINA score of either you or your opponent reaches zero (death). If your opponent dies, you are free to continue with your adventure. If you die, your adventure ends and you must start all over again by creating a new character.
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Escaping
On some pages you may be given the option of running away from a battle should things be going badly for you. However, if you do run away, your opponent automatically gets in one wound on you (subtract 2 STAMINA points) as you flee. Such is the price of cowardice! Note that you may use LUCK on this wound in the normal way (see below). You may only Escape if that option is specifically given to you on the page.
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Fighting More Than One Opponent
In some situations, you may find yourself facing more than one person or creature in combat and will have to fight them all at the same time! When you find yourself fighting multiple opponents, each adversary will make a separate attack on you in the course of each Attack Round but you can choose which one to fight. Attack your chosen target as in a normal battle. Against any additional opponents you roll the dice for your Attack Strength in the normal way; if your Attack Strength is greater than your opponent’s, in this instance, you will not inflict any damage – you can regard it as if you have parried an incoming blow. If your Attack Strength is lower than your adversary’s, however, you will be wounded in the normal way.
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Luck
At various times during your adventure, either in battles or when you come across other situations in which you could either be Lucky or Unlucky (details of these are given in the relevant pages themselves), you may use LUCK to make the outcome more favourable to you. However, beware! Using LUCK is a risky business and, if you are unlucky, the results could be disastrous.
The procedure for using your luck is as follows: roll two dice. If the number rolled is less than or equal to your current LUCK score, you have been Lucky and the outcome will be in your favour. If the number rolled is higher than your current LUCK score, you have been Unlucky and will be penalised.
This procedure is known as Testing your Luck. Each time you Test your Luck, you must subtract 1 point from your current LUCK score. Thus, you will soon realise that, the more you rely on your LUCK, the more risky this procedure will become.
Using Luck in Battles
On certain pages of the book, you will be told to Test your Luck, and will be told the consequences of your being Lucky or Unlucky. However, in battles you always have the option of using your LUCK either to inflict more serious damage on an opponent you have just wounded or to minimise the effects of a wound you have just received.
If you have just wounded an opponent, you may Test your Luck as described above. If you are Lucky, you have inflicted a severe wound; deduct an extra 2 points from your opponent’s STAMINA score. However, if you are Unlucky, however, your blow only scratches your opponent, and you deduct only 1 point from your opponent’s STAMINA (instead of scoring the normal 2 points of damage, you now only score 1).
Whenever you yourself are wounded in combat, you may Test your Luck to try to minimise the wound. If you are Lucky, your opponent’s blow only grazes you; deduct only 1 point from your STAMINA. If you are Unlucky, your wound is a serious one and you must deduct 1 extra STAMINA point (i.e., a total of 3 points from your own STAMINA). Remember: you must subtract 1 point from your LUCK score each time you Test your Luck.
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More about your Attributes
Skill
Your SKILL score will not change much during the course of your adventure. Occasionally a paragraph may give you instructions to increase or decrease your SKILL score, but it may not exceed its Initial value unless you are specifically instructed to the contrary.
At various times during your adventure, you will be told to Test your Skill. The procedure for this is the same as that for Testing your Luck: roll two dice. If the number rolled is less than or equal to your current SKILL score, you have succeeded in your test and the result will go in your favour. If the number rolled is higher than your current SKILL score, you have failed the test and will have to suffer the consequences. However, unlike Testing your Luck, do not subtract 1 point from your SKILL each time you Test your Skill. Your SKILL score can never exceed its initial value unless specifically instructed on a page.
Stamina
Your STAMINA score will change a lot during your adventure. It will drop because of wounds received through combat, or by falling foul of traps and pitfalls; and it will drop after you perform any particularly arduous task. If your STAMINA score ever falls to zero or below, you have been killed and should stop reading the book immediately. Brave adventurers who wish to pursue their quest must roll up a new character and start all over again.
There will be (rare) occasions when you will be told to Test your STAMINA. The procedure for this is a little different from the procedures required when Testing your Luck or Testing your SKILL; and is as follows: roll four dice. If the number rolled is less than or equal to your current STAMINA score, you have succeeded in your test and the result will go in your favour. If the number rolled is higher than your current STAMINA score, you have failed the test and will have to suffer the consequences. However, unlike Testing your Luck, do not subtract 1 point from your STAMINA each time you Test your STAMINA.
Luck
Additions to your LUCK score may be awarded in the adventure when you have been particularly lucky or created your own luck by some other action. Details are given, where appropriate, in the paragraphs of the book. Remember that, as with SKILL and STAMINA, your LUCK score may never exceed its initial value unless specifically instructed on a page.
Special Note
There will be times during your adventure when you will come across an unusually dangerous situation and your SKILL, STAMINA or LUCK will be tested to the full; for example you may be instructed to Test your Skill, ‘adding 2 to the number rolled’. This simply means that when you roll two dice you must add 2 to the total; if you had rolled a 1 and a 3, for example, your modified total would be 6 (1 + 3 + 2 = 6). You then compare this outcome with your current SKILL score to discover whether you have succeeded in the test.
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Food
Every adventuring warrior knows that food is vital as a form of sustenance. You begin with ten meals worth of Provisions. You may find opportunities to obtain more Provisions but you may never carry more than ten. There is one point to remember in using these vital supplies: the text shall instruct you to eat a meal at certain times in your adventure. This means you’ll have to erase one meal automatically without gaining STAMINA! Venturing into any adventure may prove arduous indeed; therefore you need food just to keep your strength up. This then leads to a second possibility: if you have no Provisions and the text tells you to eat a meal, you must reduce your STAMINA by 3 points! Any other time you eat a meal, you may restore 4 lost STAMINA points, except during combat or when performing any other similar action.
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Equipment and Potions
You will start your adventure with a bare minimum of equipment, but you may find or buy other items during your travels. You are dressed in leather armour, possess a money pouch to hold Gold Pieces, and have a backpack to hold your Provisions and any other items you may come across. You also carry a lantern to light your way in the dark, and a sword of the finest steel. These items are also covered in paragraph 1 along with a few others.
You do not start with any Potions but you may be lucky enough to obtain some later. Potions have many effects but the most common are used to restore your Attributes. Each bottle of potion contains enough for one measure. Remember to cross it off your Adventure Sheet when you choose to drink it. You may do this at any time (except during combat).
If you ever have items you no longer wish to keep, you may discard them at any time. Simply cross the item from your Adventure Sheet. Obviously, if the text asks if you possess a certain item, it will be too late to discard it.
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Hints on Play
This adventure is dangerous. You might well fail on your first attempt. Make notes and draw a map as you explore – this map will prove invaluable when making further forays in this adventure, and it will enable you to progress more rapidly to unexplored sections. Remember: when you are travelling through any environment, it is a good idea to make a note of where such encounters lie in the adventure ahead, including useful objects and information to aid you on your dangerous quest.
Be wary about testing your Luck, unless a paragraph instructs you to do this! When it comes to fights, you should Test your Luck only to keep yourself alive if an opponent's blow would otherwise kill you. However, be warned! If you decide to use Luck in this way, be certain your adversary is worth it – LUCK points are precious!
You start this mission with very few possessions, but will be given opportunities to collect food, weapons, and items. However, choose your equipment carefully - although many are precious or magical, others are red herrings and of no real value at all.
You will soon realise that paragraphs make no sense if read in numerical order. It is essential that you read only the paragraphs you are instructed to go to. Reading other sections lessens the excitement and surprise during play. The only true way to success in this adventure involves minimal risk; even if your character scores are low, you should be able to find magical artefacts and weapons that may increase your chances of victory in battle.
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BACKGROUND
You can tell that something is wrong even as the caravan draws near to the town of Stonebridge.
You work for the trader Tareg Villett, protecting him and his wares as he takes them around the towns and villages scattered throughout the Pagan Plains. Normally, a crowd starts to gather as soon as the caravan comes into view of its next destination, the locals eager to see what Tareg has for sale, and to hear the latest gossip from elsewhere in the region. Today the Dwarves of Stonebridge look wary, even fearful, and only a small group of armed guards assembles to greet you.
Seeing this, Tareg reins in his horses a safe distance from the town. "Get out and see what's the matter with them," he orders you.
Taking care not to make any moves that might be misinterpreted as hostile, you approach the guards.
"What do you want here?" calls out a Dwarf with streaks of grey in his beard.
You explain that Tareg has come to sell his wares, and the Dwarf says they'll only let the caravan past if Tareg lets them check it first. Reluctantly, Tareg agrees to this, and two of the Dwarves clamber into the back of the caravan, emerging moments later to pronounce its contents safe.
The guard with the grey-streaked beard tells Tareg he can come in. As the caravan begins to move once more, you ask what the guards were checking for.
"Dark Elves," mutters a guard with a large nose, and spits on the ground.
Gradually the whole story comes out. Somewhere in this part of the country, an army of Dark Elves is assembling with the intent of taking over the whole region. Their leader, an evil Sorcerer by the name of Malbordus, is attempting some kind of Dragon-summoning magic to add to their strength. Yaztromo, a good Wizard who lives somewhere to the south, found a champion to confront Malbordus, but there has been no news of how this champion has fared. Under the circumstances, it's hardly surprising that the locals aren't particularly interested in trading.
Unwilling to risk running into a Dark Elf raiding party, Tareg decides to stay in Stonebridge for now. Leaving you to tend to the horses, he stomps off in search of a tavern.
You have just finished dealing with the horses when a voice cries, "It's Yaztromo! He's coming here again!"
You hurry to join the crowd that is assembling to meet him, everyone hoping for good news, fearful of bad. It soon becomes almost impossible to make out anything in the babble of voices, but everyone falls silent when Yaztromo finally reaches the town square.
"Malbordus is dead," announces the Wizard, and a massive cheer erupts from the crowd, dying away quickly as he glares at everybody through his spectacles.
"That doesn't mean the danger's over," he continues. “Far from it, as a matter of fact. A good army is something like a Hydra - cut off its head, and it grows another one.” For a moment he pauses, lost in thought. “Actually a Hydra grows back two heads for every one you cut off, so they’re not exactly the same. Still the point is that if a good army loses its leader, it doesn’t fall apart, it just appoints a new one. And, judging by what I've managed to find out concerning this new leader, this one is just as dangerous as Malbordus was. Maybe even more so.”
"This morning an attempt was made on my life, using a magic arrow, engraved with the Rune of Death. If my crow hadn't spotted the assassin and warned me, I doubt that I'd be here now."
"Did you catch him?" asks one of the Dwarves.
"Of course I did. A Dark Elf archer. He wouldn't talk, of course, but I know a mind-reading spell, and he couldn't completely block that. He put up a good fight, though. Must have been trained by an expert. And I won't be able to find out any more from him, either. While I was recovering from casting the spell, he managed to get to a poisoned needle he had hidden in his jerkin, and killed himself. But I had enough fragments to piece together the Dark Elf army's new plan."
The Wizard pauses, but this time nobody else dares break the silence, and after a moment he carries on.
"Their new leader is a High Priest, and he appears to be trying to open up a Chaos Gate. There's not a lot known about such things as, fortunately, whenever anyone's been fool enough to try and create one, they've been prevented from completing it. But it's clear enough that if one ever is opened, it will let all manner of monstrosities through from somewhere in the depths of hell. For such a portal to exist, its creator would undoubtedly require an extensive base of operations to perform the necessary vile rituals in secret. The trouble is I wasn't able to find out where this one's being built."
Several of the crowd gasp upon hearing this, and Yaztromo flaps his hands at them. "Oh, there's still hope. Silzedel, my would-be killer, isn't the only member of the Dark Elf army who's out and about. He was just one of four lieutenants who've been sent out to cause trouble, and the other three are still at large, as far as I can tell. Find them, and we may have a chance of finding the Chaos Gate before it's too late. They should all have one of these.” He holds up what looks to you like a large discoloured tooth. “While I haven’t been able to completely decipher the runes inscribed on it, I could at least ascertain that the correct word of command will cause this to transport its bearer to the Gate. I’m sure I could find out a lot more about the spell if I had the rest of the teeth. Maybe even just one or two more of them. So all we need,” he gives a short, bitter laugh, “is for someone to find the other lieutenants and acquire the teeth they carry. It's just a pity that my young friend who took care of Malbordus isn't back from the Desert of Skulls yet. We really can't afford to wait for..."
"I'll go!" In the shocked silence that follows the interruption, you realise that the voice which spoke up is your own. You catch sight of Tareg over to one side of the crowd, looking displeased, and feel a strange sense of satisfaction.
"Oh?" Yaztromo peers at you and beckons you towards him. "And who might you be? No, don't tell me, it doesn't matter. More to the point, what makes you think that you’re up to the challenge? Have you even faced any Dark Elves before now?”
“No,” you admit, and add. “But I once fought off a Hill Troll raiding party single-handed.” A feeling of shame overcomes you as soon as you speak these words. How foolish and insignificant that fight, your greatest triumph, must seem to someone as powerful as Yaztromo.
Tareg gives a snort of derision at your embarrassment, but to your surprise he is immediately shushed by several of the Dwarves around him, and you hear muttered expressions of approval from those closest to you.
The wizard is smiling as well. “Whether or not you have the skill for this quest, you certainly have the courage. It takes a lot to admit to everyone that you’ve never fought any Dragons or Demons or the like. Such courage may not be enough, of course, but it’s a good start. Now, I'm not sure exactly where any of these other lieutenants are, but I've managed to narrow it down to just five probable locations. The sooner you start searching, the better."
He fumbles in his robes for a roll of parchment. "Here's a map with them all on. They're all quite some distance from here, so you'd better get a move on. And... Hold on a moment, where did I put that... Ah!"
He holds up a copper ring. "Yes, this will allow you to communicate with me over long distances. But it only has a few charges, so you'd better use it very sparingly. Don't try to contact me until your search is over. If you can get hold of the other teeth, I should be able to find the right general area and cast a spell that will transport you there."
You take the map and the ring from Yaztromo, and promise to do your best to find the location of the Chaos Gate.
"Yes, you do that. And if you can stop the lieutenants from doing whatever it is that they're up here to do, so much the better. They're all up to no good, no question of that. Oh, and maybe you should have this, too.”
He drops the tooth into your hand. Studying it, you see that the discolouration is actually a series of seven elongated runes inscribed upon it. If you do obtain any more of these teeth, make a note of the number of sigils they bear.
"Anyway,” concludes Yaztromo, “it's about time you were on your way."
Wondering what you might have got yourself into, you unroll the map.
Turn to paragraph 1.
Yaztromo has circled the five locations where the other lieutenants might be in red ink, so they immediately catch your eye. Two are near the top of the map, the third is about half way down and on the left, and the others are close to the bottom.
"That's Stonebridge, by the way," adds Yaztromo, indicating a spot close to the middle of the map with a gnarled fingernail. It lies roughly to the north of Yaztromo's tower in Darkwood Forest.
Looking more closely at the red circles, you identify the names within them. The first, almost directly north of Stonebridge, is Fang, infamous for the dungeon that has claimed the lives of so many adventurers. Some way east of Fang is a place called Zengis. The name means nothing to you. You've definitely heard of the one to the west, though. Port Blacksand is notorious for being filled with criminals, none worse than its ruler, Lord Azzur. By contrast, Salamonis, in the south, is renowned for the goodness of its king. As for Warpstone, roughly east of Salamonis, that is as much of a mystery to you as Zengis.
"Try to be methodical in your search," advises Yaztromo. "I don't know how much time we have before the Chaos Gate is ready, so the quicker you can find the lieutenants, the better. Now, it's high time you were on your way."
Within a few minutes you are ready to go. You have your sword, your backpack, a lantern, 10 portions of Provisions, a pouch of 20 Gold Pieces, and map, tooth-piece and Copper Ring from Yaztromo. Most of the Dwarves of Stonebridge assemble to see you off and wish you luck, though Tareg is nowhere to be seen. Probably getting drunk in some tavern, the miserable old so-and-so.
The crowd cheers as you head out of the town square, and you hope that their confidence in you will not prove misplaced.
Which way will you head out of Stonebridge?
North, across the Pagan Plains towards Fang and Zengis (turn to 178)
South, past Darkwood Forest towards Salamonis and Warpstone (turn to 267)
West to Port Blacksand (turn to 63)
As the gap between the falling block and the floor narrows you leap through the remaining space. You feel the force of the stone crash into the floor beyond but you wild dive has got you through safely.
Although you have survived you know you have cut down your options considerably. If there is no other way out you will be doomed, even if you complete you mission. The only way onwards is through the tunnel stretching out ahead. Turn to 141.
Though more accustomed to sailing the seas that going inland, the ship's crew expertly manoeuvre the Sea Horse into the River Kok, and you are soon heading east towards your next port of call. If you have already been to Fang, turn to 280.
Otherwise, the voyage up river is problem-free until the afternoon, at which point the look-out warns of a barge apparently abandoned and adrift up ahead, almost blocking the way. Captain Tully asks for some volunteers to go over to the barge in one of the lifeboats and move it to the bank, where it will not pose a hazard to any other vessels on the river. As they crowd into the lifeboat, you see that there's room for one more person in it.
If you wish to accompany them to the drifting barge and try to find out what has happened aboard it, turn to 298. If you would rather stay on the Sea Horse and let the sailors attend to the barge on their own, turn to 80.
You head away from the market square and soon encounter several excited folk talking about a part of the city that has just collapsed down some sort of hole in the ground. Up ahead you see a crooked sign marking the entrance to 'The Black Dragon' tavern and wanting to find out more about the local disturbance you enter, finding yourself in a disreputable, dully lit room. The windows are encrusted in filth and let in little light. The taverns numerous patrons are not much cleaner either. You wind your way through the various cut-throats and vagabonds towards the counter. You are leaning across the bar top to attract the barkeep's attention, when the door of the tavern bursts open. There is a moment of absolute silence as the patrons of the tavern take in the sight of three Skeletal Warriors standing in the doorway, scanning the room with sunken, light-consuming eyes. Then the screaming starts and all pandemonium breaks loose. Turn to 349.
You push your way through the crowds and their festivities. Ahead of you, priests of Dalgalla have set up games of chance. The press of people around the games slows your progress. You work your way around the edge of the crowd and pass close to a simple enclosed stall marked "Madame Star, Clairvoyant". A short, plump woman in brightly coloured clothes pokes her head out and motions you across to her.
"Adventurer. Cross my palms with gold and I will tell you your fortune." At your sceptical look she exclaims, "Let me tell you a little of your fortune now and you can determine yourself if it is worth the payment for the rest." A look of concentration comes over her face and in a sharp voice that cuts through the noise of the crowd she exclaims. "You are on a questߪ you have come to Blacksand searching for an item ofߪ no, for a person, someone shrouded in deep mystery. You believe they may be in Blacksand but do not know for sure." She shakes her head as if to clear it. If you want to pay 2 Gold Pieces for Madame Star to continue reading your fortune, turn to 305. If you would rather continue on your way, turn to 350.
You lunge for him. He does not speak. He simply gathers his power and waves a hand in your direction. You feel his magic envelop you, tearing at your very soul. Test your Luck. If you are Unlucky, your body and soul are destroyed, leaving behind a light scattering of dust to mark your utter annihilation. If you are Lucky, lose 1-6 points (roll one die) worth of STAMINA. The force of his magic blinds you momentarily. When your vision clears, you areߪelsewhere. Turn to 30.
The three approaching guards don't appear suspicious otherwise they'd have bows ready rather than whips. They lash out at the nearest bunch of Dwarfs whom have already been freed but forced to stifle their building anger.
"What problem have we here?" barks the taller of the Dark Elves. "Get back to work or it's the pit for all of you. Our pet always needs to feed, don't you forget."
They casually scan the workers for fault and you do your best to remain nonchalant as their gaze moves slowly round to you. Thinking quickly, the Dwarf pushing the cart claims one of the wheels is jammed diverting their attention. The guards walk over to investigate and you give the Dwarf a nod of thanks. Now is your chance to act. Releasing the last of the slaves, you signal the attack. In mere moments, the guards have fallen to a barrage of blows. But the danger is far from over. A high-pitched resonance suddenly fills the tunnels.
"It's the alarm!" Damon curses. "They know we're free. The rest of them are alerted to our presence. You'd better deal with that witch while you still can. We have unfinished business here." Many guards arrive promptly, carrying bows and jagged blades dripping with poison. Will you run on ahead to confront the lieutenant (turn to 277) or stay with workers and face the first wave of guards (turn to 205)?
Unfortunately, while the court can understand that adventurers sometimes carry the odd dark and deadly item, the number you carry convinces them that you may well just be the villain described by the grand counsellor. The king orders for your immediate arrest. You protest your innocence but your voice falls on deaf ears. Palace guards drag you down to the dungeons where you are locked away for an indefinite amount of time. Even if you do eventually manage to escape, you will be too late to prevent the Dark Elves from opening the Chaos Gate. Your quest has failed.
Dwight's Wharf district appears to be devoid of shops, only residential areas for high-class folk and a very large house in a cul-de-sac. The streets are practically deserted. As you are leaving the block, you see a hairless canine scoot from around the corner and bolt like a frightened animal would, but in your direction. Closer up, you realize it is not much of a dog - more like some sort of experiment gone awry, or maybe the pet of a twisted sorcerer. It has no eyes that you can make out, but its acute sense of smell picks up your scent. The thing looks starved and growls wildly, intent on making you its long-awaited meal.
If you have a Gantamaran Calf with you, turn to 149 immediately. Otherwise, defend yourself!
EYELESS PIT-SCAVENGER SKILL 9 STAMINA 6
The creature is very strong and quick. Since it is blind, you may Escape after two Attack Rounds by deliberately outmanoeuvring it and running up the hill (turn to 358).
If the pit-scavenger is killed, a few guards come running down the street to retrieve the carcass.
"Thing escaped from the arena. They crawls high they do. Sorry for the trouble."
You are given 3 Gold Pieces and told to keep your mouth shut! It is time to explore elsewhere. Choose a place that you have not yet visited:
The Goldoran Strip. Turn to 309.
The Horse Market district a few blocks away. Turn to 67.
North towards the arena the guards mentioned. Turn to 358.
"You have done well to hunt down two of the three agents of evil," Yaztromo says rather impressed, "Though that does mean that one Dark Elf lieutenant is still at large. But let us not worry about that since there are more pressing matters at hand. Quickly now, tell me of these discoveries."
You describe the tooth-pieces for the wizard to continue his research. Restore 4 points of STAMINA and 2 points of LUCK for your accomplishment.
"I have it!" you hear as the ring crackles back into life. Eager to get going, you ask Yaztromo if he has found the Chaos Gate. "Yes. Wellߪno, not exactly - more like an indication. We have been searching for the lieutenants across Allansia hoping that one of them would be crucial to finding the Dark Elf headquarters in one of the bigger cities. In a way, we have been led on a wild goose chase. The base isn't out there at all. It's here, in Darkwood!"
You sigh despondently. So you know the portal is in a base somewhere in Darkwood which, of course, would take days to reach and weeks to search its entirety.
"Stop fretting for a moment," Yaztromo continues, "Did I say I was finished? The base is on the western edge of Darkwood but something or someone is blocking my magic. I can't get an exact location so I'm afraid you will have to discover it by yourself. The tooth-pieces you hold originate from the same location as the Chaos Gate. I can sense their magic and tap into it, weak though it is, through the copper ring. And through my studies, I have learnt a Tooth Warp spell that can transport you most of the way there to avoid some of the dangers of Darkwood Forest. I may be able to guide you when you are closer to the portal. Alternatively, if you are running low on supplies I could teleport you to my tower where you can rest and restock. Of course, that would mean you having to go through the forest on your own. Either way, you are quite a distance away and carry a lot on your person. I suggest you'd better lose some baggage in order for the spell to work."
You can take with you no more than 12 items of equipment. Each portion of Provisions counts as one item but your pouch of gold can be treated as a single item. Rings, keys and tooth-pieces are light enough to be negligible. Do not count your backpack or clothing either. Everything else counts as one item each. Decide what you wish to take or leave behind and amend your Adventure Sheet accordingly. When you are finished, you inform Yaztromo that you are ready to receive his spell.
If you want to be transported to the tower, turn to 389 immediately.
If you would rather be transported into the forest, all goes hazy and then you find yourself in Darkwood. Recovering from the effects, you observe your new surroundings. Turn to 74.
You see the crew of a barge making preparations for heading down river, and decide to see if you can get a lift with them and save yourself some time. The Captain, a man barely taller than the average Dwarf, says he can take you as far as Fang, but unless you want to work your passage, it'll cost you 5 Gold Pieces. If you are willing to pay that much, the fare does include a bland but filling meal, and you may add 2 STAMINA points for the night's rest. If you would rather work, you will get no rest for the night, and must eat your own food: deduct one portion of Provisions or lose 3 STAMINA points for going hungry. If you cannot pay for the journey, have no Provisions, and would die from the STAMINA loss, you fight off starvation by helping yourself to some stale bread that one of the crew intended to throw to the birds in the morning: lose no STAMINA, but deduct 1 LUCK point for the humiliation.
Early the next morning, the barge reaches Fang. If that is your intended destination, turn to 131. If you are heading for Port Blacksand, the Captain drops you off on the south bank of the River Kok before crossing to the Fang docks (turn to 219).
The Skeleton Warrior finally crashes to the ground in a clatter of bones. Out of the skeleton's eye sockets roll 2 Black Pearls, which you can add to your Adventure Sheet if you wish. Each is worth 3 Gold Pieces if you ever decide to sell them. You can still hear faint sounds of battle further around the crater. If you want to move towards the sounds, turn to 260. If you want to attempt to climb down into the crater, turn to 275.
You step over to tend to the young man bleeding on the ground. Fortunately he only suffered mild injuries and he is capable of standing after getting over the shock. "Thank you my friend. Those brutes would have surely killed me if you hadn't shown up." You ask him why they were attacking him and he replies, "Well it seems that I'm a bit too nosy for my own good. I work in the mines as an overseer of the mining operation. I make sure that we make a decent quota, and I'm in charge of choosing where the dig is to take place. As you can probably guess the mines are very big, and we have had a few problems with creatures from the mountains coming in and making lairs in the mines. So, I send out guards to patrol the working areas to make sure they are safe. We also block off disused parts of the mine to prevent them from coming in, but they slip through sometimes. One day, I was making some rounds asking the guards if the place was secure, and we were very close to a blocked off section, when I heard voices coming from behind the barrier. Our barriers are usually quickly made so there are often holes where you can look through, and I saw three figures standing there talking. I could make out only a few words: 'slaves', 'on the other side', 'lieutenant'. That seemed very strange to me, since normally the mines are deserted except for the occasional animal. I guess I shouldn't have asked all those questions about them around the town. They must have spies here." This could be something to do with the Dark Elves you are looking for, so you ask him how to get into the mines. "Well, there are no visitors allowed in the working area of the mines, but there are many abandoned entrances scattered across the mountains. Without a map, you'd be lost for sure. Tell you what. My father is a mine inspector and one of the few people with access to a map of the entire tunnel network. If you go to The Green Gem Inn, he should be there most of the afternoon and he can give you a map. Here, have this. Tell him how you helped me, and he should have no problem giving you the map." He pins a small bronze star on to your tunic.
"Of course, it would be helpful if you knew which tunnels they use, but I don't know unfortunately. By the way the name is Silek, and thank you once again for saving my life." With that he shakes your hand and leaves the alley. You stand alone for a moment considering the information he has given you, and what luck it would be if he was right. Gain 1 LUCK point for this meeting. You leave the alley and continue up Opal Street. Turn to 294.
The man at the table is too busy gulping down a jug of something to notice you approach. You hesitantly sit down near him for fear that sitting by the door should get you stabbed in the backߪon top of a broken nose! When he finally lowers the empty jug alongside four others, he shudders slightly upon seeing you there. He reminds you of a wizard: long white hair and long white beard. His eyes are green and slightly foggy.
"What do you want?" he asks. All you do is shrug your shoulders, somewhat bemused. "Listen. I am NOT going anywhere with you! Get that through your thick head!"
The innkeeper brings him another jug filled to the brim with alcohol. "Do not sit here listening to him. He is a demented old man. He has been in here every day spending off his coins and making me rich enough to buy another pot. Some stew, adventurer?"
"Silence!" screams the elder, and the innkeeper simply laughs to himself and struts off. "It was he, the coward, who was to go into that dungeon NOT my son in his place. He never came out of there. They won't tell me what happened to him!" He lowers his voice a bit. "If you would kindly venture into that dungeon and retrieve information about my lost son, I will reward you with five hundred gold coins and shops in Zengis all your own. I am the wealthiest man alive!"
The innkeeper yells across the room, "He babbles such tales to everyone. Yesterday, he claimed his son was turned into a monkey by Black Elves."
"Adventurer, Baron Sukumvit is indebted to me. I crafted him that sword with my bare frail hands! I let him use my son as a dungeon-walker, and what did I get in return? Nothing! I am a blacksmith not a drunkard. I try to walk with my chin up."
You rise slowly as he rants on and on about himself and his son.
"If you can attain that sword from him and give it back to me, I will be the happiest fellow alive! I will take that sword and run the baron through his heart!"
You ask him what the sword looks like.
"Ohߪit's been yearsߪI cannot rememberߪthere was a distinctive red gem on itߪ" His eyelids start to droop and saliva stretches down from his lower lip. You know you won't be able to get any more information out of him; he is ready to fall asleep.
If you wish to drink his jug of ale you may do so, turn to 135. If not, you step away from the table. The two men playing dice are still in the room. If you want to go over, turn to 347. If you'd rather just leave, turn to 309.
Surely the man you rescued from the Chaos Abomination couldn't beߪ But as you describe what happened in the mines and then give his description, the woman lets out a shriek of joy. You notice the young man behind her has stopped his scribing and is staring at you in astonishment.
"For saving my husband, you must accept this gift." She is pulling out an amulet from one of the draws as she speaks. "It was supposed to be for young Faren here, to keep him safe if he ever followed in his father's footsteps, but it will be of more use to you."
She hands you the Crystal Amulet and explains its powers to you. If you need to Test your Luck to avoid the effects of hostile magic and fail your LUCK roll, the amulet will activate. Instead of failing the roll, the magic from the amulet will allow you to progress as if you had succeeded. It will also raise your LUCK to its Initial score at this time. After one use, the amulet loses its magic.
You thank the woman for her gift and leave the shop. Now will you enter the shop marked 'Malfeous the Talented: Magics for All Occasions' (turn to 181), browse the stalls to see what they have on offer (turn to 364), or if you have had enough of shopping, leave the square (turn to 4)?
No sooner have you flipped the card over than a cloud of billowing smoke is released. You jump back with a start. From the depths of gathering darkness you hear a scream, and are startled again when a body suddenly drops out from within the smoke. It is the wizard you have come to see and he has been foully slain. You face the darkness once more. It is taking the form of some skeletal winged-beast with fangs and slashing claws. Then it is upon you.
FLEETING SPIRIT SKILL 12 STAMINA 2
The creature relies on surprise and fear to overcome its victims and, if you do not have a magic or silver weapon, you cannot harm the spirit and your adventure will end here. If you can harm your adversary, a single hit is enough to banish it. Should you be lucky enough to survive this encounter, turn to 244.
In the moment when you are blind, Valgan reaches out and tries to touch you with a hand energised with magic. You stumble and through luck alone manage to avoid his touch. As your vision returns you attack, finally bringing the fight to your powerful foe.
How many marked locations on the map did you visit before coming here? If you visited three locations, you need not make any modifications. If you visited four locations, increase Valgan's STAMINA to 14. If you visited all five locations, increase Valgan's SKILL to 8 and his STAMINA to 16.
VALGAN SHAR SKILL 7 STAMINA 12
Valgan fights by casting bolts of twisting and rolling energy at you - bolts of pure chaos! Any armour you may be wearing has no effect in this battle. Whenever he wins an Attack Round, roll one die and consult the table below to find the effect the chaos magic has upon you.
Dice roll Effect
1 The wild energy revitalises you both - add 2 to your STAMINA score and that of the Dark Elf's.
2-5 A chaos bolt hammers into you inflicting an amount of STAMINA damage equal to the number rolled.
6 Chaotic energy leeches into your body drawing out something vital. Lose 1 point of SKILL, STAMINA, and LUCK.
Valgan will not fight to the end. If you manage to reduce him to 4 STAMINA or less, turn to 184 immediately.
You sit there shivering from the cold, on the lookout for anything suspicious in the area and around the pier. If the Dark Elf is still here you cannot afford to let him escape. Hours pass. You must eat a meal to keep your strength up. If you have no Provisions, deduct 3 from your STAMINA. Eventually, your persistence is rewarded as you espy the Dark Elf exit a building nearby. There is no doubt that he is one of the lieutenants you are hunting, judging by his livery. He appears to be edgy and looks over his shoulder constantly. You follow him at a distance waiting for a better opportunity to attack. He heads into an area bedecked with golden statues and scarlet shrines. You presume that he is either planning on leaving Fang by some kind of transport, or leading you into a trap. Perhaps, he does not even know you are following. Suddenly, he steps out into the open. Could this be your chance? Will you:
Run out to attack him? Turn to 233.
Creep closer? Turn to 125.
Use a blowpipe, if you have one? Turn to 37.
Make yourself invisible, if you can? Turn to 49.
After a couple more hours it starts to get dark, so you make camp for the night. Again you must eat (deduct one portion of Provisions without restoring any STAMINA) and sleep. Note down this reference number and turn to 42 to see if your rest is undisturbed.
If you are still alive come the morning, you proceed south, and before long you become aware of a stench far worse than the one you noticed yesterday. This one is ahead of you, though, and gets worse the further you go. Eventually you come into view of its source, which is also your destination, Port Blacksand. Turn to 93.
A quick search of the Giant produces a large leather pouch. You empty out the contents, and find 6 Gold Pieces as well as a strange silver medallion. You put the medallion and coins into your backpack and continue north along the path. You soon reach another junction, except this time it splits four ways. You may:
Go north. Turn to 204.
Go west. Turn to 128.
Go east. Turn to 45.
You head back into The Noose and back to the thieves' guild. You sit comfortably, sipping a glass of fine wine, while the master thief relates what he knows. Restore 1 STAMINA point.
Disappointingly, the thieves of Port Blacksand have not noticed any Dark Elf activity within their city and the master thief proclaims boldly that if they don't know about any activity, then there is none. He can give you one lead however. He explains that they are in contact with a guild much like their own in Salamonis (except smaller and poorly run, he mutters). That guild has reported some "unusual" decisions being made at the highest level in the city as well as a determined effort to cause unrest amongst the common people by person or persons unknown. "It could be one of your Dark Elf Lieutenants causing trouble." Restore 1 LUCK point if you have not yet been to Salamonis.
"Now, sadly and despite the help you have given us this evening and despite our fine conversation, we are going to have to kill you. I know it may seem ungrateful but you just know too much. We simply cannot afford to let you leave here alive."
As the master thief has been talking, the other members of the guild have not been idle. You are surrounded and they draw weapons as you leap to your feet.
Several items might help you at this stage. If you possess the Black Panther Statuette and wish to use it, turn to 295. If you possess a Potion of Invisibility, you can drink it and make it to the door before its effects end, allowing you to escape The Noose with the thieves in close pursuit, turn to 254.
If you don't possess either of these items or don't wish to use them, you are going to have to fight your way out.
MASTER THIEF SKILL 9 STAMINA 10
FIRST THIEF SKILL 7 STAMINA 5
SECOND THIEF SKILL 6 STAMINA 7
You must fight them all together. Each Attack Round, choose which Thief you are going to attack. Roll your Attack Strength and the Attack Strength of each Thief normally. Compare your Attack Strength against each Thief, but you can only wound the Thief you have selected. If you have a higher Attack Strength than another Thief you have parried his blows but you don't inflict any wound on him.
Once you have defeated one of the thieves you can Escape through their broken lines, losing a total of 4 STAMINA as the two thieves closest to you strike, and flee the Noose with the remaining thieves in close pursuit, turn to 254.
If for some reason you cannot Escape, you are doomed; a dozen or more thieves close ranks around you and soon cut you down with their blades.
Test your Luck. If you are Unlucky, your ruse has failed (turn to 370). If you are Lucky, you give off the right attitude of hauteur as you approach them, casually moving aside your cloak to reveal the Sword of Tamahelos. One of them stammers out something but you just give her a thin-lipped smile. The other guard quickly fumbles for a key and unlocks the door, holding it open so you can enter. Add 1 LUCK point for your successful ruse then turn to 264.
Taking the reins, you pull hard to get the horses under control. The animals seem to have gone wild. Worse still, they are veering off the road heading straight for the river! You prepare to jump but it is already too late. The carriage plunge in with a great splash taking you with it. Lose 1 STAMINA point. Scrabbling for the surface, your hand unexpectedly meets another, pulling you from the water and into a small boat.
"Crazy fool!" the old fisher complains. "If ya wanna die, go do it in someone else's river. This un's mine!"
When you get back on to land, there is no trace of the Dark Elf. You curse, having gone through all that for nothing. If you have already encountered the other two lieutenants, contact Yaztromo by turning to 383. Otherwise, turn to 46.
The gold thuds into the ground at your feet. "So, you have chosen death. Well, if that be your choice -" Bored of her gloating, you dart forwards before she can finish. You prevent her from using her most potent spells, since those take longer to cast, but the arcs of black lightning she brings to bear are formidable enough. You will be fortunate to survive this combat.
ISHENLA PHYSONRAY SKILL 11 STAMINA 8
Her spells reduce your STAMINA by 4 points each time she wins an Attack Round. If you win, turn to 60. If you are still alive and fighting after five Attack Rounds, your slave companions boil into the cavern to finish off the lieutenant. Many brave souls are struck down before she finally falls to the force of numbers. Turn to 60.
"Ah, a stranger in these parts? That makes a nice change. Welcome, welcome." The scrawny old innkeeper ushers you to a table before you can even get a word in. You look about at the empty tables and ask him where his customers are. "Oh, they're in the rooms upstairs. Not exactly early, you know; they need their rest. How about a drink on the house?" He brings you a mug of ale and places it in front of you. Do you want to drink and perhaps start up a conversation (turn to 189), or say that all you want is a room for the night (turn to 256)?
As you approach the three men they stop talking and look up at you. One of them looks at you with distrust.
"What do you want?" he snarls. You tell them that you are new to the city and that you are looking for rumours about anything strange happening. "The only strange thing that happens here is people walking up and interrupting decent people in their conversations. Leave us alone." If you are wearing a small bronze star, turn to 374 immediately.
If not, they do not wish to talk to you and you must choose another course of action that you have not tried before. You can either talk to the bartender (turn to 115), order a meal and talk to the man and woman (turn to 43), or ask the men if you may join them in a game of dice (turn to 395).
You leave the room and enter the downward sloping passage. You have only got a short distance when you hear a terrifying grinding of stone on stone. A huge stone block falls from the ceiling. You try to leap out of its way but you simply cannot move fast enough to get out from underneath before the block strikes you.
If you possess the Dragonstone Sceptre, turn to 288 immediately.
Otherwise, you have only the briefest instant to curse your poor fortune before you are crushed to a pulp. Your adventure ends here, so close to your final goal!
You arrive at Sapphire Street at the agreed time. You see Borak sitting on a chair on the porch in front of his house and hold up your hand in greeting. He smiles and invites you to sit down offering you a glass of something he calls Crystal Water. You accept and it tastes a lot like lemon juice which actually cools you down and makes the warm evening almost unfelt.
"Well my friend, I hope you have enjoyed you're stay in Warpstone so far. I hope you haven't had any more interesting encounters since you rescued Silek."
You smile and tell him that the rest of your stay has been a lot duller. He lets out a laugh but then develops a more serious look in his eyes.
"But you are not here for small talk. You are here for this." He reaches behind him a finds a cylindrical metal container. "Here is the map that we agreed upon, but I still cannot get you access to the mines." You take the container and tell him that you will find a way to get in. "Well good luck to you. Come back and visit sometime." You thank him and leave the house. It is time to enter the mines. Turn to 378.
You bear slightly to the west as you head southwards through the Moonstone Hills. Though this part of Allansia is said to be home to all manner of dangerous creatures, and you find some evidence to support that claim when you pass the skeletal remains of a humanoid around three times your size, nothing troubles you during the day. At night you must make camp once more: deduct another portion of Provisions or Test your Luck to try and find something edible close by, losing 4 STAMINA points if you are Unlucky, and roll on the table at section 42 to see if your night is also trouble-free.
Continuing your journey the following day, you make it out of the Moonstone Hills without incident, and towards evening you reach a farming village. On the outskirts you encounter a young couple, who tell you that the name of the village is Coven and give you directions to the local tavern, where you can get a meal and a room for the night for 3 Gold Pieces. Make a note on your Adventure Sheet that you have been to Coven.
If you want to go to the tavern, and can afford the price, turn to 177. If you would rather sleep beneath the stars, or poverty compels you to do so, you make camp outside the village. Deduct another portion of Provisions if you have any left. If you have no food, you can either lose 3 STAMINA points for going hungry or raid some unfortunate farmer's field for something to fill your belly, losing 1 LUCK point for such shameful behaviour. Regardless, you must also roll on the table at section 42 again. If you make it through the night, you set off again in the morning, soon reaching the Windward Plain (turn to 122).
The silence is abruptly broken by a loud rumbling from above and behind you. Looking back over your shoulder, you see that one of the boulders is toppling down the hillside, and a moment later it comes to rest with an earth-shaking crash. This valley is starting to look less picturesque and more dangerous, but it will not be easy to go back with that boulder blocking the way, so you decide to press on through it quickly.
Before you have gone very far, you hear another rumble, and look up to see a second boulder tumbling towards you. Throw two dice. If the total is equal to or lower than your SKILL, turn to 341. If the total exceeds your SKILL, you do not react quickly enough, and the boulder lands on top of you, crushing you into the ground.
The threat disperses and you wake up breathing a sigh of immense relief in the realisation that it was all a dream. But you have faced and conquered it and feel more determined than ever. Restore your STAMINA to its Initial level and turn to 210.
Between the towering mountains of the Craggen Heights to your right and the seemingly endless stretch of the Flatlands to your left, you feel small and isolated, and this sensation only grows as you make your solitary way south. You see the occasional scurrying thing in the mountains, and on a couple of occasions you glimpse a lone horseman far away to the east, but apart from that you witness no signs of life. Your journey across the edge of the Flatlands lasts two days and two nights, during which time you must use two portions of Provisions without gaining any STAMINA, or lose 3 STAMINA points for each missed meal. It is a mixed blessing that although there is not enough food to forage for out here, you also do not meet anything nasty on the way. In fact, the only thing you come across is a single gold piece which you accidentally kick up but eagerly take. It's too bad that you cannot eat it.
If you survive this bleak trek, on the third morning you make out the shape of a town up ahead. More ominously, a little further on you also find a dead man in tattered rags, starved and dirty-skinned, with rusted shackles on his bony wrists and ankles, lying in a shallow ditch at the side of the track. You cannot do anything for him, as even if you could spare the time, the ground is too hard to dig a grave, and there are too few small stones around to build a cairn. Trying to shake off the sense of foreboding that hangs over you like a shadow, you press on towards the town. Turn to 345.
"Hey, cut that out," you hear yourself say, stirring from your slumber. Some inquisitive, furry animal is nuzzling your face. Lethargically, you peel your eyes open. It could be a dog or a cat perhaps. Or, blast! - a RAT! You hurriedly brush away the foul creature and sit bolt upright. You are not prepared, however, for the shock in store for you. The entire room is crawling with huge black rats and centipedes the size of your arm! Rotting corpses of men are strewn amongst them. If you don't act fast, you could end up like them. Will you:
Stay on the bed and fight? Turn to 133.
Throw your blanket over the creatures and dash for the door? Turn to 381.
Jump out of the window to the ground below (it's a good four metres down)? Turn to 243.
After placing it on your head, you find it will not come off! By magic it is stuck fast. Only by winning your next battle will you be able to remove it. Until then, you must reduce your SKILL by 1 due to massive migraines and grogginess suffered at the hands of this cursed item. Turn to 303.
Searching his possessions, you find: a pouch containing 5 Gold Pieces; two portions of bitter-tasting yet highly nutritious Provisions; an empty glass bottle; and one of the tooth-pieces you are looking for. This one is patterned with ten contours. You take these before planning your next move. If you have already encountered the other two lieutenants, contact Yaztromo by turning to 383. Otherwise, turn to 46.
If you have now visited all five, or at least three, of the locations marked on the map and wish to end your search, you may contact Yaztromo by turning to 383.
Otherwise, you head down to the bank of the river, where you pause to consider your next course of action. Close by, two men are chatting as they watch a group of sailors loading a barge, and suddenly two words stand out to you from their conversation: 'Dark Elf'. Paying closer attention to the discussion, you learn that the man speaking was engaged by a Dark Elf to transport a crate containing some kind of animal to Fang. If you have not yet been to Fang, you cannot afford to ignore this lead, and had better go there as quickly as possible (turn to 11). If you have already investigated Fang, you would gain nothing by returning there, and must turn your attention elsewhere. If you wish to head south to Salamonis or Warpstone, turn to 239. If you would rather check out Port Blacksand, turn to 11.
Aiming carefully, you send the missile whizzing towards him. He clasps his neck with a stifled cry - a successful hit! However, your delight becomes dismay as the Dark Elf plucks out the dart regaining his composure. He spins round to look in your direction.
"I see you skulking, coward," he spits. "Poison cannot harm Targamis the Mighty. Now let's see how long you last in a real fight." Your cover is blown and you meet him in combat. Cross off a blow dart and lose 1 LUCK point, then turn to 233.
The afternoon sun is still shining down hard, and you feel exhausted from the running. You stop after some time, hoping that you are well out of the Grass Mutant's territory. You reach a four-way junction in the path. In the middle of the junction you spot the gruesome remains of a Forest Goblin. You can smell decay in the air, and maggots crawl all over it. It must have died many days ago and you don't bother with searching it. Will you go north (turn to 179), west (turn to 330), or east (turn to 307)?
You head up river in search of a ford, finding one after about a quarter of an hour. As you are making your way across, voices call to you from further up river, and you turn to see two Dwarves in a rowing boat. One of them shouts that they have lost an oar, and you see it floating towards you. You grab the oar once it is within reach, and climb onto the bank to wait for the Dwarves to catch up.
"Thank you, stranger," says the Dwarf who takes the oar from you, "I'm afraid we can't repay your kindness, unless a lift as far as Stonebridge would be of any help." You work out that accepting the lift could cut a day or two off the time it would take you to get to Fang, and are also curious as to why these Dwarves are heading for Stonebridge, so you accept. On the way you discover that they live there, but have been away visiting distant relatives, and know nothing of the Dark Elf army that threatens Allansia, so you explain something of the situation.
You are recognised upon your arrival in Stonebridge, and while disappointed to learn that you have not yet completed your mission, the Dwarves of the village are still pleased to see you, and arrange a small celebration to mark your return. You eat well that evening, and spend a comfortable night in the finest guest room in the village (add 2 STAMINA points).
The following morning you are given two meals' worth of Provisions before you set off north to Fang. It takes you two days to sight your destination, and for each of those days you must use a portion of Provisions without adding any STAMINA, or lose 3 STAMINA points if you choose not to eat. You must also roll on the table at section 42 twice for the two nights you spend on the Pagan Plain.
On the third morning you get the ferry across the River Kok to Fang. It costs 2 Gold Pieces, or you can go for free if you row the boat yourself, in which case the effort will so tire you that you must deduct 1 from your Attack Strength in any fights that occur before you next gain STAMINA. Whether you pay or work your way across, you may now enter Fang. Turn to 131.
You must hurry. Light is fading fast and that'll make things all the more difficult. You ask one of the locals the whereabouts of Darkside Pier.
"Darkside Pier?" the man quizzes. "Oh, you must mean 'Dockside' Pier. It's by the river just past Horse Market district. That way."
When you arrive, there is no one present at the pier. It appears that the town is settling down for the night. All of the streets have darkened and become ghostly. The winds have picked up and the snow is still falling. Wherever this Dark Elf has gone, you have either missed his boat or he is still in town. You have a gut instinct about staying the night in Fang. You head back up Horse Market district and hang around one of the ornamental temples to keep watch. Turn to 18.
You place your foot in the door, stopping Nicodemus from shutting it. You quickly try and explain the urgency of your mission and the importance Yaztromo places on its success. Nicodemus's face darkens with anger.
"You are already taking up the time of one powerful wizard. Youߪdon'tߪneedߪtoߪdisturbߪme. I have too many other things, important things, to do. NOW GET LOST!"
If you want to leave Nicodemus and instead try to get information from the thieves' guild, turn to 251. If you want to make one final attempt to convince Nicodemus to aid you, turn to 245.
Not every hostile creature in Allansia sleeps at night, so you always make sure to keep your sword within reach when you make camp. Roll one die, make any modifications you might have been instructed to in the section from which you were directed here, and consult the table below to see whether or not you get a decent night's rest.
Roll Result
2 or less No predators disturb your sleep. Restore 2 STAMINA points.
3 You are attacked by a DEATH HAWK (SKILL 4, STAMINA 4).
4 A marauding ORC (SKILL 6, STAMINA 5) attacks you.
5 A WOLF (SKILL 7, STAMINA 8) comes prowling in search of prey.
6 or more You must defend yourself from a vagrant TROLL (SKILL 8, STAMINA 10).
If you do not have to fight, or fight and win, return to the section from which you came.
You ask if you can join the couple and they are more than happy for the company. The man introduces himself as Kalden, a miner; the woman is his wife Juria, a jeweller. They ask about your business in Warpstone and you explain that you are interested in learning more about the mines.
"Then you've come to the right person", says Kalden, "Were mining gold, silver and gems from very deep in the mountains. The mines and the city of Warpstone are over 150 years old and thus our mines are a myriad of tunnels that you could get lost in for weeks if you don't know where to go. We have a huge map of the tunnels but it is so huge that no one can carry it anymore." Kalden lets out a small laugh, and you try to imagine how big the map is. "We of course only enter the tunnels where we are currently mining, so we have a pretty good idea of how to get in and out. Since our tunnels are very deep, it would take forever to get the ore and gems out of the mines by simply carrying it, not to mention how backbreaking it is so we have carts to move the ore through the tunnels. To make it easier, we have placed metal tracks beneath the wheels to better push the carts along. That has made our mining operation a lot faster and easier, but when it comes to mining the ore itself nothing beats a little manual labour, and we are happy to do it. Sometimes it's also nice to walk in the marketplace and see all the things for sale and say to oneself that, I'm the one who mined that."
Juria snickers and says, "And sometimes saying it to oneself doesn't seem enough. You should hear him in the store sometimes, picking up a jewel and making jokes that he remembers mining that particular gem."
Kalden smiles sheepishly and continues, "The only problem with having such large interconnecting tunnels is the inevitable creatures of the wild that set up lairs in some of our abandoned tunnels. We try to seal off most of our useless tunnels but sometimes the creatures do get through, so we have soldiers standing guard to protect us from these beasts. The upside of it is that it does attract adventurers who seek fame and fortune trying to dispatch of these creatures. There are a few old entrances in the mountains that no longer lead to the mines, but are host to a lot of different creatures."
You have a pleasant conversation with Kalden and Juria, but you have no time to linger. You make your excuses and bid them farewell. Turn to 261.
You form shifts and changes. You feel your mindߪ your knowledge, trying to slip away but somehow you retain your consciousness. You look around you in bewilderment; everything looks distorted and large. Nicodemus looms above you with a broom and then sweeps you violently outside. He closes the door.
You hop towards the doorߪ hop! You are a toad. If you had your fortune told earlier, turn to 308.
Otherwise you must Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 308. If you are Unlucky, turn to 223.
You walk for a while, until you reach another four-way junction. In the middle of the junction you see the gruesome corpse of what used to be a Forest Goblin. Maggots crawl all over it, and there is a terrible stench in the air. It must have died many days ago and you don't bother with searching it. Ignoring the way south, you may either go north (turn to 179), or continue east (turn to 307).
If you have now visited all five, or at least three, of the locations marked on the map and wish to end your search, you may contact Yaztromo by turning to 383.
Otherwise, you find that all traffic on and across the River Kok has finished for the day, and you will have to wait until tomorrow morning before you can move on. If you have not yet eaten today, you will need some food, and must deduct one portion of Provisions without gaining any STAMINA or pay 2 Gold Pieces in an inn, or lose 3 STAMINA points if you can do neither. A room for the night will cost 3 Gold Pieces and allow you to restore 2 STAMINA points for the rest. If you cannot or will not pay, a restless night awaits you, as press gangs prowl the streets, searching for vagrants they can 'recruit' for the Pits, and you have to stay on the move to keep from being captured.
In the morning you must decide where you want to go next. If you wish to head up river to Zengis, turn to 340. If you want to go anywhere else, you must start by crossing the river (turn to 292).
You head towards the commotion. The air is filled with dust, reducing your visibility and making you cough. You can dimly see where part of one building has collapsed into the ground. There is a hole, a crater, in the ground ahead. The slope of the crater is covered with the stone and wood remains of at least a couple of more buildings. It would be very dangerous to try and climb down into the crater - the rubble shifts and collapses further downwards as you watch.
It is strangely silent. Distantly you can hear muted screams and the sound of fighting. Moving around the edge of the crater, you spot the first body, gruesomely hacked apart. Moving closer, you see several other brutally damaged bodies. You can hear the footsteps of someone coming towards you. Out of the dust ahead strides an ancient skeletal figure holding an antique sword. The sword and skeleton are both covered with fresh blood and other, even worse, remains. You only just have time to raise your weapon before the skeleton is upon you. You must fight.
SKELETON WARRIOR SKILL 7 STAMINA 6
If you hit the Skeleton Warrior with a blow from a sharp weapon such as a sword, it will only do 1 STAMINA (2 STAMINA if you decide to Test your Luck and are successfully, 0 points if you are unsuccessful) damage as there is little for your weapon to damage. A blunt weapon such as a Warhammer will do normal damage to a Skeleton Warrior. If you defeat your foe, turn to 12.
Roll five dice and compare the total with your Initial STAMINA. If it is greater than your score, the shock to your system is so severe that you fall into a coma, never to recover. Your adventure ends here. Otherwise, you wake screaming from a terrible nightmare. (If you have just fought a battle, restore your STAMINA to what it was before the battle.) You may have survived but the realism of it all has left you permanently shaken - reduce your current and Initial SKILL by 1. Turn to 210.
Under a veil of invisibility, you advance confidently towards the Dark Elf. Sure enough, he cannot see you, but is by no means unaware of your presence. He cocks his head from left to right trying to pinpoint your location. That something is out there, he has no doubt; but you have the advantage. You edge towards him stealthily, ever closerߪcloserߪthen strike! The lieutenant's blade flashes - a speed even you find astonishing - half-parrying what would have been a fatal blow. He takes the wound instead in his shoulder causing him to lose grip on a serrated knife. Stifling a cry of pain, he slashes his sword about wildly, trying to track you by your footprints in the snow. You rush in to finish him off.
TARGAMIS ROVANE SKILL 9 STAMINA 8
His STAMINA score has already been reduced and you gain the full benefits of your invisibility. If you win, he gives you a last hateful stare before coughing up blood and expires. Add 2 LUCK points for vanquishing the lieutenant. Turn to 35.
Helmund criticizes your every finding but you retaliate with some sensible reasoning to back your claims. Soon you begin to win favour of the court who grow increasingly suspicious of their grand counsellor.
"The court has seen, and it has heard," the king announces. "The adventurer has reason to suspect Grand Counsellor Helmund for villainous deeds. It is therefore, with regret, necessary to have his person and his quarters investigated." Soldiers begin to advance on him, their hands ready on their weapons. Helmund protests but the king adds that he needn't worry if he is innocent. The villain is about to make another speech when his outline begins to glow. At this, he loses his nerve. Before anyone can stop him, he twists a jewelled ring and vanishes to everyone's amazement! You draw your weapon and scan the room for the lieutenant.
"Over here," a voice whispers. A hush descends and all eyes turn to the throne. The lieutenant has reverted back to his Dark Elf guise with the effects of a doppelganger potion wearing off. He has a dagger to the king's throat and no one dares move a muscle. "One trick you never learned about, adventurer," the Dark Elf smirks. "I call it a disappearing act."
Bewildered, the king enquires, "Helmund, just what do you-"
"Actually, the name's Delgar, your lordship, of the Elanchaeanath clan. Helmund died weeks ago after meeting an unfortunate incident. I have assumed his identity from that time with the good commander's help. Loth was merely a pawn, greedy and delirious enough to believe in glory out of treason. The incompetent fool should have taken care of the adventurer. If the upstart hadn't despatched him, we certainly would have. This brings me to you, your lordship, you and your underlings foolish enough to fall into our trap. Please forgive us, but your city was too great a threat to dismiss, so I had to make a few changes. I hope you like it. After all, it was your command that allowed things to happen. Where are your troops, your lordship? Where are your champions?"
Salamon is growing tired of the Dark Elf's mockery. "Get to the point, dark one. What is it you want?"
Delgar laughs, "What I want, I already have: the armies of Salamonis riding many leagues to nowhere; the royal court falling into discord; and now, the king himself at my mercy. If the snivelling adventurer hadn't discovered my true identity, things would have been progressing smoothly. But since you asked, I do have one small request. Rise, your lordship, and reveal the 'secret' passage. We are taking a trip away from this miserable place."
Stifling his rage, the king is dragged from the throne, still with the dagger to his throat, and made to activate a switch you thought only to be a part of the back wall. You watch as a section of the wall begins to rise slowly. The situation is getting desperate as the Dark Elf prepares to escape with King Salamon as hostage. For a second, Delgar looks over his shoulder wary of foul play and you rush forwards. But a threatening stare from the lieutenant stops you in your tracks.
"No adventurer, I did not ask you to follow. Why don't you wait here obediently like the rest of your kind. Word of your king will reach you in a few days time if my path is unobstructed."
The lieutenant shuffles towards the opening, and suddenly you spot it. Thinking quickly, you shout words of abuse at him, cursing him for a coward, and that you will thwart his evil schemes all the same. Delgar laughs at your poor attempt to provoke him into answering your challenge, but then he senses something out of place. The wall section has opened fully but instead of a secret passage, it is just another chamber. An armoured knight stands there; visor down, sword poised to strike. Caught off guard and fearful for his own life, the Dark Elf turns to parry with his dagger and Salamon is able to break free of his hold. The king makes a dash for safety and you throw your weapon at the lieutenant with all your might.
Test your Skill. If you are wielding the Sword of Tamahelos deduct 2 points from the dice roll. If you are using any other weapon, you must add 1 to the roll. If the result is equal to or less than your score, turn to 192. If it is greater, turn to 208.
To your left loom the Moonstone Hills, another notoriously dangerous part of Allansia, and you remain alert to the possibility of another ambush as you continue on your way. Your caution proves unnecessary, though, as the only living thing that comes anywhere near you during your journey is a small flock of birds passing overhead. Early in the afternoon you happen upon a dusty track leading in more or less the right direction, and decide to follow it. Towards dusk the trail leads you to a small farming village. You see an old man sitting outside a weathered shack, and ask him where you are. He tells you that the name of the place is Coven, and gives you directions to the local tavern, where you can get a hot meal and a room for the night for three Gold Pieces. Make a note on your Adventure Sheet that you have been to Coven.
If you want to head towards the tavern and can afford the asking price, turn to 177. If you would rather save your money, you leave Coven and continue on your way, making camp before nightfall. Deduct one portion of Provisions without any STAMINA gain for your day's meal, then note down the number of this section and turn to 42 to see if your sleep is uninterrupted. If you survive the night, you resume your journey in the morning (turn to 301).
You creep around the warehouses to investigate and see a pitch battle occurring between a large group of thieves and rogues fighting against what look to be Pirate Zombies. Behind the Pirate Zombies but close to you is their controller - a dark, savage looking man waving an Eldritch Rod, which burns with dark energies. He has his back towards you.
As you take in the scene, several of the thieves fall in combat, only to be animated as Zombies themselves to turn on their companions. It is obvious the battle is turning against the rogues. Needing information, your course of action is clear. You leap forward and strike the Zombie Master a terrible blow from behind, spinning him around. Despite his wound he glares at you with sunken eyes and spits curses at you as he defends himself with the power from within the Eldritch Rod. You must fight.
ZOMBIE MASTER (wounded) SKILL 9 STAMINA 4
If the Zombie Master ever wins an Attack Round, you not only take the normal amount of STAMINA damage but you are also struck by dark energies. You can choose to Test your Luck to avoid the power of this evil magic. If you are successful, you suffer no further ill effects. If you are unsuccessful or if you decide not to Test your Luck, the necromantic energies eat into your body, causing you to lose 1 SKILL point. If you win the battle, turn to 87.
The thieves look at each other and sinister grins start appearing on their faces.
"Guess you are going to have to pay a forfeit," says one.
You hear the metallic sound of several daggers being drawn from their sheaths. You must run!
You dash away from The Noose, chased by a pack of bloodthirsty thieves. They shout and hoot at one another, calling out your location so you cannot escape them. You flee under the darkening skies. Your only hope is to reach a town gate before you are surrounded and cut down. Turn to 254.
A bell rings noisily. Wixil manages to kick you away and the bell rings again as he frantically yanks on the rope. The door opens inviting in three hefty guards. There is still a chance for you to escape, but you must Test your Skill followed by your Luck. You spot a back door, and these men are ready to chase and vault over furniture to get at you.
If you succeed in both rolls, you rush out of the shop running as far as you can until you cannot run any more. Turn to 284.
If you failed either roll, you are seized by the arms and dragged out of the store. You can hear the Gnome yelling out after you, "I will be betting against you in the arena! YOU messed with the WRONG shop!" Your adventure ends some time that evening at the hands of a violent beast in Baron Sukumvit's arena of death.
You flow through the crowded streets towards the centre of town. Up ahead you hear music playing and see a large group of townsfolk drinking and dancing. In front of you a large, savage looking man clutches at his belt, bellowing out "Thief, thief!" as a smaller man dashes away through the throng towards a nearby side-street, clutching to him a heavy looking belt pouch. If you want to chase after the thief, turn to 160. If you want to continue on your way, turn to 119.
You ask the old man why he is walking in a dangerous forest completely defenceless. He laughs at your question. "I am a priest, and we priests don't fear death," he says boldly. He tells you that he is going for a quick stroll through the forest. You ask the priest if he knows anything about the Dark Elves in the area. He shows surprise on his face at the mentioning of Dark Elves.
"Those unholy disciples of evil do not deserve to exist. Why are you so interested in them?" He is getting uneasy with the new subject. You tell him that you and Yaztromo are determined to stop the plans of a powerful Dark Elf army. His attitude changes completely with the mentioning of Yaztromo. He looks at you with awe and says, "They have an army now? A Dark Elf army is never good. I must help you with your task by blessing you." Increase your LUCK by 2 points. You thank the old priest. Saying your farewells, you depart in opposite directions. Turn to 193.
As you near the bottom of the crater, you notice a narrow hole into the rubble. There are signs that something has recently come out. You crawl in to investigate.
It is a squeeze at first but then the tunnel opens out. You can hear the mass of stone and wood above you shifting and groaning under its own weight. You cannot see much but notice light in one direction shining dimly through the dust. Cautiously you head that way and start to make out a few details.
There is a wall to one side of you where the stone has been worked to show pictures - battle scenes. Ahead of you is a carven pillar, slightly askew now with the weight of the rubble upon it. Suddenly you realise what has happened - this must be some sort of underground complex. Something, or someone, has knocked out a number of the supports. The weight from above must have been too much and several houses have collapsed into the complex.
You move past another support pillar and see the source of the light. An altar in the room ahead is glowing, pulsing, with a sickly red light. Near the altar are several destroyed Skeleton Warriors and around them are the bodies of a number of Sewer Goblins. One side of the room has collapsed and you can see the bodies of several more Goblins crushed beneath.
Before the altar is a large, horribly mutated Sewer Goblin, its large spiked tail whipping from side to side in agitation. It lifts something from the altar and up on to its head: an ornate, ruby-encrusted helmet. You can see a passage carved into the rock on the far side leading out of the crater. To get there, you will have to deal with the Goblin. Wary of its tail, if you have any, you may use Antitoxin before battle begins. It turns at the sound of your footsteps and leaps forward to engage you with a fury that momentarily stops you in your tracks. This will be no easy fight.
MUTANT SEWER GOBLIN SKILL 7 STAMINA 9
At the end of each Attack Round roll one die. On a roll of 1, the Mutant's tail strikes you solidly, injecting you with poison. Lose 1 STAMINA from the tail strike and a further 2 STAMINA from the poison. On a roll of 2 or 3, the tail strikes you a glancing blow for 1 STAMINA point of damage. On a roll of 4-6, the tail misses.
Additionally, if you ever win an Attack Round against the Mutant Sewer Goblin and your current SKILL is greater than the Mutant Sewer Goblin's SKILL, then the helmet the Mutant is wearing emits a dull glow. This causes him to redouble his attacks, adding 1 to his SKILL for the rest of the battle and will happen every time you wound him, so long as your SKILL remains higher than his SKILL.
If you manage to slay the foul creature, turn to 132.
The trek south towards Port Blacksand is uneventful. Over the course of the day you encounter a couple of traders heading the other way, but neither of them has anything likely to be of use to you. Early in the evening you become aware of the stink of decaying flesh from somewhere over to the left of the track. If you wish to investigate, turn to 214. If you would rather continue on your way, turn to 19.
Hurriedly, you grab the vial and empty its contents. The poison is being neutralised and the innkeeper shrieks as you get back on to your feet. You expect an easy fightߪuntil he begins to change: matte, black hair sprouts all over his body; sharp claws extend from his fingertips; and his face elongates, developing rat-like features. No longer a puny old man, the bloodthirsty Wererat leaps to attack.
WERERAT SKILL 8 STAMINA 6
Due to the wererat's old age, it can no longer spread the infectious Lycanthropy disease typical of its kin. If you win, turn to 296.
The lieutenant is dead along with her disciples. A quick search produces various items tainted by chaos which you stay well away from. But your heart leaps on discovering one of the tooth-pieces you are after. This one is engraved with five intricate runes and you happily place it in your pocket. You congratulate the workers who have triumphed in their battle against their former captors and lead them outside. You collect your backpack and other possessions along the way. (Any poisoned weapons you have yet to use will still inflict 3 STAMINA points of damage for the next combat you use it in. Thereafter, the poison will have evaporated reducing damage to the normal 2 points per strike.) The freed slaves shield their eyes against the sun but are overjoyed to see daylight after such long confinement. With an ecstatic cheer, they hail you as their hero. If only Tareg could see you now. A lowly caravan guard you certainly are not. Add 1 to your Initial LUCK score and raise your current LUCK to this new value. The workers plead for you to stay and celebrate with them but you explain that every moment is vital to your quest and must continue as soon as possible.
"Then take us with you. We are all willing to follow in your footsteps," a young man announces, and the others nod in agreement. But one look at their battered forms concludes your verdict.
"No, I shall go alone. You are no longer slaves. You have endured much hardship and witnessed enough bloodshed to last a lifetime. Enjoy your freedom now that you have it. Use the gold to regain your lives."
The workers look disappointed though they know you are right. They insist that you at least take a few items to aid you on your quest. A Dwarf emerges from the mine bearing gifts. You accept a couple of gold nuggets worth 4 Gold Pieces each, an iron helmet, a rope and grappling hook, and an unusual artefact. It resembles a club, of sorts, fashioned in the shape of a wingless, serpentine dragon with jaws clamped around a polished orb.
"We discovered this weeks ago during one of our digs, keeping it well hidden from the Dark Elves," Damon explains. "The Dwarfs recognise it as the Dragonstone Sceptre used by a great Dwarven king aeons ago. Legend has it that there is no material it cannot shatter though only a true hero can wield it. Take it with our blessing."
Add the magic sceptre to your possessions - it counts as a blunt weapon. Being large and unwieldy, it reduces your Attack Strength by 2 should you use it in combat. Any damage you inflict is increased to 4 (6 if you successfully Test for Luck, 2 if you fail). Delivering a blow with such a mighty weapon will require all the strength you can muster.
If you have already encountered the other two lieutenants, contact Yaztromo by turning to 383. Otherwise, turn to 313.
You climb down into the darkened hold, the lantern illuminating only a couple of metres around you. It is enough light to reveal a mound of grey sacks over to one side, and you decide to start by checking them. As you move closer, though, you realise that these are not sacks at all. Their shape and size is closer to that of people, and the outer wrapping is not sackcloth but silken fibre. Could a Giant Spider have wiped out the entire crew of this barge?
Suddenly afraid for your life, you spin round, raising the lantern high to see if you can spot any sign of the creature clinging to the roof of the hold above you, or descending towards you on a thread. You see only shadows, but hearߪ a hissing? That sounds more like a snake than a spider. Maybe more than one snake. Just how many creatures are there down here?
At the edge of the pool of light cast by the lantern, a little way above the floor, something gleams. Some things - two, three, fourߪ A cluster of eyes reflecting the lamplight. And then the abomination that has killed the whole crew of this barge half-scuttles, half-slithers forward. So horrific is the sight that confronts you, you drop the lantern. If you have another light source, turn to 270 at once. Otherwise, Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, the lantern remains alight, so you can see to defend yourself against the creature (turn to 270). If you are Unlucky, the light goes out, and you die in terror and darkness.
A flight of steps leads you into a gloomy area, the narrow street overshadowed by run-down buildings, with only the occasional narrow alley dividing any of them. To your left is a dead end, a large dilapidated house blocking the way, but on your right the street runs a short distance before curving to the left. As you follow it round, a tall man in tattered clothing emerges from a low gate and blocks your way.
"You are brave adventurer, to come into the Noose. Either brave, or a fool!"
Other thieves slide out from the shadows to surround you. They look tense but are not actively hostileߪyet. You explain your situation to the men.
"Interesting," the man ahead of you says, "But before we can help you, we need payment. There is a toll for entering our territory. Let's see what you have."
If you want to offer the thieves coins, it will take no less than 5 Gold Pieces for them to let you pass. If you wish to pay the men and have enough coins, they lead you deep into the Noose to a nondescript door. You knock. Turn to 257. If you are unable or do not wish to pay the thieves, turn to 53.
You start by heading for the nearby bridge across the Red River, as you will have to cross the Red at some point on your way to Port Blacksand. As you approach the bridge, you see a barge heading down river towards it. Aware that time is of the essence, you call out to the barge pilot, asking if he's going to Blacksand.
"What, and get my throat cut?" he yells back. "No, we're bound for Kaad."
Checking your map, you find that Kaad is a long way to the west. It's some distance north of Blacksand, but you reckon that if you can get a lift on the barge, you could save two days' travel time. After a little haggling, you manage to arrange transportation to the Kaad tributary for 2 Gold pieces, and the pilot brings the barge close enough to the river's edge that you can jump aboard.
During the journey you chat with the crew, but learn nothing that's likely to be of any use to you in your quest. The sun is low in the sky by the time you leap ashore and bid farewell to the bargemen, so you only travel a short distance further before making camp for the night. You are hungry, and must eat a portion of Provisions. Make a note of this reference number and turn to section 42 to see if anything untoward happens during the night. If you make it through to dawn, turn to 58.
As the creature's gaze begins to affect you, your grip on the hide weakens. It slips from your fingers, falling back down to conceal the cage's occupant. With eye contact broken, you return to your senses and hurriedly back away from the cage. You almost fell foul of a deadly Mesmero Lizard - an eerie cousin to the more common Basilisk.
You continue along a narrow aisle that presumably leads to an exit. Many of the cages are covered and come in various sizes. If you know of a specific cage number and want to visit that cage, turn to that number now.
If not, you walk round a bend into another cage-filled corridor causing monsters and wild animals to snarl and growl as you pass by. The racket is bound to grab someone's attention. Indeed, you are soon stopped by a group of wandering guards.
"Hey! What business have you down here? Spectators are restricted from this area."
You tell them you are lost.
"Lost are you?" the leader sneers. "Guess we should show you the way out then." He nods and you are struck from behind. Lose 1 STAMINA point. Laughter fills your ears then the resounding bang of a heavy door before you black out. Turn to 318.
Startled into action by your command, the men charge forwards, holding up the dead bodies. Regardless of their comrades, the Dark Elves let fly their missiles. To your horror, the arrows, powered by foul sorcerous arts, penetrate through both corpse and man alike. The men fall to such deadly assault, and still the flight of the arrows continue, wounding several more. Roll one die. If you wish to sacrifice a point of LUCK here you may add 1 to the result. If you score 1-3, you are struck by an arrow - lose 3 STAMINA points. If you score 4 or more, you avoid injury. In desperation, the workers force the cart off the tracks sending it thundering into the enemy. Those knocked aside present easy targets for your pick axe. The guards are in panic and confusion, fumbling for their hand-to-hand weapons as the slaves stampede into them screaming battle cries - burning desires for revenge against their captors becoming their greatest strength.
"Go now, my friend," says Damon, "Lest that witch calls on reinforcements. We'll take care of the guards." You discard your pick axe for a poison-coated scimitar. It inflicts the same amount of damage as the dagger you have though you need not make any deductions to your Attack Strength when using it. You veer away from the battle felling another adversary in your way. Turn to 90.
You start to wander through the mines, turning left and right and feeling like you are going in circles. After a long while you decide that this kind of blind searching is futile and decide to exit the mines. Unfortunately, you have no idea where you are, or where the exit is, so you once again wander aimlessly through the tunnels, until several days have passed and your provisions have been used up. You sink to the floor exhausted from your wandering. You close your eyes, just for a little while. However, you will not open them again. Your adventure ends here.
You are in Horse Market district. There are old temples and weather-beaten shrines on either side coloured in scarlet and gold trim. This street is crowded everywhere with citizens, carts and stalls. Considering there only seems to be holy structures in this area, you easily single out one business: the Swordmaster's Arms inn. To enter, turn to 127.
Otherwise, you could cut through two buildings to Goldoran Strip (turn to 309), walk a few blocks over to Dwight's Wharf district (turn to 9), or continue walking north to see what is beyond the hill (turn to 358).
You follow the thieves as they rush out of The Noose and down towards the river. The few revellers still out and about take one look at the armed mass and quickly move off the street.
The thieves' destination is a row of decrepit warehouses by the water. A small ring of thuggish looking men are surrounded and battling for their lives against a larger group of figures - figures dressed as pirates but showing terrible wounds and signs of decay. They are Pirate Zombies! Beyond the Pirate Zombies is their controller, a dark, savage-looking man waving an Eldritch Rod, which burns with dark energies. You and the thieves rush into the fray. A Pirate Zombie, whose face appears to be permanently sneering due to a nasty slash wound across its face, confronts you. You must fight.
PIRATE ZOMBIE SKILL 6 STAMINA 9
If you win this battle, turn to 78.
You continue to wander the streets for a while, talking to various citizens but find the people of Zengis to be a surly, closed-mouth lot. Eventually you give up and start to look for an inn to stay the night when you hear a commotion ahead. There are shouts and screams, then several folk run past you, terror in their eyes. You grab one and get a garbled account of what's happening, "Building collapsedߪhorrors digging their way out of the rubbleߪmany dead, kill us all!" He pulls free with a wrench and staggers away.
If you want to head towards the source of the troubles, turn to 47. If you want to flee away from the commotion, turn to 188.
You make your way back to the devastated area of the city. Your recent adventures, while profitable, are not getting you any closer to finding one of the lieutenants. Where can you go to find one of the Dark Elves?
As you think, you hear the sound of combat ahead. Another Skeleton Warrior is at the end of the street fightingߪa Dark Elf! You look again with surprise but it's definitely a Dark Elf. The Elf is turned away from you and is concentrating on the Skeleton Warrior - this is the right time to strike. You rush forward and attack the Dark Elf, turn to 185.
The master thief is glad to have the boots back, explaining that he once lost them in a contest. You head back into The Noose and back to the thieves' guild. You sit comfortably, sipping a glass of fine wine, while the master thief relates what he knows. Restore 1 STAMINA point.
Disappointingly, the thieves of Port Blacksand have not noticed any Dark Elf activity within their city and the master thief proclaims boldly that if they don't know about any activity, then there is none. He can give you one lead however. He explains that they are in contact with a guild much like their own in Salamonis (except smaller and poorly run, he mutters). That guild has reported some "unusual" decisions being made at the highest level in the city as well as a determined effort to cause unrest amongst the common people by person or persons unknown. "It could be one of your Dark Elf Lieutenants causing trouble." Restore 1 LUCK point if you have not yet been to Salamonis.
"Now, normally we would have to kill you for entering The Noose," he chuckles at your expression, "but since you have done us not one, but two favours this evening, I think it's only fair we repay you properly."
You are presented with a package containing 2 Provisions for your journey as well as a choice of potions: one of Skill, Stamina, or Luck. Whichever you choose will restore the relevant Attribute to its Initial level. You may drink it at any time except during combat.
You are then lead through the city, fitted with a carnival mask with no holes for its eyes, effectively blinding you while you wear it and you are lead somewhere under the city. When the mask is removed, you are outside and well away from Blacksand. The thieves accompanying you drift back into the night and are gone. You are finished with Port Blacksand and need to decide where to travel to next, turn to 316.
You carefully move into the room, closing the door all but a fraction behind you so as to remain unseen. You start to search the room and become certain that this must be the quarters of one of the Dark Elf lieutenants.
A cursory search of the room turns up nothing of value but looking at the bed you notice something strange. One of the bedposts has a slightly worn mark in a circle near the top as ifߪyou place your hand on the top of the bedpost and carefully twist. It turns around and then releases. Lifting it up you find a small secret compartment carved into the bedpost. Within is a ring made from silver and twisted around itself to signify the Chaos symbol. If you wish to take this Chaos Marked Ring, decide if you are going to wear it or place it in your pocket.
Seeing nothing else of value in the room, you head back to the door and assess your options. To your right are the slave quarters. If you possess a Potion of Invisibility and wish to drink it before dashing towards the door on the right-hand wall, turn to 353.
If you want to attempt a difficult and dangerous climb, up the wall and along to the fissure, risking the very real possibility of a fall or being seen, turn to 361.
If you want to stride straight into the cavern, scorning concealment, turn to 111.
If you want to make your way along the left-hand wall, back to the entrance tunnel then further around to the tunnel leading out of the opposite side of the cavern, turn to 386.
The waiting crowds soon disperse but you stay loitering outside the arena shivering from the chill of snowfall. Thinking this is a bad idea, you figure that you might as well look for an alternative way of getting into this structure. While skirting around it, a faint echo of a growl nearby comes to your attention. Searching through a pile of bric-a-brac and ruined timbers, you uncover a small tunnel dark and dingy. It must lead to the levels below the arena where beasts are kept. Entering could prove very treacherous but it appears to be the only other way in. You will definitely need a light source.
If you decide against this entrance or do not have a light source, turn to 318. Should you brave the mystery of the tunnel, you have your light ready and make your way down a winding crawl way. Turn to 153. (If you own a Gantamaran Calf, it follows obediently behind you.)
You come into an open grassy meadow and ahead the trees thin out. The afternoon sun shines down intensely, and you soon find walking becoming a chore. In the distance, you can see low rising hills. You walk onwards, alert for anything that could ambush an adventurer like you. Without warning, the ground shakes as a large humanoid makes its way towards you. In fact, it is much larger than an average human is! You prepare for battle against the brute as it casually pushes aside the trees in its path. The Giant bellows and raises a club, ready to crush you.
GIANT SKILL 9 STAMINA 9
If you defeat the Giant, turn to 20. If you are killed, you will most likely end up on the Giant's dinner plate later that day.
A hint of disappointment and worry crosses Helmund's face when the soldier fails to produce any hard evidence suggesting you may be an accomplice or any villain. You smile. Now it is your turn to strike back. You show the court your discoveries and explain where you found them - but will they be enough?
Read through the following list of conditions and add up the number of points you accumulate:
For having a scroll of command (1 point)
For having a marble seal (3 points)
For having a doppelganger potion (1 point)
For having a map fragment with Elvish writing (1 point)
For speaking with Archbishop Kalivan (3 points)
For speaking with Ne'vesyt Ne'ves (2 points)
For speaking with Spymaster Olibruh (2 points)
You may also add 1 point to your score for each tooth-piece you have since the lieutenant reacts badly to the demise of his fellows.
Roll two dice. If the total rolled is equal to or less than your score, turn to 50. If the total is greater than your score, turn to 138.
The three men lay at your feet. You can hear the soldiers in the street coming closer. Will you flee (turn to 242) or wait for their arrival (turn to 372)?
At your words, Helmund's face momentarily distorts with anger, and possibly just a hint of fear. His momentary loss of self-control emboldens you, and you state your conviction that he is working against the best interests of Salamonis.
"Outrageous!" Helmund snaps. He can hardly contain his rage but quickly checks himself. He continues on a more collected level. "Do not believe in such ludicrous falsehoods, your lordship. How dare this upstart make these allegations before the royal court? Does one think that by rooting out a traitor one is free to accuse others of trickery? Perhaps a dungeon cell will teach the whelp some manners."
To you, that reaction says it all - Helmund must be the lieutenant in some form of disguise. He is feigning innocence and trying to worm his way out of the situation. But around you, the courtiers murmur their approval to Helmund's suggestion. Your outburst is clearly not sitting well with the crowd.
At this, King Salamon raises a hand, silencing the court. "If there is any truth to the adventurer's words, the matter must be dealt with sensibly. Let anger not cloud our better judgment. The adventurer has done city and court a great service this day; a dank dungeon cell will hardly be fitting for such a spirited character for a simple slip of the tongue. It is said that reason exists behind every course of action and I, for one, believe there is reason for the adventurer's rashness. Brave warrior, you have faced many ordeals on your long journey here and must be battle-weary. Do you have evidence to back your claims or could this all just be a misunderstanding?"
A few of the courtiers can be seen nodding to their lord's fine oratory. Others are waiting attentively for your response. But the king has made a wise move indeed. Instead of having you arrested for causing disruption in the royal court, he has given you a chance to prove yourself or drop the case altogether. How will you answer?
"My humblest apologies, your lordship, I must be mistaken." (Turn to 172.)
"Evidence is what I have, your lordship, if you will permit me to express them." (Turn to 136.)
"I tell no lies, your lordship. This man before you is the lieutenant in disguiseߪan impostor!" (Turn to 207.)
Cutting down the zombie, you look around at the raging battle. Several other zombies have been cut down but a number of the thieves have also been slain. Worse still, as you watch, the dead thieves rise from the ground and attack their former comrades, animated by the necromantic energies of the Zombie Master. The battle is turning against you.
Spotting a momentary clear path between you and the Zombie Master, you leap towards him. He sees you coming and raises his Eldritch Rod to defend himself. You must fight.
ZOMBIE MASTER SKILL 10 STAMINA 7
If the Zombie Master ever wins an Attack Round you not only take the normal amount of STAMINA damage but you are also struck by dark energies. You can choose to Test your Luck to avoid the power of this evil magic. If you are successful, you suffer no further ill effects. If you are unsuccessful or if you decide not to Test your Luck, the necromantic energies eat into your body, causing you to lose 1 SKILL point. If you win the battle, turn to 87.
You are lucky to be wearing gauntlets, as without them your hand would have been bitten clean off. Lose 1 STAMINA point for the minimal pain. Not satisfied, the TREE MAN reaches for you with the long, sharp branches it has for arms. You must fight.
TREE MAN SKILL 8 STAMINA 8
If you have a Potion of Liquid Fire, you may use it to set the Tree Man on fire and can run past while it is burning (turn to 165). If you fight it in combat, both branches will make a separate attack on you in each Attack Round. Each branch has 8 STAMINA. You must choose which of the two branches you will fight, and roll for combat normally. Against the other, you will also roll for your Attack Strengths, but you will not damage it if you win - count it as if you have successfully blocked its attack. However it will still do damage to you if it wins the Attack Round. If you do manage to defeat it in combat, you can continue on your journey (turn to 165).
Captain Tully's men soon have the barge safely moored at the river's edge, and return to the Sea Horse so it can resume its eastward journey. You encounter little traffic on the river during what remains of the day, and as night draws in, you join the crew for a basic but filling meal. Conversation is dominated by the fate of the men from the barge, and again you sleep poorly (add 1 STAMINA point for what rest you do get).
The following morning the ship comes into sight of Fang, and you see that the river is a lot more crowded up ahead. If you wish to go to Fang, this is not a problem, and Captain Tully drops you off outside the town (turn to 131). If you want to go on to Zengis, Captain Tully observes that it will not be easy for him to get past the vessels which throng the river up ahead, and you would be better advised to travel the remaining distance on a boat that is headed that way. You agree, and bid him and his crew farewell (turn to 340).
The boy quietly thanks you and suggests that he can guide you through the city as payment for your help. "I know all the hidden places," he softly exclaims.
You decide to trust the boy and give him the name of your destination. He nods and immediately starts leading you through the back ways and alleyways of Port Blacksand. While your first though is he might be leading you into a trap, you quickly realise (as he cuts through the kitchen of an inn) that he is taken you a roundabout way that avoids the worst of the dangers the city has to offer. Finally he stops and points out your destination. When you look back towards him, he is gone.
Where did you want him to lead you?
If you wanted him to lead you to The Noose, turn to 62. If you changed your mind and wanted him to lead you to Nicodemus, turn to 350.
You rush forwards and lash out with your weapon, taking the Dark Elves by surprise and wounding one before they can fully react to your unexpected presence. Unfortunately they are quick to recover and move so they are flanking you. They fight with skill and fury and you must confront them both at the same time.
ELITE DARK ELF WARRIOR SKILL 10 STAMINA 4
ELITE DARK ELF WARRIOR SKILL 9 STAMINA 7
If you defeat them, you search the bodies, finding a Key of Bone. Their armour is the wrong shape for you but they each have a helmet inscribed with a stylised eye upon it. You can wear one of the Eye Scribed Helmets if you wish. You try the key in the door. It turns. You open it warily. Turn to 385.
As you put on the dead man's clothes you notice something in his pocket. It is a key, and judging from the marks of manacles on his legs, it is apparently the guard's key. Unfortunately, if you are going to appear like a slave, you must leave your backpack and most of your equipment here. You are able to conceal any three items on your person. These may be potions, jewels, portions of Provisions and the like (rings and keys are small enough to be overlooked), but not armour or weapons as these will give you away. However, you pick up the dagger that the slave was carrying. While you use it you must deduct 1 from your Attack Strength, but due to the poison on the blade you cause 3 STAMINA points of damage when you hit your opponent. You also take the pick axe which will make you look a little more like a worker.
When you are ready, you move outside and climb down the rock face stealthily. You notice some of the workers are driving carts away from the work area, and surmise that that may be the best place to join them without being seen by the guards. As the workers halt to unload the dirt and rock from the cart, you slip round a big rock and begin helping them. They look at you with astonishment and as you are unloading, one of them whispers to you.
"What are you doing here? Can't you see we're being held here against our wishes."
You whisper back that you are here to deal with the guards but cannot do it alone.
"Well we can't help you. We're manacled and can't move fast, and they have their bows. They'd kill us all."
You tell the man that you have a key that could free all the slaves here. You move over to the side of the cart where the guards can't see you and produce the key from your pocket. For the first time you see a spark of hope in the man's eyes.
"But won't the guards notice the missing manacles before we're all freed."
You look over at the workers digging in the field. They are more or less standing in the same place all the time and if their manacles were opened but not removed, the guards might not see. You explain this to the man, and he almost smiles.
"Then we should be the last ones released as we have to move back and forth all the time. But since we have to pick up loose rocks and dirt, we can get to the manacles without the guards noticing."
The man is anxious now and you gesture for him to calm down. "Give me the key and I'll free the other prisoners and explain what we must do. What exactly is the plan?"
You explain that the workers here outnumber the guards about seven to one. All you need is for them to overwhelm the guards and steal their weapons. You ask the man if the Dark Elves have a leader, and he points over to a woman standing on a tall rock face looking over the entire area. That must be their lieutenant. You tell him that you will take care of her as long as he and his friends take care of the guards. He agrees and by this time the cart is empty and you move back to the workers to fill it up again. As you pick up dirt and debris from the ground you try not to look at the man, whose name you learned is Damon, since you do not wish to risk the guards noticing what he is doing. When the cart is almost full, you ask him quietly how he is progressing. He explains that everyone has agreed to help. The only people still in manacles are the ones pushing the cart.
Suddenly another worker, a Dwarf, pushes the cart and some of its contents spill out on the ground. The guards begin looking in your direction and a few make their way past the workers towards you. You start looking like you are picking up the rubble while unlocking the remaining manacles. Turn to 7.
You enter the alley demanding the brutes step away from the man. They turn around to face you and you see that they are big strong men, with scars on their faces and tattoos on their arms. They are armed with clubs which they are clapping down in their cupped hands, while they smile mockingly at you. "Have you seen that Bern'. The runt's got a big mouth," says one. "It'll be bigger after eating my club." The men laugh for a second but then their looks become murderous. You will have to fight them together.
BERN' SKILL 7 STAMINA 7
OTHER BRUTE SKILL 6 STAMINA 8
If you win, turn to 13.
The city opens out into the Market Square. Shops line the square, which is crowded with stalls and townsfolk busy haggling and trading. There is a small open area on the far side of the square, and you make your way over to try and catch your bearings. In the centre of the open area is a statue of a warrior. The warrior is standing with his sword raised above the cowering form of some sort of demonic creature. Both statues look fairly new, but apart from the pigeons that are sitting on it, enjoying their new perch, the statues are otherwise being ignored. A plaque on the statue of the warrior reads 'The saviour of Zengis.'
You look around the square. Several shops attract your interest. If you want to enter the shop marked 'Talson's Travel Maps,' turn to 250. If you want to enter the shop marked 'Malfeous the Talented: Magics for All Occasions,' turn to 181. If you want to browse the stalls and see what they have on offer, turn to 364.
Ahead, a long corridor stretches as far as the eye can see. You are alone on the second floor. Two doors here strike your interest:
A door decorated in gold leaf. Turn to 201.
A black unmarked door. Turn to 332.
Or you can head down a flight of steps. Turn to 168.
With the Zombie Master slain, the remaining Zombies lose their focus and start to mill around aimlessly. The blades of the thieves soon cut them down.
As the thieves start looting the bodies you find out more about the attack. A small group of the thieves had smuggled in some "special supplies" for the festivities, knowing the guards at the gate would take more than their fair share. As they docked and started to unload, another ship, a known pirate ship, pulled up beside theirs and the Pirate Zombies boiled out from the hull.
"I recognise the ship, it's the Bountiful Harvest," states one of the thieves. "If this scum," he says kicking the head of the Zombie Master, "had of survived the battle, Azzur would have got him anyways. The Bountiful Harvest's crew were close allies of Azzur, especially their captain. The necromancer must have killed them while they were sleeping off their celebrations, then brought them back for the attack. But how did he know about the goods?"
One of the thieves tries picking up the Eldritch Rod and quickly draws away his now withered hand with stream of curses as the energy from within the Rod is discharged into his body. The energies surrounding the rod dim then stop. It is either completely drained or else dormant. None of the other thieves wish to take the Eldritch Rod so you can carefully tuck it away in your backpack if you choose. Perhaps some dark power can restore it. You are also presented with 8 Gold Pieces and a Jewelled Earring worth a further 5 Gold Pieces as your share of the loot.
The leader of the band, a master thief, invites you back to The Noose. He intimates that he has some information that will help you on your quest. As you follow him, he asks if you happen to have come across a pair of small Golden Winged Boots. If you have these and wish to give them to the master thief, turn to 71. If not, turn to 21.
You are lowered onto the river in one of the ship's lifeboats, and row to the shore. As you clamber out and onto the bank, something stings your hand, raising a large blister on the palm (lose 3 STAMINA points and note that you have a blister). For a moment you wonder if you were wise to stop here, but it is too late to change your mind, as the men of the Sea Horse are already hauling the lifeboat back with the attached rope. Resigning yourself to the situation, you wave goodbye to Captain Tully and his crew, and turn your attention to the body in the reeds (turn to 322).
You push your way through the raucous night crowd and are both pleased and relieved to see a group you recognise. It is the entertainers that helped you into the city. Add 1 LUCK point. You explain your situation and they agree to help you get out of Port Blacksand.
You talk with Syian, the young woman who was so helpful before. "We were just about to leave the city as well; the price of accommodation at the inns is exorbitant and the people that run the places are little better than thieves themselves. A night in the countryside will do us no harm," she explains.
Again the entertainers disguise you and sneak you through the city gates, this time out of the city. You are finished with Port Blacksand and need to decide where to travel to next, turn to 316.
On the rock face above you stands the sinisterly handsome form of the lieutenant. She is flanked on either side by an elite guard. "Kill the upstart," she hisses, "Then round up the slaves for the beast. We can afford a fresh batch. Now, leave me. I have more pressing matters at hand." You lose sight of her as she moves away from the edge. Two sinuous lengths of rope suddenly appear as if from thin air. You back up against a wall as the two elites slide down them brandishing poisoned blades. You must fight them one at a time. If you have enlisted the aid of the knights of Salamonis you may ignore the second Dark Elf.
ELITE DARK ELF SKILL 9 STAMINA 6
ELITE DARK ELF SKILL 8 STAMINA 8
You cannot Escape. Each wound you sustain costs you an extra point of STAMINA due to poison. If you are victorious, turn to 226.
You struggle to break free, but then the snakes which have ensnared you pull away from each other, yanking your legs apart in ways they were never designed to go. A hideous cracking sound echoes through the hold as unimaginable agony races through your body. The pain blots out all other awareness, so you do not notice as the snakes draw you towards the monster's spider body, and when it sinks its envenomed fangs into you, the oblivion of death comes as a blessed relief.
The path continues west and you arrive at a junction where the path splits to the north and south. Remembering what Yaztromo told you, you decide to take the northern path. Turn to 74.
A large crowd has gathered at the gates of Port Blacksand, the City of Thieves. There are numerous guardsmen on the wall and you can even see a couple of foul-looking Trolls inspecting prospective entrants before they are allowed inside. Ahead of you are a few gaudily painted wagons carrying entertainers, jugglers, strongmen, clowns and the like towards the city.
Something out of the ordinary is occurring. You go over and ask one of the entertainers, a young women looking after numerous monkeys, what is happening in the city?
"It is the Reaver's Festival, commemorating one of Lord Azzur's most famous victories at sea. Three days of celebration and entertainments. It doesn't happen on the same day every year however. Seems that when the festival is held depends on the first storm of the season along with certain sacrifices Azzur makes to his god." She looks troubled for a moment.
"But what of yourself, adventurer? You have not come for the festival so must have another reason for visiting Blacksand."
You decide it can't hurt to tell her a little of your quest and outline in general terms how you need to locate the Dark Elf lieutenants.
"I can't help you with that," she replies, "but I may be able to help you get into the city. Without a pass you will have to bribe your way in, even during the festival. You could travel with us and pretend to be one of our band if you like."
They seem to be trustworthy people so you decide to go along with her plan. The entertainers hide you amongst them, draping you with brightly coloured clothes so you blend in. It takes hours before you make it to the head of the queue. You spend the time questioning the performers about themselves and about Port Blacksand. Finally you get to the gates. A dull looking Troll gets given all the passes for the entertainers. As the Troll tries to count the group, several of the acrobats flip back and forth in front of the crowd. As it looks like the Troll is starting to make progress, another of the band moves forward and starts spouting, in a strident voice, several lines from a famous play. The sun is heating up the day and the Troll, after his fourth unsuccessful attempt to count you, wipes the sweat from his brow and waves you all through.
You thank the entertainers for their help and they wish you good fortune in your quest. Restore 1 LUCK point and turn to 359.
You fight valiantly, but are aware that the rest of the Hobgoblin army is drawing ever closer, and will soon overwhelm you. Suddenly a roar of voices sounds from behind the approaching horde, and the sound of battle drifts towards you from the rear of the mob. The Hobgoblins' charge falters as they realise they are being attacked from behind. A loud horn sounds from the midst of the Hobgoblin army to signal a retreat, and all survivors turn and flee.
You have to catch your breath after the fight, and the next thing you know, you are surrounded by men in armour. Their leader, a tall man with a red cape and a battered iron helmet, glowers down at you. "You must have very urgent business to be coming through here on your own. Or are you just a fool?"
If you have a scroll bearing the seal of King Salamon, turn immediately to 278. Otherwise, you explain a little about your quest, and the man concedes that you do have a good reason for being here. He introduces himself as Captain Ritter, head of a band of troops sent out from Salamonis to deal with an army of evil creatures reported to be amassing somewhere in the pass. From his description, this army must be a separate one from the Dark Elf forces you are seeking to thwart, and it's a good deal larger and more dangerous than the Hobgoblin troops you just encountered.
The Captain invites you to spend the night with the soldiers from Salamonis, as you'll be safer in their company, and you agree. They need to conserve their supplies, so you will have to eat your own food: deduct one portion of Provisions but do not gain any STAMINA for it. If you have no Provisions left, you can buy enough to satisfy your hunger for today for 5 Gold Pieces. If you can't afford that, or would rather go without, lose 3 STAMINA points for going hungry. Still, in the midst of the Salamonis army you do have a safe night's sleep, and may restore 2 STAMINA points for the rest.
As the troops have not yet found the hostile army they seek, the Captain decides to sweep east through the pass in search of the enemy forces the following day, so you have a large military escort as you continue towards your objective, and are not troubled by any attackers for the rest of your journey through Trolltooth Pass. At the mouth of the pass you bid farewell to the Captain and his army, and head south across the aptly-named Flatlands, which appear to go on forever to the east (turn to 32).
The commander anticipates your attack and leaps nimbly away. "Fool," he sneers. "You should never have woken up, but you will not escape this time. Our schemes are already set in motion and you are no threat to us. Salamonis, the greatest city in Allansia, will be the first to fall and you will join in its destruction. You may know me as Commander, but the Dark Elves call me Lieutenant. Now, I shall be your Executioner." You must fight.
COMMANDER LOTH SKILL 9 STAMINA 8
The armour he wears is of a strange design and reduces any damage you inflict by one point. However, a blow from his mighty mace inflicts 3 points of damage to your STAMINA each time it hits you. If you win, turn to 252.
Crack! A blinding pain shoots through your head as you are stuck from behind. If you are wearing a helmet, subtract 2 STAMINA from the blow. If you have no helmet, the blow staggers you, sending you against a wall and almost causing you to pass out, lose 1 SKILL point and 3 STAMINA points. If you are still alive, you see a small, rat-featured man behind you, wielding a club. It is the original thief. He looks past you to your other opponent, "Caught ourselves an adventurer this time, rich pickings!"
The larger man presses the attack
BRIGAND SKILL 7 STAMINA (As recorded)
Each Attack Round, you must also roll one die. On a 1-3, the smaller man has struck you a glancing blow with his club and you must deduct a further 1 STAMINA point irrespective of whether you won or lost the combat round. If you defeat the brigand, turn to 211.
Sweet aroma drifting from the incense envelops you making you feel drowsy for a moment. You have been granted the blessing of Asrel: a single wound you sustain in battle will not scar your body. In effect, you suffer no damage whatsoever from the attack. This special gift may be used only once at any time during combat. You thank the goddess and reluctantly leave the peaceful sanctuary. Turn to 168.
Just as you reach for the door it flings outwards slamming into you. You are knocked on to your rear. Three men and a woman who have caused you this anguish and embarrassment only repay you with laughter.
"Oh! The poor dear is bleeding! Why are you standing behind the door?" hollers the woman and punches one of the larger men in his fat gut for it. He flinches and takes no offence. "Help that poor soul up!"
The man who was punched lends you a hand and pulls you off the ground with brute force. You can now feel the warm blood she spoke of on your upper lip. With the back of your hand, you wipe it off and are startled at the pain when touching your nose in the slightest. Lose 1 STAMINA point. "Best go inside an' get some drink into you," says the man. In his eyes, you can see he is not sincere, and really does not care if he accidentally smashed your nose in. He is only showing himself off to the woman by helping you. When they leave, you are free to enter.
The dark tavern smells of stewing lentils and meat - a lucky perfume to drown the foul odours that would normally consume a wretched place as this. You can make out five customers in the dim light. The innkeeper has been watching you since you stepped in, and the look on his face is that of either disgust or annoyance; you can't tell. He comes over to you grasping a dirty-looking cloth and, as if you were a child, holds it firmly at your face. You shove him off, hearing a few soft chuckles in the room. After your nose stops bleeding, you can buy a bowl of stew if you wish for 2 Gold Pieces - restore 4 STAMINA points. There is a man and a woman at the furthest end of the room, but they look like they do not want to be bothered by the looks they are giving you. Two men sitting at a table in the corner are playing a dice game. To join them, turn to 347. If you walk over and sit with an elderly chap by the door, turn to 14. If you prefer to leave and explore elsewhere, turn to 309.
Startled into action by your command, the Dwarfs rush forwards dextrously sending pick axes whirling at the enemy. Most find their mark, impaling the guards squarely in the chest before they can dodge aside. The Dwarfs certainly feel at home fighting in these enclosed spaces. Gain 1 LUCK point for making the right decision. The guards are in panic and confusion, fumbling for their hand-to-hand weapons as the slaves stampede into them screaming battle cries - burning desires for revenge against their captors becoming their greatest strength. "Go now, my friend," says Damon, "Lest that witch calls on reinforcements. We'll take care of the guards." You discard your pick axe for a poison-coated scimitar. It inflicts the same amount of damage as the dagger you have though you need not make any deductions to your Attack Strength when using it. You veer away from the battle felling another adversary in your way. Turn to 90.
The greens of its eyes swirl in rhythms becoming a collage of liquid metals; greens of gems and greens of the land. It is fascinatingly beautiful. Why such a creature would be entered in the arena of death is no doubt the intentions of a cruel heart. The people of Fang are no better. You feel sympathy for the reptile. You reach out to touch it on a rippled cheek and it repays you by plopping out its massive tongue licking your arm. Its eyes begin to solidify to a delicate black hue. You cannot stop watching it. It lumbers closer towards you and bites off your arm. Then, it grabs your tunic with its claws pulling you to the bars. In agony, you manage to smile at it. It's not its fault. It's only an animal after all. You reach out with your other arm and it sinks its teeth into it tearing it off at the shoulder. Men arrive yelling desperately at you, but you are enraptured by the beast. You feel hands grabbing at your legs, trying to yank you away from the cage. One last look from the lizard gives you the indication that it is time to offer your head through the bars. It is a game of tug-of-war between the monster's trainers and itself. In the end, the men pull back a headless adventurer.
"Throw the tarp back down!" yells one of them, disgusted. "Somebody fetch a mop and a wash-boy!"
You cut down the thief and search his body, finding a further 3 Gold Pieces cunningly hidden in his cloak's lining, which you can add to your adventure sheet. Leaving the bodies for the rats, you continue onwards. But since you are unfamiliar with the city, you must roll one die to see where you end up. If the result is even, turn to 350. If it is odd, turn to 62.
He moves close to you and concentrates. You feel something vital being drawn from you, leaving you confused and uncertain. Lose 2 LUCK points.
"Good." he states. "That will provide you with adequate protection."
He is telling you the truth. If you are ever struck by the magic of the Dark Elf, Ishenla Physonray, you only take half the damage that you would otherwise take. Now it is time to leave. Turn to 129.
You start to scale the building. It is surprisingly hard going. The house is old and worn; boards and tiles crack and come loose under your weight. If you possess a Rope or wish to use a Potion of Climbing, you make it up and back down with the coat in no time, turn to 81.
Otherwise you struggle up as best you can. Test your Skill. If you are successful, you manage to get close enough to grab the coat and make your way down to the waiting boy, turn to 81. If you are unsuccessful, you slide off the roof as you get higher and come crashing down to the ground, right on top of a cart full of manure, much to the merriment of the onlooking crowd. Although unhurt, you stink terribly, so you decide to pay for a local washerwoman to take your fouled clothes and clean them, either cross 1 Gold Piece or 1 Provision off your character sheet for these services (if you don't have any Gold Pieces or Provisions she will clean your clothes for free out of a sense of charity). By the time she returns with the slightly damp but much cleaner clothes, the boy is long gone. Turn to 197.
If you have now visited all five, or at least three, of the locations marked on the map and wish to end your search, you may contact Yaztromo by turning to 383.
Otherwise, your first step on the next leg of your journey must be to head north from Salamonis across the Windward Plain. For much of the morning the Craggen Heights block the sun from view, and a sharp wind sweeps across the plain to further chill you. If you do not have a warm cloak, you must deduct 1 STAMINA point for the cold. Unless this leads to your death from exposure, you quicken your pace onwards. If you are heading for Warpstone, turn to 301.
If not, after a while you bear north-west to avoid the dangers of Trolltooth Pass. For hours you see no other signs of life, but late in the afternoon you find a weathered signpost bearing the name Coven, and by early evening you have reached the village of that name. You have little trouble locating the local inn, but it has a note nailed to its door, reading 'Closed on Family Buisness'.
A passing farmer says you can spend the night in his barn for 2 Gold Pieces, and he'll throw in a meal for no extra charge. If you accept, you have an uncomfortable but quiet night, and may restore 2 STAMINA points for the night's rest. Otherwise, you must camp outside the village and eat your own food, assuming you have any left. Deduct one portion of Provisions without adding any STAMINA, or lose 3 STAMINA points if you have none left. Then note down the number of this section and turn to 42 to see if anything happens during the night. Make a note on your Adventure Sheet that you have been to Coven.
Assuming you survive until morning, you set off again the next day. If you are heading for Port Blacksand, turn to 130. If you continue north towards Fang and Zengis, you keep clear of the nearby Forest of Spiders, and early in the afternoon you cross a river and pass beyond the southernmost edge of the Moonstone Hills (turn to 237).
You wade into the brawl taking on the opposition. If you are aiding the guards, you fight the locals. If you are aiding the locals, fight the guards instead.
GUARDS SKILL 8 STAMINA 11
LOCALS SKILL 7 STAMINA 14
If you manage to reduce your opponents' STAMINA to 5 or less, turn to 144 if you helped the guards, or 236 if you helped the locals.
Before long you emerge from the forest and find yourself at the river's edge. Now you can properly see the sky, it is not hard to work out where you are, and you feel confident that you should be able to navigate through the forest to reach Salamonis with no further difficulties. As you are about to turn back and set off again, you catch sight of what looks alarmingly like a human body tangled in the reeds near the riverbank. Your curiosity gets the better of you, and you move closer to investigate (turn to 322).
Your triumph is short lived as a pulse of energy from the portal sends a wave of revitalising energy through the creature. Worse still, more of the creature is continuously worming its way through the portal and into the cavern.
You clutch at your head as you are suddenly assaulted by terrible visions. Visions of the Chaos Incarnate spreading across the land, driving Elves from their forests and overcoming ranks of Dwarves that bitterly fight to defend their ancestral underground homes. You see women and children fleeing from towns with only the possessions they can carry. You see Salamonis, its walls lined with knights and wizards ready to defend their city, only to be thrown into disarray as the creature spreads its tendrils and overwhelms the city. There is one final vision even more terrifying than the rest. It is of the whole continent of Allansia, covered from end to end by a writhing mass of chaos, all other creatures long since driven away or incorporated into its mass, and yet, even then it is extending its form further, into the surrounding seas and outwardsߪ
You force the vision away with a wrench. In front of you is the creature, almost fully restored of the damage you have done and growing steadily larger, more powerful. You cannot defeat this foe by force of arms. Your only chance is to destroy the Chaos Gate.
Search the items on your Adventure Sheet and decide which item you will try and use. You only have moments in which to act and you will not get another chance. Circle the item you have decided on then turn to 249.
For a while the beast thrashes about and then quietens, but you have lost track of where it is. Cautiously you peer throughߪand nearly have your face ripped off by a talon! You wait a few more moments until you hear a groan and a thump; the poison must have taken effect. Climbing in, you see that the beast is merely unconscious. You don't get a good look at it because the sound of approaching voices forces you to extinguish your light and keep still in the near darkness. Without warning, the cage judders and slides noisily - someone is pulling it. Beasts in the other cages bark and snarl their irritation. The cage soon comes to a halt and the voices fade round the corner leaving the room deathly silent.
If you have a Gantamaran Calf following, turn to 339 immediately.
If not, you lift up a piece of hide covering the cage and slip out through the bars, taking a look at what you were hitching a ride with: a large reptilian with a short frill and a row of spikes along its back. Suddenly, its eyelids flick open and you are greeted by a kaleidoscope of greens. Test your Luck. If you are Unlucky, turn to 100. If you are Lucky, turn to 64.
Your form shifts and changes. You feel your mind losing focus, your knowledge disappearing and being replaced by much simpler instincts. Eventually the pain ends and you hop away towards the riverߪ a perfectly healthy specimen of black spotted toad. Your adventure ends here.
Your attempt fails and the Chaos Incarnate grabs you with its tentacles. Its mass envelops you. Slime seeps past your armour and where it touches you, starts working a horrifying change upon you. Slowly and painfully, your form dissolves as the creature incorporates you into its own chaotic mass. You can only hope that some other adventurer can take up the task of closing the Chaos Gate. For you it is THE END.
If you are wearing Messenger's Clothes or have used a Doppelganger Potion to change into the form of one of the Dark Elf lieutenants, Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 228. If you are Unlucky or if neither of these conditions apply, turn to 118.
Searching the intricate streets won't be much use at this hour; tomorrow will be better in daylight. It doesn't take long for you to find a place still open where you can spend the night. Keeping your wits about, you step into the Cotton Tail Inn. Turn to 25.
You rush forwards bravely. In an instant, you are struck on all sides by razor sharp shards of stone. Roll one die and add 1 to the total (to give you a number from 2 to 7). This is the number of shards that strike you. Subtract 1 from this total for having each of the following: a shield, a helmet, and metal armour, which deflects some of the storm away. Each remaining shard of stone inflicts 2 STAMINA points of damage upon you.
If you still live, you stumble through the field of ruin, somehow still on your feet and charge towards the Dark Elf. Your dangerous strategy has ensured he doesn't have time to cast any further spells at you. Add 1 LUCK point and turn to 259.
As you take the bread, Vitriana notices the blister on your hand. "Where is the plant that gave you this sting?" she asks. You tell her, and she thanks you. "The seeds of the Burning Lily are useful in the preparation of several different potions," she explains, "Such as this one."
Reaching into her robes, she takes out a small stone bottle and hands it to you. "Handle this Potion of Liquid Fire with care, and do not unstopper it until you mean to use it. I give it to you in return for the many more I shall be able to prepare with the bloom you have found for me. Now, let us be on our way."
She turns and heads out of the clearing, and as soon as you have stowed the potion away, you follow her (turn to 137).
Ordering the local beer (if you spend a Gold Piece on a meal, you may recover 3 STAMINA points), you ask the bartender about the city. The bartender, Skolar, is quite friendly and tells you about the city and its mining areas. He makes no attempt to hide his pride in the city, but ultimately has very little information that can help in your mission. If you want to ask about his trophies (turn to 143). Otherwise you can, if you have not already done so, join the man and woman (turn to 43), talk to the three men in the corner (turn to 26), or ask if you can join the men in a game of dice (turn to 395). Otherwise, you leave the inn (turn to 261).
"Pay four gold or get lost!" barks the guard. Apparently, a fee is needed to enter the Battle Pit arena. If you possess a Pass to the Battle Pit or are able to pay the admission fee with gold or an item worth the price, you hand it to the guard who grabs it and shoves you through the gates into the waiting queue behind him. Turn to 268.
If you cannot afford the toll, you, like every other spectator stand there in curiosity and must wait for developments. Turn to 73.
Though more familiar with travel by sea, the crew of the Sea Horse have no difficulty navigating onto the Whitewater River, and you are soon on your way east. The current is strong, so progress is slow, but you have still covered a good distance by the end of the day. If you have already been to Salamonis, turn to 280. If not, you dine with the crew this evening. While the food is more basic than at the Captain's table, the conversation is better, and you sleep well back in your cabin (restore 2 STAMINA points). The following morning a chilly mist hangs over the river, though it begins to dissipate as the day wears on, showing that the north bank is now lined with trees. Roll one die. If you roll 1-5, turn to 387. If you roll 6, turn to 230.
You are spotted. One of the Dark Elves lets out a harsh inquiry in their lilting tongue. You do not understand their language and realising you cannot answer, turn to run. You get only a few steps before one of the Dark Elves summons up bands of entrapping magic that trips you, sending you sprawling. As you struggle to break free, the other Elves surround you, stripping you of your weapons and equipment.
You are subjected to hours of gruelling interrogation as they slowly and painfully extract all the information on your mission from you. Your adventure ends here under the razor knifes of the cruel Dark Elf torturers.
You move through the streets, the energy of the wildly celebrating crowd propelling you forward. You can hardly keep track of where you are going. As you pass by an area of burned down houses, one of the locals looks where you are gazing and shouts, "Terrible fire! Took out almost two blocks of houses. Heard it got started by a beggar looking for revenge!"
The man is swept away before you can learn more. Finally you break free of the revellers and take shelter in a shop front. Next to you is a boy softly sobbing. Asking him what's wrong he points upwards. High on the peak of the two storied building is a small, brightly coloured coat. The boy looks at you with wide eyes.
If you want to try and help the boy by climbing up and retrieving his coat, turn to 103. To continue on through the city, turn to 197.
The common room of the inn is decorated with hunting trophies on the wall - strange mountain creatures that are apparently the local sporting animals. Behind the counter stands a tall middle-aged man, with a big moustache, who nods in your direction when you walk in. Looking around you see a man and woman sitting at a table eating. In a corner, three men are discussing something in hushed voices, and at a third table, three others are playing a sort of dice game. Will you:
Walk up to the bartender and ask about the local gossip (turn to 115)?
Join the man and woman (turn to 43)?
Try talking to the three men in the corner (turn to 26)?
Go over to the game of dice (turn to 395)?
You sit down to catch your breath after the fight, and then give the body a quick examination to see if there are any spoils of victory for you to claim. The Troll appears to have fallen on hard times since you last fought him, and the only item of any likely use that you can find is its warhammer. You may take this as a spare weapon, in case anything happens to your sword. It might even prove more effective than a sword against some enemies. However, it is very heavy, and if you use it in battle while your STAMINA is less than half your Initial score, you must deduct 1 from your Attack Strength because of the difficulty of lifting it.
No other noteworthy incidents occur during what remains of the day, and as dusk falls you make camp for the night. You must eat: deduct one portion of Provisions, but do not restore any STAMINA for the meal. Then you settle down to sleep. Make a note of this reference number and turn to 42 to see whether or not your night's rest is interrupted.
If you survive the night, you set off again at first light. Where are you planning on going first: Fang (turn to 297) or Zengis (turn to 200)?
A chill wind blows almost constantly on the Windward Plain. Unless you have a warm cloak to protect yourself from it, you must deduct 1 STAMINA point for the cold. You encounter nothing larger than a mouse over the course of the day, but by late afternoon you can make out a dark shape on the horizon, which can only be the Forest of Yore. As you draw closer, you are able to start making out the shapes of the trees on the edge of the forest, and before nightfall you find shelter from the wind beyond those trees.
You are hungry after your lonely march, and must eat. Deduct one portion of Provisions, but do not gain any STAMINA for the meal. You may if you wish, spend a little time foraging for food. If you do, roll one die and deduct 3 from the result. If the result is negative, reduce your Provisions by that amount. If the result is positive, increase your Provisions by that amount. If the result is zero, you find enough to satisfy your hunger but not enough for extra meals. When you are ready, you make camp for the night. Here you need fear no predators, as the Grand Wizard of Yore's influence keeps the forest safe. Restore 2 STAMINA points for a good night's rest.
In the morning you continue south, or at least try to. The leaf cover overhead makes it hard for you to see the sun and get your bearings, and at some point you lose your way. You have been wandering around for some hours when you hear the sound of running water. Checking Yaztromo's map, you see that the Whitewater River runs down one side of the forest - the far side from Salamonis. Will you head away from the water you hear (turn to 221) or go towards it to check whether it is the river or just a brook too small to be marked on the map (turn to 106)?
You follow the sound to a large cave where you can hear both growling and whimpering. You look in and see a man lying on the floor. Over him stands a tall man dressed in black robes and you hear him say, "Tell me why you are here. The truth or I'll set my pet loose." The pet he is referring to is standing very close to the man on the floor. It resembles a very large dog, with two of its front teeth the size of daggers. The hide of the creature is covered with thick fur, its legs and tail covered with scales. Along the back of the thing large spikes protrude going from the neck all the way down to the end of the tail, finishing with a spike the length of a sword. From its mouth drools saliva and its eyes glow a fiery red. When you enter it quickly sniffs the air then looks at you. The black robed man sees you and says in an amused voice, "Ah, another visitor. Welcome. You won't mind being the appetizer for my pet would you." He orders the creature to attack. You must fight it.
CHAOS ABOMINATION SKILL 10 STAMINA 14
If you win, the black robed man pulls his hood off and you see that he is a Dark Elf. He snarls and draws his sword to attack you. You must fight him as well.
DARK ELF SKILL 7 STAMINA 8
If you manage to defeat him, turn to 273.
You take the time to examine Zengis as you get closer to the city. It is a small but densely packed city, constrained and limited by the high wall surrounding it - a mark of how dangerous this region is that there are few buildings outside the city wall. Just a few ramshackle structures built by the desperate or the hopelessly poor. The extensive docks indicate that most of the city's trade must be done along the River Kok that runs beside it.
You are waved through the gates by a slovenly looking Man-Orc. The streets are narrow and oppressive with few gaps between houses, most of which are filled with the refuse and the traffic of citizens going about their business.
If you want to use the time available before nightfall to do a bit of shopping, turn to 327. If you would rather spend a few hours wandering the streets and questioning citizens to see if you locate one of the lieutenants, turn to 182.
In the harsh light of evening, the avenue of gnarled trees and statues provides excellent cover but you fail to consider the drawbacks. As you edge towards him, a branch snaps underfoot and your heart skips a beat. The silence broken, you stand dead still. The Dark Elf spins round, eyes narrowing, trying to see through the snowfall. Although he fails to spot you, it is clear by his expression that he knows he is being stalked. Turn to 300.
You pay the innkeeper 3 Gold Pieces and he shows you to a decent room upstairs. Night passes briskly and you begin your search for a Dark Elf at the break of dawn. Restore 4 STAMINA points and turn to 238.
When you enter the inn, you are struck by an almost overpowering aroma. It is lavishly decorated with furs and coats of arms; the smell being that of sandalwood incense. There are a couple of customers in here. You go up to the bar and are given a mug of black liquid by an attractive brunette with ivory skin.
"Go on, root beer is free for newcomers."
As you take a sip of it, you are disgusted at the strong bitter taste but force it down anyway. Root, literally, meaning from a vegetableߪor is it tree?
"Fang grows its own Pungence Roots in the north just before you get to the mountains," says a man standing beside you with a mug of the same liquid. "It takes a while to get used to."
You nod and grin, placing the free drink back on the bar. A meal here of beef and potatoes will cost you 4 Gold Pieces and restores 5 STAMINA points. If you'd rather settle for salty hock, it will restore 2 lost STAMINA points, and cost you 2 Gold Pieces. People are now beginning to fill the room.
"Are you up for a few drinks, stranger? I will pay," asks the man.
If so, turn to 139. If not, there is not much to do here. Asking around for information might make you look suspicious. To leave, turn to 67.
The path ends at a decrepit wooden hut. You examine it, and from looking inside, conclude that the previous inhabitants are either dead or elsewhere. You try to open the door, but it is heavily locked from the inside. The framework does look weak from decay, so you might be able to smash the door down. Test your Skill if you choose to enter the hut. If you are successful, you manage to break open the door and can go in to search the hut. Turn to 148. If you are unsuccessful, or chose not to explore it, you head back to the junction and turn north. Turn to 204.
As you turn to leave, he speaks again in soft yet menacing voice. "Farewell hero. If you are successful, no doubt we will meet again." You feel a chill pass through you.
Striding away, you make your way to the gates. As you pass the boundary of the city, the feeling of oppressive weight that has followed you throughout the city, lifts. Turn to 36.
You head west towards the setting sun, making camp before it gets too dark. Use one portion of Provisions without adding any STAMINA, or Test your Luck to forage for food, losing 3 STAMINA points if you are Unlucky. Then note down the number of this section and turn to 42 to see if anything troubles you during the night.
The following morning you continue west, your path leading you to the banks of the Silver River. There you are surprised to find a partially-built raft, and signs of a struggle. From the marks on the ground you work out that three or four people were building the raft when something, or maybe several things - you cannot imagine what could have left those tracks - came out of the Forest of Spiders, attacked them and dragged them away. It would be wise to leave before the mysterious attacker returns. Observing that the river is flowing quickly, and in the direction you want to go, and that the raft looks as if it would have no trouble bearing your weight, even in its incomplete state, you decide to take advantage of the raft-makers' misfortune, and head off down river.
You make good time, and by evening you have reached the town of Chalice. A room for the night and a meal will set you back 4 Gold Pieces and restore 2 STAMINA points, or you can eat your own food and make camp on the riverbank (deduct one portion of Provisions or 3 STAMINA points and check section 42 again).
The next day you set out on the river again, making it as far as Silverton, where food and lodgings cost 5 Gold Pieces. If you cannot or will not pay that much, you will have to use a portion of Provisions or lose 3 STAMINA points, and check section 42 once more.
Beyond Silverton the river turns north and joins with the Catfish River, which flows straight through Port Blacksand, so in the morning you take to the water again. However, as you approach the confluence, you see a large ship, somewhat the worse for wear, which is sailing slowly down the Catfish. You would have to pass very close to it to get by, and you are not sure that you can steer the raft well enough for that. If you want to risk it, turn to 218. If you would rather beach the raft and complete your journey on foot, turn to 373.
You observe a town built on a slant into a hillside whose crest is so high it reaches for the clouds. Snowflakes are falling, but unable to cover the ground and rooftops; it dissolves creating a slick surface. You shiver. Your every breath appears before you as hot air meets cold. The road ahead stretches up the slope and veers out of sight to the left. The other roads are hidden between tightly squeezed residential buildings and shops. You can hear cheering and the faint howling of beasts far off north as you step off the pier and make your way through the town gates. A worn down sign towers before you: the main street before you is named Goldoran Strip. Turn to 309 if you want to begin searching there. Alternatively, you could explore the Horse Market district to your right (turn to 67), or Dwight's Wharf district to your left (turn to 9).
You stand over the body of your dead foe. You can take the Helmet of Fury if you wish. If you ever decide to place the Helmet of Fury on your head, make a note of the paragraph you are on and turn to 215.
From the assorted bodies laying on the ground you also find 2 Gold Pieces and 3 Black Pearls. Each Black Pearl is worth 3 Gold Pieces if sold.
After your quick search, you leave via the far passageway. Not far down the passageway is a small opening, obviously once a hidden door but now lying open. Beyond you can smell the sewers. You hear a rumble behind you as the ground shifts some more, sending stone tumbling into the altar room you just vacated. You have got out just in time!
You quickly enter the sewer passageway and follow it until you can see light streaming down from a sewer entrance. Climbing the ladder fixed to the sewer wall, you haul yourself back onto the streets of Zengis. Turn to 70.
You manage to snatch up your weapon as the first wave of rats and centipedes are upon you. Because of your restricted position, you must deduct 1 from your Attack Strength for this battle. Fight each group one at a time.
VERMIN PACK SKILL 7 STAMINA 10
VERMIN PACK SKILL 8 STAMINA 8
VERMIN PACK SKILL 7 STAMINA 7
You may Escape at any time by making a dash for the door (turn to 381). If your STAMINA is reduced to zero, turn to 48. If you win, turn to 31.
"That would make things a little too easy for you wouldn't it? Hardly the stuff of heroes," he sneers. "Ask another question."
If you want to know the identities and powers of the Dark Elf lieutenants, turn to 315.
If you want to know the locations of the Dark Elf lieutenants, turn to 272.
If you have had enough of his insults and want to leave, turn to 129.
If you wish to attack him, turn to 6.
Knowing these are bad manners you take it anyway and gulp it down. It quenches your thirst but now you feel queasy and light-headed. Deduct 1 point from your SKILL score until after you fight a battle - the rush of adrenaline will clear your head again. You push away from the table and swerve over to the group of men playing their hand at a dice game. Turn to 347.
After some consideration, the king allows you to show your discoveries. "Wait!" the grand counsellor booms. "You speak of treacherous acts with hollow words, adventurer. Your lordship, would you so easily trust the words of a stranger to one who has served you with honesty and loyalty for many years? What is to say that the adventurer," pointing accusingly at you, "is not an accomplice to the traitor, Veda Loth, staging a heroic fight for evil intentions, to gain your trust and influence your decisions as is now clearly the case." The courtiers gasp at this possibility and whisper amongst themselves. The king pauses in thought again, shuffling uncomfortably on the throne. Will you:
Wait patiently for the king's verdict? Turn to 276.
Continue to try convincing the king that the grand counsellor is the real culprit? Turn to 207.
Attack the grand counsellor before the situation worsens? Turn to 283.
Vitriana is true to her word, and leads you to the edge of the forest before disappearing back into its depths. The sun hangs low in the sky, but it is still light enough for you to make out the walls of a large city up ahead. If you are heading for Salamonis, your journey is almost over (turn to 248). If your destination lies elsewhere, you are in a convenient spot to make camp for the night, and settle down here to eat and sleep. Deduct one portion of Provisions, but do not gain any STAMINA for the meal. There are no dangerous predators in the area, so you have an untroubled night's rest (restore 2 STAMINA points), and feel refreshed as you set off again in the morning (turn to 104).
Helmund criticizes your every finding and soon you are running out of evidence and reasons to retaliate with. Unimpressed, the king says, "My adventuring friend, with all the excitement you have been through, it is understandable for you to act as you have. But on the basis of your accounts, I do not see the necessity to disrespect one of my advisers. Coincidence is the summation of my ruling. Leave now on a high note that you have already done the city a service by revealing a traitor, and look into this matter no further." The king dismisses you and you are hardly in a position to say otherwise. Turn to 232.
The man introduces himself as Xavier and you introduce yourself in return. Xavier orders the first round of ale. As you both stand there at the bar getting shoved by others passing by, he tells you that he was one of the champions who survived Baron Sukumvit's infamous Deathtrap Dungeon years ago. He had just returned from a mission in Stonebridge and was nearly run over by a wagon driven by two young lads. You both laugh at this.
He orders a second round. You must temporarily deduct 1 SKILL point since you are starting to feel dizzy and giddy. The drink is becoming addictive. As his drunkenness continues, he begins to tell about his participation in the games. He tells you that he was already at the arena earlier in the day and particularly remembers seeing a Dark Elf managing a giant cage containing a large creature. "Most vicious it was, it would not let me kiss it on the snout! If I were closer, I'd punch that Elf in his nose for giving me a vile look. Better yet, I caught the number on the cage; 360, I think. If you see this cage, kill his pet for me and we will toast on its river of blood."
He orders a third round. Xavier tells you that as soon as he wins a few tournaments, he is setting out towards Khul, the Dark Continent, with a few adventuring companions.
He orders yet another round and you must deduct 1 more point of SKILL. By now, he is very wobbly and you have to grab him by the shirt more than once to stand him straight. He gives you a wooden tube containing a crystal within it. "Take this if you want to see me fight. You will need to look in there. And here," he drops 4 Gold Pieces on to the bar and you quickly grab them before someone nicks a piece, "You have that. You are a friend now, and I can tell you need help. I hope we meet again." Add the gold and far scope to your possessions.
The SKILL losses here are temporary and can be replenished by one point after each battle you get involved in - the adrenaline rush will sober you up. As for Xavier, you do not fancy his chances of getting sober any time soon. He flops over the counter, barely able to keep his eyes open. You bid him good day. Turn to 67.
If you have now visited all five, or at least three, of the locations marked on the map and wish to end your search, you had better contact Yaztromo and see if he can bring you back from wherever this is. Turn to 383.
If you still have other places to investigate, you sit down at the edge of a nearby stream to consider what you should do next. The sight of your reflection in the water gives you a start: a streak of white now runs through your hair, presumably a side-effect of the Dark Elf's magic. Make a note of this.
It does not take you long to work out that you have been transported into the Moonstone Hills. You realise that there would be little point in heading back to Zengis to take revenge, and decide to press on to another of the places where you may find one of the Lieutenants. Once you have decided which way to go, you set off, and are relieved to encounter nothing hostile before sundown. Continuing on your way after dark would be foolhardy, so you make camp for the night. Deduct one portion of Provisions but do not add any STAMINA, or if you have none left, Test your Luck to see if you find anything edible nearby, losing 3 STAMINA points if you are Unlucky. Then note down the number of this section and turn to 42 to see if you get a quiet night. If you live to see another day, you set off again towards your new objective. If that is Fang, turn to 390. If it is Port Blacksand, turn to 130. Otherwise you soon emerge from the Moonstone Hills and cross the Silver River, after which you can head south across the Windward Plain towards Salamonis (turn to 122) or south-east to Trolltooth Pass if your ultimate goal is Warpstone (turn to 301).
You head along the tunnel. As you progress, the passage gets rougher and wetter. Moisture drips down from the ceiling and collects in puddles on the floor. Ahead of you is a carven archway blocked by a heavy wood door, bound with rune-covered iron. Flanking the door in slightly recessed alcoves are two Dark Elves dressed in ornate armour and carrying finely crafted swords. You can hear the faint sound of rhythmic chanting coming from beyond the door.
As you approach, the Dark Elves draw their weapons. If you want to rush forward and attack the guards, turn to 82. If you want to try and bluff your way past the guards, turn to 156.
You stick your hand into the hole. Nothing prepares you for what happens next, as the hole suddenly closes before you can withdraw your hand! If you are wearing gauntlets, turn to 79. If not, turn to 173.
Skolar looks at his trophies and seems to grow a few inches. "Yes, all of these animals have been hunted and killed by me and my brother Harend. My brother is a master tracker and the mountains have always been full of different kinds of creatures. The Nandibear head you see above you is my pride and joy. I killed that beast three years ago. However, there is something going on in the mountains. Two weeks ago we were out there and saw a creature that I cannot even describe. It had apparently killed a Rock Demon and I wouldn't even approach such a creature. It disappeared into a cave in the mountains and there were two dark-skinned men outside who went in after it. They control the creature somehow, though I have no interest in finding out how or meeting such people." Could these men be Dark Elves you wonder? Your attention suddenly increases and Skolar can see it in your eyes. "I hope you're not thinking what I think you're thinking. You wouldn't survive an encounter with that creature." You explain that you really want to check out that cave. He shakes his head but tells you how to contact his brother who lives in a small hut outside the city. Thanking him, you decide it is time to go elsewhere. Turn to 261.
Your opponents may be many but lack real skill and without too much effort, you beat them back. Seeing this, the rabble leader whistles and the locals begin to disperse, dragging their injured fellows away with them. The guards are grateful for your intervention but the woman remains impassive. "I believe thanks are in order," she says drily. "My guards could have handled such lowly miscreants anyhow. If you are looking to sign up for work you are welcome to. Just fill out these forms or have someone fill in the blanks for you. Return them to the House of Reinholt and you're in." She gestures and Muirek hands you some documents. You hold up your hand, saying that you only wanted to help. "It's the same old, matter of payment isn't it? Oh well, give the mercenary some gold Muirek and let us be on our way." As you are given a pouch containing 3 Gold Pieces, you notice the woman whispering slyly to one of her other guards. You can only make out something to do with 'the mines' and 'slaves'. Will you try to find out more about these (turn to 379), or keep quiet and leave in case your prying gets you into trouble (turn to 354)?
They look almost disappointed as you hand over the money, but move to let you past; cross 3 Gold Pieces off your Adventure Sheet. You quickly move off down the street. Turn to 85.
There is a lot of concealing stalagmites but several groups of Dark Elves are close by. You try to sneak past them. Test your Skill. If you are successful, you have made it past them and through the unguarded door without being spotted, turn to 375. If you are unsuccessful, you stumble slightly, kicking a stone across the cavern floor. Several Dark Elves turn towards you, turn to 111.
The man gets to his feet. He towers above you and is heavily muscled. He pulls an axe from his belt and rushes towards you shouting incoherently.
BARBARIAN SKILL 9 STAMINA 12
If the Barbarian ever rolls doubles when determining his Attack Strength and wins the Attack Round, he strikes you a terrible blow, inflicting 4 STAMINA damage upon you. You can flee the combat at any time, taking 2 STAMINA damage from his parting blow; turn to 55.
If you win the combat, turn to 371.
A thick layer of dust blankets the entire room and its contents. A bed lies at a corner, and there is a small table in the middle of the hut. There is no sign of a life in the room. What interests you is a large chest against the wall behind the table. You smash the lock and lift the lid, excited to see what it contains. All you find inside is a small vial full of a green liquid. Will you take a small dose of the potion (turn to 376), or leave the potion and return to the junction and head north (turn to 204)?
Your voracious pet is hungry and attacks the scavenger without you having to say a word. Within moments, the calf rips off the creature's head and gobbles it down, resolving both creatures' food problems! Restore 1 LUCK point. You give the calf a pat on the back, and it gives you a satisfied belch in return.
A few guards come running down the street to retrieve the carcass. "Thing escaped from the arena. They crawls high they do. Sorry for the trouble." You are given 3 Gold Pieces and told to keep your mouth shut! It is time to explore elsewhere.
Choose a place that you have not yet visited:
The Goldoran Strip. Turn to 309.
The Horse Market district a few blocks away. Turn to 67.
North towards the arena the guards mentioned. Turn to 358.
Sliding the scope into focus, you scan the arena for the Dark Elf. Nothing. There are far too many people for you to make a proper search, though the view you have of the Battle Pit itself will make proceeding combats all the more exhilarating! You have just about given up whenߪwait a minuteߪSukumvit's throne. Sure enough, you espy the baron talking to a Dark Elf lurking in the shadows behind him. You cannot hear what they are discussing but it does relate to the Battle Pit somehow. You zoom in on Sukumvit, then the Dark Elf. The words 'Sword' and 'Darkside Pier' can be discerned, spoken by them both - an escape route for the Dark Elf, maybe. If when you leave the Battle Pit you wish to look for the Dark Elf at Darkside Pier, you may turn to 40. Now return to 180 to watch the games.
There is nothing more you can do here so you decide to leave the city while it is still light. Turn to 104.
During the heat of battle, the surviving slaves have put a series of cog works into action. The sand in the centre of the oval pit drops as a panel slides open. You can hear the turning of grates and grinding of wheels. The arena monsters hear it too. Standing upon a platform being raised into view is an eight-foot tall steel giant. It has three arms set on a rotary disc around its torso from which it holds extended blades. The audience gasps in awe and the remaining critters attacking you back away in fright. You and Garn manoeuvre to either side of it then attack.
BATTLE GOLEM SKILL 9 STAMINA 11
The steel automaton can make three separate attacks on you every round. Treat it as facing three opponents with SKILL scores at 9 but sharing the same STAMINA. In this battle, you may defend yourself in one of two ways. You may either retain your Attack Strength bonus for having Garn with you, OR you may coordinate your attacks so that the Golem can only strike at you three times every even numbered Attack Round (i.e. the second, fourth, sixth etc).
If you win, the crowd falls silent. You remove one of the blades from the sparkling golem and point it at the baron, victorious. He begins to applaud and the rest of the arena follows suit. The short man holding a scroll from earlier comes to you accompanied by guards.
"Fine show, un good haul too, warrior. Here's yer share." He presses a pouch of 12 Gold Pieces on to you. "Now, Baron Sukumvit wants speak with ye privately."
Dazed and exhausted from the battle, you allow yourself to be carried out of the arena.
"Till we meet again, my friend," you hear someone say, and then all is drowned under the fervent cheer of the people. Turn to 293.
The noise of the arena viewers above echo weakly through the tunnelߪthen you hear the growling, much louder now. You must be close to an exit. Shining your light ahead, you see a barrier of wooden planks that seal the way onwards. At closer inspection, you notice great rents across them and a hole just wide enough for a head. You could easily force an entrance if you wanted to, but you take a peek at what lies beyond first. It turns out to be the interior of a large cage housing some kind of monster. You could climb into the cage then squeeze between the bars to escape. If you possess poison in any form, you could use it to subdue the beast within until you are safely inside. Cross it off your Adventure Sheet and turn to 108. If not, climbing in seems too risky. You must reverse crawl back outside. Turn to 318.
Secure in your invisible state you run for the door as quickly as you can - the potion only has a limited duration. Unfortunately you make at least a little noise in your dash and by the time you reach the door, several of the Dark Elves are looking in your direction.
You throw open the door, which is fortunately unlocked, but one of the Dark Elves has completed a spell that causes a dark red light to envelop and illuminate your invisible form, turn to 171.
A dreadful creature emerges from the archway sending shivers through the audience. The thing before you has unbelievably huge jaws equipped with piranha-like incisors. Blemished, rubbery skin is pulled taut over its squat and powerful toad-like body. Regarding the two of you with huge round eyes, it bounds forward landing on Garn and knocking you aside. Before you can help, its teeth sink into Garn's skull with a sickening crunch. You must fight it alone.
SAW-TOOTH SKILL 8 STAMINA 14
If you strike it with a poisoned weapon, it will continue to lose 2 STAMINA points at the end of each round until combat is over. Each time the Saw-Tooth wounds you, reduce your STAMINA by 4 due to the devastating power of its bite. If the monster ever scores two consecutive rounds against you, its jaws close around your body almost severing you in two. With another snap of its jaws, it swallows you whole! Your adventure ends here.
If you win, you stumble over its bulk, exhausted and dazed. The spectators amazed with your combat prowess chant, 'Another battle!' But your deed is done for the time being. The short man holding a scroll from earlier comes to you accompanied by guards.
"Fine show, un good haul too, warrior. Here's yer share." He presses a pouch of 12 Gold Pieces on to you. "Now, some'un wants speak with ye privately." You are carried out of the arena under the fervent cheer of the people. Turn to 293.
If you are disguised as one of the Dark Elf lieutenants and possess the Sword of Tamahelos, turn to 22. Otherwise, turn to 370.
You pause at the entrance, then pluck up your courage and enter. Add 1 LUCK point for making it into the Dark Elves' lair.
You cautiously move into the tunnel. A short way ahead you see a flicking light which reveals a large natural cavern. Numerous stalagmites and stalactites, including some huge examples, span from floor to ceiling blocking the view of the entire cave. Several campfires give off light that sparkles off the natural pillars. Around the fires are numerous forms: Dark Elves!
There is plenty of cover nearby so you move into the shadows and conceal yourself behind a group of stalagmites. You spend some time observing the layout of the cavern and the activity of the Dark Elves. It occurs to you that the Dark Elves have not posted any guards to the outside entrance. They have obviously placed their faith in the magical defences that guard their outpost.
There must be at least a hundred Dark Elves here. Most are in small groups around the individual campfires, but some are guarding a door on the far right-hand side of the cavern. Slaves of all races are occasionally let through the door. This must be the slave quarters. Closer, also on the right-hand wall, is another door, this one unguarded. On the left-hand wall is a tunnel that leads out of the cavern. After observing for some time you see a group of six Dark Elves enter the cavern from this tunnel. You cannot quite make out the other side of the cavern through its concealing features. There may be other tunnels you cannot see on the far side.
If you possess a Doppelganger Potion, this may be a good time to drink it. If you do, write down the name of a person you have encountered on your adventure who you wish to impersonate.
Now, will you:
Make your way along the left-hand wall towards the tunnel leading out of the cavern (turn to 386)?
Make your way along the right-hand wall towards the unguarded door (turn to 146)?
Stride straight into the cavern, scorning concealment (turn to 111)?
As you enter the shop you are surprised at its petite size, yet it is crammed to the ceiling with equipment and peculiar items. A stout Gnome wearing spectacles smiles slightly at you from behind the counter. "Welcome to Wixil's. How can I assist you?"
If you fancy a spot of thievery, you may decide to rob the shopkeeper. If so, turn to 334 immediately. Otherwise, you may buy any of the items on sale:
Blowpipe 6 Gold Pieces
Far Scope 4 Gold Pieces
Copper Headband 3 Gold Pieces
Pouch of Nectars 6 Gold Pieces
Rope 1 Gold Piece
Cloak 2 Gold Pieces
Provisions 2 Gold Pieces per meal
The blowpipe comes with three darts coated in poison. The far scope will allow you to view distant locations when you peer through it. Nectars are a kind of healing plant that can be crushed and rubbed on to wounds. There are enough left for three applications, each restoring up to 4 points of STAMINA. You may use them separately or all at once.
As you browse through the equipment, you hear a faint cooing beside you and something brushes against your leg. You are surprised to see a creature unlike any you have ever seen. It looks like a small cow with a body covered in a thick, brown hide blemished with red spots. It stares back at you with large, inquisitive eyes. You move to pat it and are somewhat horrified when it gives a friendly growl at the same time revealing its massive jaws containing dragon-like fangs.
"Don't worry about him. It's a gentle Gantamaran Calf. Give it food and it'll be as loyal as a bristle beast, or so I have been told." He laughs to himself as he comes around to where you are standing. "Fear not, he's only young. When he gets older, he'll grow bigger than this house. Eating machine it is. I mean, it eats literally anything when it's hungry - meat, metal, bricks, bones - so I've no worries about feeding it. I'm hoping to enter it into the arena to fight and win me a few battles. I'd hate to let him go, but if you have the money, I will not hesitate to sell him to you." If you want to buy the creature, he will sell it to you for 10 Gold Pieces.
When you are done deciding, you leave the shop. If you bought the copper headband, turn to 34. If not, turn to 303.
Have you run out of ideas, or is shopping the only thing on your mind? Though the storekeepers are more than willing to do business in the few hours they are open, you will hardly find anyone who knows of a Dark Elf here. Nevertheless, you find the following items interesting:
Provisions 2 Gold Pieces per meal
Empty Glass Bottle 1 Gold Piece
Rope 2 Gold Pieces
Ornate Bird Cage 6 Gold Pieces
Battle Axe 4 Gold Pieces
Leprechaun Ring 5 Gold Pieces
Healing Draught 8 Gold Pieces
You may buy no more than three Provisions as people are rationing food. The axe is heavier than a sword but no better, no worse in combat. The ring increases your agility making your every move feel unhindered. When you Test your Skill, you may deduct 1 from the dice roll. The healing draught restores STAMINA equal to half your Initial score (rounding up). Buy what you wish provided you have enough gold, then get on with your mission!
You can visit the taverns, if you have not done so already (turn to 265), or try the wizard's abode up ahead (turn to 183).
You make your way through the crowd, leaving a stream of curses in your wake. Getting into the side street, you pick up speed and dash after the thief, who has just turned into an alleyway ahead. Turning the corner you trip on a wire strung across the alleyway, your momentum propelling you into a pile of refuse heaped against the wall. The force of the impact stuns you; lose 1 STAMINA point. As you lie in the refuse you hear heavy footsteps behind you. Clumsily turning, you see a large man, the thief's 'victim' striding towards you with a club raised and a sinister smirk on his face. You must fight the robber.
BRIGAND SKILL 7 STAMINA 11
Since you are fighting from the ground you must subtract 1 from your SKILL until you get to your feet. If you win a combat round, you can use the opportunity to get to your feet instead of damaging your foe. After 3 Attack Rounds, write down the brigand's remaining STAMINA points, then turn to 96.
In the moment when you are blind, Valgan reaches out and touches you, releasing more of his foul magic into your body. You feel a terrifying weakness pass through you leaving you almost unable to raise your weapon. Lose 4 SKILL points! As your vision returns you try to attack the Dark Elf but your fight is going to be desperately hard in your weakened state.
How many marked locations on the map did you visit before coming here? If you visited three locations, you need not make any modifications. If you visited four locations, increase Valgan's STAMINA to 14. If you visited all five locations, increase Valgan's SKILL to 8 and his STAMINA to 16.
VALGAN SHAR SKILL 7 STAMINA 12
Valgan fights by casting bolts of twisting and rolling energy at you - bolts of pure chaos! Any armour you may be wearing has no effect in this battle. Whenever he wins an Attack Round, roll one die and consult the table below to find the effect the chaos magic has upon you.
Dice roll Effect
1 The wild energy revitalises you both - add 2 to your STAMINA score and that of the Dark Elf's.
2-5 A chaos bolt hammers into you inflicting an amount of STAMINA damage equal to the number rolled.
6 Chaotic energy leeches into your body drawing out something vital. Lose 1 point of SKILL, STAMINA, and LUCK.
Valgan will not fight to the end. If you manage to reduce him to 4 STAMINA or less, turn to 184 immediately.
By evening you can see the River Kok, which leads to Zengis, and the sight encourages you to quicken your pace. About an hour later you see a barge travelling up river, and a man calls to you from it, asking if you are going to Zengis. When you say that you are, he tells you that one of his guards has fallen sick after eating poisoned fruit, and asks if you would be willing to take the sick guard's place. You accept without hesitation, glad of the opportunity to speed up your journey, and the barge draws close enough to the riverbank for you to leap aboard.
The barge owner introduces himself as Peadar, and explains that he cannot pay any money for your services until he's sold his cargo, but he can at least give you something to eat before you go on duty. "Only bread and cheese, I'm afraid, but there's plenty of it, andߪ" he gives a nervous laugh, "at least it's not poisoned."
The meal restores no STAMINA, but it does fill your stomach, and there's enough left over to make up an extra portion of Provisions, which you stow in your backpack before taking up your post. Unfortunately a small raiding party of Fish Men has targeted your vessel and attacks under cover of darkness. You have to fight one of them.
FISH MAN SKILL 7 STAMINA 6
If you win, you find that the rest of the raiders have fled having seen the fate of their scout.
The barge pulls in to harbour near Zengis in the morning. Peadar and his crew start to unload the cargo, and you explain that you cannot spare the time to help, and press on towards the city. Turn to 124.
The sound of howling wakes you, and you reach for your sword, ready to defend yourself against the wolf pack that must surely be close by. Your campfire has gone out, but there is enough moonlight for you to see your surroundings, and you look around, trying to see where the wolves are. Again the howling sounds, and you realise that it is coming from overhead. You glance up, expecting to spot the pack advancing down a hill towards you, and are surprised to catch sight of several distant forms in mid-air, silhouetted against the moon, gliding on large wings. One of the lupine beasts breaks away from the others and swoops down towards you, baring its fangs to attack.
AAKOR SKILL 7 STAMINA 8
If you have not killed it within 5 Attack Rounds, the rest of the pack flies down to be in at the kill. You have no hope of defending yourself against them all at once, and they tear you to shreds in the light of the moon before settling down to lap up your blood. If you take no more than 5 Attack Rounds to defeat it, the others fly off in search of easier prey. Nevertheless, you remain awake for the rest of the night, and set off again as the sun's rays begin to creep across the horizon. If you have a streak of white hair, turn to 333. Otherwise, if you have a map of the Moonstone Hills or a pouch of moonstones, turn to 280. If you have none of these, turn to 391.
You arrive at the Arches situated near the city walls. It is so called because its structure is comprised of many tall archways built on top of one another as though the dwellings above were supported by stilts. The central towering construction is the most impressive, stabbing high enough to reach the clouds. The design is ancient, probably serving as a lookout post, and you decide to head there. It takes you a while to locate anything that might lead upwards but when you finally spot a half-hidden door, you are denied entry until you pay a fee of 5 Gold Pieces or a magical item for admittance. If you cannot afford this price, nothing you do will shift the burly doormen and you must leave. Turn to 151 at once. If you can and wish to pay, continue reading.
You are escorted up a winding staircase then through a series of narrow corridors. Eventually, you are sat down in a rich lounge where a tall man, handsomely dressed, is observing the world outside through a speculum - from what you know, a larger and more complex type of far scope. The guard tells you to wait before leaving the room. After a few minutes in awkward silence, your host finally acknowledges you. He introduces himself as Spymaster Olibruh, a delver of secrets and conspiracies. You decide to be honest and tell him why you seek his aid. Olibruh knows a great deal about the city and has witnessed many events. He has no information on a Dark Elf lieutenant, however. But, he has noticed an interesting fact. "Ever since the king's grand counsellor returned from a diplomatic mission, things have been going visibly downhill. Soldiers have left the city to confront an invasion force from the east, but I have not spotted any sign of this great enemy, not even by magical means. I suspect this to be a deliberate and tactical move suggested by a traitor possibly in league with the Dark Elves. Salamonis is a powerful city quite capable of thwarting their plans, if they knew about it, and would therefore pose an obvious threat. Their goal would be a lot easier if say, the city's armies were removed from the equation. That is all I can tell you. Search the palace at your peril; you may find what you are looking for."
Do you now go to investigate the palace (turn to 266), or look elsewhere (turn to 151)?
The undergrowth continues to get thicker the deeper you head into the forest. You walk for a few more metres down the dirt path until you reach a T-junction. You may either continue north (turn to 74), or head east (turn to 377).
As the day wears on, the distance between you and the Barbarian grows, though you keep pace with each other.
As the sky darkens, you can make out the sound of rushing water up ahead. This must be the River Kok, beyond which lies Fang. There is little chance of your being able to make a crossing before daybreak, so you make camp for the night. Away to your right, the Barbarian does likewise.
You must eat: deduct one portion of Provisions, but do not restore any STAMINA for the meal. Your rest during the night is uneasy, as you fear that the Barbarian might sneak up on you to kill you in your sleep, but your fears prove unfounded. The animals of the plains must be wary of the Barbarian as well, for nothing comes close to you all night. Restore 1 STAMINA point for what little rest you get.
In the morning you carry on towards your destination, as does the Barbarian. A small ferry has moored this side of the river, and on the far side you can see the wall that surrounds Fang. The ferryman rubs his hands in anticipation as he catches sight of you, his first customer of the day. His smile fades as he sees the Barbarian approaching as well, and he scurries over to meet you.
"You want to get to Fang, yes?" he mutters. You tell him that you do, and he says, "Keep me safe from _him_," with a gesture towards the Barbarian, "and I take you across for just one Gold."
You accept his terms, and stand guard as he waits for the Barbarian to arrive, and charges him 3 Gold Pieces for the crossing. The Barbarian pays without saying a word, and the ferryman rows the two of you across the river to the city gates. Turn to 131.
In the distance, you see a figure slowly walking towards you. You stand your ground with your weapon ready to be drawn. Once he gets close enough, you see that he is a bald, old man wearing black robes. "Hello traveller," he greets. Will you talk to him (turn to 56), or attack him (turn to 321)?
You are on the first floor. Most of the rooms here appear to be those of guests but you see one door that is a different design to the rest. Do you want to investigate that (turn to 281) or the marble archway on the opposite side (turn to 229)?
Alternatively, you can head either upstairs (turn to 86), or downstairs (turn to 329).
You manage to squirm free a split second before the beast is upon you. You hear its grunting and feel its boiling breath on your face as you leap out of harm's way. Those three cowering behind you are less fortunate. They are crushed to a bloody pulp by the beast's body. The door fractures under the massive impact and the audience roars with excitement. You pick yourself up from the sandy floor as the beast shakes its head, recovering from the incident. It looks over its horned shoulder at you and rises painfully to its feet; a shard of bone is sticking out of its left arm. You move in to finish the job.
INJURED DRAGON COUSER SKILL 9 STAMINA 6
If you kill it, you see that only the muscle-bound man is left fending for his life over the corpses of his fallen companions. Needing no invitation, you rush over to help him. While the man is fighting beside you, you may add 2 to your Attack Strength.
INJURED DRAGON COUSER SKILL 10 STAMINA 3
If you win, add 2 LUCK points. The man shakes your hand. "Not bad, young 'un. You might even top my title one day. I am Garn, a gladiator once. Life is too dull without action. I came back on my own accord."
You may perform two actions (such as eating a meal or using a potion) while you wait for the next opponents. Baron Sukumvit gestures and the horn sounds again. A portcullis is opening. Garn turns to you.
"If I am knocked down, warrior, take my sword and run me through. No pain or death is worth facing in embarrassment." He picks up another weapon off the ground in case his broadsword weren't enough. Have you killed a monster in a certain cage earlier? If so, you will have made a note of it. Turn to 286. If not, turn to 155.
You quickly discover that visitors are not allowed in the mines, but there are a lot of abandoned entrances in the mountains nearby that may lead to them. You enter one of the entrances that may put you on the right track and find yourself in a myriad of tunnels. It will be almost impossible to find anything if you don't know where you are going. Do you have a map of the mines? If so, turn to 302. Otherwise, turn to 66.
You leap through the door moments ahead of several arrows that strike the walls and rebound off them crazily behind you. You dash down the tunnel and through a small room, out the other side into a downward sloping tunnel. You can hear the sound of pursuit, a dozen or more Dark Elves chasing you.
You run faster but the Dark Elves are gaining on you. Suddenly, to make matters worse, the ceiling in the tunnel ahead of you starts to grind downwards towards the ground. You cannot stop now. Your only choice is to hurtle yourself through the rapidly decreasing gap ahead and hope you are not crushed by the terrible weight of descending stone. Test your Luck. If you are Unlucky, turn to 363. If you are Lucky, turn to 2.
The entire court breathes a sigh of relief. "Very well. Your actions were understandable so let us lay this matter to rest without further investigation. I judge the court to be liberal enough to overlook this minor mishap and no charge shall be brought unto you." The king expects this from the court but it sounds more like a command. "I think that'll be all the excitement we need for the day. I bid thee farewell, adventurer." Salamon dismisses you and you take your leave. Deduct 1 LUCK point and turn to 232.
The TREE MAN has bitten your hand clean off the arm. Lose 2 SKILL points and 6 STAMINA points. You fall to the ground clutching it in pain, and trying desperately to stop the blood loss. While you are distracted, the Tree Man swipes at you with the long, sharp branches it has for arms. Before long it will drag your lifeless body away to become an excellent fertiliser. Your adventure ends here.
By late morning you emerge from the Moonstone Hills, and it takes you most of the rest of the day to pass the Forest of Spiders, a dark and forbidding mass of trees that you are glad to put behind you. In the evening you pass the mouth of Trolltooth Pass, and you make camp at the foot of a mountain too high for you to make out its peak in the gathering gloom. Deduct another portion of Provisions or lose 3 STAMINA points, make a note of this section number and turn to 42, adding 1 to the die roll you must make because you are so close to the pass. If you survive another night, resume your journey in the morning by turning to 32.
"I knew you wouldn't let us down," Yaztromo says elated. "Having dealt with all the agents of evil and acquired the components key to locating the portal, your quest is almost complete. Only their leader, the dark priest remains. But, thanks to you, we will have no problem finding him. Quickly now, tell me of these discoveries."
You describe the tooth-pieces for the wizard to continue his research. This is great news and you feel your confidence boost sky-high. For your skill and resourcefulness you may restore all your Attributes to their Initial levels.
"I have it!" you hear as the ring crackles back into life. Eager to get going, you ask Yaztromo if he has found the Chaos Gate. "Yes. Wellߪno, not exactly - more like an indication. We have been searching for the lieutenants across Allansia hoping that one of them would be crucial to finding the Dark Elf headquarters in one of the bigger cities. In a way, we have been led on a wild goose chase. The base isn't out there at all. It's here, in Darkwood!"
You sigh despondently. So you know the portal is in a base somewhere in Darkwood which, of course, would take days to reach and weeks to search its entirety.
"Stop fretting for a moment," Yaztromo continues, "Did I say I was finished? The base is on the western edge of Darkwood but something or someone is blocking my magic. I can't get an exact location so I'm afraid you will have to discover it by yourself. The tooth-pieces you hold originate from the same location as the Chaos Gate. I can sense their magic and tap into it, weak though it is, through the copper ring. And through my studies, I have learnt a Tooth Warp spell powerful enough to transport you practically all the way to their doorstep avoiding the dangers of Darkwood Forest. Alternatively, if you are running low on supplies I could teleport you to my tower where you can rest and restock. Of course, that would mean you having to go through the forest on your own. Either way, you are quite a distance away and carry a lot on your person. I suggest you'd better lose some baggage in order for the spell to work."
You can take with you no more than 12 items of equipment. Each portion of Provisions counts as one item but your pouch of gold can be treated as a single item. Rings, keys and tooth-pieces are light enough to be negligible. Do not count your backpack or clothing either. Everything else counts as one item each. Decide what you wish to take or leave behind and amend your Adventure Sheet accordingly. When you are finished, you inform Yaztromo that you are ready to receive his spell.
If you want to be transported to the tower, turn to 389 immediately.
If you would rather be transported into the forest, all goes hazy and then you find yourself in Darkwood. Recovering from the effects, you observe your new surroundings. Turn to 326.
Your failure to deal with even one of the emissaries of evil leaves them free to carry out their master's orders. With only the tooth-piece you began with, Yaztromo cannot breach the enchantments that prevent him from discovering the portal's location and thus, has no idea where it could be. Soon the hellish monsters, the vile hordes of the Pit will be released and Chaos shall rule Allansia. Realising the extent of your failure, you sink to your knees as the wizard grimly informs you that all is lost.
The tavern is cramped and smoky, and the labourers huddled over their pint pots pay you little attention as you make your way over to the bar. The landlord is carving a piece of wood, and as you draw near, he puts it down but keeps hold of his knife. You place three gold pieces on the bar, and request a meal and a room. The landlord mumbles an unintelligible response, puts the knife away, takes the money, and shuffles over to a hatch at the rear of the bar, calling through for a dish of stew. The wood he has been carving catches your eye. While not yet finished, it is obviously a miniature bust of a young man, with a curving scar on his chin.
"'S my son, Stief." The landlord's voice alerts you to the fact that he has returned to the counter. "Not from Salamonis way, are you?"
You shake your head.
"Pity. Thought you might have word of him. He went there to join the army just after the Beast came through, and we've heard nothing of him since."
Curious, you ask about the Beast.
"You've not heard of the Beast? Foul creature, it was. Eight foot tall, all scales and claws, came to Coven last summer. Killed a local man before we could drive it away. And Stief said he wanted to become a soldier and help keep decent folks safe from the likes o' the Beast, and that was the last we saw of him."
You mention that you are headed south, and say that if you should see Stief, you will let him know that his family misses him. If you should encounter the landlord's son in the course of your quest, subtract 16 from the number of the section in which you meet him and turn to the section with that number to pass on the message. You may recognise him for the scar he has on his chin.
"Would you?" The landlord smiles. "Tell him we don't need him to come home, or ought like that, just to know he's safe and well." He fills a mug with ale and hands it to you. "On the house. The name's Jaak, by the way."
Moments later your stew arrives, and you continue to talk with Jaak while you eat it. Afterwards you retire to the room which has been prepared for you. It is basic, but comfortable. You may restore 4 points of STAMINA for the hearty meal and the night's rest.
In the morning you get up bright and early and continue on your way. If you are heading towards Warpstone, you carry on towards Trolltooth Pass (turn to 301). If your destination is Salamonis, you strike out across the Windward Plain (turn to 122).
As you trudge northwards, back across the same ground you were covering in Tareg's caravan not so long ago, you begin to wonder if you really are up to the challenge of finding and defeating the Dark Elf Lieutenants and preventing the opening of the Chaos Gate. Distracted by your doubts, you do not notice the large figure in the distance as quickly as you would have under normal circumstances. By the time you do see it, you can tell that it is a Hill Troll. The Troll has obviously seen you, as it is heading your way. You bite your lip, reflecting that at least your first fight on this quest will be against a familiar type of opponent.
More familiar than you think, for as the Troll draws closer, it gives a start of recognition. "You's the yooman what killed Brokenose and Fatfist!" it roars, "And broke my arm!"
Enraged, the Troll raises a large warhammer above its head - or rather, it tries to, but lets out a bellow of pain before its arm has gone all the way up. Evidently the broken arm has not healed well. Nevertheless, the Troll charges towards you, roaring its fury, and you have no choice but to fight the beast again, this time to the death.
HILL TROLL SKILL 8 STAMINA 8
If you defeat your enraged opponent, turn to 121.
The grass begins to get shorter. The ground is beginning to rise too, as you have finally reached the base of the hills you saw earlier. Up ahead, you hear the sound of flowing water. All of a sudden, there is a warm feeling on your finger; Yaztromo is contacting you. "You are near the base, though you are still a little too far east of it," is all he says. The ring then feels cold again. Getting ready to head back to the junction, you suddenly feel a sharp pain in your shoulder. Lose 2 STAMINA points. An arrow has hit you, and you turn to face your aggressor. You are surprised to see a powerful-looking Dark Elf riding a Giant Stag Beetle. "We were expecting some ill-prepared attempt to thwart our plans," the Dark Elf sneers, "But you will not succeed." He takes another shot at you. If you do not have a shield, Test your Skill, adding 2 to the roll. If you are successful, you manage to evade the arrow. If you are unsuccessful, the arrow hits your sword arm. Lose 1 SKILL point and 2 STAMINA points. If you do have a shield, the arrow is deflected away. You charge forward and the Dark Elf draws his sword.
GIANT STAG BEETLE SKILL 9 STAMINA 6
DARK ELF SKILL 8 STAMINA 9
During this battle, both the Beetle and the Dark Elf will attack you at the same time. You must choose which of the two you will fight. Roll against your chosen enemy normally, but against the other you must also roll for Attack Strengths. You will not inflict damage if you win - it will simply count as if you blocked the attack. However, you will still take damage if you lose that Attack Round. If you defeat them, turn to 324.
You locate an empty seat with a decent view of the arena. If you own a far scope, you can use it to observe the battles more closely. Turn to 150 immediately.
Someone taps you on the shoulder and you turn to see a thin, spectacled man dressed like a scribe. "Greetings. Care to place a wager on the next battle?" If you have any money, you can place a bet and he quills down your details.
Suddenly, a horn bellows out and all heads turn to the oval pit. An announcer stands in the centre shouting babble you cannot even discern. Then the double doors open, releasing a pair of bony Pit Fiends. They chase the announcer all over the arena creating hysterical laughter from the audienceߪuntil he is caught and eaten alive! The dinosaur-like predators are ushered back to their paddocks and the horn sounds again. Baron Sukumvit has taken his place on the throne and as he lowers a red flag, the crowd roars their approval. The thrill of the Battle Pit is about to begin.
Whether or not you have gambled, roll one die and consult List A. The corresponding number denotes the combatant that will come out of the left-hand doors. If you have placed a bet, decide how many Gold Pieces you wagered (minimum 1, maximum 6). Make a note of this and also whether you betted For or Against it. When you have decided, roll the die once more and consult List B. This combatant will come out of the right-hand doors to battle the first. Fight out the battle until one combatant is dead. The outcome of the battle determines whether you won or lost. If you won, double the amount you wagered and collect your winnings. For example, if you bet 3 Gold Pieces, you get your 3 coins back plus another 3. If you lost, tough! Your gold is gone! If you want to bet again, you may do so. Roll one die and consult List B this time, then decide on your bet as done previously. When you have decided, roll for List A and resolve the combat. Re-roll any number that results in a dead combatant. If a combatant has fought in a previous battle, restore up to 4 lost points of its STAMINA. Should you bet a third time, return to the top of this paragraph. You may bet no more than three times. You may also add 1 point to your LUCK if you go away richer than when you came in.
List A
1.) Adventurers led by a warrior named Xavier who is apparently of some repute in Fang.
SKILL 9, STAMINA 14
Together they inflict 3 STAMINA points of damage.
2.) Dragon Couser
SKILL 10, STAMINA 9
3.) Slavering Wolf Pack
SKILL 7, STAMINA 8
Together they inflict one die worth of STAMINA damage.
4.) Chariot of Death (operated by three southerners)
SKILL 11, STAMINA 7
5.) Ravenous Bill Flock
SKILL 6, STAMINA 12
Together they inflict 3 STAMINA points of damage. Against humanoid opponents (including the Golem) increase their SKILL score by 2.
6.) Armoured Elephant
SKILL 8, STAMINA 10
Reduces damage taken by 1 point.
List B
1.) Battle Golem
SKILL 9, STAMINA 11
Makes three separate attacks on opponent(s). Treat it as having three SKILL scores at 9 but sharing the same STAMINA.
2.) Giant Jungle Centipede
SKILL 9, STAMINA 7
Inflicts 2 STAMINA points of damage and a further 2 from poison.
3.) Gladiators led by a champion named Ranrof.
SKILL 10, STAMINA 10
4.) Criminal party facing the death sentence.
SKILL 6, STAMINA 12
5.) Fog Devil
SKILL 8, STAMINA 6
Whenever it loses an Attack Round, roll one die. If the result is odd, its opponent strikes a trail of fog inflicting no damage. If the result is even, it takes damage in the normal way.
6.) Pit Fiend
SKILL 12, STAMINA 10
After you have seen or gambled enough, you decide to wander around before the next combat starts. Pushing past a repugnant fatso, you descend a flight of steps and spot an unguarded doorway several yards to your right.
If you want to head in that direction, turn to 304.
If you decide to register for battle after all, you can look for the short man with a scroll earlier, who is more than glad to sign you in. Turn to 289.
Or, if you are finished with this place, you can always leave. Turn to 318.
You enter a crowded shop filled with all manner of strange things. There are jars filled with concoctions lining the wall. Body parts of all manner of creatures are stuffed into every available space. The counter ahead holds a number of supposedly magic artefacts, while a sign behind the counter proclaims boldly the many services and enchantments this shop offers.
What little light that makes it into the shop reveals a young man behind the counter. You can see several small lizards moving under his clothes and poking their heads out of his many pockets. You question him and soon find out that yes, he is Malfeous the Talented, and yes, he is available for business.
Examining his sign and his wares, most things are either of little use to you or far too expensive but you do see several things that strike your interest.
Malfeous's Restorative 6 Gold Pieces
Healing Salve 3 Gold Pieces
Potion of Luck 5 Gold Pieces
Potion of Invisibility 7 Gold Pieces
Potion of Climbing 2 Gold Pieces
Empty Glass Bottle 1 Gold Piece each
Rune Stone 4 Gold Pieces
Malfeous's Restorative potion restores up to 1 SKILL point and 6 STAMINA points overnight if drunk before going to sleep. The Healing Salve restores 5 STAMINA points of damage anytime except during combat. The Potion of Luck restores 1-3 points of LUCK when drunk (roll one die, halve the number rolled and round up to determine the number of LUCK points restored). The Potion of Invisibility has only a short duration but allows you to add 2 to your Attack Strength for the first 4 Attack Rounds if you drink it before combat. It may also be useful to avoid foes outside combat at times when indicated during your adventure. The Potion of Climbing, if drunk before you Test your Skill to climb, gives you an automatic success on that roll. The Empty Glass Bottles may come in handy if you ever need a container to store liquid. Malfeous swears that the Rune Stone is enchanted, pointing to small runes of Death, Magic and Earth on the stone, but he hasn't been able to determine its exact magical properties.
Malfeous can also cast the spell of Malfeous's Restorative on you at this time, for a cost of 4 Gold Pieces. Its effects are as the potion above but only for this coming night.
When you are finished here, if you next want to enter the shop marked 'Talson's Travel Maps,' turn to 250. If you want to browse the stalls and see what they have on offer, turn to 364. If you have had enough of shopping and want to leave the square, turn to 4.
You have not gone far when you come across a robed man sitting cross-legged against a wall. In front of him are several carved figurines. One in particular catches your eye: a small statuette of a Black Panther.
"You know a prize when you see one, stranger," the man says in a deep voice. "These are all my creations but that is the most valuable. My craft brings them lifeߪand yet, I cannot make a living out of them. Maybe the Black Panther will serve you better."
The man wants 9 Gold Pieces for the statuette and explains how it works. The Panther Statuette allows you to summon a magical Black Panther to fight in your place for one battle. The Black Panther has SKILL 11 and STAMINA 9. It takes all your energy to control the Panther when summoned so you cannot fight at the same time. If the Black Panther is killed, the statuette loses its magic properties and you must continue the fight yourself. You may summon it only once then the statuette loses its power, so even if the Panther wins the fight, it will still vanish afterwards. Decide whether or not you want to buy it and make the necessary alterations to your Adventure Sheet.
When you are ready to move on, turn to 69.
You come to a building decorated with dozens of curios and sigils. You try to peak inside but the windows are covered totally with posters and advertisements of various magicians. It's certainly an interesting place. You manage to knock once before the door swings open loosely. The interior is full of parchments and knick-knacks, the likes of which you have never seen. You have to tread some underfoot in order to enter. The corridor leads you into a small, equally cluttered room and you shout loudly for attention. It appears no one is home. Then you notice, right in the middle of a round table, a single playing card. Will you turn the card over (turn to 16) or leave and search elsewhere (turn to 151)?
Valgan becomes more and more desperate as you drive him back, wounded. You press your attack furiously knowing that victory is going to be yours. Something changes in Valgan's eyes. There is a look of hatred andߪresignation.
"You may think you have won," he spits, "but if I must die, I will destroy you, your friends and all the other so called Forces of Good as well."
He hurls himself backwards, into the portal. The energy of the portal consumes Valgan in an instant, but the damage has been done. The ritual is complete and the Chaos Gate is open! Something is coming through from the other sideߪTurn to 234.
As you move towards the Dark Elf, he gestures, and the Skeleton Warrior attacking him disintegrates, collapsing in a shower of fine dust. At the same time your weapon turns away from the Dark Elf sorcerer. His magic protects him.
The Dark Elf turns to face you. His cruelly handsome face appears unlined by years but his intense, ancient gaze gives lie to this first impression.
He smiles and says, "Curious. Only someone looking specifically for a Dark Elf could pierce my illusions. Let's see. Wait!" he commands as you start to speak. He takes a considering look at you. "Why would an adventurer be looking for a Dark Elf in Zengis, of all places? Ah, you must be looking for the infiltrators into human lands, adventurer. I would theorise that, since you are searching for them, thus you must not know the location of the ritual, or indeed the full plan. And the possibility exists that you realise each of the lieutenants carries an artefact that may help you to track the location." He laughs coldly at your shocked expression.
It seems this Dark Elf is not one of the lieutenants you are looking for. But you are suspicious of his presence in Zengis and ask him what his purpose is in the city.
"I suppose I must satisfy your curiosity. I am tracking down the so-called 'hero of Zengis' and I will explain why. In every age, there are heroes of light and darkness, law and chaos. They are the pivotal pieces of the battle between opposing sides and are the channel of great spiritual energy. Furthermore, as the hero's deeds grow, they become an integral piece of the unseen tapestry of common linkages that bind a community together. With me so far, hmm?"
"I intend to collect these heroes, both light and dark, and through my arcane mastery tap into this power, to become the ruling piece on the board which is this world. Even the gods will bow to my dominance." He doesn't laugh madly as you would expect, but just smiles faintly.
"So you need not worry, adventurer. I am not interested in the pitiful little schemes of my inferior comrades. In fact, I may just be willing to help youߪfor the right price. I can tell you right now that none of the lieutenants are in this city."
He is willing to answer one of your questions in return for any one of the following artefacts that interest him: the Helmet of Fury, the Eldritch Rod, the Sword of Tamahelos and the Dragonstone Sceptre.
If you have one of these artefacts and wish to offer it in exchange for a question, cross it off your Adventure Sheet and turn to 365.
If you are wearing the Helmet of Fury and wish to offer it in exchange for a question, instead turn to 241.
If you are not interested in doing business with an evil creature and wish to attack him, turn to 6.
If you would rather leave the city, turn to 129.
Your body falls straight on to the spike which drives right through your chest and out of your back. It will be a few hours until the hunter returns. Angrily he will remove your impaled corpse little realising that his hateful trap has doomed Allansia.
You exit the cave opening and use the rocky outcrops as cover. The guard here has his back towards you and you begin to sneak up on him. Constantly yelling at the workers to get a move on, he does not notice your presence until you are right behind him. You seize your chance and cut his throat. Unfortunately, as he slumps down he kicks loose some stones that roll noisily down the rock face. The eyes of both the guards and the workers turn towards you and the Dark Elves quickly aim their bows. Before you can react, a deadly rain of arrows pierces your body. Your adventure ends here.
Up ahead you see a crooked sign marking the entrance to 'The Black Dragon' tavern. You decide to enter and find yourself in a disreputable, dully-lit room. The windows are encrusted in filth and let in little light. The numerous patrons are not much cleaner either. You wind your way through the various cut-throats and vagabonds towards the counter. You are leaning across the bar top to attract the barkeep's attention, when the door of the tavern bursts open. There is a moment of absolute silence as the patrons of the tavern take in the sight of three Skeletal Warriors standing in the doorway, scanning the room with sunken, light-consuming eyes. Then the screaming starts and all pandemonium breaks loose. Turn to 349.
You should know better than to trust a stranger passing you a free drink when you are alone. As you gulp it down, the innkeeper sniggers and this unnerves you a little. You are reaching for your weapon when suddenly, intense pain grips your stomach. The innkeeper steps back as you hurl the table away and stagger about in agony. He can afford to bide his time but yours is running out.
If you have a vial of antitoxin in your backpack, turn to 59. If not, all becomes hazy and you collapse to the floor. The innkeeper takes your valuables then begins to transform. Luckily, you are already dead when he feasts on your flesh. Your adventure has come to a grisly end.
You wipe the blood off of your weapon. As you rest from the battle, you feel a warm sensation on one of your fingers. It comes from the ring that Yaztromo gave you; he is contacting you. You listen carefully to what he has to say. "You have gone too far east! Turn back and head west again!" is all he says before he ends his message. The ring feels cold again. You search the Shapechanger's tattered clothing, but you cannot find anything worth keeping. Taking his advice, you retrace your steps and arrive back at the junction. You can now head either north (turn to 179), or west (turn to 330).
As you describe the final rune he tells you the spell required to open the magical door. You recite it out loud. As you finish it, a giant fireball springs from the door. Unable to avoid it in time, you lose 5 STAMINA points for the serious burns that it causes. If you are still alive, Yaztromo asks for you to describe the runes again to find out the problem. You tell him about the smudged rune and his tone of voice changes.
"Fool!" he shouts, "Do not take chances like that at this stage!" You carefully study the rune this time, and describe it to him. "Well that makes a bit more sense!" he concludes. You recite the spell again. Turn to 397.
Your weapon flies straight and true striking him a lethal blow to the heart. Delgar coughs up blood, cursing you with his dying breath then collapses inert. For a moment you expect a terrible fate to befall you, but the moment passes. It seems the lieutenant's power was solely in trickery and has no real magic.
The king, calm once more, approaches the corpse proudly saying, "And that's one trick you never learned about." He thanks Sir Monro for his salvation. The knight bows and returns your weapon to you, patting you on the shoulder. "I believe this is what you require, warrior. Your prowess and valour match those of us knights. I hope we meet again." He gives you an item found on Delgar's body. It is one of the tooth-pieces you are looking for! You notice it has three stretched runes engraved on to it. Thrilled, you pocket it and are about to thank the knight but find that he has already walked away. You didn't even see his face. Your admirable display is well regarded by the court and you may add 2 to your LUCK score. Turn to 235.
You continue to walk north. The vegetation is becoming even thicker now, with many plants invading the path you are walking on. Insects buzz around you, and you soon become annoyed with having to swat them away. While walking past a tree, you notice that it has a large hole in its trunk. Will you stick your hand in to see if there is anything inside (turn to 142), or ignore the tree and continue on (turn to 165)?
Your task is arduous and takes a while to complete. The old man is surprisingly adept at this kind of work and hardly breaks a sweat. After hours of moving boxes and shifting barrels, your limbs are a little shaky. Lose 2 STAMINA points but you have earned your rest. Turn to 126 and ignore the instruction on payment.
The northward journey is just as lonely as your trek south on this route. As before, you must make camp twice along the way. For each night you must deduct a portion of Provisions without restoring any STAMINA, or lose 3 STAMINA points for going without food, and check on the table at section 42 to see if you have any trouble during the night.
On the third day you reach the mouth of Trolltooth Pass, and decide against going back that way. Instead you continue north, passing by the Forest of Spiders and coming to the southernmost edge of the Moonstone Hills. If you want to go to Port Blacksand next, now is the time to change direction (turn to 130). Otherwise you continue north for a little while before making camp for the night, again deducting one portion of Provisions or losing 3 STAMINA points for going hungry (though here you may Test your Luck to try and find something edible close by, and will only lose STAMINA if you are Unlucky), and checking section 42 to see how the night goes. In the morning you set off north again, keeping an eye out for any of the more hostile inhabitants of the hills (turn to 237).
You say a silent prayer as you leap from the speeding carriage aiming for a mulberry bush to cushion your fall. Again you must Test either your Skill or Luck (your choice). If you succeed, you are unharmed. If you fail, you land badly and lose 2 STAMINA points. You catch up with the Dark Elf who snarls upon seeing you again. "If what you seek is death by my hand, so be it!" There is no escaping this combat for either of you.
TARGAMIS ROVANE SKILL 9 STAMINA 12
Any damage you inflicted on him earlier may be deducted from the value shown above. If you win, he gives you a last hateful stare before coughing up blood and expires. Add 2 LUCK points for vanquishing the lieutenant. Turn to 35.
You head deeper into the city, looking for any sign of thieves that could lead you to the Noose. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, you see a pickpocket working the crowds. Following discreetly, you find yourself in a run-down section of town. You must be getting close. Turn to 62. If you are Unlucky, you walk until the sky starts to get dark and the crowds begin to thin out, turn to 380.
You enter the jeweller's shop where a young woman in an expensive, many-coloured dress greets you warmly. "Welcome traveller. I am Aliana Moonshine. Are you looking for something in particular; maybe something for a certain special someone?"
You explain that you are just browsing and would like to see what she is offering.
"You look like someone who gets into a fight every once in a while. Maybe I can interest you in some of my magical amulets."
You quickly say yes and she picks out three items that you may find interesting:
Bracelet of Agility 8 Gold Pieces
Sun Amulet 10 Gold Pieces
Ice Crystal 10 Gold Pieces
The Bracelet of Agility makes you faster at dodging your opponents blows and adds 1 to your Attack Strength in combat while you wear it. The Sun Amulet can be used during combat to blind your enemy so that you automatically win the next two Attack Rounds (you may use LUCK normally to increase damage). It can be used only once. The Ice Crystal shoots a bolt of ice at your opponent who suffers 6 STAMINA points of damage instantly, but it can only be used once. Buy whatever you wish, then proceed along Opal Street. Turn to 287.
While the Salamonis army may not yet have achieved their goal, they have made Trolltooth Pass a safer place to be, at least for the moment. You encounter no hostile creatures on the rest of your journey through it. Towards midday you emerge onto the edge of the Windward Plain, and turn south. A sharp breeze blows almost constantly here, and if you do not have a cloak to protect yourself, you must lose 1 STAMINA point. If this does not kill you, you make good progress during the day, and just as you are starting to think about making camp for the night, you catch sight of the wall which surrounds Salamonis, and decide to press onwards to the city. Turn to 248.
Mid-morning you catch sight of a village a little to the north, but you decide that you cannot spare the time to visit it, and press on towards Zengis. Checking the map, you note that your trek will take you close to the notorious Firetop Mountain, said to be the home of an evil wizard and hordes of Orcs and Goblins. As you continue on your way, your gaze is constantly drawn to the mountain, and you are alert to any sign of movement from that direction. Nothing hostile comes anywhere near you, though. Eventually night falls once more, and you make camp by a cluster of boulders. As before, you must eat: deduct a portion of Provisions without restoring any STAMINA. Then make a note of this reference number and turn to section 42 to see if you have a quiet night, but add 1 to the die roll because of your proximity to Firetop Mountain. If you live to see dawn, you hurry onwards (turn to 392).
The door opens into the chamber of Lord Mordin who can be seen tucked away in his four-poster bed. There are a few expensive trinkets and letters on his desk which look interesting and you creep inside so as to not awaken the room's occupant. You have taken only a couple of steps when you detect a click and you freeze. One of the desk draws opens and a small missile streaks towards you. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, the dart misses you. If not, it thuds painfully into your arm - lose 2 STAMINA points. Lord Mordin is now awake and cries for help. He does not see your face as you rush back outside and down the stairs. You may not return to this floor. Turn to 168.
One of the men has been looking at you suspiciously during the last game. When you reveal your last winning die he stands up and pushes away the table. "You lousy cheater!" he shouts before his fist finds your face. Lose 1 STAMINA point. You land heavily on the floor and see the other two men also moving in to give you a beating. The other patrons look on fearfully and disappear from the tavern. The bartender runs out on to the street calling for guards. Unless you are wearing heavy gauntlets, you must reduce your Attack Strength by 2 during this fight only as you have to fight the men with your fists - you do not wish to escalate the situation by murdering them. Fight them all at once.
FIRST MAN SKILL 6 STAMINA 5
SECOND MAN SKILL 5 STAMINA 4
THIRD MAN SKILL 5 STAMINA 4
You may Escape at any time. If you do so, turn to 398. If you win, turn to 76.
You are making slow but steady progress into the crater. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, you make your way to the bottom of the hole without incident, turn to 57. If you are Unlucky, turn to 240.
It is starting to get dark. You must find the base soon, or you will be forced to sleep inside the infernal forest. You cannot imagine what sorts of night creatures await you here. The ground is now gradually rising; you have reached the base of the low hills you saw earlier. Suddenly, the copper ring feels warm - Yaztromo is contacting you. His ghostly voice says, "I have been sensing your actions, and you are now very close to the Dark Elf base. Just keep heading towards the river. Watch out!" The ring goes cold again. You are puzzled at why he warned you. Looking up, your heart sinks. Two winged reptiles have spotted you as their next meal. As they descend, one of them breathes a stream of fire directly at you! Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, you avoid the blast. If you are Unlucky, the fire scorches you for 4 STAMINA points of damage. Escaping is not an option - they would catch up with you easily. You must fight them in turn.
WYVERN SKILL 10 STAMINA 11
WYVERN SKILL 10 STAMINA 10
If you survive this battle, turn to 326. Though Wyverns are likely to hoard treasure in a nest nearby, you have no time to waste on such an expedition.
The guards prepare to fire gleaming blue arrows causing the workers to hesitate in their tracks. Do you order the Dwarfs to attack using pick axes (turn to 99) or the men to pick up the Dark Elf corpses to use as shields (turn to 65)?
Before long you leave the Moonstone Hills behind you, and a little later you find a river bubbling out of the ground, and pause to quench your thirst (add 1 STAMINA point). Following the course of the river leads you to a town named Karn not long before sunset, and you decide that you have travelled enough for today. A room and a meal at a tavern will set you back 3 Gold Pieces, and you can add 2 STAMINA points for the night's sleep. If you would prefer to camp outside Karn, deduct one portion of Provisions without gaining any STAMINA, or lose 3 STAMINA points for going hungry. Then note down the number of this section before turning to 42 to see if anything disturbs your rest. However you spend the night, in the morning you continue north, eventually reaching a bridge across the River Kok, beyond which lies your destination. Turn to 124.
Whether or not you know this for a fact is irrelevant; you are creating discord by making apparently ludicrous and empty allegations. The court is in an uproar and the king cuts you short of further gibberish. He is not angry enough to banish you to the dungeons; he is, however, extremely annoyed. He calls for guards to escort you away from the palace and have you thrown out of the city. They promptly do so. Lose 2 LUCK points and turn to 232.
The Dark Elf dodges your weapon but your distraction has already paid off. With his defences down, the knight takes advantage of the situation, striking him through the heart. Delgar curses you with his dying breath then falls inert. For a moment you expect a terrible fate to befall you, but the moment passes. It seems the lieutenant's power was solely in trickery and has no real magic. The king, calm once more, approaches the corpse proudly saying, "And that's one trick you never learned about." He thanks Sir Monro for his salvation. The knight bows and returns your weapon to you, patting you on the shoulder. "I believe this is what you require, warrior." He gives you an item found on Delgar's body. It is one of the tooth-pieces you are looking for! You notice it has three stretched runes engraved on to it. Thrilled, you pocket it and are about to thank the knight but find that he has already walked away. You didn't even see his face. Turn to 235.
"Well, two is better than one, I guess," Yaztromo groans disappointedly, "Though that does mean that two Dark Elf lieutenants are still at large. But let us not worry about that since there are more pressing matters at hand. Quickly now, tell me of this new discovery."
You describe the tooth-piece and are then made to wait anxiously as the wizard continues his research. But your meagre accomplishment dulls your confidence and you will need to muster all the wits and courage you have left for the final challenge. Deduct 1 point of SKILL and 3 points of LUCK in view of this.
"I have it!" you hear as the ring crackles back into life. Eager to get going, you ask Yaztromo if he has found the Chaos Gate. "Yes. Well�no, not exactly - only a vague indication. We have been searching for the lieutenants across Allansia hoping that one of them would be crucial to finding the Dark Elf headquarters in one of the bigger cities. In a way, we have been led on a wild goose chase. The base isn't out there at all. It's here, in Darkwood!"
You sigh despondently. So you know the portal is in a base somewhere in Darkwood which, of course, would take days to reach and weeks to search its entirety.
"Stop fretting for a moment," Yaztromo continues, "Did I say I was finished? The base is on the western edge of Darkwood but something or someone is blocking my magic. I can't get an exact location so I'm afraid you will have to discover it by yourself. The tooth-pieces you hold originate from the same location as the Chaos Gate. I can sense their magic, weak though it is, through the copper ring. But there is too little to work with and I cannot tap into the source. All I can do is teleport you to my tower and you can make your way through the forest from there. You are quite a distance away, however, and carry a lot on your person. I suggest you'd better lose some baggage in order for the spell to work."
You can take with you no more than 12 items of equipment. Each portion of Provisions counts as one item but your pouch of gold can be treated as a single item. Rings, keys and tooth-pieces are light enough to be negligible. Do not count your backpack or clothing either. Everything else counts as one item each. Decide what you wish to take or leave behind and amend your Adventure Sheet accordingly. When you are finished, you inform Yaztromo that you are ready to receive his spell. Turn to 389.
You have had many vivid dreams in your life but none like the one just then - such dreams aren't natural. You are too experienced to dismiss your suspicions as simple paranoia. Could it have been some sort of enchantment? Is someone out to get you, perhaps? You give the room a thorough search, looking behind every painting, every drawer. Nothing�until you remember - your bedtime snack. Sure enough, you find mixed in with the broth some powdery traces. A sample is all it takes to give you visions of a dagger stabbing into your heart. You shake your head to snap out of your stupor - a compound that brings about hallucinations as you suspected. You must discover more, but you have little time for a full investigation as dawn is fast approaching. The door has been locked. If you possess, and wish to use a skeleton key, you can unlock the door and sneak out. Turn to 168.
If not, you don't want to make a racket by charging the door open, so your only option is to take the window. There aren't any guards on patrol this side of the palace but the smooth palace walls present a problem. You can reach an open window and sneak through if you succeed in Testing your Skill twice (adding 2 to the total if you choose to climb upwards). Lose 2 points of STAMINA for each failed attempt due to abrasions. Using a potion of climbing or a rope and grappling hook will reduce the dice roll totals by 2 points. If you are climbing up, turn to 86. If you are climbing down, turn to 329.
As you defeat the larger of your foes, you spin and prepare to deal with the other. He promptly drops his club and surrenders! He begs for his life and turns out his pockets. You get 2 Gold Pieces. He offers to lead you anywhere in the city, "Even into the Noose itself," he declares, if you will but spare his life.
If you want the thief to lead you to the Noose, the centre of the thieves' guild in Port Blacksand, turn to 362. If you want to cut the thief down while he is at your mercy, turn to 101. If you want to let the thief go and head towards the Singing Bridge and Nicodemus instead, turn to 350.
You follow the narrow dirt path northward, always alert for the dangers of Darkwood Forest. The tall trees are a menacing sight, and Yaztromo's tower is soon out of view. By now, the vegetation around you is getting thicker the deeper you head into Darkwood. Little light passes through the canopy above. You occasionally hear the rustling of bushes caused by startled animals. Eventually you reach a junction where the path splits east and west. Remembering what Yaztromo told you, you take the path going west. It is not long before you reach another junction. You may either head north (turn to 291), or continue west (turn to 312).
Add 1 to your LUCK for surviving the attack. A few of the survivors start to search the bodies of the dead. You join them, then quickly leave before the watch arrives, or worse, more of these creatures. Roll one die and consult the table below to see what you find.
1. Nothing but the gruesome remains of the dead.
2. 3 Gold Pieces which have been scattered on the floor during the fight.
3. A pouch containing Gold Pieces (roll one die and add 1 to the result to find out how many).
4. A Lucky Charm which you hope will bring you more luck than its previous owner. Whenever you Test your Luck, you may deduct 1 from the total rolled.
5. You find one of the Skeleton Warriors' severed skulls. Inside its eye sockets are 2 Black Pearls which you can take. Each is worth 3 Gold Pieces if you decide to sell them.
6. You pick up one of the Skeleton Warriors' weapons. This Ancient Sword is keenly sharp and adds 1 to your Attack Strength if you use it. It is also brittle with age. If you ever roll double 1 when rolling for your Attack Strength, the weapon breaks and you must fight the rest of the battle without the benefit of a weapon, subtracting 2 from your SKILL till the battle ends and you can draw another weapon.
Back on the street, you decide that since trouble seems to follow you and having no better idea, you make your way back to the devastated area of city. Could this devastation be caused by one of the Dark Elf lieutenants? You vow to keep your eyes open for any signs.
As you are thinking, you hear the sound of combat ahead. There is a Skeleton Warrior at the end of the street, fighting�a Dark Elf! You look again with surprise but it's definitely a Dark Elf. It is turned away from you and is concentrating on the Skeleton Warrior - this is the right time to strike. You rush forward to attack, turn to 185.
In a wooded clearing you find a spread-eagled corpse in an advanced state of decomposition, its limbs attached to stakes in the ground. Strangely, the skull has already lost every scrap of flesh. Curious as to what could have caused it to decay so much more quickly than the rest of the body, you lean in a little too close, and when the skull's gaping jaws snap shut without warning it almost takes off the tip of your nose. Startled, you stumble backwards, and the impact of your hitting the ground jolts the skull loose. It bounces towards you, and you fumble for your sword to fend it off. Deduct 2 from your Attack Strength during the following fight because of your awkward position.
SNAPPING SKULL SKILL 5 STAMINA 4
If you defeat it, you hurry back to the path and continue south (turn to 19).
You place the helmet on your head. A red haze comes over your senses and waves of fury flow through you. You try and remove the helmet but cannot. After a few seconds, the sensations die down till they are still present but only just noticeable. The Helmet of Fury is powerfully enchanted but comes with some drawbacks. If you are ever wounded in a fight when fighting a creature that has a higher SKILL than your own, increase your current SKILL by 1 for as long as the battle lasts. This happens every time you are wounded in a combat, so long as your opponent's SKILL is still higher than your own and this SKILL increase can take you above your Initial SKILL. At the end of the battle, any SKILL you gained this way is lost again. Once you have gained any SKILL points in a combat from the helmet, you cannot choose to Escape from that battle; you will be too filled with rage to even consider fleeing. The helmet cannot be removed, so long as you live. Now turn back to the paragraph you came from.
The spider part of the creature (What should you call this thing? A Spake?) bares its poisonous fangs at you, but is unable to keep you from plunging your sword deep into its body. It shudders and then goes limp, and you stumble backwards away from it, blundering into the mound of silk-enshrouded cadavers.
A voice calls down from above, asking if you are all right. You are not immediately able to give a coherent answer, and by the time you have regained your composure, the bosun of the Sea Horse has climbed down into the hold to find out what is going on. At the sight of the bodies he calls his fellow sailors down to take the dead men up for a decent burial. This turns out to consist of saying a short prayer to Hydana and dropping the corpses over the side of the barge to drift down river.
You and the sailors search the hold in case there are any more corpses in it, and find only a large cage, several of its bars wrenched inwards. It would appear that the creature was being transported along the river for some reason, and managed to escape and kill everyone on the barge.
The last of the bodies proves unusually heavy, and the bosun cuts through the cocoon of web to find the cause, a bulging money-pouch, which he cuts from the dead man's belt and casts aside with a superstitious grimace. You take the pouch for your efforts: it contains 19 Gold Pieces and a Pass to the Battle Pit in Fang. Add 1 LUCK point for surviving this dangerous encounter and turn to 80.
You put on the stilts and after a few wobbles and miss-steps, stumble over to the city walls. The walls banding the city vary in height and this is one of the lower sections. The stilts get you higher up the wall where, unlike the plastered wall below, the brickwork has not been finished and there are many handholds you can use.
Waiting briefly till the guards are out of sight, you reach up and get a hold on the rough stone wall, kicking off the stilts and scrambling the remaining distance to the top of the wall. Once on the wall you only have a few moments to act before you are spotted by the returning guards. If you have a Potion of Climbing and wish to use it, or a Rope and Grappling Hook (which you can retrieve after your climb), you rapidly climb down the far side of the wall, turn to 263.
Otherwise you have no choice but to lower yourself down the other side of the wall as far as you can, then drop. Your fall is padded to a degree by dense undergrowth that grows up to this section of the cities wall, but the distance is still great enough that the fall remains dangerous. Roll 1 die and subtract 1 from the roll (to give you a number from 0 to 5). This is the amount of STAMINA points you lose from the fall. If you are unfortunate enough to lose 5 STAMINA point, you lose a further 1 SKILL point as a bone in your leg cracks upon landing. If you are still alive, turn to 263.
Steering the raft as best you can with a pole, you head for the narrow channel between the ship's hull and the river bank. So intent are you on manoeuvring through the gap that you pay no attention to the sounds of activity on the deck of the ship until it is too late. Without warning something large and heavy falls onto you, knocking you flat. As you struggle to get up again, you realise that you have been caught in a weighted net. Before you have time to get free, a large rogue has shinned down a rope to the raft, and a heavy blow to the back of your head renders you unconscious.
You come round to find yourself in a dark, crowded, stinking, stifling hold, half-crushed by the mass of moaning men jammed in with you, your wrists and ankles in manacles, your equipment stolen. Even if you survive until you are let out again, you are almost certain to be sold into slavery, and you have no hope of completing your quest before the Chaos Gate is opened and death and destruction are unleashed upon all Allansia.
For two days you trek across the Pagan Plain, seeing few signs of life. Roll one die for each night that passes on your lonely journey. If you roll 4 or higher, you find a small hut out in the middle of nowhere, and its occupants will allow you to spend the night there in return for a small sum of money: subtract 3 from the number you rolled, and pay that many Gold Pieces to stay there until daybreak. If you roll 3 or lower, or cannot (or will not) pay the sum asked, you must spend the night on the plains: deduct one portion of Provisions without adding any STAMINA, or lose 3 STAMINA points for going hungry, and roll on the table at section 42 to see if anything troubles you.
The third day is similarly uneventful until you reach the bank of the Red River early in the evening. For a while you head west, keeping an eye out for a spot at which you can cross the river, but without success. You are about to give up until morning and make camp by a large bush which blocks your way when you hear lowered voices from the other side of the bush. Wary of approaching strangers who might prove to be hostile, you crouch down and try to make out what they are saying.
"Are you sure this is the right place?" rasps one voice.
"Course I am," snaps another. "I recognise that big flat stone there. Now help me with this net, will ye?"
"I don't like the look o' that cloud," mutters a third. "Don't wanna get caught in the rain."
The owner of the second voice snorts. "Well, if ye want to go back, we won't stop ye. Mind, we'll have to hang on to the boat, so ye might get just a bit damp wadin' across to Mirewater."
He and the first speaker both cackle at this, while the third grumbles, but you don't pay any more attention to what is being said, as you have heard enough. Mirewater is another Dwarven village, its inhabitants bitter enemies of the ones in Stonebridge, so you should probably leave this party alone. Still, the boat they mentioned could be just what you need. Still keeping low, you sneak a look along the bank, and spot the boat tucked away under the bush where it overhangs the river. The noise made by the Dwarves as they struggle with the net keeps them from hearing whatever rustling you make as you manoeuvre yourself into the boat and, hoping that the growing dusk will hide you from sight, undo the mooring rope and begin to paddle across the river.
You are more than half way to the south bank when a loud shout indicates that you have been spotted. A moment later something hits the boat with a splintering crunch, rocking it slightly, and you put out your hand to feel water trickling through a gash in the planking.
"Not ma boat, ye stupid stonehead," bellows one of the Mirewater Dwarves, and a fight breaks out on the north bank. You are now more concerned about reaching dry land before the boat sinks, and pull on the oars with increased vigour, unconcerned about the noise you make. As it turns out, you reach the far side without even getting your feet wet, and without their boat, the Dwarves will find it hard to come after you (add 1 LUCK point).
By now it is too dark for you to go any further, so you settle down for the night. Deduct one portion of Provisions without adding any STAMINA, or lose 3 STAMINA points if you have no food left. Then roll on the table at section 42 to see if there's anything hostile close by on this side of the river. If you survive the night, in the morning you continue south-west towards your destination. Turn to 373.
You defeat the Elemental but the Dark Elf priest has not been idle. While the battle raged, a spell of dark magic was cast on his dagger. Now, as you start towards him again, he slashes his arm with the dagger, letting his blood flow over its length before hurling it at you.
You must Test your Skill. If you are successful, you avoid the missile and continue on towards him (turn to 259). If you are unsuccessful, the blade slashes you, unleashing a powerful heart-stopping magic into your body. You stumble on a few more steps then collapse on to the ground, where you lay sprawled out, dead.
You have been walking through the forest for some time when you reach a small clearing. A figure in dark green robes stands in the middle, facing you, though a hood conceals the stranger's face from sight. Inclining its head upwards slightly, the figure speaks in a soft voice.
"Greetings, young hero. I am Vitriana of Yore, and I have learned of your quest and come to guide you on your way. The paths through the forest can be confusing to outsiders." A thin, wrinkled hand emerges from the folds of the cloak, holding out a small loaf of bread. "This has medicinal herbs baked into it, to strengthen you for the ordeals that lie ahead."
Sensing no malice in the old woman, you step forwards to take the loaf. It counts as one portion of Provisions, but will heal an extra 2 points of STAMINA when eaten, even if the text states that you gain no STAMINA for the meal in which you eat it. If you have a large blister on the palm of your hand, turn to 114. If not, turn to 137.
Exhausted from the fight, you rest a while, reflecting with sorrow upon what has come of the Barbarian's desire for solitude. A pouch he dropped when charging into the fight contains 5 Gold Pieces and two strips of dried meat, which you may take as an extra portion of Provisions.
Once you have recovered your strength, you continue north, encountering nothing larger than insects for the rest of the day. By nightfall you can hear the sound of the River Kok, beyond which lies Fang. Trying to cross it in the dark would be foolhardy, so you make camp. After all your exertions you must eat: deduct one portion of Provisions without restoring any STAMINA. Make a note of this section number and turn to 42 to find out what sort of a night you have.
If you make it through to morning, you cover the remaining distance to the river in little time. The ferry across costs 2 Gold Pieces, and minutes later you are outside the city gate. Turn to 131.
You hop into the shadows of the bridge where you believe you will be protected while you consider what has happened. Unfortunately for you, gangs of young Goblins roam the riverbank looking not only for cast off goods or materials that have fallen over the side of boats, but also for morsels of food, such as yourself.
You are quickly spotted by one of these bands and although you give them great sport with your attempts to flee, you are soon roasting over a spit, a decent meal for one of the hungry Goblin urchins. Your adventure ends here.
You slowly walk towards the source of the commotion. Taking cover behind some bushes, you slowly raise your head up to see what is causing the argument. Three ORCS are gathering around a large crow, whose wings are crudely bound down with a thin rope. They are arguing over how to cook the crow. One wants to boil it, another wants to roast it, and the last one wants to eat it raw. Unfortunately, one of the Orcs was facing in your direction when you took a look. He shouts to his companions and points at you. They charge forward at you, eager for another meal.
FIRST ORC SKILL 7 STAMINA 6
SECOND ORC SKILL 6 STAMINA 6
THIRD ORC SKILL 6 STAMINA 7
Fight them all at the same time. Alternatively, you may choose to Escape from this battle (turn to 167). If you win, turn to 282.
The cave behind the waterfall ends after five metres or so. For a moment you panic, thinking you may have come all this way just to meet a dead end. But closer inspection uncovers a group of runes on the back wall which you suspect to be the entrance to the hidden base. You try to decipher what the runes mean but you cannot make anything of them. You contact Yaztromo.
"Have you found it?" he enquires. You reply that you may have found a magically locked doorway and that you do not understand what the runes say. "Describe them to me one by one and I'll see what I can do."
Within the first few, Yaztromo tells you that the door is locked with Dark Elf magic. In order to open it, you must recite the spell inscribed on the doorway perfectly; or else it may trigger a trap set within the magic lock. You describe the runes to Yaztromo while he deciphers their meaning. There is one particular rune that is slightly smudged, so you have difficulty describing it. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 397. If you are Unlucky, turn to 191.
You don't waste any time searching the bodies, but you can pick up a poisoned-coated scimitar. It inflicts the same amount of damage as the dagger you have though you need not make any deductions to your Attack Strength when using it. You must now get on top of the rock face. The magic imbued ropes the Dark Elves used to descend refuse to take your weight. If you possess and wish to use a potion of climbing or your own rope, you reach the top easily. Turn to 356. If you don't have either, you must climb. Turn to 247.
Using the map you begin your long trek through the mines. The marked area on the map is presumably the part currently being mined and you head towards that. There are a lot of twists and turns and it takes all your concentration to keep your current position marked with a finger on the map. Fortunately, the map is very well made and every tunnel and corridor is easy to follow. As you wander through the mines, you wonder how much gold and gems have been mined from this place, considering the immenseness of this maze-like cave. After walking for a bit, you reach a tunnel where according to the map you should go right, and you are just about to do so when you hear a growling echo from the left tunnel. Do you wish to investigate this sound (turn to 123), or go right as the map indicates (turn to 314).
As you cross the cavern, several of the Dark Elves turn to look at you. One of the Dark Elves calls out to you but you ignore them; your whole posture and bearing radiating hauteur, your attitude, dismissive. It seems to work as the Dark Elves go back to their own business giving you the chance to move on.
You don't want to get too close to any of the Dark Elves - you cannot risk conversation since you don't speak their language. If you want to head towards the unguarded door on the right-hand wall, turn to 375. If you want to head down the tunnel on the left-hand wall, turn to 386. Lastly, there is a small unguarded door on the far side of the cavern. To make your way to this door, turn to 394.
You step through the archway into a shrine dedicated to Asrel, goddess of love and beauty. Her loveliness is brilliantly carved in smooth white marble at the head of an altar on which two incense burners rest. Exquisite silken drapes hang from the ceiling reflecting the flickering candle light on to the statue. Just watching the scene relieves you and you kneel before her in prayer. If you wish, you may make a donation at this point. Roll two dice, adding the number of Gold Pieces donated (if any). If you roll 2-9, your prayers go unanswered and you return to the corridor. Turn to 168. If you roll 10 or more, turn to 97.
In the afternoon the river turns south, and Captain Tully tells you that he has brought you as close to your destination as he can. "Any further, and we'll be taking you further away again. I'm sorry, but you'll have to go the rest of the way on foot. Still, this must have saved you a few days' travel."
You thank him and prepare to go ashore. The Captain wishes you luck in your quest, and has you ferried to the riverbank in one of the ship's lifeboats. Waving goodbye to him and his crew, you head into the trees (turn to 221).
Your foe lies in fragments, but you cannot rest yet, as there are still many more boulders lining the hills on both sides of the valley, and any of them might be alive too. You set a brisk pace towards the end of the valley, but not too fast to be in danger of tripping, or of being unable to stop in time if another Boulder Beast should come after you.
Throw one die, halve the result (rounding fractions up) and add 1. This is the number of Boulder Beasts with which you will have to contend before you can get to safety. They attack one at a time. For each Boulder Beast, start by rolling two dice to see if you can dodge its initial rush. If you roll higher than your SKILL, you fail to get out of the way, and are killed instantly. If you roll lower than or equal to your SKILL, you avoid being crushed, and must roll another die. If you roll 4 or above, you were able to dodge ahead of the Boulder Beast, and may continue on your way. If you roll less than 4, the creature blocks your way, and you will have to fight it before you can go any further. Each Boulder Beast has a SKILL of 8 and a STAMINA of 11, takes half damage from edged weapons, and is destroyed utterly if you roll a double six for your Attack Strength while striking at it with the Dragonstone Sceptre.
If you make it past the second Boulder Beast to attack, you pass a large rock protruding from the ground, above which the air shimmers slightly, like a heat haze. It crosses your mind that this could be attracting the Boulder Beasts: certainly, it is not normal to encounter so many in the same area. Still, interfering with it could cause them all to attack at once, so you decide to leave it alone. A few metres away from the strange rock is a crushed human skeleton, with a small leather pouch lying close to one outstretched bony arm, and you grab the pouch as you pass by.
If you make out of the valley, you rest to take stock of your situation. The pouch you collected contains thirteen moonstones, which you decide to keep, as they may be worth something.
If you were teleported into the valley, turn to 140. If you walked into it, you continue on your way, and are pleased to encounter nothing else of note before nightfall. Once again you make camp, and must eat and sleep. Deduct one portion of Provisions without restoring any STAMINA, or Test your Luck to see if you can find anything edible in the area. If you have no Provisions left, and are Unlucky, deduct 3 STAMINA points for going without food. To see if your sleep is uninterrupted, note down this reference number and turn to 42. Should you survive the night, in the morning you continue your journey. Are you travelling north (turn to 382) or south (turn to 174)?
You have tried and failed to expose the lieutenant and he is free to continue his wicked schemes. You may not yet realise it but the situation is worse than you think. This lieutenant now has knowledge that you are actively trying to thwart their plans and is able to contact his fellows of your existence. In all future combats against Dark Elves, you must add 1 to both their SKILL and STAMINA scores. If you have already encountered the other two lieutenants, contact Yaztromo by turning to 383. If not, turn to 151.
The Dark Elf lieutenant is not the least surprised that someone might ambush him, and you soon realize you are up against a true battle veteran.
TARGAMIS ROVANE SKILL 9 STAMINA 12
Your opponent fights with ferocity and menace skilfully wielding sword and serrated knife together. If you roll a total of 10 or more for the Dark Elf, he will win the Attack Round regardless of your score.
If you are still fighting after four Attack Rounds, turn to 300. If you manage to defeat him, he gives you a last hateful stare before coughing up blood and expires. Add 2 LUCK points for vanquishing the lieutenant. Turn to 35.
If you possess, or have at one stage possessed, the Sword of Tamahelos, turn to 310 immediately.
If not, the portal pulses and hums fiercely as yet another burst of energy, from somewhere unknown, flows into it. When you face your next opponent, you must add 1 point to both its SKILL and STAMINA scores. Turn to 310.
King Salamon sighs with satisfaction, checks his throat then straightens his sleeves in an almost that felt good kind of way before resuming his position on the throne.
"You have earned the gratitude and appreciation of our city once again, brave warrior," says the king. "Now that Delgar's treachery has been revealed, word will be sent for our armies' return and I will be able to offer you further aid in your quest."
After deliberating with his other advisers, the king summons a band of knights to him: select champions who have remained behind - Salamon did not leave his city completely defenceless after all! He commands them to search the locations you suggest for Dark Elf activity.
"I know what you are thinking, but worry not. My riders will not hinder your progress, nor will they be aiding you directly. Rather, the ploy is creating diversions. Our move against them will be made obvious so they are more likely to confront our troops. With their attentions taken off you, your quest may continue at a more discreet level."
In all future combats against Dark Elves, you may reduce their SKILL by 1 point and make a note that you have enlisted the aid of the Knights of Salamonis. If you are also considering journeying to Warpstone next, you are given a message scroll stamped with the royal seal. Should you come across a detachment of soldiers from Salamonis you could pass on the order to have them called back to the city. Because of your heroism, Salamon grants you yet another reward. You may take one of the following items:
Heavy Gauntlets
While these offer you no bonus to your abilities, they are effective enough to be used as blunt weapons in combat. You need not make any adjustment to your SKILL for being unarmed as long as you wear them. In the case of being asked whether or not you have a weapon, you may choose either option. Each gauntlet is encrusted with an emerald and together they are worth 6 Gold Pieces.
Spear of Grace
This magic spear is imbued with a powerful enchantment. At the start of combat, you may have one free attack against any one opponent. Roll for Attack Strengths as normal. If your total is greater, you succeed in wounding your opponent for 2 STAMINA points of damage. If your opponent's score is greater, he merely parries your blow. Battle then commences as normal.
Heart of the Hero
This magical pendant, in the shape of a golden heart, has a few charges left in it. In any situation where you are instructed to roll against your attributes, you may choose to take the favourable outcome. For example, if you were to Test your Luck, deduct 1 from your LUCK score as normal and take the result as being Lucky without having to roll dice. You may have this automatic success up to three times then the pendant becomes useless.
You make your choice and the king smiles, wishing you well on your quest, "May your road to victory be blessed with great courage and fortune."
Thanking him, you bow and take your leave with renewed determination. Add 1 to your Initial SKILL or LUCK, or 2 to your Initial STAMINA. If you have already encountered the other two lieutenants, contact Yaztromo by turning to 383. If not, turn to 151.
Your help came at just the right time as the locals would have had a hard time against the guards on their own. With you on their side, the locals gain the upper hand, laughing and jeering when the defeated guards turn tail and flee. Even more so when, in their haste to get away, the guards neglect to protect their lady who runs after them clumsily tripping on her dress more often than not. When they have gone, you notice a pouch on the floor and pick it up. It is full of gold coins.
By now the raucous has died down and the locals are watching you suspiciously. You decide to ease the situation by handing the pouch to the leader. His expression remains stern as he takes it from you, but then breaks into laughter together with his fellows - he was just toying with you. "Nice of you to show up, stranger," he says patting you on the back. "Those pompous fools will think twice about coming back here, and you made us a decent profit too. But don't think us petty thieves, oh no. We just wanted them off our turf."
You ask him what the dispute was about.
"They kicked us out of shiny end a long time ago, so we don't let them in here. It's only fair. They like to barge in sometimes, thinking they can do what they like with all that money. Me and the lads used to work their mines years ago until they tried to swindle us. But, that's all in the past. Let's put this money to good use and have drinks all around. What do you say lads?" "Aye!" comes the reply. The leader hands out the gold to his fellows who head for the nearest tavern. "And the rest is yours, stranger. You earned it. Why not join us for a drink?"
You accept the remaining 12 Gold Pieces but politely decline his invitation saying that you are needed elsewhere. However, before you go, you decide it wouldn't hurt to ask if he has seen or heard anything odd lately.
"Odd? Well there's always Skolar who runs The Green Gem down the road. He hunts beasts and monsters if you can class that as odd. Maybe he can tell you more about it himself." You thank him and continue on your way. Turn to 354.
Despite the dangerous reputation this region has, you encounter nothing hostile during what remains of the day. Towards sundown you make camp for the night. If you still have any Provisions, deduct one portion without adding any STAMINA. If you have none left, Test your Luck to see if you can find anything to eat nearby, and lose 3 STAMINA points if you are Unlucky. Once you have had your meal, or gone without, you settle down to sleep. Turn to 163.
Salamonis appears even more striking in the day, although you are taken aback not by its grandiose and ancient design, but more its apparent lack of citizens. Only occasional persons wander the streets on what you reckoned to be a busy day. The air is quiet and the feeling of unease is tangible. It is as if most of the city was dead. For hours you knock on doors, scour lanes and intricate alleyways for clues�without much success. Apart from the city being far larger than what you are used to, there just aren't many locals willing to open their doors to a perfect stranger let alone disclose information. You are wasting time with a random search. Do you want to make enquiries in some of the stores (turn to 159) or try the taverns (turn to 265)?
There is a bridge over the Kok due east of Zengis, so you head that way to get across the river. It is getting late by the time you reach the bridge, so you make camp not long after you have crossed it. You are hungry after this hectic day, and must eat: deduct one portion of Provisions without gaining any STAMINA, or lose 3 STAMINA points if you have no food left. Then make a note of this section number and turn to 42 to see if you have a quiet night.
The next day you travel south, and nothing of note happens until early in the evening, when you pass a signpost indicating that your route is taking you towards a place named Karn. If you want to spend the night in an inn there, you can get a room and a meal for 3 Gold Pieces (add 2 STAMINA points for a decent night's sleep). If you cannot afford the price, or would rather save your money, you must again deduct a portion of Provisions or 3 STAMINA points and roll on the table at section 42.
The following morning you resume your journey, crossing another river and entering the Moonstone Hills. Your route through this region will depend on your intended destination. If you are heading for Salamonis, turn to 29. If you want to get to Warpstone, turn to 396.
As you work your way down into the pit, you hear sounds of movement from below. The air is so filled with dust you cannot make out what is approaching�until it is upon you. Another Skeleton Warrior is clawing its way out of the pit, unhampered by the shifting stones, given that it is light on its feet. It grins a gap-toothed smile at you and comes at you, an antique dagger in each hand. You cannot hope to outrun it so must fight.
SKELETON WARRIOR SKILL 8 STAMINA 6
If you hit the Skeleton Warrior with a blow from a sharp weapon such as a sword, it will only do 1 STAMINA (2 STAMINA if you decide to Test your Luck and are successfully, 0 points if you are unsuccessful) point of damage. A blunt weapon such as a Warhammer will do normal damage to a Skeleton Warrior. Each Attack Round, before you roll for you Attack Strength, you must Test your Skill. If you are successful, you can fight the Skeleton Warrior this round as normal. If you are unsuccessful, you lose your footing and automatically lose the Attack Round.
If you win this fight, your final blow sends the Skeleton Warrior's remains tumbling further down the crater. You carefully follow, turn to 57.
He flicks his hand at the helmet and frowns when nothing happens. He then makes a magical gesture in the air and the helmet leaps off your head. You are momentarily stunned by the backlash of magic from the helmet's curse being forcefully shattered.
"Now," states the Dark Elf, cradling the Helmet of Fury in his arms, "What is it you would like to know?
If you want to ask the location of the ritual, turn to 134.
If you want to know the locations of the Dark Elf lieutenants, turn to 272.
If you want to know the identities and powers of the Dark Elf lieutenants, turn to 315.
You jump out of a window and disappear into the streets. You hope that none of the soldiers saw you, and you now have to choose your next course of action (turn to 261). Alas, you did not get to collect your winnings before you escaped so you have lost the Gold Piece you bet in the last game.
Diving through the window, you fall not two, but more than ten storeys! Your cries of horror are drowned by an evil laughter as your body smashes on the stone floor. Turn to 48.
You have defeated your would-be assassin but there is nothing you can do to help the wizard. You search his corpse to shed some light as to why he was slain. All you manage to find is a sealed letter - it is addressed to you! It reads: 'Your arrival has been foreseen, not only by myself, but by the dark ones also. I can offer you little advice for I fear I have already jeopardised my own safety. Look to the palace for your answers. Seek allegiance not with the gracious but the true; unmask the corruption behind goodness.' Intriguing. If you heed this message, you make your way to the palace. Turn to 266. If not, turn to 151.
You open your mouth to speak. His expression is like thunder. "You want help, I will give you help. Perhaps a change of form will help you with your MANNERS!"
He unleashes his magic at you. You feel your skin tingling. Your vision blurs and you collapse to the ground as you are hit by a wave of nausea. You must try and resist his magic. Test your Luck. If you are unlucky, turn to 109. If you are lucky, turn to 44.
You leap away from the maelstrom, avoiding almost all of the hurling pieces of rock. Lose 4 STAMINA points from the ones that do hit you. If you possess a Helmet or a Shield you can reduce this damage by 2 points per item you are using (down to no damage if you are using both).
Unfortunately, you have given the Dark Elf time to marshal his energies. With an arcane command he summons the primal essence of darkness, which flows across the ground to engulf you with its deathly cold body.
DARKNESS ELEMENTAL SKILL 9 STAMINA 8
If you do not have a lantern, you must reduce your Attack Strength by 1 point for the duration of battle. The Darkness Elemental is difficult to damage with normal weapons. Unless you are using a magic or silver weapon, you only inflict 1 STAMINA point of damage to the creature on a successful strike (2 points if you successfully Test your Luck; 0 points if you unsuccessfully Test your Luck). If you win this battle, turn to 220.
Test your Skill until you succeed on two consecutive rolls. Every time you fail, you must deduct 2 STAMINA points due to falls and abrasions. You may Test your Luck to modify this value. You may also perform one action (such as eating a meal or drinking a potion) or see to your wounds (restoring 1 STAMINA point) before each attempt. If you eventually succeed, you clamber on to a level surface. Turn to 356. If you are unsuccessful after three attempts, reinforcements arrive to the lieutenant's calling. You are soon overwhelmed and slaughtered along with your petty rebellion.
At last, your long trek has brought you to the city of Salamonis. The sun has set and all is virtually silent. You follow the road leading to the gates at the base of tall stone walls that encircle the city. The gates are closed but not locked, and there are no guards about. You see turrets dotted along the walls where guards can observe all who enter and leave, but these too appear devoid of life. Odd that a city stationed within sight of the ever hostile Trolltooth Pass should have its entrance unguarded.
Ahead of you, avenues of lamp-lit posts illuminate the dark streets and antique buildings. Occasionally, shadows scurry here and there. In the distance, the royal palace of Salamonis stands silhouetted against the starry sky like a giant monolith. Do you want to head that way (turn to 328), or explore the streets (turn to 112)?
If the item you are using is the Dragonstone Sceptre or the Eldritch Rod, turn to 367. If not, turn to 110.
You head into the store. Maps cover every surface of the room, including the walls, the counter top and even a gigantic, painted map on the ceiling, which claims to be an accurate and complete world map. There is an older woman at the counter who smiles at you as you enter. Behind her, carefully scribing another map, is a young man who shows a clear family resemblance to the woman.
"Please come in. How can I help you?" the woman asks.
You ask about maps of the local region and she gets the younger man, her son, as you find through conversation, to bring in maps from the back room. There is one beautifully detailed map of the Moonstone Hills region. The asking cost of 5 Gold Pieces makes you blanch for a moment.
"It's very accurate," she states. "Talson went over every hill shown on the map and saw with his own eyes every feature. He prefers to do all his own cartography. It's a good system, he does the mapping, our son does the detail work, and I," she smiles again, "do the selling, but I do sometimes wish he was home more often." She sighs and her expression suddenly changes to one of concern. Seeing this, you ask politely what is bothering her.
"When Talson sent back his last bundle of maps, he did write that there were some strange things happening in the Warpstone mines. He was considering visiting the mines as part of his mapping project�" her voice tails off.
If on your travels, you have rescued a mapmaker, turn to 15.
If not, you sympathise but there seems to be nothing you can do to help. Decide if you want to buy the Moonstone Hills Map, and make any necessary alterations to your Adventure Sheet before you leave.
Now will you enter the shop marked 'Malfeous the Talented: Magics for All Occasions,' (turn to 181), browse the stalls to see what they have on offer (turn to 364), or if you have had enough of shopping, leave the square (turn to 4).
You head back up the Singing Bridge in an attempt to locate the Noose. You quickly discard the idea of asking one of the Trollish guardsmen. Even if they were not so seedy looking, the stress of managing the festive crowd is clearly arousing their anger - several times you see them giving a drunk a blow or an extra hard push to keep them moving along. You decide to keep an eye out for particularly shady looking locals who you can bribe to get directions. Some time passes and it is late afternoon when you suddenly get a stroke of luck.
You observe a canny young pickpocket working the crowd. After extracting a large pouch of coins from a merchant, he joins a group of his comrades and they head into a nearby shamble of closely connected building. Could this be the Noose? You decide to investigate, turn to 62.
You stagger back against the wall weary from battle. Who would have thought it: Commander Loth as one of the lieutenants. Alerted by the clamour, soldiers arrive with weapons ready and you quickly explain to them of the commander's treachery. At first they are not convinced, but your search of the body produces a mark of Chaos on his wrist and a scroll of command with orders from a Dark Elf priest to eliminate Yaztromo's spy. This you hold on to as the soldiers announce that they must take you to the royal court.
They frogmarch you all the way to the magnificence of the great throne room where nobles, lords and ladies have assembled. Archbishop Kalivan, and renowned knights, Sir Drake and Sir Winfeld are amongst them. At the far end of the court are three seats of splendour; King Salamon taking the middle throne while the others beside him, normally for the prince and princess, are empty. The king strikes a regal figure even at a distance. Also present are Grand Counsellor Helmund and Lord Mordin who stand at either end of the thrones.
You walk down the central carpeted isle and bow before the king as the soldiers explain the incident. You give your own detailed accounts from when an assassination attempt was made on your life up to your recent encounter with the commander. The king listens intently and is wise enough to see the truth in your words and orders off the soldiers keeping watch on you. He is grateful for your service in rooting out the traitor and offers you the following items: a purse containing 15 Gold Pieces and enough Provisions for ten meals as well as a sword and lantern if you do not have them. You rise and accept them with thanks.
If you have reason to remain in the royal court a little longer, turn to 368. Otherwise, turn to 151.
As you browse the various stalls, a commotion ahead comes to your attention. A gaudily-dressed, haughty-looking noblewoman, with a retinue of uniformed guards, is being harassed by a band of locals. The gang seem to be blocking their path intentionally.
"Out of the way, scum!" barks one of the guards. "Your presence alone is an insult to our lady."
"This is our turf, fancy pants," the rabble leader retorts. "You got your shiny end. I suggest you get your pompous faces back there before they get dirty."
"Our lady goes where she pleases. Now stand aside!"
"Very well, the way onwards is through our legs. I hope you're ready to crawl." Around him, his fellows burst into laughter.
Outraged, the guard is about to draw his sword when his lady stops him. "We needn't waste time on these simple folk, Muirek. Just toss them all a gold coin and send them on their way."
The commoners are not impressed, however. "You see lads. We slaved away for them in the mines and this is the kind of respect we get. One little shiny," scoffs the leader, "Not even enough to satisfy a beggar-child."
The dispute goes on; neither side willing to give way. Eventually, the guards try to push them aside but the locals stand firm. Push comes to shove and inevitably, a brawl ensues. As yet, you have merely been a bystander, so you may choose to avoid the fight altogether (turn to 354). If you stay and deal with the situation, will you aid the guards or the locals? Make your decision and turn to 105.
You are running through the streets of Port Blacksand, trying to escape from a bloodthirsty mob of thieves. To see what happens to you as you race for the nearest city gate, roll one die and consult the number on the table below that is the same as your number to see what happen. After you have finished reading, go to the instructions at the end of the table unless you are told to turn to another paragraph.
1. Thieves to the left of you, thieves to the right. You have no choice but to endure the gauntlet as you try and break through their ranks. Roll one die. This is how many times you are struck. For each strike, lose 2 STAMINA points.
2. One of Blacksand's citizens takes the opportunity to trip you, sending you sprawling, lose 1 STAMINA point. They then dart forward and grab at your money pouch before dashing away. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, they miss your money pouch and leave empty handed. If you are Unlucky, you lose your money pouch and all your Gold Pieces at the same time.
3. You are cornered in a trash-filled alleyway and must fight your way out.
THIEF SKILL 6 STAMINA 6
If you win, you have broken free long enough to climb over the trash and in to the next street, temporarily out of their reach.
4. A thrown knife flies out of the shadows, striking you for 2 STAMINA damage.
5. You hide in the shadows of a house, temporarily safe. You can eat Provisions and otherwise rest before continuing on.
6. You are running along close to the city walls when you spot a few entertainers on high stilts showing off to a small crowd. The entertainers are high enough to look into the windows of second story buildings and they are almost high enough to touch the top of the walls. If you want to stop and pay one of the entertainers 3 Gold Pieces for their stilts, turn to 217. Otherwise, continue to the instructions at the end of this table.
7. A stroke of fortune, turn to 89.
8. You have temporarily outrun the thieves and have made it to the town gates. Now you must deal with the town guards! The gates are still well guarded, including one very large Troll who almost blocks the entire gateway with his bulk. You must bribe the guardsmen to let you out and do not even have time to haggle; at any moment your pursuers could arrive. The guardsmen do not let you through until they have extracted wealth from you equivalent to 6 Gold Pieces. You may offer Gold Pieces or any items of value. Failing that, they will settle for four items in your possession. Finally, you are through, turn to 263.
9+ You get to the town gates with the thieves only paces behind you. The gates are still heavily guarded. The thieves slow down as you near the gates. The guards look towards you, then towards the thieves pursuing you. The thieves stop. One of the guards shouts out, "Hey, isn't that Mack the Knife? He killed a guardsman last month and has been boasting about it since; let's get him!"
The guardsmen, including one huge Troll, rush forward and start attacking the thieves who defend themselves viciously. Meanwhile, you stroll out of the now unguarded gates, turn to 263.
Now you must roll one die again (to get a number from 1 to 6), adding +1 to the score for each time you have rolled on this table previously. If for example, you had rolled on the table twice previously, you would roll the die and add 2 to the total to give you a number from 3 to 8. Consult the number on the table above that corresponds to the score you have determined.
Your journey north past the Flatlands is no more eventful than your trek south to Warpstone was. As before, it takes you two days to cover this lonely stretch of land, during which you must use two portions of Provisions without adding any STAMINA, or lose 3 STAMINA points for each meal you miss, and you must make two rolls on the table at section 42 to see how you fare during the nights.
On the third morning you reach Trolltooth Pass, and turn west into it, keeping a wary eye on the ruined watchtowers that could provide cover for attackers. Mid-afternoon you come across signs of a battle, with a small mound of dead Orcs heaped in the shadow of a broken wall which is all that remains of a derelict watchtower, and three fresh graves at the other side of the pass. After that you are even more attentive to your surroundings, and towards evening you become aware of a large group up ahead. If you have been through Trolltooth Pass before, turn to 320.
Otherwise you creep closer, making use of all the cover available, and are mildly relieved to find that the army before you is at least human. Nevertheless, you remain cautious until you learn from overheard snatches of conversation that these men are from Salamonis, seeking an army of Chaotics.
Stepping out from cover, your hands raised to show that you mean no harm, you announce your presence, and request to be taken to the commander of these troops. This is Captain Ritter, a tall man with a tattered red cape. You explain your quest to him, and soon establish that the horde he seeks is not the Dark Elf army you are trying to find. Nevertheless, the Captain encourages you to join his men until tomorrow, for added protection from the hostile denizens of the pass. You agree that it would be wise, and spend the night encamped with the troops. You will have to provide your own food, as the army are starting to run low on supplies: deduct one portion of Provisions without adding any STAMINA, or lose 3 STAMINA points if you have none left. However, you are assured of a trouble-free night in their company, and may add 2 STAMINA points for the rest.
The following morning you part company with the troops and resume your westward journey. Turn to 199.
"Of course, you must be tired. A room costs three Gold Pieces. But if you're short on money, you could give me a hand with some heavy boxes and have the room free of charge if you want."
Will you pay for a room (turn to 126) or agree to do some backbreaking work (turn to 194)? If you choose the latter, you must have at least 4 points of STAMINA left. Failing that, the innkeeper gets angry and ushers you back on to the streets. Deduct 1 LUCK point. You must try your chances at the palace after all. Turn to 328.
Inside is a large, dim hall. There are roguish characters of all descriptions lounging about the room; in chairs and tattered couches, leaning against walls or half concealed by smoke coming from the fireplace.
The thieves examine you and clear a path, motioning you forward until you stand before their leader. He studies you intently. He is a well-built man in his prime who radiates confidence. The thieves close ranks behind you. You are surrounded.
"Well, what have we here," he exclaims.
"What would a high and mighty adventurer like you want with, shall we say, less than reputable folk like ourselves?"
The crowd chuckles mirthlessly, moving in closer.
You explain your quest and its importance then ask them if they have any information that might aid you.
"It happens that we might," says the master thief, "but, it seems I'm going to have to -" The door flies open interrupting him. A young beggar boy bursts through shouting, "The shipment�down at the warehouses. They're being attacked by pirates!"
"Follow me!" bellows the master thief. Most of the other thieves quickly grab weapons and follow him out. If you also want to follow after the master thief, turn to 68.
If you want to take this chance to get out of the Noose, you can sneak away while the thieves are distracted even though this will mean you have exhausted your options for finding any information in Blacksand. The city is too dangerous for a stranger, even an adventurer like yourself, to stay in overnight. If you want to sneak away, turn to 89.
You unlock the door easily and step inside to be greeted by an old man dressed in priestly robes. He has obviously been expecting you.
"Thank the gods my associate found you first. Please, take a seat. I have much to tell you."
He seems friendly enough so you sit down to hear what he has to say. Kalivan, as he calls himself, is Archbishop of the royal court. His associate, Gregor, is in fact one of Yaztromo's contacts in Salamonis which explains why he recognised your magic ring. Like you, Kalivan is well aware of the trouble brewing in Salamonis but there is little he can do to help. Instead he has been snooping around in secret to find out who is causing the discord that has befallen the city. Helmund, the grand counsellor, is one he suspects greatly. He has noticed that he has been acting strange on occasions, and is somewhat 'different' from the way he used to be.
"It was he who reported the sighting of foul hordes amassing in Trolltooth Pass and convinced the king to send his armies to confront them. The king's champions were the next to depart on another assignment, leaving only the city guard to protect the palace. In doing so, the city is left as you see it now - miserable and practically defenceless. Many, including myself, have made other more sensible suggestions but the grand counsellor is cunning and very manipulative. None of us could match him in a debate. Proof of trickery is what we require. Help us, warrior. For city and king, the truth must be unveiled."
You tell him you will do all you can and he clasps your hand.
"Be careful. There may also be another traitor about. Someone with authority or perhaps one of the knights." Thanking him for his information, you return to the corridor. Turn to 168.
As you rapidly close the distance the Dark Elf begins to rant.
"Know that I am Valgan Shar, master of the Nine Spiral Paths and favoured of Ar Anwar Gerithan himself. You petty human fools may have killed Malbordus, but my powers are much greater than his could have ever been. I will end your life, you poor deluded fool, and bring forth a creature of pure chaos to spearhead my army and bring all your pathetic surfaces races under my control!"
As he pauses to take a breath, you are upon him! You raise your weapon then bring it down in a powerful stroke. As your weapon touches the area bound by his protective circle there is a flash of pure darkness that momentarily blinds you. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 17. If you are Unlucky, turn to 161.
Ahead you see one of the men desperately trying to hold off another Skeleton Warrior with the remains of a chair leg. He is standing over the body of a young, wounded child. You rush forward and attack the Skeleton Warrior from behind. You get one clear strike on the Skeleton Warrior before it turns to face you.
SKELETON WARRIOR SKILL 8 STAMINA 3
If you hit the Skeleton Warrior with a blow from a sharp weapon such as a sword, it will only do 1 STAMINA (2 STAMINA if you decide to Test your Luck and are successfully, 0 points if you are unsuccessful) point of damage. A blunt weapon such as a Warhammer will do normal damage to a Skeleton Warrior. At the end of each Attack Round roll one die. If you roll a 1 or a 2, the man has struck the Skeleton Warrior for 1 STAMINA point of damage in addition to any wounds you may have inflicted.
If you win the battle, you find 2 more Black Pearls in the Skeleton Warrior's remains. The man thanks you profusely as he helps the child to his feet. When you ask where the Skeleton Warrior came from, the man just points to the crater, then quickly moves away, carrying the wounded child on his back. If you want to climb down into the crater, turn to 275. If you want to flee from the area, turn to 188.
After leaving the inn, you decide that you have spent enough time wandering the city, but if there is someone that you have to meet, turn to the paragraph number that corresponds to the number of house he lives in. If you don't, you can either go down to the quarry to investigate one of the mines (turn to 378), or leave the city altogether (turn to 313)?
When the cheers have died down, you ask the young soldier with the scar if his name is Stief. He says that it is, and you tell him that his father has been asking after him. Captain Ritter overhears, and upon discovering that Stief has not been home to his family since signing up, promptly gives him leave to return to Coven and spend a few days with his parents. Add 1 LUCK point for helping to reunite the family.
You spend the night in the army camp, and get a good rest (restore 2 STAMINA points). In the morning you bid farewell to the troops and continue east through the pass. Fortune smiles upon you, and you encounter no more hostile creatures along the way. At last you emerge to behold the Flatlands, which seem to stretch out forever beyond your gaze, and turn south in search of Warpstone (turn to 32).
You have made it out of the city and to relative safety. You are finished with Port Blacksand and need to decide where to travel to next, turn to 316.
You enter a small natural cavern which opens into a much larger one on the far side. There is sound of arcane chanting and the bitter smell of incense in the air. You move to the entrance of the larger cavern.
Through the stalagmites and the constant haze of dripping water, you can see a circle lit by burning candles. Within the circle is a cloaked figure kneeling in front of a rune-inscribed portal - the Chaos Gate! It pulses menacingly and the stuff of pure chaos rolls within, straining against the bonds of reality. You have made it in time - the ritual is not yet complete.
As you move closer, the kneeling figure senses you and turns. "Kni'a an ak'nar van c'vish dar sv'andar ish Tamahelos," he hisses. You can see his face now. His Dark Elvish features are both noble and cruel but scarred by a lifetime of channelling the power of his dark god. This is the leader of the Dark Elves. You have only to defeat him and your mission will be successful. As you move purposefully towards him his eyes narrow then open with astonishment. With a casual wave, he dispels your illusion and you revert back to your normal appearance.
"A clever deception, human," he spits as he rises to his feet. "But know that I, Valgan Shar, am master of the Nine Spiral Paths and favoured of Ar Anwar Gerithan himself. You petty human fools may have killed Malbordus but my powers are much greater than his could have ever been. I will end your life, you poor deluded fool and bring forth a creature of pure chaos to spearhead my army and bring all your pathetic surfaces races under my control!"
You have not been idle while he has been ranting and have been steadily closing the distance. Now you raise your weapon and bring it down in a powerful stroke. As your weapon touches the area bound by his protective circle, there is a flash of pure darkness that momentarily blinds you. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 17. If you are Unlucky, turn to 161.
You find a decent tavern and enter. The locals are few but seeing an adventurer, they are glad to converse with you. You are given a free drink as you exchange stories. Restore 1 STAMINA point (or 4 if you spend a Gold Piece on food as well). Piecing together dribs and drabs of information, you learn that the city has been left practically undefended due to many soldiers being despatched to deal with oncoming invaders. Without a proper city guard, Salamonis has become a dangerous place. You sympathise but it is not your immediate concern - you have your own mission to worry about. You decide to enlighten them with several thrilling tales before dropping in the matter on the Dark Elves you are hunting.
"Elves? They keep to themselves mostly so we don't hear or see much about them. If you're looking for one in particular, you might want to ask Oli at the Arches, if you can afford it. He knows everyone around here." They give you directions on how to get there. Do you want to follow up this lead? If so, turn to 164. If not, turn to 159 to visit the stores, or if you have been there already, turn to 151.
The road to the palace may be direct but is much longer than it appears. You are exhausted by the time you get there. The palace walls are quite remarkable, sparkling dully under the dim hanging lights as though made from crushed gemstones. Walking up the flight of wide steps to the front door, you are stopped by two soldiers who lock their pole arms together on your approach.
"What business does an adventurer have in the royal palace at this hour?" one demands.
Your aim to search the palace for a Dark Elf may not be the wisest response and you mention nothing of it. Instead, you simply state that you wish to speak with Salamon, their king, as you carry an important message from his ally, the wizard Yaztromo. The guards are not entirely convinced and are about to dismiss you until you reveal the magic ring specially entrusted to you. At that point, an armoured man emerges from inside, says a few words to the guards and allows you to enter.
"Commander Loth, at your service. Yaztromo has already contacted the king so we were expecting your arrival. But, that must wait till tomorrow as it is late. Rest for now and I will have everything arranged by morning."
He shows you to your quarters on the first floor after letting you admire the magnificent palace decors on the way. Food is brought to you shortly and the commander bids you good night. You are ravenous and consume the hearty meal before slumping on to the bed for some much needed sleep. Restore 4 STAMINA points and turn to 33.
You cross the Red River on the bridge from which Stonebridge takes its name, and then bear east to skirt around Darkwood Forest. The forest has an evil reputation, and you don't want to get into unnecessary danger or risk getting lost in it, so taking a detour seems the wisest course of action. Even that proves to have its risks, as towards the end of the day two men in tattered furs charge out of the forest and towards you, yelling and brandishing rough wooden cudgels. You must fight the Wild Hill Men together.
FIRST WILD HILL MAN SKILL 7 STAMINA 4
SECOND WILD HILL MAN SKILL 6 STAMINA 5
If you defeat them, you smell smoke, and follow it to the Wild Hill Men's camp, just inside the edge of the forest. A rabbit is roasting on a spit above the fire, and the smell of it makes you realise how hungry you are. As your attackers can have no use for their supper, you help yourself to it. By the time you have finished, the sun is setting, and you decide against going any further while it is dark. Bedding down close to the fire, you try to get some sleep. Note down the number of this section and turn to 42 to see if you have a quiet night. If you make it through to morning, you resume your trek southwards at daybreak, soon reaching the Silver River and finding a shallow spot where you can ford it. Your route onwards depends on your intended destination. If you are bound for Salamonis, you must continue due south across the Windward Plain (turn to 122). If you are heading for Warpstone, you should bear south-east towards Trolltooth Pass (turn to 51).
If you own a Gantamaran Calf, you must keep it on a leash outside the arena - no pets allowed! The snow comes down more heavily as you push your way onwards. When you finally reach the arena, you are awed by its gargantuan size. The fights have stopped momentarily. All that remains in the oval pit is bloodstained sand. You walk up to the edge leaning over the stone railing to get a closer look. The floor is littered with body parts from man and beast alike. A couple of scavenger dogs scrap over a thigh. There are four large double doors at either end of the Battle Pit. Who knows what lies behind them. Across from where you stand, you spot a large throne, presumably for someone of importance.
At the moment, there is no sign of a Dark Elf. As you peer around, you see that the spectators have every portion of the stands covered. You look eagerly for a seat when someone taps you on the shoulder. It is a short man holding a scroll. "Scuse me. I was speculat'un if ye fancy join'un the scuffle? We needz hearty strong unz like ye. Bag o'golds ye gets fer surviv'un." Will you:
Allow yourself to be entered into the battle (turn to 289)?
Find a place in the high rise to watch the games (turn to 180)?
Snoop around the levels below (turn to 304)?
You tug open the side door ready for action. There is no one within�until, that is, you are pushed from behind and sent sprawling into the passenger's seat! "Enjoy the ride, human," mocks the lieutenant, slamming the door in your face.
The carriage rocks as the horses begin to canter. Contraptions can be heard all around in the enclosure, resonating behind wooden walls. Feeling claustrophobic, you kick at the doors but find them firmly shut. Suddenly, a sword blade strikes out from the wall ahead, missing your throat by an inch. A second slashes across from the side as you leap away instinctively. More blades follow and you try to avoid or parry them the best you can. Roll one die and deduct the value from your STAMINA. If you are still alive, you must search for a mechanism or device to escape this death trap�and fast! Test your Skill adding one to the total. If you succeed, you manage to find a hidden lever in the floor, immobilising the trap before any more damage is done. If you fail, deduct another die's worth of STAMINA. Turn to 344.
In front of you squats a hideous, unnatural creature, surely the product of some diabolical experiment by an insane sorcerer. It has the body of a Giant Spider, but in place of its front four legs, huge snakes sprout from its sides. It rears up on its spider legs, and the snakes go for you. You must fight them all at the same time.
UPPER RIGHT SNAKE SKILL 5 STAMINA 2
UPPER LEFT SNAKE SKILL 5 STAMINA 2
LOWER RIGHT SNAKE SKILL 7 STAMINA 8
LOWER LEFT SNAKE SKILL 7 STAMINA 8
The two upper snakes are poisonous, and will each do 4 STAMINA damage whenever they hit you (reduced to 2 if you successfully Test your Luck). You cannot take any antitoxin to counteract the venom, as there isn't time for you to find it in your backpack.
The two lower snakes are constrictors, and attempt to encircle your legs. If one of them wins an Attack Round, it inflicts no damage for doing so. However, after that it will begin to tighten its grip, automatically doing 1 STAMINA damage every round until killed. In addition, it will hamper your movements, and you must deduct 1 from your Attack Strength until you are rid of it. This penalty will apply even after the snake is dead: it will take you one Attack Round to extricate yourself from its coils, during which you cannot harm any of the other snakes, but only defend yourself against them. If at any point during the battle you have a live constrictor wound around each leg, turn immediately to 91. If you manage to kill all four snakes, turn to 216.
You are used as a shield against the oncoming beast, but even this doesn't save them. As the beast's body slams against you, you find yourself somewhat cushioned by the pathetic three behind you. They do not survive the attack, but you might. Still, it hurts like hell! Lose 5 STAMINA points and 1 SKILL point. The door fractures under the massive impact and the audience roars with excitement. You pick yourself up from the sandy floor as the beast shakes its head, recovering from the incident. It looks over its horned shoulder at you and rises painfully to its feet; a shard of bone is sticking out of its left arm. You move in to finish the job.
INJURED DRAGON COUSER SKILL 9 STAMINA 6
If you kill it, you see that only the large muscle-bound man is left fending for his life over the corpses of his fallen companions. Needing no invitation, you rush over to help him. While the man is fighting beside you, you may add 2 to your Attack Strength.
INJURED DRAGON COUSER SKILL 10 STAMINA 3
If you win, add 2 LUCK points. The man shakes your hand. "Not bad, young 'un. You might even top my title one day. I am Garn, a gladiator once. Life is too dull without action. I came back on my own accord."
You may perform two actions (such as eating a meal or using a potion) while you wait for the next opponents. Baron Sukumvit gestures and the horn sounds again. A portcullis is opening. Garn turns to you.
"If I am knocked down, warrior, take my sword and run me through. No pain or death is worth facing in embarrassment." He picks up another weapon off the ground in case his broadsword weren't enough. Have you killed a monster in a certain cage earlier? If so, you will have made a note of it. Turn to 286. If not, turn to 155.
"You must understand that my information assumes you are quick enough to intercept each of the lieutenants before they have fulfilled their missions."
"Of course, you already know about the assassin in Darkwood Forest, otherwise neither you nor the petty mage Yaztromo would be here. Metaphorically speaking in Yaztromo's case, naturally," he chuckles dryly.
"I have heard there is discord in the city of Salamonis. One of the lieutenants is almost certainly making trouble politically there."
"Another has been sent to Fang to barter for a magical weapon in possession of Baron Sukumvit. He's a strange one, the Baron, using his wealth and power for mere entertainment. Little does he realise just how much power he possesses�or how easily it can be taken away."
"The lieutenants will no doubt require the use of gold and precious ore to fuel their campaign, and where better than the city of Warpstone; small in stature but rich in resources. Look to the mines where I'm certain you will find slaves working for my ambitious kinsmen. It seems like the only occupation you humans truly excel at."
Your hand curls into a fist at his mocking words. If you want to attack him, turn to 6. Otherwise, it is time to leave, turn to 129.
You walk over to the man who, despite the numerous beatings he's received, seems to be in good condition. He looks up at you weakly and says, "Thank you for rescuing me from that hideous monster. How on earth that man could control a beast so ferocious is beyond me."
You ask the man who he is and why he had been captured.
"Well that's a long story, but to keep it simple I was here to make a topographical map of the area, with special reference to all the mine entrances. They seem to have good maps of the insides of the tunnels, just not the openings relative position in relation to the countryside. I'm a mapmaker by the way. Anyway, as I was surveying the area I noticed two strange-looking men standing around one of the entrances. I guess curiosity got the better of me and I had to find out what was happening. Well as you can probably guess I was captured, and they wanted to know who I was and what I was doing here. Well I told them the truth but they didn't believe me. Well there you have it. I'm ever so grateful for your help, and if you're ever in Zengis, look me up. Now I'm going to get out of here before some of his friends show up."
You warn the man that the tunnels aren't navigable without a map.
"Nonsense, they didn't even blindfold me when they brought me here. I've drawn maps all my life. I can easily remember the paths they took."
With that he disappears down the corridor. You now take a moment to examine to cavern. There is nothing much here except for the Dark Elf. If you need a sword, you may take his. You also find a leather pouch containing 3 Gold Pieces and a ring on his finger. It appears once magical but the embedded jewel is cracked, probably broken during the fight. Still, a jewel's a jewel, and it is worth 1-6 (roll one die) Gold Pieces. You leave the chamber and continue through the mines (turn to 314).
Commander Loth accompanies you down a long passageway that gradually narrows and darkens. You are about to ask how much further it is to go when a heavy blow strikes you. Your head throbs and vision blurs as blood gushes down your neck. You collapse on to your knees. A second blow brings your adventure to an untimely end.
You clamber down into the crater. The building remains shift and shudder beneath you. You pick your way slowly and carefully. Test your Skill. If you are successful, turn to 203. If you fail, you misjudge your step; a piece of wood shifts under your feet sending you tumbling and sliding painfully down the crater. Roll one die and subtract the amount you rolled from your STAMINA. In addition, if you had a lantern, it is now broken. Turn to 57.
You have created quite a dilemma for the king. He knows full well that if you are right, he may be able to prevent a foul conspiracy against the city. On the other hand, should he be wrong to believe you, he would be openly disrespecting his grand counsellor not to mention suffering humiliation from his people. But it is also true that he knows his advisers well and should have no reason to doubt them whereas you are indeed a stranger. Finally, he concludes that if you are to have your way, it should only be fair if you, as the grand counsellor suggests, are first proven not to be a threat to the city yourself. Helmund sniggers when half a dozen soldiers are summoned to surround you whilst another inspects your belongings. Any of the following items will be regarded as suspicious: a blowpipe; a vial of poison; a poison-coated weapon; an eldritch rod; and a helmet of fury. If you possess one or none of these items, turn to 75. If you possess two or more, turn to 8.
As you break away from the main group, the Dark Elves let fly their missiles. Roll one die. If you wish to sacrifice a point of LUCK here you may add 1 to the result. If you score 1-4, you are struck by an arrow - lose 3 STAMINA points. If you score 5 or more, you avoid injury. You keep running as battle commences behind you. Turn to 90.
Recognising the colours of the army's flag as belonging to Salamonis, you hand the scroll over to the man who stands before you. His eyes widen at the sight of the seal, and as he reads the contents of the scroll, a relieved smile makes his face seem much less forbidding.
Turning to face his troops, he announces that you have brought orders for them to return home, and a cheer erupts from the mass of men before you.
By now it is late in the day, and Captain Ritter, the leader of the army, decides that they should make camp for the night here, and set off back to Salamonis tomorrow. He invites you to join them, and you accept without hesitation.
While the troops know better than to get drunk in hostile territory, there is much celebration and merry-making over the course of the evening, and you eat and drink well (restore 2 STAMINA points). As the festivities die down, a young soldier with a curved scar on his chin toasts your health, and soon afterwards all but the men on guard duty settle down to sleep. The night passes uneventfully (add another 2 STAMINA points), and in the morning you bid farewell to the troops and continue on your way through the pass. Luck is on your side, as you encounter no further hostile creatures before you emerge onto the vast expanse of the Flatlands and turn south towards Warpstone (turn to 32).
"You there!" bellows a guard. A few others are pushing through to get to you. "Stop that thief!"
You have been recognised! Deduct 1 LUCK point. Hurriedly, you shove through the crowds who try to grab you. You run in the direction of Dwight's Wharf district and dive behind a large golden statue by a temple, waiting silently. If you do not own a Gantamaran Calf, the guards run past enabling you to return to the arena. Turn to 73 immediately.
However, if you do own a Gantamaran Calf, it has been following you and inadvertently leads the guards right to your secluded hideout.
FIRST GUARD SKILL 6 STAMINA 5
SECOND GUARD SKILL 5 STAMINA 7
If you manage to kill them, you return cautiously to the arena where you thought you saw a Dark Elf. Turn to 73.
You feel a sudden sensation of warmth from the ring Yaztromo gave you, and a moment later the wizard's voice sounds inside your head.
"I just sensed... I think we're too late! Such an outpouring of dark magical energy... It can only mean one thing. They've opened the Chaos Gate. It's open!"
Hang your head in shame, for your erratic search pattern has wasted too much time, and now the whole of Allansia must pay the price for your carelessness.
The door is locked, and you don't want to risk waking whoever's inside the room by breaking it down. If you have a skeleton key, turn to 258. Otherwise, return to 168.
You search the disgusting bodies of the Orcs. All you find that would be of use to you is a single Gold Piece and a glass marble. Slightly annoyed at your wasted efforts, you prepare to leave.
"Wait, traveller!" says a voice. You stop and look around, but do not see anyone. You then remember the bound crow, but surely that couldn't have been where the voice came from? Your suspicions are confirmed when the crow actually speaks to you again.
"I am Yaztromo's pet crow, Vermithrax," he says, "and I am grateful that you rescued me from those Orcs. I could repay you with information about this forest. Is there anything that you would like to know?"
You loosen the rope and tell him that you are searching for a Dark Elf base. He flexes his wings and begins to squawk excitedly. "You must be the one who Yaztromo told me about! He sent me a few days ago to search for any clues to the location of the Dark Elves. I did come across one not too long ago. He walked down some stone steps near the base of a waterfall. If you follow this path directly north, you will have no difficulty finding it. I followed, and found out that there is really a hidden cave behind it. The Dark Elf then walked up to the wall, whispered something to it, and a secret doorway appeared. After he stepped through, I went to investigate it. You could easily recognise the doorway by the faint runes on the wall. I could not figure out what they said, so you may need Yaztromo to help you with that. I was returning back to Yaztromo to tell him what I discovered, but as I was taking a quick rest one of those Orcs grabbed me. Luckily you saved me in time. I will now fly back to Yaztromo to inform him about the entrance. Good luck!"
You bid farewell to the crow and continue on your journey. Turn to 167.
The moment you brandish your weapon, you realise your mistake. The king's bodyguards react on instinct and, before you can make another move, a volley of crossbow bolts pepper your body. Only assassins would act the way you did with the same fatal treatment.
As you run between buildings, you hear whistles blowing. Just as you begin to ascend a hill, you are tackled by a rogue in a wearing black cowl. He holds a large knife threateningly and its edge drips with poison. You could knock him unconscious, but first you must pit your reflexes against his to see who is the faster. You do not want the blade to even nick your flesh.
Fight one Attack Round against the ALLEY ROGUE who has a SKILL score of 8.
If you lose, his blade bites deep. He leaves you to die in your own blood as he robs your twitching body of everything, including armour and Yaztromo's ring. Allansia is lost.
If you win, your quick reactions and cunning skill prove too much for him to handle. You land a lucky blow to the side of his head�too lucky. He slumps over and his eyes roll back. Great, now not only are you a wanted thief, you are a killer too. You'd better leave quickly. Turn to 358.
Your frantic search uncovers a set of tracks in the snow though, rather confusingly, they seem to be going back on themselves. Of course, Dockside Pier! The Dark Elf was trying to lead you away from it. You take several short cuts through alleys when you hear a shriek and decide to investigate. A hairy drunkard lies sprawled in a grubby back street. "You ole tramp! Watch where ya goin!" he yells after a figure making for the exit. It is the Dark Elf. You pursue the villain with all haste, splashing mud from a pool into the drunkard's face as you pass. "You swine!" he curses. The Dark Elf is quick but you are able to match his speed, hounding him right up to a windowless carriage parked on the road by the river. At the moment, the two horses are at ease awaiting orders from the driver. Approaching warily, you notice the front seat is empty - he must be hiding inside. Turn to 269.
Every person waits eagerly for what may emerge from the archway. Boos begin to emanate as time passes on. The baron frowns, and then breaks into laughter looking behind him. He was clearly expecting something but still somehow seems satisfied. He claps twice and slaves begin to filter into the arena. This audience needs a show and you will not be allowed to leave without providing one. The slaves run across the pit removing latches you never knew were there. Four trap doors are pulled open, each needing three men to do so.
Feathered, prehistoric birds, the same height as you, come prancing out. The slaves scream in fear and try to escape. Not all of them make it. Razor-sharp bills sink into their flesh tearing it away in strips, but even that is not what you are concerned about. From the other trap doors, quick-paced insects scuttle forth. These look slightly different from the ones you have encountered but are equally large and vicious.
With Garn fighting beside you, you may tackle the monsters two at a time starting from the top of the list. When a centipede wins an Attack Round you must deduct an additional 2 STAMINA points from your score due to its poisonous bite.
RAVENOUS BILL SKILL 7 STAMINA 4
RAVENOUS BILL SKILL 8 STAMINA 4
GIANT JUNGLE CENTIPEDE SKILL 9 STAMINA 7
RAVENOUS BILL SKILL 7 STAMINA 5
GIANT JUNGLE CENTIPEDE SKILL 9 STAMINA 8
If you are still alive after seven rounds of combat, turn to 152.
After a short walk along the road you hear a sound like a crate breaking in a nearby alley. If you wish to investigate, turn to 343. Otherwise, you continue along the street. Turn to 294.
As the stone falls, you are already in motion. You grab the Dragonstone Sceptre and wedge it in a crack in the ground. The stone crashes into the sceptre with tremendous force but the sceptre remains intact. This gives you just enough time to roll out from under the stone before its mass shifts, pushing the Dragonstone Sceptre flat to the ground and burying it under several tons of solid stone. Cross the Dragonstone Sceptre off your Adventure Sheet.
Although you have lived you know you have cut down your options considerably. If there is no other way out you will be doomed, even if you complete you mission. The only way onwards is through the tunnel stretching out ahead, turn to 141.
He scribbles down your details and leads you through a heavily guarded tunnel below the arena seats. The passage divides, but he points you down the left path that ends in a large room. He wishes you luck as an iron door slams shut behind you. You are not alone here. Looking around, you can see an assortment of armoured men and women seated on long benches staring back. You wonder what you have gotten yourself into.
"A death worse than the plague," giggles an old man limping past. "Shame that you will go to waste out there�food for the wild dogs. You can call me Grey Mugger. Don't ask my real name, and don't tell me yours. None of it matters anymore." You take a seat.
The fellow beside you is trembling. "What? Haven't you seen fear before? I'm no warrior," he whimpers, "I'm a baker. Only made two wholes before sunrise. I did nothing wrong. They put me in here�put me in here to die!"
Sitting opposite you is a large muscular man. "Look elsewhere before I put this fist through your scrawny head." He holds up the fist mentioned, nearly the size of your face!
Heeding his mighty warning, you get up and walk over to where an iron grille is set into the low ceiling; the only source of fresh air and light. Standing on tiptoes, you can just see the empty arena floor above it. A horn bellows out and a man makes announcements to the cheering audience. The door to your room bursts open and eight guards file in, grabbing nine random combatants before leaving. Minutes later, you see them scurry, limp or stride boldly on to the arena floor. The audience boos them. A set of double doors are pulled open by half a dozen slaves, letting free a trio of large, wingless dragon-like creatures with long canines and multiple arms. The horn sounds again signalling the start of battle. The beasts waste no time at all, grabbing hold of the nearby slaves then charging for the nine combatants. The audience roars with excitement. Frantic howls, screams of agony and bloodthirsty cheers flood the Battle Pit. Blood, limbs and bodies fly across the air! When silence finally descends, the door bursts open again and guards come marching in. The next batch is taken away. This time, you are among them. Turn to 351.
You push your way through the streets. Down one of the side alleyways you see a large man dressed in primitive hides. He is hunched over, looking at something cupped in his hands. He notices you looking and scowls at you. If you want to head down the alleyway towards the man, turn to 147. If you want to walk past, turn to 55.
Continuing north, you follow the dirt path. The trees are beginning to get denser the further you continue. Up in the treetops, you can hear the faint sound of birds chirping. Your hand is always near your weapon, ready for any potential attack. A growling sound comes from behind. Turning around, you see the figure of a huge, brown Grizzly Bear. It stands over two metres tall, and it looks ravenous. You must fight for your life.
GRIZZLY BEAR SKILL 8 STAMINA 7
If you defeat it, you continue on through the path. Turn to 306.
The ferry across the River Kok is operated by a stout man with short legs, thick arms, and a fondness for cheap wine, judging by the smell of his breath and the stains on his clothes.
"Costs 2 Gold to cross the river," he tells you. With a look at the queue behind you, he adds, "Or if you lost all your bets, you can pay by rowing this lot across."
The effort of rowing across the river will cost you 1 STAMINA point. If you cannot afford to pay your way, and are in such poor condition that the exertion would kill you, the ferryman offers you food and a modest share of the takings in return for a day's work at the oars: raise your STAMINA to 4, roll one die, add 1 to the number rolled and gain that many Gold Pieces. However, this delay will give the Dark Elf lieutenants a little more time to advance their plans, and you must deduct 2 points from your LUCK to reflect this.
Whatever it takes, once you are across the river and on your way again, you must cross the Pagan Plains on the way to your next destination. If you wish to go to Port Blacksand, you head southwest (turn to 219). If you are heading for Salamonis or Warpstone, you go due south (turn to 342).
First you are taken to a healer to rest and have your wounds patched up. Add 5 to your STAMINA and 1 to your SKILL. A while later you are woken up by the sound of someone clapping. You are in a room decorated with weapons and gladiatorial art. Baron Sukumvit himself stands watching you. "Impressive, warrior. It has been a while since I have witnessed such admirable skill in combat. Makes me miss the thrill of -"
"Don't mean to interrupt, but why have you brought me here?" you ask.
"Of course. Time is precious to an adventurer, so I'll get straight to the point. Nobody was betting on you today, but many placed bets against you. I can scarcely imagine how much your astounding victory has cost the gamblers. Nevertheless, the crowd love you; a few more victories will mark you as Champion! Take this, you have earned it." He throws you a heavy bag of coins. "There has been a shortage of new blood around here. Fight for me tomorrow and you will receive twice that."
"I didn't come for the money," you tell him sternly. "I am searching for a Dark Elf."
"Oh, so it's information you're after. Business or personal?"
"For the sake of Allansia."
"Business then. Well, I'm afraid I can't be of help since I know not where he is. But it's all blood and money to me anyhow. A Dark Elf came to me with a proposition of trade: the promise of the deadliest creature known to man in exchange for a mere sword. Thanks to you, the death of the Saw-Tooth proved him wrong. That'll teach him not to underestimate our species. I took back my agreement, of course, and he tried to intimidate me with threats. Naturally, I had my guards escort him out but I suspect he will attempt to obtain the sword by force. It's obviously important somehow so, you might as well have it since you don't want the money. If the Dark Elves do decide to make a move, I'd rather it be in your hands than mine. It once belonged to a fabled warrior named Tamahelos. It was rusty when first found, until a blacksmith managed to restore its original quality. Use it well." You accept the sword, marvelling its keen edge and outlandish design. A brilliant red ruby is embedded on to the hilt and to your delight you realise that the blade is magical. It feels good in your grasp, ringing as you cut arcs in the air. During combat, the sword will add 1 to your Attack Strength. "Come back again. Our gates are always open." Turn to 318.
The shops and peddlers begin to thin out as you reach the end of the street. The afternoon sun is setting and the heat slowly diminishing. As you walk up along Topaz Road you see a small inn on your right called The Green Gem. After wandering the city you feel quite hungry and decide to enter. Turn to 120.
You throw down the statuette and summon the Black Panther. The thieves break, skittering backward as it roars its defiance and turns on them. You cannot spend the time required to control the Panther but instead use the opportunity to flee; fortunately your distraction means you are not followed. You quickly move through the streets, heading for the nearest town gate, turn to 89.
You find no possessions on the body so you search the rest of the room. A grille in the back room looks curious but the stench of sewage wafts forth and you keep well away. Behind the counter you find 4 Gold Pieces, a vial of poison, and a bottle of brandy which restores 5 points of STAMINA when you drink it. You consider browsing upstairs but who knows what other nasty surprises this place may hold?
You leave while you still can and soon find a spacious stable to sleep in. There is a cloak left here which you can keep as a useful blanket. The horses you share the company with get a little restless at times but at least they won't try to eat you. Night passes without further incident and you begin your search for a Dark Elf at the break of dawn. Restore 2 points of STAMINA and turn to 238.
You have been walking for some hours when you espy another lone figure striding across the plains, to your east, but heading north like you. The figure makes no threatening moves, but you resolve to stay on your guard just in case. The two of you gradually draw closer together, and by early afternoon you can tell that it is a human Barbarian. You call out to him to ask what he is doing.
"I go to Fang!" he yells back. "To fight in the Pits."
It is the wrong time of year for the annual dungeon challenge, so you are not sure what he could mean. Nevertheless, you tell the Barbarian that you are headed for Fang as well.
"I travel alone," he bellows. "Don't come any closer!"
If you heed his warning, turn to 166. If you try to convince him that the two of you would be safer if you teamed up, turn to 325.
The men from the Sea Horse waste no time once they are aboard the barge, and start to bring it under their control. In the mean time, you begin to explore. A quick search of the deck and cabins turns up nothing to indicate what could have happened to the crew, which leaves only the hold to investigate. Lifting the trapdoor, you see only a rope ladder leading down into darkness. Beside the trapdoor is a lantern. If you wish to light it and search the hold, turn to 61. If you can live with not knowing what happened here, and would rather go back to the Sea Horse as soon as the barge is out of the way, turn to 80.
The men grin and move towards you, swinging heavy looking clubs. You must fight.
FIRST THUG SKILL 6 STAMINA 7
SECOND THUG SKILL 7 STAMINA 7
You must fight them both together. Each Attack Round, choose which Thug you are going to attack. Roll your Attack Strength and the Attack Strength of each Thug normally. Compare your Attack Strength against each Thug, but you can only wound the Thug you have selected. If you have a higher Attack Strength than the other Thug you have parried his blows but you don't inflict any wound on him. Both Thugs can wound you however.
If you manage to reduce one of the Thugs to 3 STAMINA or less, turn to 335.
He throws a knife to the ground uttering two syllables. Immediately, the blade begins to hiss, venting clouds of corrosive vapour that forms a screen between him and yourself. You keep away letting the clouds disperse, but of the lieutenant there is now no sign. Test your Skill. If you succeed, turn to 285. If you fail or decide to let him go, there is nothing more you can do here. If you have already encountered the other two lieutenants, contact Yaztromo by turning to 383. Otherwise, turn to 46.
You make good progress, and before midday you reach the mouth of Trolltooth Pass. Passing between the Moonstone Hills and the Craggen Heights, the pass is the easiest route east towards the Flatlands and Warpstone. Nevertheless, it is far from safe, and as you start to make your way through it, your nervousness increases at the sight of ruined buildings up ahead, and the occasional partial skeleton strewn across the ground.
Your tension grows as you head further into the pass, and in a strange way it is almost a relief when the attack comes. A small army of Hobgoblins comes pouring out of the remnants of a citadel and charges towards you. Two of the Hobgoblins are riding on the backs of large grey Wolves, and they break away from the rest of the mob to engage you first.
FIRST HOBGOBLIN RIDER SKILL 6 STAMINA 6
SECOND HOBGOBLIN RIDER SKILL 6 STAMINA 5
The Hobgoblins attack you one at a time, and each of them adds 1 to its Attack Strength for as long as it is mounted on its wolf. At the start of each Attack Round, roll one die for each Hobgoblin. On a 6, it is unable to fully keep control of its wolf, which attempts to bite you. This cancels out the Hobgoblin's Attack Strength bonus, but means that you must also defend yourself against the attacking wolf.
FIRST WOLF SKILL 7 STAMINA 6
SECOND WOLF SKILL 7 STAMINA 8
You may choose to attack the wolf instead of its rider. If you do, you need not roll a die to see if the wolf goes for you, as it will automatically fight back, and will not break off its attack in subsequent Attack Rounds. Should you kill a wolf while its rider is still alive, the Hobgoblin loses 2 STAMINA points falling from its steed, but will continue to attack you afterwards. If you kill a Hobgoblin, and its wolf is still alive, the wolf will automatically attack you from then on. If you survive four Attack Rounds, turn to 94.
You find your location on the map that Borak gave you and proceed towards the mines. There are many different twists and turns here, presumably because the tunnels were dug along the major ores and crystal formations. There is however nothing left here, so the tunnels were abandoned. You are able to ascertain your location using the map but you have absolutely no idea where to start looking and after a very long while of aimless wandering you decide to give up and return to the outside. There are far too many tunnels and there is no telling which you should enter and you do not have time to check them all. You can only hope that the people Silek saw were not the ones you are looking for. You decide to look for the lieutenants somewhere else (turn to 313).
If you haven't already, will you now:
Go to the Imperial Gar-Goldoran inn (turn to 98)?
Walk to the end of Goldoran Strip to see what is beyond (turn to 358)?
Walk back down towards the gates and enter Dwight's Wharf district (turn to 9)?
Go to the Horse Market district (turn to 67)?
You try not to look interested as you pass many entrances kept under watchful eyes. Soon you arrive at the doorway; a corridor stretches beyond. Stealthily, you duck inside setting a quick pace until you enter a room filled with cages. Idly you lift a flap of hide covering a nearby cage, and find that it contains an unusual-looking lizard. Its green eyes stare into yours. Test your Luck. If you are Unlucky, turn to 100. If you are Lucky, turn to 64.
She leads you into the stall. Within is a table upon which rests a crystal ball. She goes to the other side of the table and examines the crystal bell for a time. She looks up and fixes you with her eyes, then states, "You are searching for a dark man. Look for him…" He face suddenly goes blank and she starts to whisper in a low, hissing voice.
"You will meet a…wizard of great power. His wrath transforms you. Hide…hide by the warehouses. The moon will be your boon, your fortunes reversed." She collapses into her chair, then slowly stirs. "You adventurers…please leave," she murmurs in a quiet voice. You make your way back onto the street and deeper into the city. Turn to 350.
Walking along, you are surprised when the ground suddenly disappears under your feet. You have triggered a hunter's trap and are now falling into a deep pit! It is at least five metres deep and right in the middle is a huge metal spike. Pray that you do not land on it. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 352. If you are Unlucky, turn to 186.
The path sharply turns to the north after a short while. The grass starts getting much shorter, and the ground is slowly rising. You can hear the sound of flowing water up ahead. As you walk towards it, you hear someone panting behind you. You turn around and see an old man wearing tattered robes running towards you. He looks frail and collapses into your arms upon reaching you. You ask him what has happened. Without warning, he looks at you and then scratches you viciously with his claws! Lose 3 STAMINA points. The SHAPECHANGER dispels its illusion and shows its true form - a scaly, green, humanoid lizard with a long, red tongue. Its red eyes glare hatefully at you, and it hisses menacingly. You must fight it.
SHAPECHANGER SKILL 10 STAMINA 10
If you win, turn to 190.
You hop along the river, down towards a large group of warehouses you can see by the waterfront. You avoid as best you can the gangs of Goblin children who forage by the river for off-cast goods and hunt small creatures to eat - such as toads.
You locate some warehouses and squeeze your body into the muddy space underneath one. You wait as the heat of the day passes and night falls, then you squirm your way out again.
The moon is shining strongly and as the moonlight touches your slimy skin you feel a tingling all over your body. You feel a brief spasm of pain and a momentary disorientation then realise you are back to normal. The moonlight has somehow reverse Nicodemus's curse. Not only that but you feel invigorated, your body full of energy. Restore 1 SKILL and 5 STAMINA points. Also restore 2 LUCK points for resuming your natural form.
Your equipment has also survived the transformation and you spend a bit of time reorganising it. As you do so, you hear the sounds of combat from nearby. If you want to investigate the noise, turn to 52. If you want to stay away from the combat and instead want to concentrate on trying to find out more information, turn to 380 to search for The Noose.
You are on Goldoran Strip. Red banners hang across the street, all the way down to the very end of the block and bazaars line the streets. So crammed is this pathetic display, that you can barely make out the names of the shops. You can smell pork roasting somewhere. A gruff voice from within the tavern complains about spilt ale. There are children playing and screaming, merchants calling out as if hosting an auction, and crowds of all ages swerving in and out. Carts and carriages must move at a dead pace. As you ascend the hill, a few places attract your attention:
An aroma of stew is emanating from within the Imperial Gar-Goldoran inn. If you haven't been inside yet, you may enter. Turn to 98. 'WIXIL'S', a shop barely visible behind the stalls across the street, may have some useful equipment. To enter, turn to 158. The cheering has grown even louder than when you first heard it at the docks. If you are curious, you continue to walk up the hill until you reach the end of the Strip. Turn to 358.
Otherwise, if you haven't already, you could take a shortcut through two buildings to Dwight's Wharf district (turn to 9) or, walk a few blocks over to the Horse Market district (turn to 67).
The form that oozes out of the portal is terrible to behold. Your eyes hurt to view the creature; its body seems to shift and mutate in ways your mind has trouble comprehending. The creature somehow…despite having wormed its way through the narrow gate, has a hard carapace around it. There are flexible tentacles reaching out from within. The creature is restrained from total entry into the cavern by the small portal, but the creature lashes back and forth almost rhythmically, able to reach even the far side of the cavern at the apex of its wavelike swaying.
You hear whispers in your mind. Obscene whispers that you cannot, fortunately, understand but which send your mind recoiling from its vile implications. Unless you are wearing an Eye Scribed Helmet, you must deduct 1 from your SKILL score due to mental anguish. As you struggle to react, it attacks you almost lazily.
CHAOS INCARNATE SKILL 9 STAMINA 10
The hard carapace around the Chaos Incarnate protects it from harm. The only weapon capable of smashing through this protective layer is the Dragonstone Sceptre, which does its normal damage to the creature. Any other weapon only inflicts 1 STAMINA point of damage on a successful hit (2 points if you successfully Test your Luck; 0 points if you unsuccessfully Test your Luck). If you defeat the creature, turn to 107.
The Dark Elf slumps to the ground. You quickly drag them off into a shrouded position and search their body. You quickly determine that the Dark Elf must have been a messenger. At their side is a message pouch that contains notes written in the Dark Elf script. Useless to you, except…Looking at the messengers clothes you realise it would make a good disguise. It would cover your features, hiding your race quite effectively. If you wish to wear the Messenger's Clothes, mark them on your Adventure Sheet.
You retrace your steps back to the Dark Elf outpost. Looking into the cavern, you can see the unguarded door to your left again and the campfires of the Dark Elves straight ahead. If you possess a Potion of Invisibility and wish to drink it before dashing towards the door on the left-hand wall, turn to 154. If you want to move away from your concealed position to try and get to either this doorway or to one of the other exits from the cavern, turn to 111. To move back the way you came and around the right-hand cavern wall towards the unguarded door there, turn to 146.
You decide to continue on westward. You walk for awhile before the path suddenly turns right to the north. In the treetops, you can faintly hear birds chirping. Your walk so far has been fairly uneventful and aside from a squirrel and a few rabbits, you haven't seen any wildlife at all. You keep your hand near your weapon, ready to draw it at any moment. Up ahead, you hear what sounds like two men arguing. Will you investigate the source of this (turn to 224), or continue northward (turn to 167)?
If you have now visited all five, or at least three, of the locations marked on the map and wish to end your search, you may contact Yaztromo by turning to 383. Otherwise, you must walk the lonely trail at the edge of the Flatlands once more, though this time in the other direction.
Before long you reach the point at which you noticed the dead man in the ditch, and you are distressed to see that some scavenging creature has found the body since you passed it, dragging it part of the way onto the path before making off with the corpse's left arm. You feel that you cannot just leave it life that, and stoop to push it back into the ditch, to give the unfortunate man at least a little dignity in death. As you do so, you notice a scrap of parchment caught in the shackle around his right ankle, with what looks like writing on it. Before returning the body to its resting place you remove the scrap, which turns out to be a torn corner of a map of north-west Allansia. It shows Warpstone and Salamonis, and the mountain range between them, and there is a note in what looks like Elvish script by Salamonis.
If you have already investigated that city, you realise that you will gain nothing by returning there (turn to 195). If you have not yet been to Salamonis, it would make sense to go there next and see if one of the lieutenants is up to no good there. Note the map fragment on your Adventure Sheet and turn to 255.
You keep walking through the tunnels for another half hour until you come to an opening to the outside. There is a body lying in the tunnel with two arrows sticking out from his back. He has a dagger in one hand and a pick axe in the other. When you look closer at the dagger, you see that it is covered with some sort of fluid. Looking out of the opening you see a quarry where many people are digging. There are both men and Dwarfs among the workers and they are all wearing the same grey shirt and pants. Guards are standing around the workers, some merely watching but others are lashing out with twin-tailed whips making the men work harder. These workers are definitely slaves digging something up for their overlords. You take a closer look at the guards and see the unmistakable pointed ears and dark faces, leading to the conclusion that these are Dark Elves, perhaps the ones you are looking for. But how do you want to handle this confrontation. Do you wish to sneak up on the closest guard and take him out before you deal with the rest (turn to 187), or do you wish to dress up as a slave in the dead man's clothes and join the workers, hoping for an opening (turn to 83)?
"You must understand that my information assumes you are quick enough to intercept each of the lieutenants before they have fulfilled their missions."
"The first lieutenant, Delgar Elanchaeanath, is a master of trickery and disguise. He is the most dangerous of your foes. If you ever believe you are in the same location as him and wish to unmask him, mention my name, Ne'vesyt Ne'ves and say I send my regards. We share a little history," he flashes you a predatory grin, "so I imagine he will be unable to stop himself reacting in some fashion, thus giving himself away."
"The representative of the Rovane clan fancies himself a swordsman, so if you can find him you no doubt will be able to defeat him easily. You are a swordsman yourself are you not?"
"The marksman of clan Uinolon you already know about of course, otherwise neither you nor the petty mage Yaztromo would be here. Metaphorically speaking in Yaztromo's case, naturally," he chuckles dryly.
"Lastly there is Ishenla Physonray. She is a practitioner of a degenerate form of magic and so considers herself to be a sorceress. Her magic is weak; its underpinning's based on incorrect assumptions and erroneous logic, unlike my superior magic, which is based on centuries of proven esoteric techniques. You will have no problems defeating her," he sniffs disdainfully, "but if you desire some aid I can cast a spell which will shield you against the worst of her so-called magics. It will require a little of your…essence…your essential self, to power this spell however."
If you want to take the risk and let him cast a protection spell on you, turn to 102.
Otherwise, it is time to leave, turn to 129.
If you have now visited all five, or at least three, of the locations marked on the map and wish to end your search, you may contact Yaztromo by turning to 383. Otherwise, read on.
Though it is already dark, you do not think it would be safe to settle down for the night this close to Port Blacksand, and head away from the city for a while before making camp. Deduct one portion of Provisions without restoring any STAMINA, or lose 3 STAMINA points if you have no Provisions left. Make a note of this section number and turn to 42 to see if you found a safe place to spend the night. If you survive until morning, you wake to see a ship moored in an inlet not far away, and remember the sailor you encountered shortly after arriving in Port Blacksand. Could this be his ship?
You head towards it to find out, and before you are close enough to make out the name, a familiar voice calls down to you.
"I see you made it out of Blacksand alive, then. Come aboard, my friend."
It turns out that the sailor is the ship's Captain, and this gives you an idea. As your reward for saving his life, you ask for him to transport you to the next location you wish to investigate - or at least as close to it as the Sea Horse can get. While not happy at the thought of losing a few days' business, he agrees, and by midday the ship is on its way. This is the first time you have ever been out to sea, and you stay up on deck for hours, enthralled by the sight of the coast going by on one side, while the great expanse of water on the other barely seems to change.
Tully, the Captain, invites you to dine with him in the evening, and you accept. Over the course of the meal you explain something of your quest to him, and afterwards he opens a bottle of wine and tells you a bit about himself. Several voyages ago, he carried a passenger who turned out to have stolen a precious stone from a primitive temple, and cultists from that temple pursued the Sea Horse to try and retrieve it. Some of his crew threw the thief and the gem overboard, but a shark devoured them both, and since then the cultists have been killing off everyone who was aboard the ship, though they show no interest in any of the crew who joined up more recently. By now, Tully informs you, he is the only survivor of that fateful voyage.
He sighs, and rises from his seat. "I expect they'll get me in the end. But there's nothing much I can do about it, so I'll just keep on sailing the seas until my luck runs out. And now I bid you good night."
Swaying a little on his feet, Tully heads off to his cabin, and you make your way to the berth he has provided for you. Sleep is slow in coming, as you find yourself wondering about the dangers that still lie ahead for you. Restore only 1 STAMINA point for the little rest you get.
In the morning the Sea Horse reaches the mouth of the river that will take it on towards your destination. If you are going to Fang or Zengis, turn to 3. If you are on your way to Salamonis or Warpstone, turn to 117.
You travel down the tunnel until you are out of sight of the main cavern. Your way is dimly lit by phosphorescent fungus that grows on the walls. The tunnel goes downwards for a significant distance. You are just considering the idea of going back when the tunnel opens out.
Ahead of you is a vast cavern. Dominating the centre of the cavern is a great city lit by thousands of glowing lights and its majestic beauty strikes you immediately. Its intricate latticework of towers and spinnerets linked together and reaching into the air makes you gasp with awe. It is only on closer inspection that you see the darker side, the leering demonic effigies and the dark protrusions that pierce their way through the beauty of the city like a cancer. You realise you are beholding the Dark Elf city of Tiranduil Kelthas.
Few humans have ever seen the Dark Elf city and almost none have lived to tell the tale. You have been blessed by a sight which is equally terrifying and wonderful. Restore your LUCK to its Initial value.
Now you must leave. It is unlikely that the Dark Elves are working such hazardous magic as opening a Chaos Gate so close to their city and every moment you stay increases the chance that you will be discovered. You turn and head back into the tunnel, bumping straight into a Dark Elf whose features are almost completely cloaked by his concealing garb. You both struggle to recover and try to draw your weapons before the other can strike.
CLOAKED DARK ELF SKILL 9 STAMINA 7
Whoever wins the first Attack Round has reacted first, taking advantage of the mutual surprise to strike the opponent a terrible wound. Double any STAMINA losses in the first round only. After the first Attack Round, continue the fight as normal. If you win this combat, turn to 311.
You find yourself outside the arena. It is getting late. If you owned a Gantamaran Calf at one stage, it is now missing. Whether you were thrown out, left on your own accord or could not enter the Battle Pit, you have no choice but to abandon your search for the Dark Elf…unless you know of another option. He could be anywhere by now and the snowfall would have covered his tracks. You just hope the Dark Elf wasn't one of the lieutenants. It is time you moved on. Turn to 46.
You head down river, soon finding a suitable place at which to cross it, and then strike out across the Pagan Plain towards Fang. You still have a long way to go, and as you continue your lonely trek, you keep an eye out for anything edible. For each day that passes, roll one die. If you roll 1 or 2, you are able to find enough to make an adequate meal. Otherwise, you must use one portion of Provisions without gaining any STAMINA, or lose 3 STAMINA points for going without food. Every night, you must roll on the table at section 42 to see if anything disturbs your rest.
Nothing significant happens for the first two days of this stage of the journey. Towards the end of the third day you reach a village named Anvil, where you can get a room for the night and a meal for 4 Gold Pieces: if you pay, you need not deduct any Provisions or check section 42, and may add 2 STAMINA points for the rest. While in Anvil you may also buy enough Provisions for 2 meals for 3 Gold Pieces. Towards the end of the fourth day you catch sight of Fang, but you are too late for the last ferry across the River Kok, and must make camp within sight of your objective.
The next morning you can take the ferry, which costs 2 Gold Pieces. If you do not have that much money, the ferryman will let you travel for free if you lend a hand at the oars, but the effort will leave you so fatigued that you must deduct 1 from your Attack Strength in any combat that occurs before you next recover some STAMINA. However you get across the river, you arrive at your destination. Turn to 131.
You realise that you have found the troops from Salamonis again, and call out a welcome to them. They greet you cheerfully, reveal that they have not yet found the army of Chaotics they seek, and ask if you have fared any better in your quest. If you have the Dragonstone Sceptre, you have quite a tale to tell the men, and recounting your exploits buoys up your spirits as well as encouraging the soldiers (add 1 LUCK point).
As before, you spend the night encamped with the army. Their supplies are now starting to run low, and you will have to make do with your own food or go hungry (deduct one portion of Provisions or 3 STAMINA points). Nevertheless, there is safety in numbers, and you have an untroubled night's sleep (add 2 STAMINA points).
The next day you leave Captain Ritter and his men checking the ruins of a citadel for any signs of the enemy army they seek, and continue west through the pass. Turn to 199.
The old man stumbles backward in shock as you brandish your weapon. He trips on a tree root and falls to the ground. With a quick swing of your sword you end his life. After a search, you discover that he possessed nothing but a silver crucifix. It turns out that the old man you killed was a priest, and now his god has put a heavy curse on you. Lose 5 LUCK points. Regretting your decision, you continue north. Turn to 193.
The figure in the reeds is definitely a corpse, clad only in sodden undergarments, its face mutilated beyond recognition. It has been in the water for some time, and is in a very unpleasant condition by now. Roll four dice. If the total is higher than your STAMINA, the sight and smell of the bloated cadaver are too much for you, and you are sick (lose 2 STAMINA points unless that would kill you, in which case reduce your STAMINA to 1). From the way the face has been carved up, it appears that somebody wanted to make the body unidentifiable. However, you notice that the dead man's right hand is clenched into a fist, and wonder if it might contain anything informative. If you want to try and force the hand open, Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 366. If you are Unlucky or do not wish to try, there is nothing to keep you here, so you set off into the nearby forest (turn to 221).
You quickly find Harend's hut located a good walk from the city. You knock on the door and a loud voice comes from the other side. "Go away. I have no time for visitors." You knock again and shout that you were sent by Skolar. After a moment of silence the door swings open and you see a broad-shouldered man with long hair and well-trimmed beard. He is clad in furs and around his neck hangs a small whistle. He looks at you intently before breaking the silence. "So you were sent by my brother. It must be very important for he knows I prefer my privacy." You explain that Skolar told you about the beast in the mountains and that you would like to know where it was going. Harend glares at you suspiciously. "You must be either very brave or very foolish to look for that creature. I spend my time in the wild hunting animals for food and sport, but I would never in my right mind try to tackle a thing like that." You explain that it is not the creature but its masters that you are after and he gives a small sigh before speaking again. "I guess that settles it. You are very foolish. If the beast wasn't bad enough, then what do you think its masters are like. But if you are determined to go through with this foolish quest then I'll show you where it disappeared into the mountains. From there you are on your own. I have no interest in going in there after it, and if you have a brain you wouldn't either." You tell Harend that you are determined to go. He picks up a spear and heads out the door asking you to follow him. You follow Harend along small paths through the mountain until he finally points to a cave opening. "That's the cave that you want. I hope that you get through this safely, but I suppose you need a small miracle for that. Good luck." With that, Harend disappears down the mountain paths and out of sight. You climb up to the cave entrance and look inside. There are many winding tunnels leading in all directions, and it would be very easy to get lost here. Do you have a map of the mines? If you do, turn to 227. Otherwise turn to 66.
You attempt to take the Dark Elf's sword as a replacement in case you lose your weapons, but a mysterious aura prevents you from picking it up. The weapon appears to be enchanted so that only Dark Elves are able to use it. You are, however, able to take his bow. Searching his quiver, you retrieve four arrows capable of flight. Before a battle starts, you may take a shot at one opponent. If you do, Test your Skill. If you are successful, the arrow hits for 2 STAMINA points of damage. If you fail, you simply miss your target. You may only fire one arrow before your enemy reaches you and then you will have to fight in hand-to-hand combat. Each arrow may only be used once, regardless of if they hit or not.
You head back down south, and this time you turn west. You reach another junction here. Ignoring the path south, you may either go north (turn to 204), or west (turn to 128).
The Barbarian will not listen. His axe held above his head, he charges towards you, bellowing, "LEAVE ME ALONE!" He will not listen to reason, and you have no choice but to fight.
BARBARIAN SKILL 9 STAMINA 9
In his berserk state, the Barbarian will not surrender, nor will he let you Escape. This fight must be to the death. If you win, turn to 222.
Ahead, you hear the sound of crashing water. A waterfall soon comes into view, tumbling down into a gorge and flowing continually west. Suddenly, the ring glows warmly and Yaztromo's ghostly voice speaks. "You are now almost exactly where I sensed the Dark Elves to be. The entrance to the hidden base must be hidden somewhere in the vicinity. Look carefully." The ring goes cold.
You look around for the entrance to the Dark Elf base. If you met Vermithrax earlier, turn to 369.
If not, Test your Skill. If you are successful, you manage to find what you think is the entrance quickly. If you are unsuccessful, it takes you much longer to find it. You must eat a meal. If you do not have any Provisions, lose 3 STAMINA points for going hungry. Either way, turn to 369.
You follow a group of merchants along the main street towards what you hope is the city market. You have just passed an inn when two men step out in front of you to block your way. "Toll for passing this way: three gold," he states coldly, while the other hefts a heavy looking club. The other townsfolk moving past are ignoring the scene, leaving you to decide what to do next.
If you want to attack the men, turn to 299. If you want to try and barge your way past the men, turn to 388. If you have 3 Gold Pieces and want to pay them off, turn to 145.
The road to the palace may be direct but is much longer than it appears. You are exhausted by the time you get there. The palace walls are quite remarkable, sparkling dully under the dim hanging lights as though made from crushed gemstones. Walking up the flight of wide steps to the front door, you are stopped by two soldiers who lock their pole arms together on your approach.
"What business does an adventurer have in the royal palace at this hour?" one demands.
Your aim to search the palace for a Dark Elf may not be the wisest response and you mention nothing of it. Instead, you simply state that you wish to speak with Salamon, their king, as you carry an important message from his ally, wizard Yaztromo. The guards are not entirely convinced and are about to dismiss you until you reveal the magic ring specially entrusted to you. At that point, a young man emerges from inside, says a few words to the guards and allows you to enter. He grips tightly on to your tunic almost dragging you along a corridor.
"I told them the king was expecting you."
You shrug his hands off your clothes asking him who he is.
"That's not important. Let's just say the king has so far no idea of your arrival but I do. I recognise that ring you have and must warn you to watch your back as there have been strange goings on in the palace. We must…"
"What are you doing, Gregor?" a voice interrupts. "Why aren't you at your duties, and who is this?" An armoured man approaches regarding the two of you suspiciously.
"Er…Commander Loth. This er…warrior saved me from a band of ruffians earlier. I thought it would be alright to let him(her) stay the night and perhaps see the king in payment of this debt."
The commander looks you up and down. "Certainly, the king may even want to meet such a commendable character. But, that must wait till tomorrow. I will take care of the warrior and I'm sure you have work to do."
Grudgingly, the young servant shuffles off. Commander Loth shows you to your quarters on the first floor after letting you admire the magnificent palace decors on the way. Food is brought to you shortly and the commander bids you good night. You are ravenous and consume the hearty meal. As you eat, you are suddenly aware of something in your pocket - a Skeleton Key. When did that get there? Puzzled, you decide to keep it then slump on to the bed for some rest. Restore 4 STAMINA points and turn to 33.
You come into the hallway where you first entered the palace. The two armed guards at the entrance are still on duty so you duck down a side passage to avoid being seen sneaking about. Turning a corner, you almost bump straight into Commander Loth.
"Here you are. I have been looking all over for you. Hurry now, come this way and through there. Your life is in danger!"
Will you go into the passage indicated (turn to 274) or do you want to attack him (turn to 95)?
It does not take long from travelling down this path that you reach another four-way junction. Ignoring the way south, you may either go north (turn to 204), or west (turn to 128).
This wide street is filled with inns and stables. There is a great deal of commotion going on and you are passed in the street by lots of different people. The road turns to the left, and you are surprised that there are so many visitors and traders in this city. As you walk up the street you see a jeweller's shop on your left. If you wish to enter, turn to 198. Otherwise you continue up Opal Street (turn to 287).
You tiptoe quietly inside lighting the desktop lamp to dispel the darkness. The study here has shelves crammed with scrolls and antique volumes - it obviously belongs to someone of high intellect. Most intriguing is a complex metal apparatus set up on the desk. You inspect the notes but it would take forever to sift through and decipher the numerous scribblings. The resulting liquid within the apparatus is dark red and translucent. Do you want to dispense a little of it into a palette for a sample (turn to 346), or would you rather not risk it and leave the room (turn to 86)?
As you continue on your way, you recognise some of the scenery, and become aware that you are not far from the valley where you encountered the Boulder Beasts. Not wishing to have to run that particular gauntlet again, you make a detour to the east, only to find that you are not the only one to be avoiding the valley. Two Goblins have also chosen your alternate route, and attack you on sight. One of them trips over his own feet as he charges towards you, allowing you to fight them one at a time.
FIRST GOBLIN SKILL 5 STAMINA 6
SECOND GOBLIN SKILL 5 STAMINA 5
If you win, you make a quick search of the bodies, finding nothing of use but a small shield. It does not appear to have any magical properties, but could still come in handy. Whether or not you decide to take it, you then proceed onwards. In the evening you must make camp again: use one portion of Provisions without adding any STAMINA, or Test your Luck to catch something to eat if you are out of Provisions, losing 3 STAMINA points if you are Unlucky. Then note down this section number and turn to 42 to see if you get a good night's sleep. If you live to see another day, turn to 382.
You pretend to dig through a pouch for gold coins. While the Gnome is busy watching the crowds outside, you leap over the counter and tackle him to the floor.
Are you drunk? (You would have been told to temporarily deduct 1 SKILL point or more because of this.) If you are, he is able to crawl and fight his way to a rope dangling down from the wall. Before you can stop him, he gives it a pull…turn to 54.
If you are not drunk, then you are able to hold him down and threaten him. "Go on, take what you want!" Well, take whatever you can from here, but the commotion of all the items falling off the counter has onlookers peeking in through the window. Roll one die for each item listed below. If you roll higher than the item's given number, you are able to steal it.
Cloak 2
Gantamaran Calf 5 (who might gladly follow you to the clerk's dismay)
Pouch of Nectars 3 (three uses, each restoring up to 4 points of STAMINA)
Blowpipe and one poisoned dart 3
Four Gold Pieces 2
When you are done, you exit through the back door as guards appear. Turn to 284.
You wound one of the Thugs severely and he staggers back. A voice from behind you shouts "Hold for the law". The Thugs back off slightly and you take the opportunity to look behind you. From the entrance of the inn strides one of the city guards. Following behind him staggers many of the inn's patrons, several of them sniggering and pointing your way.
"Assault is a serious offence my friend," the guard speaks, looking directly at you! Many of the inn's patrons are openly laughing now. "It's a 10 Gold Piece fine for disturbing the peace and harming the fine folk of the city. You had better pay up," he mutters menacingly. You have been set up and now you are trapped. You have no option but to pay them off. If you don't have 10 Gold Pieces, they will take what coins you have in your money pouch as well as any potions you may possess. Cross them off your Adventure Sheet. They send you on you way, with the sound of their laughter following behind you.
If you want to continue to the market, turn to 85. If you would rather avoid the markets now and instead spend few hours wandering the streets and questioning people to see if you locate one of the lieutenants, turn to 69.
The moment you catch the bounty your fate is sealed. Dread overwhelms you as liquid gold creeps over your flesh; your body and limbs rapidly becoming rigid. Within seconds the gold has solidified and all that is left is a lifeless statue caught in a moment of terror. The lieutenant walks over to examine her handiwork.
"You humans: always worth more in death than in life," she taunts. "Nonetheless, your generous contribution will surely help to fuel our campaign now that you are a heftier weight in gold."
You have got what you deserved but your selfish greed will also cost the lives of many innocent souls. As Tareg once said, you are no hero.
The house is not hard to find as it is the grandest building in the district and decorated in a way that is meant to be seen. Still, when you enter you don't get much further than the lobby when you are stopped by the clerk. He asks you to leave the forms on the desk but you tell him you are not here for work. When you mention Lady Emathura, he looks at you curiously, silently for a moment before speaking again. "You're here for a map aren't you?" You nod. He fishes out a cylindrical case which he hands to you. You reach out to take it but the clerk retains a firm grip on it. "You look the honest sort, stranger. I hope you know what you are getting yourself into," he whispers. His grip loosens and you ask him what he means. "I have worked here for five years and I can tell the difference between a surveyor and an adventurer. The map you have there leads to the mine of the dark ones. They came just weeks ago and made dealings with Lord Reinholt. Since then, they were allowed full control of the mines, turning the poor labourers into slaves. No visitors are allowed in. Those that are will be captured and condemned to slavery themselves. I presume my lady had this in store for you." You ask him why he is telling you this. "You look like the person who might just be able to do something about it. I would try to free the slaves myself if it weren't for this." He shows you his left hand…or rather the lack of it. "Lost that years ago in the mines too. There is a secret crawl way to the side of the mines where the gravel is a lighter shade of grey. It will lead you into the tunnels without being noticed. Please, you must help them." The 'dark ones' he refers to may be the Dark Elves you are searching for. However, the task will be no simple matter. If you decide to leave the city and search elsewhere, turn to 313 immediately.
If you think you are up to the challenge, you find your way to the quarry. Looking on the map, you locate the correct mine and, just as the clerk said, uncover the hidden entrance. You crawl along the passage for about ten minutes until at last, it opens into a tunnel. Once out of the crawl way you get your bearings. But you are also exhausted and must eat a meal to keep your strength up or lose 3 STAMINA points. Turn to 227.
With a sinking feeling, you recognise this as the valley where you found the moonstones. You glance both ways, trying to establish which end is closer, and make a dash for it, hoping to get away before you attract the attention of any Boulder Beasts, but it is too late. Roll one die, halve the result, and round up any halves to find out how many Boulder Beasts come for you before you can get away. As before, you must roll lower than or equal to your SKILL on two dice to avoid being crushed by each one, and if you survive the initial attack, you must roll another die to see if you were able to dodge ahead of the Beast, and fight it if you roll less than 4. Each Boulder Beast has a SKILL of 8 and a STAMINA of 11, takes half damage from edged weapons, and is automatically killed if you use the Dragonstone Sceptre against it and roll a double six for your Attack Strength.
If you manage to survive this second visit to the valley, add 1 LUCK point and then decide where to go next. If you have now visited all five, or at least three, of the locations marked on the map and wish to end your search, you may contact Yaztromo by turning to 383.
Otherwise, you pick your next destination and set off. Whichever way you go, it is not long before you have to make camp for the night again (deduct one portion of Provisions or lose 3 STAMINA points, and roll on the table at section 42) but, assuming you make it through the night, you are soon on your way again. If you are heading for Port Blacksand, turn to 130. If your next port of call is Fang, turn to 390. If you were so foolish as to waste the opportunity of visiting Warpstone before now, your route lies south across the Silver River towards Trolltooth Pass (turn to 301).
Unfortunately, you must leave your companion behind since it is too big to leave the cage. But the calf has its own ideas anyway. Eyeing the prostrate form of the cage's subdued monster, it plods towards it and rips out its throat! You turn away from the grisly spectacle and slip out through the cage bars. The next guard to check on the cage will be surprised to find an adult Gantamaran Bull within, having devoured the cage's former occupant!
For the moment you are safe but you can hear the sound of approaching guards. You hurriedly slink along a random aisle to avoid them. Turn to 360.
You soon find a barge that is bound for Zengis. The Captain will take you as a passenger for 3 Gold Pieces, or you can work your passage up river. If you pay, a frugal meal is provided, and you get a cramped cabin for the night (add 2 STAMINA points). If you work, you must use a portion of your Provisions but add no STAMINA for it, and will get no rest. If you have no Provisions left, and cannot or will not pay for the journey, you must lose 3 STAMINA points for going hungry, or scavenge for edible scraps in the waste bucket, losing 1 LUCK point for the humiliation. However you choose to make the voyage, you arrive at Zengis the following morning. Turn to 124.
Not a moment too soon you jump back, catching your breath as the boulder smashes into the ground just ahead of you. That was too close, and you look upwards to see if there is someone on the hill, pushing the boulders. You see nobody, and a moment later you realise that you are looking in the wrong place, as a rocky arm swings out from the boulder towards you. Again you dodge out of the way, and you reach for a weapon to fight back against the Boulder Beast that is attacking you.
BOULDER BEAST SKILL 8 STAMINA 11
Edged weapons will not be very effective against a creature composed of living stone. If you do not have a blunt weapon such as a warhammer or the Dragonstone Sceptre, your attacks will only do 1 STAMINA point of damage (2 if you successfully Test your Luck, and none at all if you Test your Luck and fail). If you are using the Dragonstone Sceptre and ever roll a double 6 when calculating your Attack Strength, you deal the Boulder Beast a mighty blow which immediately shatters it, no matter how many STAMINA points it had left. If you defeat the Boulder Beast, turn to 231.
Hour follows hour as you trudge southwards, constantly scanning the plain ahead for any sign of life, whether friendly or hostile. However, in the end it is not your eyes but your ears which alert you to impending danger, as a familiar-sounding cry from above and to your left chills your blood. Turning to look in the direction from which the sound came, you see just what you expected and dreaded: a flock of Birdmen, almost certainly the most dangerous creatures to be found in this part of Allansia.
Several months ago you and Tareg attracted the attention of a few of these vicious predators, and you found yourself outclassed by them and had to take shelter inside the caravan. You don't know how long you were in there, listening to them screeching and scrabbling on the roof, dreading that one might find a weak spot and break in, but it felt as if you aged a year before they finally gave up and flew off again.
Though the memory of that dreadful time brings fear, it also stirs within you rage, a desire to fight, to shed the blood of these airborne beasts and pay them back for the terror they caused. If there were not so many of them in the flock, if the fate of Allansia did not depend on your completing your quest, you might give in to that rage, but you know that there is too much at stake for you to risk such a fight, and conceal yourself in a nearby clump of bushes until the Birdmen have flown past. Add 1 LUCK point for avoiding such a dangerous encounter.
If you have been to the village of Coven, turn to 280. Otherwise, nothing else of note happens that day, and towards dusk you make camp for the night. Deduct one portion of Provisions without adding any STAMINA, or Test your Luck to see if you can find anything edible close by, deducting 3 STAMINA points if you find nothing and have to go hungry. Then note down the number of this section and turn to 42 to see if anything happens during the night.
The following day you are still on edge following your near-encounter with the Birdmen, but the skies and plains remain clear of beasts and travellers alike. You may if you wish, spend a little time foraging for food. If you do, roll one die and deduct 3 from the result. If the result is negative, reduce your Provisions by that amount. If the result is positive, increase your Provisions by that amount. If the result is zero, you find enough to satisfy your hunger but not enough for extra meals. Early in the evening you catch sight of Stonebridge up ahead. If you have at least one rune-inscribed tooth in addition to the one that Yaztromo gave you, turn to 355. If not, the thought of having to tell the Dwarves that you have not yet managed to defeat any of the Dark Elf lieutenants, of being mocked by Tareg for your failure, is more than you can bear, and you veer off to the east before making camp for the night. As before, you must deduct one portion of Provisions without adding any STAMINA, or lose 3 STAMINA points for going hungry. The night goes without incident but your spirits remain low in the morning as you resume your journey (turn to 399).
You look into a small alley where you see two men standing over a third who has been thrown into a few barrels standing in the alley. The two men are armed with clubs and are obviously going to give the other man a beating. Will you enter the alley to help him (turn to 84) or continue (turn to 294)?
The roof of the carriage springs open and you start to climb out without hesitation. Yet another blade flashes from above, catching you off guard. Test your Luck. Deduct 2 from the total rolled if you are wearing a helmet. If you are Lucky, it glances off your armour. If not, it slips past your defences wounding you across the eye. Lose 1 point of SKILL. That blow was dealt by the Dark Elf.
"Very resilient," he sneers. "But I must be going now. Go play with your horses." The lieutenant leaps to the ground, agile as a panther. Do you want to do the same (turn to 196) or climb into the driver's seat (turn to 23)?
When you arrive at Warpstone the midday sun is high the heat oppressive. The city is little more than a ball of dust, existing only because of the rich veins of gold and gems in the mountains, which also brings traders to the city, making it a busy town for one its size.
As you approach the city you notice a few armed guards walking around the perimeter, checking on the people who arrive. The guards look at you suspiciously but allow you through. The city's buildings are made of stone and look sturdy, presumably since they have to hold against the occasional sandstorm that blows all the way from the Desert of Skulls…so you have heard. You linger for a moment deciding what your next move should be. You may buy Provisions from the peddler here as you survey your surroundings. Each meal costs 1 Gold Piece.
Most of the city appears residential though the signposts dotted about seem to indicate a wealthier district and mining areas elsewhere. Two main roads ahead are reserved for visitors and seems as good a place as any to start searching for Dark Elf activity. Diamond Street leads into the main market area, while Opal Street is where travellers stable their horses and find accommodations for their stay in the city. Will you walk up Diamond Street (turn to 253), or along Opal Street (turn to 331)?
Warily, you gulp it down. Nothing happens, though the aftertaste of iron and vinegar makes you retch. You wonder what Yaztromo would think of it. As you turn to leave, you catch sight of someone else in the room. Holding up the lamp, you are met with a dazzling flash of light. Yaztromo himself stands before you looking as surprised as you are. You ask him what he is doing here and he enquires with the same words at the exact same time. Only then do you realise that you are talking to a mirror. But how can this be? Your clothes have become scarlet robes. And worse, you now have long white hair and beard - you have become Yaztromo! You start to panic but then the reflection develops a reddish glow and shifts effortlessly while you stare in amazement. Seconds later, you have reverted back to your original self. You check your face and belongings to find that they are just as they were. Fascinating! The liquid must be some variation of a doppelganger potion, you surmise. Who would want to use it and for what purpose? You don't have time to ponder but if you have an empty bottle, you can dispense the remainder of the concoction into it to take with you. Extinguishing the light, you go back outside. Turn to 86.
When you step up to their table, one of them offers you a seat. "You can play if you have two gold pieces or an item worthy to place a bet with." If you don't want to or cannot play, you decide to leave the tavern. Turn to 309.
If you choose to play, place the gold or any item of value in the centre of the table. The first man gambles two Gold Pieces; the second man gambles a potion of climbing. One of the men explains that the person who scores the highest is the winner and takes everything on the table. All you have to do is roll a die. So, roll one die for yourself, and then once for each of the two men. Re-roll any equal scores, then note down the results.
"Wait a minute," says one. "Now we make a second bet." They throw in another two Gold Pieces each. "Match it or scram!" The other man sniggers to himself.
If you can and wish to equal this amount, roll one more die for each gambler beginning with yourself. If you sacrifice a LUCK point, you may re-roll the die but the new number rolled will be final. Multiply this second number by ten and add the first to get a final total. If your score is the highest, you win whatever is on the table. (The potion, if drunk before climbing a wall, gives you an automatic success without needing to roll dice.) Annoyed by this loss, the men push you away from the table and will not play again. If you lost or backed out, they laugh at your defeat and take whatever you had bet. They refuse to play again with losers. You decide you have spent enough time in here and leave the tavern. Turn to 309.
Inside are about two dozen creatures of mixed races: Humans, Elves, Orcs, Goblins and even a few Dwarves. There are no Dark Elves in sight. The prisoners raise their heads in astonishment as they suddenly see you before them.
One of the Dwarves looks more alert than the other slaves so you go to him, quickly explaining who you are and the nature of your quest. He passes back what information he knows in a gruff voice, deepened by pain and deprivation.
"The Dark Elves' priest, the one in charge, is through the small door near our cells. We know there is some sort of evil ritual being performed," he explains, "and it's nearing completion but I don't know what it's about."
When you explain how you arrived at the cavern he makes a brave offer.
"Free us from these chains. The Dark Elves outnumber us, damn their souls, but we can provide a distraction so you can pass deeper into the lair and stop the ritual. With the luck of the gods, some of us may make it to safety." There is a rumble of agreement from the other prisoners and you soon work out a plan.
You start to free the prisoners, using your weapon to shatter their chains if you do not possess a Skeleton Key. You then pass out any weapons you can spare. Before you have freed all the prisoners, the door to the slave quarters open and two Dark Elves shout a warning when they see what is going on. You and the slaves you have freed let out a cry and attack, quickly overwhelming the Dark Elves at the door and then you dash into the main cavern. You head straight for the small door while the slaves head in all directions, creating what confusion they can.
Roll two dice. This is the Attack Strength of your motley force. Add 4 to the Attack Strength if you possess a Skeleton Key, as you were able to free more slaves before being spotted. Add 1 to the Attack Strength for each weapon you handed out to the slaves. Add a further 3 to the Attack Strength if you have enlisted the aid of the Knights of Salamonis earlier in your adventure, as there will be less Dark Elves for your forces to face in the cavern. Finally, if you can add a further 2 points to your Attack Strength by spending 1 point of LUCK - your plan relies on the favour of the gods of good!
If the final Attack Strength of your force is at least 13, the slaves create enough havoc for you to make it to the door unnoticed (turn to 394). If the final Attack Strength is less than 13, your allies are quickly overcome. The attention of the Dark Elves focus on you as you run to the door (turn to 171).
The room erupts into chaos as the patrons try and flee for the door. Many draw weapons and lash out blindly around them, while the three Skeleton Warriors at the door tirelessly and methodically hack down anyone within reach. You are caught up in the midst of this brawl and must roll one die and consult the table below to see what happens to you then read the instructions following the table.
1. You hide underneath a table and wait for a chance to dash to safety.
2. One of the tavern's patrons seeks to profit from the chaos and strikes at you from behind. Lose 2 STAMINA points then, if you are still alive, turn to fight him.
THUG SKILL 7 STAMINA 4
3. You struggle through the crowd and are struck a glancing blow from one of the combatants; lose 1 STAMINA point.
4. You are attacked by a Vagabond, who in his fear maddened state, sees you as an enemy. You must fight.
MADDENED PATRON SKILL 6 STAMINA 4
5. You duck and slide around the struggling patrons, somehow avoiding harm.
6. A Skeleton Warrior bars your way, smirking at you with a gap-toothed grin. If you have fought this opponent before, go to 7 below, otherwise you must fight.
SKELETON WARRIOR SKILL 7 STAMINA 6
If you hit the Skeleton Warrior with a blow from a sharp weapon such as a sword, it will only do 1 STAMINA point of damage (2 STAMINA if you decide to Test your Luck and are successfully, 0 points if you are unsuccessful) as there is little for your weapon to damage. A blunt weapon such as a Warhammer will do normal damage to a Skeleton Warrior.
7. A Skeleton Warrior cuts down a ragged woman in front of you and comes at you with a blood tipped sword. If you have fought this opponent before, go to 8 below, otherwise you must fight.
SKELETON WARRIOR SKILL 7 STAMINA 5
If you hit the Skeleton Warrior with a blow from a sharp weapon such as a sword, it will only do 1 STAMINA point of damage (2 STAMINA if you decide to Test your Luck and are successfully, 0 points if you are unsuccessful) as there is little for your weapon to damage. A blunt weapon such as a Warhammer will do normal damage to a Skeleton Warrior.
8. A Skeleton Warrior stands at the door, surrounded by the bodies of the dead. A push from behind sends you stumbling forwards into the reach of its weapon. If you have fought this opponent before, go to 9 below, otherwise you must fight.
SKELETON WARRIOR SKILL 9 STAMINA 4
If you hit the Skeleton Warrior with a blow from a sharp weapon such as a sword, it will only do 1 STAMINA point of damage (2 STAMINA if you decide to Test your Luck and are successfully, 0 points if you are unsuccessful) as there is little for your weapon to damage. A blunt weapon such as a Warhammer will do normal damage to a Skeleton Warrior.
9+ There is a shocking silence in the tavern as the fighting ends. You look around the gore-covered room. The last of the Skeleton Warriors has been defeated. Turn to 213 immediately without reading on further.
Now you must roll one die again, adding 1 to the score for each time you have rolled on this table previously. If, for example, you had rolled on the table twice previously, you would roll the die and add 2 to the total to give you a number from 3 to 8.
You are close to the Singing Bridge. You pass by several stalls selling sweet treats to the crowd. If you want to purchase a treat for yourself, cross of 1 Gold Piece and restore 2 STAMINA points for the food.
Making it to the bridge, it is easy to avoid the attention of the Troll guards given the bustling crowds and you duck down underneath. The stench is atrocious! Ahead of you is a run-down hut surrounded with signs saying things like 'Go away' and 'Keep out'. This sounds like Nicodemus's place. You head up to the door of the hut and knock loudly. You hear muttering and cursing coming from inside. Suddenly the door is flung open and a wild looking man with a mass of unruly white hair stands before you. "What do you want? What do you WANT! I'm very busy, go away." You start to explain your mission and tell him that you have been sent by the wizard Yaztromo. He cuts you off with a loud, "Can't you hear properly, I told you to GO AWAY!" He starts to close the door.
If you want to keep trying to explain yourself to Nicodemus, turn to 41. If you want to leave and try to contact the thieves' guild instead, turn to 251.
You are lead to tall double doors along with ten other members and forced to huddle like cattle. Weapons, shields and helmets are distributed amongst you by the gatekeeper. Most of these are either broken or bent; the pieces of armour, frail and unrepaired. You reject every single piece of garbage (unless you are unarmed, in which case, you pick a rusty spear that lowers your Attack Strength by 1 while you have it).
The double doors slowly creak open letting in a flurry of snow and the sound of a bloodthirsty audience. The guards usher you out on to the arena before slamming the doors shut behind you. Bracketed torches have been lit to illuminate the Battle Pit at this hour. Ahead, two dragon-like beasts are devouring the last of the first party; another lies inert, soaking the sand red from an open jugular. Almost all the warriors with you lack any real combat discipline. Only a few hang back either through sensibility or cowardice. The rest charge screaming to attack, provoking the great beasts to retaliate immediately. The skirmish is swift and deadly. Ultimately, the sheer size and savagery of the DRAGON COUSERS throws the warriors into panic and chaos.
Moments later, they are all killed. Then the cousers turn on your small force, stampeding their way towards you. Some of the warriors scatter round the arena walls drawing away one of the beasts. You are left with three who cower behind you fearfully, tugging at your clothes. Heavy paws pound into the dirt ever closer at a quickening pace. You must fight your way free! Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 169. If you are Unlucky, turn to 271.
Fortunately for you, your body misses the spike. Lose 3 STAMINA points for the impact, but gain 1 LUCK point for surviving what would have been a fatal result. You spot the wooden ladder that the hunter uses to get down into the trap to collect his reward. Climbing out, you silently curse the hunter who could have sealed the unfortunate fate of Allansia. You continue on, being careful of any other traps. The undergrowth is gradually getting thicker the deeper you tread, and less light is penetrating the canopy. Not too long after that, you reach a T-junction in the dirt path. You can head north (turn to 384), or head west (turn to 92).
You drink your potion and watch as one of the Dark Elves enters the slave quarters. As the door is opened again to let the Dark Elf out, with two human prisoners behind him, you make your move. You cover ground quickly and sneak through the door moments before it is closed again. Turn to 348.
You walk up Diamond Street, taking time to examine some of the stores. If you wish to buy any of the items on offer, you may do so:
Garlic 1 Gold Piece
Lantern 2 Gold Pieces
Bone Flute 3 Gold Pieces
Shield 3 Gold Pieces
Sword 4 Gold Pieces
Chainmail Armour 9 Gold Pieces
Plate Mail Armour 12 Gold Pieces
Garlic will come in handy should you ever need to ward off vampiric creatures. A lantern will light your way during hours of darkness. The flute is well crafted and the storekeeper demonstrates by playing a simple melody. The shield gives you no combat advantage but may provide extra cover against certain hazards. The sword is just a normal sword. Chainmail (and Plate Mail) reduces the STAMINA damage taken in combat by 1 point, provided that your Attack Strength in that round is no more than 2 (3 for Plate Mail) below your opponent's. Wearing any type of armour adds 1 to the dice roll whenever you Test your Skill. When you have finished browsing, you continue up Diamond Street (turn to 294).
The Dwarves of Stonebridge are still maintaining a lookout, and a small reception committee comes running to meet you as soon as you draw close enough to be recognisable. They bombard you with questions, and as soon as you reveal that you have had some success, two of them race back to the village to spread the good news.
By the time you reach Stonebridge, a crowd has gathered in the main square, and Gillibran, the king of the village, greets you personally before announcing that there will be a celebratory feast in the local tavern.
Over the course of the evening you eat well and tell of your exploits several times. Throughout the festivities, Tareg skulks in a corner, glowering into a flask of ale, but it will take more than his mean-spiritedness to spoil your good mood. Eventually the crowd dissipates, and you are shown to the best room in the house for a good night's sleep. Add 6 STAMINA points for the hearty meal and the rest.
In the morning the innkeeper hands you a bundle of Dwarf bread to help sustain you as you continue your search for clues to the location of the Chaos Gate (add 2 portions of Provisions). You are in high spirits as you set off again, the cheers of your Dwarven friends ringing in your ears. Turn to 399.
A large tunnel has been hollowed out in front of you and you creep in cautiously. You follow a set of rough-hewn steps downwards until the passage opens into a damp cavern. It is brightly lit by scores of candles carefully arranged in a circle - the symbol of Chaos! Sitting cross-legged in the centre is the lieutenant, her eyes focussed on an ethereal visage hanging in midair. Your intrusion disturbs the candles. As one extinguishes the rest follow in sequence, and the ghostly apparition vanishes in a puff of smoke. The lieutenant rises slowly, her slender frame exuding malice and corrupt power. For the first time she addresses you directly, glaring at you with hatred.
"You have caused me much grief, human, but your luck has come to an end. Do you seriously consider you can prevail against the power of the dark arts? I could obliterate you here and now…but, my master offers you a choice. Behold the wealth of the mine."
She demonstrates by snatching up a chunk of rock, using magical energy to crumble the exterior to present the gold within!
"Yes, human. Solid gold and precious ore there is also. We are surrounded by it, and it will fuel our campaign of domination. Your skills are impressive, for a human, and we require that in our ranks. Join us and you will receive your own weight in gold, troops to command and a share of the conquered territories. What shall it be, human: your own destruction, or a lifetime of wealth and glory?"
She throws you the chunk of gold to seal the deal. The offer is certainly tempting. Will you catch it (turn to 336) or let it fall (turn to 24)?
The map warns you of a particularly dangerous area up ahead, so you pick a path that will avoid whatever prompted the mapmaker to mark the valley with a skull and crossbones. However, your chosen route proves to have its own dangers. From a cave mouth high up on a hill emerges a large Ogre, which brandishes a crude bone club as it charges to the attack.
OGRE SKILL 8 STAMINA 10
If you win, the Ogre's corpse stinks so foully that you decide against searching it or the cave. Faint sounds from very close by draw your attention to an injured hare writhing on the ground. It appears to have been trampled by the Ogre, and there is no chance of its surviving, so you break its neck to put it out of its misery. If you are pragmatic enough to take advantage of its misfortune, you may take the hare for your evening meal. Whatever you decide, you encounter nothing else over the course of the day, and again make camp towards sundown. Unless you kept the hare, you must either deduct a portion of Provisions or lose 3 STAMINA points for going hungry. Once again you must roll on the table at section 42 to see if you get an undisturbed night's rest. If you make it through the night, turn to 174.
Quite a long way uphill, you hear wooden flutes, see fire-eaters, and are amazed at the amount of spectators that have gathered upon the crest and beyond it. Down in the distance to your left, chain-bound gates have been set up securing the entrance to Fang's infamous dungeon. But most breathtaking of all is the giant structure to your right: a colossal arena, standing many storeys high. Who knows what is battling within at this moment? You walk closer towards it. The wind has started to pick up and is colder than when you first arrived in town. You push your way through crowds of people, passing cages containing fierce monsters and wild beasts. You safeguard your backpack after spotting a rogue slip a pouch from an unsuspecting bystander.
Suddenly, someone taps you on the shoulder. A skinny man with frizzy grey hair greets you.
"Hello there. If you care to buy anything from me, please do so now. You won't get another chance later; I need to eat by sun down."
He reveals to you leaf-wrapped Battle Bites (1 Gold Piece each) and vials of antitoxin (3 Gold Pieces each). Battle Bites are nourishing biscuits cut in the shape of the people's favourite arena monsters. Each restores 3 points of STAMINA when eaten and can substitute for a meal when you need to keep your strength up. They do not count towards your Provisions limit and are light enough to be classed as a single item. Antitoxin can be used just before a battle starts, negating the effects of poison or venom attacks. As the peddler leaves, you catch a glimpse of what looked like a Dark Elf entering the arena! Could it be…?
Shoving far enough towards the main entrance, you are stopped by a tall man dressed in black leather armour. If you are a wanted thief and are not wearing a cloak, turn to 279. Otherwise, turn to 116.
You have made it into Port Blacksand. You survey the bustling crowds of people all shouting, drinking and otherwise celebrating. If you want to buy Provisions here, you may do so at 2 Gold Pieces per meal. You realise that even if one of the Dark Elf lieutenants is in Blacksand, it is going to be almost impossible to find them in this mass of people. Even just making your way through the crowded streets is tricky, as people are constantly getting in each other's way. At one point you swerve to avoid a fat man in ill-fitting armour, and almost walk straight into a bearded mariner. As you and he both recoil from your near-collision, a small metal dart flies through the gap between your faces and thuds into the wood of a window frame. You turn to look in the direction from which the dart came, but there is no way of identifying the person who fired it in this crowd, so instead you turn your attention to the dart.
"Don't touch it," warns the seaman. "The poison'll rot the flesh off your fingers in seconds. Good thing you got in my way, or it might've done for me."
For a moment you are taken aback. Surely this was an attempt to keep you from tracking down the Dark Elves.
Your surprise must show on your face, as the sailor goes on, "Oh yes, it was meant for me. It's not the first time those heathen devils have tried that trick."
He reaches out and shakes you by the hand. "I must repay you for saving my life, but right now I have urgent business to attend to. Come to my ship, the Sea Horse, before sundown tomorrow - she's moored in a cove due south of the river mouth, since harbour fees are so high during the festival - and we can work something out."
Without even waiting for you to reply, he dodges around you and weaves his way down the thronged street. You duck into a nearby alley, out of the way of the crowds, while you consider your next move. Two ideas for gathering information come to you.
Firstly, you have heard that the reclusive but goodly wizard Nicodemus lives beneath the Singing Bridge in the centre of Port Blacksand. Nicodemus would almost certainly be aware of any evil plots one of the lieutenants might be carrying out in the city. If you want to head for the Singing Bridge and Nicodemus, turn to 5.
Your other idea holds more risk. You have heard that a shadowy and sinister guild of thieves exists in Port Blacksand. One part of the city, called the Noose, is said to be the centre of their operations. What better place to find information than the thieves' network in the city? If you want to seek out the Noose and risk trying to contact the Thieves' Guild for information, turn to 290.
You soon come up to a cage bearing a distinct symbol at its base. Pulling back the cover you find yourself staring directly into huge round eyes as black as midnight. The thing before you has vast jaws equipped with piranha-like incisors. It has blemished, rubbery skin pulled taut over a squat and powerful body. Whatever the creature is, it seems to regard you with equal interest. As you stare, a column of light organs on its forehead flash rhythmically - perhaps it is trying to communicate. You look away just in case it is some kind of lure for potential prey. You certainly don't fancy tackling such a monstrous brute. Do you have any form of poison that you wish to apply? If so, the creature convulses and falls on to a pool of its own blood. Cross it off your Adventure Sheet and make a note that you have killed the Saw-Tooth. Whatever the case, you leave immediately before someone catches you. Unfortunately, you blunder straight into a bunch of armed guards.
"Well, well, well. What have we here? Lost are you?" asks one of them.
"No. The baron requests a routine check up on each of the beasts." You try to act commandingly, but the guard is not convinced.
"An inspector, you say? I see no identification, and why in such a hurry to leave? I think you are lost. Take the fool away!"
You are dragged kicking and screaming down the corridor when a short man holding a scroll comes to your rescue. "Stop that! Leave that un alone!" The guards obey and walk off. "Pologies, they know nought more than worm in wet ground." You ask him who he is.
"Ye should be ask'un who I think ye is."
"So, who do you think I am?"
"Follow me, warrior. I think ye…is gunna make me rich."
You are not quite sure what he meant by that. Turn to 289.
You climb as high as you can go, using the forest of stalactites to stay hidden from watchful eyes. Then you move along the wall towards the fissure. The wall is wet but mostly it is easy going due to the uneven surface giving plenty of hand and foot holds to work your way along. Some parts are much tougher.
Test your Skill, adding 2 to the number rolled if you don't have a rope and grappling hook. If you are successful, you make it to the fissure in the wall and worm your way into the slave quarters (turn to 348). If you are unsuccessful, your foot slips and you fall to the ground, making terrible amounts of noise. Lose 2 STAMINA points. If you still live, turn to 118.
The small thief leads you through the back ways and alleys of the city. You warn him about the consequences of leading you astray. In a whining voice he claims you are almost there.
As it gets to late afternoon, you make it to what has to be the Noose. There is a collection of run-down, crowded buildings. The one way you can see leading into the Noose is narrow and you spot movement from the shadows. As you get nearer to the entrance, still holding the thief close, there are heckles from around, but not directed at you.
"Looks like you caught a bigger fish than you could fry," shouts a voice causing a round of laughter. You get led further into the Noose. There are thieves all around who stop and stare as you pass. Your captured thief is shaking with fear. He takes you to a nondescript door.
"In here. You can find out what you need to know in here," the thief whines. He twists from you grasp with desperate effort and dashes into the shadows. You knock on the door; turn to 257.
As the gap between the falling block and the floor narrows you get ready to leap through the remaining space. At that moment, your foot slides on a loose stone sending you crashing to the ground. You have only the briefest instant to curse your poor fortune before you are crushed to a pulp.
There are dozens of stalls, with all sorts of items available for sale. As you wander through, several items strike your interest.
Rope 2 Gold Pieces
Grappling Hook 3 Gold Pieces
Provisions 1 Gold Piece per meal
Leather Gloves 2 Gold Pieces
Lantern 3 Gold Pieces
Holy Water 3 Gold Pieces per vial
Silver Dagger 7 Gold Pieces
Clove of Garlic 1 Gold Piece
Most of these items need no explanation to an adventurer like you. The Grappling Hook is only useful in conjunction with a Rope, and allows you to fasten the Rope to fixtures well above you. One small stall, set up by an old, rail-thin priest, sells supplies useful when dealing with the undead. He has two vials of Holy Water. Each inflicts one die's worth of STAMINA damage to undead creatures such as skeletons and spirits if you choose to throw it at the start of combat. The Silver Dagger is a poor weapon; subtract 1 from your Attack Strength when using it, but it can hurt some creatures not harmed by regular weapons.
When you are finished browsing, if you want to enter the shop marked 'Talson's Travel Maps,' turn to 250. If you want to enter the shop marked 'Malfeous the Talented: Magics for All Occasions,' turn to 181. If you have had enough of shopping and want to leave the square, turn to 4.
With a flick of his hand he levitates the item over and cradles it in his arms.
"Excellent. Now what do you wish to know?"
If you want to ask the location of the ritual, turn to 134.
If you want to know the locations of the Dark Elf lieutenants, turn to 272.
If you want to know the identities and powers of the Dark Elf lieutenants, turn to 315.
The dead man's fingers crack unpleasantly as you prise his hand open. Clutched within it is an ornate seal carved from marble. You decide to take the Marble Seal with you, and slip it into your pocket before heading back into the forest (turn to 221).
As you strike the portal there is a burst of magical energy that flows between your weapon and the portal, causing your weapon to vibrate violently. The portal sheds magic uncontrollably in all directions, then explodes with furious lashes of multi-coloured light. You are thrown back to the far side of the cavern. The Chaos Incarnate bursts outwards and dissolves away, no longer able to manifest on this plane now that its source of power is destroyed.
You feel a moment of triumph for your success, then there is a huge burst of energy coming from where the Chaos Gate was located that radiates through the earth, shaking the ground with the force of its passage. The cavern cannot take the stress of this final energy release and collapses down upon you. You feel a moment of pain then everything goes black. Turn to 400.
Something doesn't add up. Although Commander Loth claimed he was one of the lieutenants, you found no item on his person with connection to the location of the Chaos Gate. And didn't Yaztromo say that all the lieutenants were Dark Elves? An impostor may still be at large within the palace.
If you wish to accuse one of the courtiers of trickery and conspiring against the city, convert the letters in his name, disregarding title, into numbers (where A=1, B=2 and so on). If you want to, you can refer to paragraph 252 to see who is in the court. Turn to the paragraph corresponding with the total when added together. If the paragraph makes no sense, you have put the blame on the wrong person. Turn to 207.
Alternatively, if you have learnt of a useful ploy on your travels and wish to apply it here, turn to the paragraph that corresponds with the name you wish to mention if spelt backwards.
Or, if you think this action is too risky, you keep it to yourself. Turn to 151.
Just metres above the base of the waterfall, you spot what looks like a set of crude stone steps. You climb up to them easily enough and find that the path leads behind the cascade to a cave entrance. Each step is slippery, however, and the path gets progressively narrower. Only a person with incredible dexterity would be able to descend them safely. You must try. A length of rope to secure yourself with would be most welcome, and a potion of climbing, if drunk, will give you automatic success during one of the following dice rolls.
Test your Skill. If you succeed, you advance warily along the first set of steps. Then you must Test your Skill again, this time adding 1 to the result. If you are successful, you manage the second set. The last set is so narrow it barely exists. For this final Test of Skill, you must add 2 to the result.
If you fail a Test of Skill but have rope, you slip, gaining a few painful abrasions - lose 2 STAMINA points. You must then continue rolling dice until you succeed in that particular Test of Skill before you are able to move on to the next.
If you fail a Test of Skill and don't have a rope, you teeter on the edge then plunge into the water. The fall itself is short as you were already near the bottom, but the buffeting you receive from the cascade costs you 3 STAMINA points (1 if you sacrifice a LUCK point). If you are still alive, you swim to the bank before the current sweeps you away. There you may rest and consume Provisions. Reluctantly, you trace your way back to the top of the stone steps where you must attempt the challenge all over again from the start.
Continue trying until you either succeed or die in the attempt. If you make it down the third set of steps, turn to 225.
The guards are immediately suspicious and call out harsh commands in their language. You are unable to respond and they attack. The Dark Elf warriors move to flank you but you retreat down the tunnel so they can only come at you one at a time. They fight with skill and fury.
ELITE DARK ELF WARRIOR SKILL 10 STAMINA 6
ELITE DARK ELF WARRIOR SKILL 9 STAMINA 7
If you defeat them, you search the bodies, finding a Key of Bone. Their armour is the wrong shape for you but they each have a helmet inscribed with a stylised eye upon it. You can wear one of the Eye Scribed Helmets if you wish. You try the key in the door. It turns. You open it warily. Turn to 385.
You search the body of the dead barbarian. He was holding on to Golden Winged Boots. Decide if you want to take the boots, then head back to the street. Turn to 55.
Two soldiers come rushing in and see you standing over the three men writhing in pain. They step over to you and grab your arm but the bartender intervenes explaining that it was the three other men who started the fight.
The soldier looks at you and says, "Alright I'm letting you off with a warning this time, but try not to get involved in something like this again."
The soldiers rouse the three men and inform them that they have to spend a few days behind bars to let them think their actions through. You collect your winnings which have fallen on the floor, and leave the inn since there isn't much else to do here (turn to 261).
You continue on your way, and towards evening you come upon a road, which must surely lead to Port Blacksand. However, you have not yet sighted the city by nightfall, and have to make camp again. Deduct one portion of Provisions or lose 3 STAMINA points for going hungry, make a note of this section number and turn to 42 to see if you make it through the night. If you do, the morning breeze brings with it a disgusting stench, which grows stronger as you continue towards your destination. Before long you realise that this is because Port Blacksand is the source of the foul smell. Reminding yourself that you have already been through experiences far worse than just having to put up with such a stink, you press onwards. Turn to 93.
The man suddenly notices the star pinned on to your clothing. "Hang on. Where did you get that?" You explain how you rescued Silek from the two brutes, and the men ease up, offering you a seat. You tell them that you need a map of the mines and they look at you warily. Then one of the men, who introduces himself as Borak, Silek's father, says, "I can get you a map of the tunnels, but it won't really help you that much. You cannot get into the mines. They are guarded by soldiers and only workers are allowed into the mines. I cannot help you get in, but I do have a map. Meet me at Sapphire Street number 28 in an hour and you'll have the map. You thank the man and leave the table, and very shortly thereafter the three men leave the inn. You may, if you have not done so before, talk to the bartender (turn to 115), talk to the man and woman (turn to 43), or ask to join the men playing dice (turn to 395).
You make it to the doorway. Peering in, you believe it to be the private quarters of someone fairly important judging by the expensive rugs and hangings. If you want to risk a search of the private quarters (and have not done so previously), turn to 72 at once.
Otherwise, from here you can see the guarded door to the slave quarters on the right-hand wall and beyond that, a small unguarded door further around the wall on the far side of the cavern. The small door is in clear view of several groups of Dark Elves and you would have to pass by the guarded doorway to get to it. Above the door to the slave quarters, shrouded from clear view by shadows and stalactites, is a small fissure in the wall. This could offer another way into the slave quarters. What will you do?
If you possess a Potion of Invisibility and wish to drink it before dashing towards the door on the right-hand wall, turn to 353.
If you want to attempt a difficult and dangerous climb up the wall and along to the fissure, risking the very real possibility of a fall or being seen, turn to 361.
If you want to stride straight into the cavern, scorning concealment, turn to 111.
If you want to make your way along the left-hand wall, back to the entrance tunnel then further around to the tunnel leading out of the opposite side of the cavern, turn to 386.
You uncork the vial and drink some of the green liquid. It tastes foul and partially stings your mouth. The sting then goes away, but it soon turns into a burning feeling. That disappears as well, leaving your mouth somewhat dry. Lose 1 STAMINA point. It feels like every muscle in your body has just been energised. You have in your hands a Potion of Adrenaline. You may take the single remaining dose of potion with you. Before a battle begins, you may drink the liquid. Since it leaves your throat parched you will lose 1 STAMINA point for drinking it. But if you do, you will be able to add 2 to your Attack Strength during the first three Attack Rounds. Thereafter, the effect of the potion wears off. You carefully stow the potion in your backpack and leave the hut. As you push open the door, the adrenaline inside you disappears. A little disappointed at the short-lived effects of the potion, you return to the junction and head north this time, hoping that you are on the right track. Turn to 204.
The path continues east and you arrive at a junction where the path splits to the north and south. Remembering what Yaztromo told you, you decide to take the northern path. Turn to 384.
If you have business at the House of Reinholt, turn to 337. If you don't but know of someone outside the city that you want to visit, turn to 323. If neither of these applies to you, turn to 170.
Asking about the slaves might not be the best step to take. Instead, you say that you are a surveyor from Sardath and have come to Warpstone to examine the quarries for rich minerals. You add that since you are new in town, you are unfamiliar with the area and ask her for directions. She looks at you suspiciously but seems to buy it.
"You are indeed fortunate to have run into me, stranger, for the quarries you are interested in are none other than my own." A few of the guards appear shocked upon hearing this. "Well, they are my husband's, to be exact. But like he said, what's mine is yours."
The guards ease up though you cannot help but detect something sinister in her words.
"Anyhow, I believe this is what you need," she reaches for a large scroll and unfurls it before you. "This is a map of the largest quarry we have. It is very accurate and shows the types of minerals we are mining. I was down there earlier myself. Follow the signposts and you will get there."
Your attention is immediately caught by a strange symbol on the map marked by one of the mines. It looks like an Elven rune similar to the rune on the tooth-piece Yaztromo gave you. Why would she have such a map? Does she have dealings with the Dark Elves? You ask if she has a map of that particular mine.
"You have a good eye indeed, for that is one of our richest mines containing ore that many other settlements prize. I don't have the map with me but if you come by the House of Reinholt later in the day, it will be ready for you. Just say that Lady Emathura sent you." She gives you directions and thanking her, you are about to leave when she continues, "You understand that the map will cost you, of course. Three gold pieces; this is business after all."
If you are interested in purchasing the map, you must give her the payment now and you can collect the map later. Make your choice and carry on along the street by turning to 354.
You continue to search for The Noose. Suddenly, a number of creatures…Goblins, move out from the shadows to surround you. Worse still, a hideous wart-faced Troll steps out in front of you, brandishing two wickedly sharp knives.
One of the Goblins titters, "Stenchbreath has been looking for an adventurer ever since one of your kind killed her mate Sourbelly. She is going to make you pay." Stenchbreath the Troll approaches you with murder in her eyes. You must fight.
STENCHBREATH SKILL 9 STAMINA 10
If you win the fight the Goblins scatter. Strenchbreath's knives are too poor quality to be of any use to you but you do find 2 Gold Pieces on her body. It is getting dark and the city is too dangerous for a stranger, even an adventurer like yourself, to stay in overnight. You decide to head for the nearest city gate, turn to 89.
Alas, there are far too many to avoid. By the time you get to the door, the creatures have swarmed all over you. Rats bite viciously at your face and centipedes burrow into your flesh! Turn to 48.
Continuing on your way, you round a hill and, in the distance, see the distinctive red peak of Firetop Mountain. You have almost made it through the Moonstone Hills, and your route onwards depends on where you are headed. If you want to get to Zengis, you bear north-east (turn to 206). If you plan to visit Fang, you head north-west (turn to 390).
You wait impatiently for Yaztromo's response. Storm clouds are brewing in the skies above; a foreboding veil shrouding the lands in shadow. You are momentarily shaken as thunderclap ruptures the still air - a dark omen perhaps. Your quest to find the lieutenants has taken some time and the Chaos Gate that threatens Allansia may even be ready to unleash its horrors by now. You hope your efforts have not been in vain. Suddenly, the copper ring on your finger glows warmly as an ethereal voice addresses you. Yaztromo is trying to contact you from afar. You assure him that you can hear him clear enough and relay to him the outcome of your mission. Cutting you short of details, Yaztromo tells you that his analysis has led him to believe that the markings on each rune-inscribed tooth should somehow relate to pinpointing the location of the Chaos Gate. Obviously, the more of these items you have the better.
If you possess just one tooth-piece, turn to 176.
If you possess two tooth-pieces, turn to 209.
If you possess three tooth-pieces, turn to 10.
If you possess all four, add together the number of markings found on each tooth-piece. Multiply the result by seven and turn to the paragraph that corresponds with the total.
The trees start to thin out and you soon enter a clearing with tall grass. The sun is shining intensely all around. In the distance, you can see low rising hills. Perhaps the Dark Elves are hiding in there? Suddenly, you feel something coil around your leg and you instinctively hack at it with your weapon. It loosens its grip and drops to the ground, and you realise that it was merely a long blade of grass. But as you watch others like it start to twitch and extend until the whole carpet comes alive. A rustling behind you makes you turn to see a being taking shape from the grass itself. If you possess a Potion of Liquid Fire and wish to use it, the mutant catches on fire and is reduced to ashes within seconds while you beat a hasty exit. Turn to 38. If you don't have the potion or do not wish to use it, you must defend yourself as it lashes at you with unnaturally sharp arms.
GRASS MUTANT SKILL 7 STAMINA 10
As you fight, the mutant flings multitudes of sharp grass at you. Unless you have a shield, these cut into your exposed skin reducing your STAMINA by 1 point each Attack Round regardless of whether or not you have the higher Attack Strength. If you win, you quickly run down the path, not wanting to encounter any more of these creatures. Turn to 38.
You enter a small natural cavern which opens into a much larger one on the far side. There is sound of arcane chanting and the bitter smell of incense in the air. You move to the entrance of the larger cavern.
Through the stalagmites and the constant haze of dripping water, you can see a circle lit by burning candles. Beyond the circle is a rune-inscribed portal - the Chaos Gate! It pulses menacingly and the stuff of pure chaos rolls within, straining against the bonds of reality. You have made it in time - the ritual is not yet complete.
And then you realise that there is no more chanting. From inside the circle there is a wave of energy moving towards you, breaking and shattering stone and causing stalactites to fall in a deadly rain. Revealed now in the arcane circle, his invisibility disrupted by his latest spell, is a hooded Dark Elf. His features are both noble and cruel but scarred by a lifetime of channelling the power of his dark god. This is the leader of the Dark Elves. You have only to defeat him and your mission will be successful.
Now, however, you must try and survive his magic as the wave of destruction engulfs you. If you want to charge forward through the field of devastating shards in an attempt to reach the Dark Elf, turn to 113. If you want to dive to one side, turn to 246. If you want to run back towards the door in an attempt to outrun the deadly storm, turn to 393.
You wend you way through pillars of stone until you make it to the exit tunnel. From your vantage point, you can see the tunnel stretching into darkness. You can also see another door on the left-hand wall further around the cavern. This door is unguarded but has no cover nearby so is clearly visible to the Dark Elves camping in the cavern.
If you want to head down the tunnel leading out of the cavern (and haven't already done so), turn to 317. If you possess a Potion of Invisibility and wish to drink it before dashing towards the door on the left-hand wall, turn to 154. If you want to move away from your concealed position to try and get to either this doorway or to one of the other exits from the cavern, turn to 111. To move back the way you came and around the right-hand cavern wall towards the unguarded door there, turn to 146.
As the mist lifts, you catch sight of what appears to be a human body tangled in the reeds at the river's edge. You point it out to Captain Tully, but he has other concerns.
"The water's tricky around here. If you really want to check this body out, I can put you ashore, but we won't be able to wait for you."
If you wish to leave the Sea Horse now and investigate the corpse, turn to 88. If you would rather continue towards your destination, turn to 230.
The men look surprised as you charge towards them. One attempts to block your path while the other one strikes you with his club. Lose 2 STAMINA points. You try and get past the Thug blocking your way.
THUG SKILL 7 STAMINA 7
Fight one Attack Round against the Thug. If you win, you have hurled him aside and made your escape, turn to 85. If you lose the Attack Round, not only do you take damage as normal, but also the Thug has successfully stopped you from getting away, turn to 299 to continue the fight.
You feel your body slowly getting tugged by invisible hands towards your destination. All goes hazy for a while and, before you know what has happened, you find yourself standing inside Yaztromo's grand tower.
"Perfect, it worked just like I intended," says the old wizard, slumping down in an old oak chair. "Casting that spell was quite exhausting, especially since you were carrying so many objects."
You ask him if anybody else has volunteered to help in the struggle to protect Allansia. "Nobody in the area is brave enough to risk their life, though if nothing is done they will die anyway. If I were to accompany you, the Dark Elves would likely sense my magical energy and prepare for us. You have to go alone. Now I'd set you right myself, but seeing as I am worn out, you'll have to settle for a simple potion." He hands you a restorative and you drink it, instantly feeling the effects. Regain 6 lost STAMINA points.
Getting up, he tells you to follow him. Yaztromo leads you to his food storage where you are given a parcel containing bread, cheeses, fruit and dried meats to replenish your supplies. Add five to your Provisions. Before you leave, the wizard says to you, "This is the final part of your journey, and likely the most dangerous. The future of Allansia is in your hands. Good luck." You nod and head into the depths of Darkwood Forest with grim determination. Turn to 212.
You continue on your way, and reach the southern bank of the Red River not long before the sun disappears below the horizon. Rather than risk a crossing in the dark, you make camp by the river. Deduct one portion of Provisions without gaining any STAMINA, or lose 3 STAMINA points if you have no food left, and check the table at section 42 to see if you have a good night. Should you survive to see another day, Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 39. If you are Unlucky, turn to 319.
It is a bright, sunny day, and it seems strange to think that there could be any danger close by. Nevertheless, you do your best to stay alert as you head into a long valley between two high, boulder-strewn hills. Turn to 30.
As you continue on your way, you leave Firetop Mountain behind. Early in the afternoon you catch sight of a small group of Orcs heading towards the mountain. You decide to avoid them and carry on north-west. You may if you wish, spend a little time foraging for food. If you do, roll one die and deduct 3 from the result. If the result is negative, reduce your Provisions by that amount. If the result is positive, increase your Provisions by that amount. If the result is zero, you find enough to satisfy your hunger but not enough for extra meals. Turn to 162.
You never make it to safety. The wave of energy surrounds you, shredding you with dozens of deadly sharp stones. Once the magic has past, little remains of you except for some tattered remnants of your equipment and scattered, almost unrecognisable fragments of your body. Your adventure ends here.
You make it through the door without any problem. You close it behind you and head down the narrow passageway ahead, leaving the main cavern behind you. The tunnel quickly ends in a small room with a downward sloping passage leading out on the far side. In the room, you can see a number of alcoves and engravings on the walls. Next to the far exit is a strange twisted indentation. If you possess a Chaos Marked Ring and wish to place it into indentation before leaving the room, cross the Chaos Marked Ring off your Adventure Sheet and turn to 141. If you don't possess the ring or do not wish to leave it behind, turn to 27.
As you walk over to the men playing dice they look up and invite you to play, even before you have a chance to ask them if you may. You ask them what the rules are in the game and they explain that you each have five dice you roll in secret and look at, and the object is to state that there are a certain amount of each facing rolled. For example, you may state that there are seven dice that have rolled a five. Then the next person has to make a higher claim or claim that you are wrong. If he chooses to claim that you are wrong you all show your dice and if you're right you remove one die from your pool, and if he's right he removes one. The aim is to be the first person to lose all his dice. Each game costs 1 Gold Piece. Every time you play a game you must Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, you win 4 Gold Pieces (but remember that you pay 1 Gold Piece to play). You may play as many times as you like provided you have at least 1 Gold Piece. If you win three straight games, turn to 202.
When you are done playing games you may, if you have not done so before, talk to the bartender (turn to 115), join the man and woman (turn to 43), or talk to the three men in the corner (turn to 26). Alternatively, you may choose to leave the inn (turn to 261).
You bear a little to the east as you trek southwards, ever vigilant for any sign of the many hostile creatures said to infest this region, but aware that this route should save you from having to go through the even more dangerous Trolltooth Pass. Late on in the afternoon you espy a dark, mist-covered lake up ahead, and make a detour to avoid it, fearful of what horrors could lurk within its depths.
Towards nightfall you make camp once more. If you still have Provisions, deduct another portion without gaining any STAMINA. Otherwise, you may Test your Luck to try and find food, losing 3 STAMINA points if you are Unlucky or choose not to search. Whether or not you eat, roll on the table at section 42 to see how you fare during the night.
If you live to see another day, you continue southwards. If you have a pouch of moonstones, turn to 280. Otherwise, if you have a map of the Moonstone Hills, turn to 357. If you have neither, turn to 30.
You recite the spell, and the runes start to glow. A doorway slides open, and you quickly step through. You tell Yaztromo that you are in the Dark Elf base. There is no response. Stepping back outside, you attempt to contact him again. "I fear the dark aura inside the base is too powerful, even for my magic to penetrate," he says. "I cannot contact you anymore until you put an end to this vile plot. I'm afraid that in the final, most dangerous part of your journey yet, you will have to go alone." Turn to 157.
You dodge the men's blows and run into the street. You can see the soldiers coming closer to the inn but they don't attempt to stop you. You decide not to go back there and instead choose another course of action (turn to 261). Alas, you did not get to collect your winnings before you escaped so you have lost the Gold Piece you bet in the last game.
Once you have crossed the bridge over the Red River, you bear east to avoid having to go through the notorious Darkwood Forest. To your relief, whatever evil creatures lurk within it choose not to come out and trouble you, and the day passes without incident. Towards sunset you make camp for the night. Deduct one portion of Provisions without adding any STAMINA, or Test your Luck to try and find something to eat in the vicinity, deducting 3 STAMINA points if you are Unlucky. Then note down the number of this section and turn to 42 to see if anything bothers you during the night, adding 1 to the roll because you are so close to the forest.
If you make it through to the morning, you continue south and ford the Silver River. Your route onwards depends on where you are heading. If you wish to investigate Salamonis, your path lies south across the Windward Plain (turn to 122). If you want to explore Warpstone, you should head south-east towards Trolltooth Pass (turn to 51).
You are sitting at a huge banquet table in the middle of Stonebridge. Food of all description is piled up in front of you and the ale is flowing freely. To your left is Yaztromo and on his far side is another adventurer, the one who killed Malbordus and shattered the Dragon artefacts. This banquet is in honour of both you and the other adventurer for completing your respective tasks. Although the other adventurer has been in Stonebridge for a number of days, you have only just been pronounced well enough to attend a celebration.
You remember back over the past week. Waking up in pitch-blackness, the weight of stone from the collapsed cavern all around you, you were completely trapped in a small area with no way out and only limited amounts of dust-filled air. You fell in and out of consciousness several times before you were awakened by an unbelievably sweet sound: the sound of digging!
It turns out that the destruction of the Chaos Gate had removed the barrier that had stopped Yaztromo from contacting you magically. Yaztromo was instantly aware both of your success and of the terrible predicament you were in. Gathering up dwarven volunteers and their mining gear, Yaztromo led them into the heart of Darkwood Forest where they spent three days, in between monster attacks, carefully digging to where you were trapped far underground. Without Yaztromo's magic to pinpoint your trapped form and the Dwarvish skill at mining, you would have surely perished. As it was, you have lain in rest for several days, recovering from your terrible ordeal. Yaztromo believes the earthquake destroyed the Dark Elves forward base and even damaged the Dark Elf city of Tiranduil Kelthas. It will be a long time before they will be able to menace the surface world again.
You break out of your recollections. The Dwarven king, Gillibran, strides towards you hoisting his tankard high. "A toast," he roars, "To the heroes of Stonebridge!" The cry is taken up by all at the table and you relax back into your chair with the cries of your heroism resounding around you.