Isle of the Cyclops

by Andrew Wright

0

Isle of the Cyclops

by Andrew Wright

Introduction

Isle of the Cyclops is the first in a proposed series of amateur fantasy adventure gamebooks, entitled Fabled Fantasy, given that two of their three core values have been appropriated from the Fabled Lands and Fighting Fantasy gamebook series. We’ll get to the third core value in a moment.
In Isle of the Cyclops, as with any other Fabled Fantasy title, you can explore as you please. All you need is one die, an eraser, and a pencil.
If you have already adventured using other books in the series, you will know your entry point to this book. Turn to that section now.
If this is your first Fabled Fantasy book, read the rest of the rules before turning to section 1.

Read the Rules

rules

Creating your Character

At the end of this adventure you will find an Adventure Sheet, for recording details of your character, an
Adventurer’s Journal, for jotting down notes or maps about the adventure, and a Ship’s Manifest, for recording details of any ships you acquire. You will also find four sample characters – you can either use one of them, or create your own character as described below.

Your character has three ability scores that must be monitored and tested during your adventure. They are
SKILL, RESOURCE, and VITALITY.

SKILL is a measure of your strength and agility, your speed, reflexes and overall athletic ability. It will be used when performing acrobatic feats and when fighting (see below).

RESOURCE is a measure of wit and speed of thought, as well as the ability to keep your head cool and come up with solutions to problems.

VITALITY is a measure of how much damage – mental and physical – you can take and still bounce back into action. It is the ability score that will change the most during the adventure and may be lost in combat or by way of accidents. If your VITALITY score ever reaches zero, then your character has died and you must turn to the dreaded paragraph 13.

Each ability score has a maximum value of 5 and a minimum value of 1.

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rules1

Professions

Not all adventurers are good at everything. Everyone has some strengths and some weaknesses. Your choice of profession determines your initial scores in the three abilities.

Priest: SKILL 3, RESOURCE 4, VITALITY 4
Rogue: SKILL 4, RESOURCE 4, VITALITY 3
Sorcerer: SKILL 3, RESOURCE 5, VITALITY 3
Warrior: SKILL 4, RESOURCE 3, VITALITY 4

Fill in the Adventure Sheet with your choice of profession and the ability scores given for that profession.

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rules2

Possessions

You can carry up to 8 possessions on your person. All characters begin with 0 Talons in cash and a weapon, of which you can choose the type. Note it on your Adventure Sheet.
Possessions are always marked in bold text like this: magic sword. Anything marked in this way is an item, which can be picked up and added to your list of possessions.
Remember that your are limited to carrying a total of 8 items, so if you get more than this you’ll have to cross something off your Adventure Sheet or find somewhere to store extra items. You can carry unlimited sums of money however (and the local coinage are known as Talons, owing the winged claw inscription that figures on one side of the coin).

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rules3

Using Abilities

Whenever the outcome of a situation hinges upon one of your abilities, you’ll be told to Test your SKILL or RESOURCE or VITALITY, for example. To do this, simply roll one die. If the result is lower than or equal to the current value of the ability being tested, then you are successful. If the result is greater than your current ability score, you are unsuccessful.
In addition to this, a roll of 1 is always a success, whilst a roll of 6 is always unsuccessful.

Example:
You come across a sleeping Ogre. You are told to Test your SKILL in order to sneak by him. Your current SKILL ability score is 3, so you need to roll a 3 or less on one die to succeed. Unfortunately you roll a 6! This is an automatic failure and you must turn to the section indicated for making an unsuccessful SKILL roll (gulp!).

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rules4

Fighting

At times you may have to battle enemies in close combat. You will be presented with your enemy’s SKILL and VITALITY ability scores. To resolve a battle, Test your SKILL, as well as Test the SKILL of that of your opponent. If you succeed but your enemy does not, deduct 1 from its VITALITY score. If your enemy succeeds but you do not, deduct 1 from your own VITALITY score. If you both succeed, your blows block each other and neither loses any VITALITY. Likewise, if you both fail, you both miss, and neither loses any VITALITY. Remember also that a roll of 1 is always a success and a roll of 6 is always a failure. Repeat this procedure until one of you has a VITALITY score of zero, and is thus dead.
In addition, if you are fighting without a weapon, such as the one you start this adventure with, you must temporarily deduct 1 from your SKILL whilst fighting, until you acquire one.
Lastly, you may acquire armour, which is presented in
the following fashion:

Leather jerkin (1 Hit)
Chain mail hauberk (2 Hits)
Plate mail (3 Hits)
Shield (+1 Hit)

The Hit score given for a piece of armour refers to the number of hits you may ignore during a combat. A hit is when your VITALITY is about to be reduced by 1. If you acquire a shield (+1 Hit) (which takes up a separate possession slot to your other armour), it adds 1 to the total number of hits you can ignore due to any armour you are already wearing. Thus, if you had a chain mail hauberk (2 Hits) and a shield (+1 Hit), you could ignore 3 hits during any combat.

Example:
You have a SKILL score of 4 and a VITALITY score of 4, a sword, and a leather jerkin (1 Hit). You are facing an enraged Ogre that has a SKILL score of 4, and a VITALITY score of 4.
Suppose you start by rolling a 2, and the Ogre rolls a 5. You are successful, the Ogre is not, so he loses 1 VITALITY point (his score is now 3). Next, you roll a 1 (automatic success!), whilst the Ogre rolls a 6 (automatic failure!). Again, the Ogre loses another VITALITY point (his score is now 2).
For the next round, both of you roll 5, which means you both miss, and nobody loses any VITALITY. You then roll a 2, whilst the Ogre rolls a 1 (automatic success!). As you are both successful, your blows cancel each other out, and again, nobody loses any VITALITY.
You then roll 6 (automatic failure!), whilst the Ogre rolls a 2. This means you would have to deduct 1 VITALITY point, but you are wearing a leather jerkin (1 Hit), so you elect that the jerkin allows you to ignore this hit. You may not use this ability for the rest of the fight.
For the next two rolls, you roll a 2 and a 3, whilst the Ogre rolls two 5’s meaning that you hit him both times and his VITALITY score is now zero. The Ogre dies, slumping to the ground, and you search his lair, looking for treasure…

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rules5

Codewords, Tick-Boxes, Blessings, and Sundry Other Mayhem

During the course of the adventure you may be required to note down codewords and tick boxes by section numbers. These ‘remember’ things that you have done and should not be erased, unless specifically told to, or unless you die and are starting again with a brand new character.
In addition, during your adventures you may also acquire blessings, resurrection arrangements, titles, a ship and crew, or become an initiate of a god. Space is given on your Adventure Sheet to record all of these things, and further information will be given in the text at the time instructing you on what to do.
For now, onwards, to adventure!

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Morgai Greycloak

MORGAI GREYCLOAK

Profession: Rogue

Money: 0 Talons

SKILL: 4

RESOURCE: 4

VITALITY: 3

Possessions: sword

The daughter of a Lendleland barbarian and an Analander temple-girl, Morgai hails from the distant outlander town of Puss, far beyond the Great Wall. In her short but eventful life she has wandered the many roads of Analand, always planning scams to liberate wealth from those too stupid to match her sharp wits and sharper sword. Of late however, she has washed up in Far Analand bereft of funds and seeking a new direction in the thriving bazaars of Gummport.

BARABAS THE FALLEN
Profession: Priest

RHUNCAZ RUNECASTER
Profession: Sorcerer

TARSHAWNA THE TERRIBLE
Profession: Warrior

... or return to generate character to select a basic profession.

Once you have chosen, go to background and begin your adventure.

RHUNCAZ RUNECASTER
Profession: Sorcerer

MORGAI GREYCLOAK
Profession: Rogue

TARSHAWNA THE TERRIBLE
Profession: Warrior

... or return to generate character to select a basic profession.

Once you have chosen, go to background and begin your adventure.

Barabas The Fallen

BARABAS THE FALLEN

Profession: Priest

Money: 0 Talons

SKILL: 3

RESOURCE: 4

VITALITY: 4

Possessions: club

Barabas was an initiate of one of the many monasteries that flank Lake Libra in southern Analand, before a lapse in faith saw him slide headlong into a life of drunkeness and debauchery. Cast out by the disgusted priests of his order, he fled to the exotic coastal city of Gummport in a desperate bid to find the religious fervour he had long since discarded in favour of feverish festivities.

RHUNCAZ RUNECASTER
Profession: Sorcerer

MORGAI GREYCLOAK
Profession: Rogue

TARSHAWNA THE TERRIBLE
Profession: Warrior

... or return to generate character to select a basic profession.

Once you have chosen, go to background and begin your adventure.

Rhuncaz Runecaster

RHUNCAZ RUNECASTER

Profession: Sorcerer

Money: 0 Talons

SKILL: 3

RESOURCE: 5

VITALITY: 3

Possessions: staff

Born in that far cityport of Kharé, in the vermininfested lands of Kakhabad, Rhuncaz escaped from the Sorcerer-Noble to whom he had been apprenticed, in search of adventure. Now, after many a struggle in Mauristatia, the Shamutanti Hills, and Analand, he has settled down somewhat in the docksides of Gummport, using his powers to read the fortunes of sailors, merchants, and other gullible sorts.

BARABAS THE FALLEN
Profession: Priest

MORGAI GREYCLOAK
Profession: Rogue

TARSHAWNA THE TERRIBLE
Profession: Warrior

... or return to generate character to select a basic profession.

Once you have chosen, go to background and begin your adventure.

RHUNCAZ RUNECASTER
Profession: Sorcerer

MORGAI GREYCLOAK
Profession: Rogue

TARSHAWNA THE TERRIBLE
Profession: Warrior

... or return to generate character to select a basic profession.

Once you have chosen, go to background and begin your adventure.

Tarshawna The Terrible

TARSHAWNA THE TERRIBLE

Profession: Warrior

Money: 0 Talons

SKILL: 4

RESOURCE: 3

VITALITY: 4

Possessions: scimitar

A mercenary soldier from the distant land of Arantis, on the continent of Allansia, it seems Tarshawna has spent an age forging a reputation as one of the most ruthless commanders in battle ever seen in the Old World. However, after being the sole survivor of a bloody ambush of her company by Lendleland horse-nomads, she has arrived in Gummport, tired of battle, with the simple aim of raising enough wealth to afford the long passage back across the Western Ocean to her homeland.

BARABAS THE FALLEN
Profession: Priest

RHUNCAZ RUNECASTER
Profession: Sorcerer

MORGAI GREYCLOAK
Profession: Rogue

... or return to generate character to select a basic profession.

Once you have chosen, go to background and begin your adventure.

RHUNCAZ RUNECASTER
Profession: Sorcerer

MORGAI GREYCLOAK
Profession: Rogue

TARSHAWNA THE TERRIBLE
Profession: Warrior

... or return to generate character to select a basic profession.

Once you have chosen, go to background and begin your adventure.

background

Background

You knew that last tankard of ale was a mistake. One minute, there you were, drinking in the dockside taverns of the bustling city of Gummport. The next moment, you were awakened by a bucket of sea-water hurled at your face, to find yourself chained as a galley-slave on a black-sailed ship, watching the coastline of Far Analand drop away to the stern of the vessel.
‘Row, wretch!’ howled an obese Man-Orc taskmaster, lashing your back with a blow from his spiked whip.

Days passed and the welts on your back grew longer, as your slave-ship, the Blood Auk, headed southwards. Captained by a furious red-faced man called Kullion the Crab, the ship was sailing for the Blood Islands, for it was part of the fleet of the Chaos Pirates, who flock to those shores like seabirds to the carcass of a whale.

Fate intervened however in the form of a colossal storm that toppled the main mast and flattened the ship. Pirate and slave alike were swept overboard as towering waves and howling winds tore at the timbers of the Blood Auk. Your own chains were snapped, and you struck out through the seething waters, grabbing onto a tangled mass of floating debris, even as torrential monsoon rains hammered down relentlessly from above. Before you blacked out completely, you prayed feverishly to Hydana, God of the Sea, hoping to escape the notice of his hungry shark-toothed attendants…

Now turn to paragraph 1.

1

You awaken on a pallet in a small hovel on the tiny isle of Goi-Han, which forms part of the archipelago known as the Bird Islands. You know little of these lands other than that they lie some way off the southern coast of Far Analand.
You have been cared for by villagers who found you and your makeshift raft snagged onto one of their crab-lines, after the epic storm. Your clothes are in rags, you have no money, and your only possession is a weapon that the villagers found clutched tightly in your hands. Choose the type of weapon and note it down on your Adventure Sheet.
Although you are alive and indebted deeply to the villagers for your survival, they are poor folk and can afford
to offer you little more hospitality. It is time for you to make your own way in the world once more.
Turn to 25.

2

You slip and fall in the flooded cabin, which would be fine ordinarily, except that the cabin currently contains a voracious juvenile Ripper Shark that was trapped here when the tide retreated. It scythes its way through the water, aiming to tear your kneecaps off with its razor-sharp teeth.
Ripper Shark SKILL 2 VITALITY 1
During this fight you must subtract 1 from your SKILL score as it is difficult to fight in the cramped and flooded confines of the cabin. If your VITALITY score is reduced to zero, turn immediately to 13. If you defeat the Ripper Shark, you may haul the sea chest out of there. Turn to 28.

3

You have discovered a potion of healing, containing enough for two doses. If you are wounded you may drink a dose at any time except during combat. Each dose will restore your VITALITY score to its starting level. Once the second dose has been used up, you must cross it off your Adventure Sheet. Note the potion of healing and its effects on your Adventure Sheet and turn to 7.

4

There is a horrible snarl from a tangled mass of bushes as a furry shape hurls itself at you, fangs agape. You have disturbed an Island Hyena, a small but ferocious predator endemic to the Bird Islands.
Island Hyena SKILL 3 VITALITY 2
If your VITALITY score is reduced to zero, turn immediately to 13. If you defeat the Island Hyena, you can add a hyena pelt to your Adventure Sheet if you wish. You continue on your journey. Turn to 11.

5

Dhurz Deathsnare the Cyclops is waiting for you in the last room, brandishing an enormous club studded with spikes. He stands over three metres tall, with a curved horn erupting from his forehead, just above his single enormous eye. Behind him, hanging on hooks, you can see several festering corpses that must be villagers from Han.
‘Beat my traps did you? No matter! More subjects for my traps, more food for my larder!’ he chortles disturbingly, drool running from the tusks at the corners of his mouth. You must fight the savage fiend!
Dhurz Deathsnare SKILL 4 VITALITY 5
If you have the jeweled amulet, you may reduce Dhurz Deathsnare’s SKILL by 1 for the duration of this combat, as the jeweled amulet confounds the Cyclops’ single eye. If your VITALITY score is reduced to zero, turn immediately to 13. If you defeat Dhurz Deathsnare, turn to 29.

6

If there is a tick in the box above, turn to 42 immediately. If not, put a tick there now and read on.
You clamber down the rocky slopes to the shipwreck below. To your amazement you see that it is the wreck of the Blood Auk – that foul galley on which you were enslaved!
It would appear that, after you managed to escape during the storm and drift south, the Blood Auk, crippled as it was, wrecked itself upon the northern coastline of Goi-Han island. You see no survivors, and the few dead bodies you do see appear to have been mauled and nibbled by sharks, crabs, fish, and worse.
Most of the ship is destroyed, however the cabin of the captain, Kullion the Crab, appears relatively intact. Peering inside, you see that the cabin is partially flooded, but Kullion’s large sea chest lies undisturbed at the far end of the cabin.
To see if you can successfully take the sea chest from the cabin, Test your SKILL.
Successful SKILL test turn to 28
Failed SKILL test turn to 2

7

Finally, as proof of your deed, you cut out the enormous eye of Dhurz Deathsnare to show the people of Han. Note the eye of the Cyclops on your Adventure Sheet. You must take this, so if you already have eight possessions recorded on your Adventure Sheet then you must discard one of them to make room for your grisly trophy.
Also, erase the codeword Ascent from the Codewords box on your Adventure Sheet and replace it with the
codeword Avenge.
You find a secret tunnel in Dhurz Deathsnare’s lair that leads outside, thus negating the need to pick your way back through the dead Cyclops’ fiendish collection of traps.
Lastly, if you used a candle to explore Dhurz Deathsnare’s lair, it has now expired and you must cross it off
your Adventure Sheet.
Turn to 20.

8

‘Look lively, you swabs!’ bawls the mate, clutching a tankard of watered grog in one hand. ‘Here comes the Cap’n!’
Set sail Sea Lords of the Archipelago 70
Disembark turn to 15

9

Dark clouds overhead erupt suddenly, spewing steaming torrents of monsoon rain down from the heavens.
If you have a blessing of Safety from Storms, cross it off and turn immediately to 32. If not, read on.
The ground underfoot becomes slippery and treacherous and you are wary of falling to your death. To make matters worse, there is the constant rumbling menace of mudslides cavorting down the slopes, drowning all in their path in a sea of brown ooze.
Test your SKILL to see if you can avoid these horrors. You may deduct 1 from the die roll if you possess a rope.
Successful SKILL test turn to 32
Failed SKILL test turn to 17

10

Han market is a collection of wooden stalls on the west side of the village square. Various odours from the sellers of dried squid, several leather tanneries, and the lone village blacksmith, mingle in nauseous fashion on the sea-breeze from the south.

To buy To sell
55 Talons 45 Talons
– 120 Talons
– 180 Talons
25 Talons 15 Talons

To buy To sell
50 Talons 40 Talons

To buy To sell
10 Talons 5 Talons
1 Talon 1 Talon
10 Talons 5 Talons
15 Talons 10 Talons

Armour

Leather jerkin (1 Hit)

Chain mail hauberk (2 Hits)

Plate mail (3 Hits)

Shield (+1 Hit)

Weapons (sword, axe, etc)

No SKILL bonus

Other items

Lantern

Candle

Rope

Hyena pelt

Items with no purchase price are not available to buy, although if you have one you can sell it. When you have finished shopping, turn to 25.

11

You are traversing the southern hills of Goi-Han isle. To the south lies the village of Han, whilst to the north lurk the mist-clad uplands of the interior.
Go south to Han turn to 25
Go north to the centre of the island turn to 44

12

You have discovered a lucky charm. This artifact has one use only, after which you must cross it off your Adventure Sheet. It will allow you to reroll any dice result once. This does not have to be a combat roll or a Test your RESOURCE roll, for example. You could also use it to reroll an encounter result. You must abide by the second roll of the dice however. Note the lucky charm and its properties on your Adventure Sheet and turn to 7.

13

You are dead. If you have a resurrection deal, turn to the section noted on your Adventure Sheet after first erasing your current possessions, money, and any details on your Ship’s Manifest.
If you don’t have a resurrection arranged, this is the end and you can only start afresh with a new character. First make sure to erase all ticks, codewords, and Adventure Sheet details in all your Fabled Fantasy books. You can begin at 1 in any of the books of the series.

14

If the box above is ticked, turn immediately to 46. If not, read on below.
You run into an extravagantly bearded hermit, who is conducting some form of meditational exercise under the leafy boughs of a chamcha tree. He is a fractious fellow however, and not given over to small talk.
‘Blasted Bamboo Apes stole my amulet,’ he mutters darkly. ‘Can’t focus on the proper visions without it.’
If you have a jeweled amulet, tick the box above and turn to 35. If not, the hermit eventually closes his eyes and drifts fitfully into a trance.
Turn to 41.

15

The wharf is a barnacle-encrusted structure that lurches haphazardly out in the bay. There is a tumbledown hut here, advertising passage to the western isle of Sempura. Meanwhile, fishermen of Han are unloading wicker baskets of scuttling purple crabs from red-sailed catamarans and, further out, a larger galleon or two roll gently at anchor with the tide.
Go aboard your ship (if docked here) turn to 8
Pay for passage to Sempura turn to 47
Return to the village of Han turn to 25

16

Don’t forget to cross the 3 Talons off your Adventure Sheet.
If you have the codeword Avenge, turn to 48 immediately. If not, read on
The locals are a gloomy bunch as their island is inhabited by an enormous Cyclops of bloodthirsty aspect whom they call Dhurz Deathsnare. When hungry, Dhurz Deathsnare stalks down from his lair in the hills to carry off both livestock and people, and there appears little that the terrified villagers can do about it.
‘What we need is a hero,’ says one grey-bearded oldtimer.
‘Some brave soul who can track Dhurz Deathsnare down and given him a right hiding!’
The locals, deep in their cups, look at you hopefully. If you want to take up the quest to slay Dhurz Deathsnare, note the codeword Ascent in the Codewords box of your Adventure Sheet. You leave the Rope and Anchor Tavern.
Turn to 25.

17

You slip and fall on mossy scree made wet by the rain, and go hurtling down the slope to the thorn-filled valley floor. No sooner have you dusted yourself off however, before a mudslide, triggered by your noisy descent, surges after you and almost buries you alive.
Roll one die and divide the result by 2, rounding all fractions up. The result is the number of points you lose from your VITALITY score due to your misadventures. If this reduces your VITALITY score to zero, turn immediately to 13. If your VITALITY score is still greater than zero, turn to 20.

18

You are on the low rocky coast of northern Goi-Han. Sea spray drifts inland in great salty plumes, pushed by winds from the crags of the great northen isle of Kadan – a distant murky blur on the horizon. Some way below you, on a blasted strand, you see the wreck of a wooden galley-ship fragmented by the tides.
Go back south into the hills turn to 44
Investigate the wreck turn to 6

19

From out of nowhere a rotten mango comes sailing through the air to strike you painfully upon the cheek. Deduct 1 point from your VITALITY score. If this reduces your VITALITY score to zero, turn immediately to 13. If not, read on below.
There is a bray of hideous laughter and a sinister beast swings down from a vine to assail you. You have been ambushed yet again by a dreaded Bamboo Ape!
Bamboo Ape SKILL 2 VITALITY 1
If your VITALITY score is reduced to zero, turn immediately to 13. If you defeat the Bamboo Ape, you may continue on your journey. Turn to 41.

20

If you have the codeword Ascent, turn immediately to 36.
You are wandering across the fog-strewn central highlands of Goi-Han. To the south and east, lower hills are
visible through the murk. From the north comes the sound of waves breaking on a ragged coastline.
Go east turn to 23
Go south turn to 33
Go north turn to 18

21

You make it gingerly through the rooms and into a antechamber that makes your blood run cold. It is festooned with ropes, vines, and cords, each drawn taut, like enormous cobwebs. Glinting evilly amidst them are many pieces of sharpened and barbed blades, some big and some small, and all fashioned from scrap metal.
To make your way through this room, you must Test your RESOURCE.
Successful RESOURCE test turn to 5
Failed RESOURCE test turn to 49

22

A trail of bones, big foot-prints, and uprooted trees, winds its way through several valleys, thick with thorn bushes, before arriving at a menacing looking cave at the foot of Mount Mua Kek, the tallest part of the island. This must be the lair of Dhurz Deathsnare!
To enter the yawning cave-mouth, you will need a light source, such as a lantern or a candle, for it is far too dark to pick your way through the treacherous underworld otherwise.
Enter the cave turn to 45
Turn back go back to 20

23

The eastern reaches of Goi-Han are low hills of black, rocky outcrops, whilst in the dells, cicadas drone relentlessly from their perches amongst dense stands of bamboo and jungle willow. A dark cloud of midges rises suddenly from a grassy embankment up ahead.
Roll two dice:
Score 2-6 A shadow in the trees turn to 34
Score 7-8 A lonely walk turn to 41
Score 9-12 Footprints on the path! turn to 14

24

You have discovered an enchanted throwing dagger called Swiftstinger. Immediately, before any combat, you may throw Swiftstinger at your enemy. It will automatically hit and kill your opponent but it has only one use, after which you must cross it off, so use it wisely. Note Swiftstinger and its properties on your Adventure Sheet and turn to 7.

25

If you have the codeword Avenge, turn to 48 immediately. If not, read on.
The hamlet of Han is a small village of houses constructed from moss-covered boulders, roofed with pale timber. It faces a crescent-shaped bay of white sand, from which protrudes a rotting wooden wharf.
You stand in the village square – a bare stretch of packed ochre clay. The villagers – clad in flowing robes of blue, red, and yellow, with leathery brown skin, and braided black hair adorned with bone pins – eye you warily as they go about their duties.
You can:
Visit the market turn to 10
Visit the Rope and Anchor Tavern turn to 30
Visit the shrine of Bakalgu turn to 43
Visit the wharf turn to 15
Leave Han and go north into the hills turn to 33

26

Nudging the Bamboo Ape’s corpse with your foot, you notice it has something entwined around its neck. With a gasp of surprise you dislodge a beautiful glimmering jeweled amulet, which you may add to your Adventure Sheet if you wish.
Turn to 41.

27

The sound of bells on the wind heralds the arrival of a small herd of scrawny goats. Their shepherd, his face shielded by a wide-brimmed hat, leans on a gnarled walking stick and acknowledges your presence with a lazy wave.
Talk to the shepherd turn to 39
Travel onwards turn to 11

28

You retrieve the sea chest of the pirate captain Kullion the Crab and drag it up the beach and away from the shipwreck. Throwing open the lid, your wildest dreams are realized – pirate treasure lies within!
The sea chest contains gold and silver coins worth 100 Talons altogether. Note these in the Money box on your Adventure Sheet. The chest also contains a fine scimitar (SKILL +1). This will add one to your SKILL score when you use it in combat.
When you are finished here, you trek back up the beach,
towards the hills. Turn to 18.

29

Your blow is a fatal one and Dhurz Deathsnare topples backwards onto the cavern floor. You have slain the Cyclops of Goi-Han island!
Searching the cavern, you chance upon Dhurz Deathsnare’s treasure hoard, stashed in a rotting cabinet made of driftwood. It amounts to 50 Talons’ worth of coins which you can add to the Money box on your Adventure Sheet, and two hyena pelts, which you may take if you wish.
In addition, there is a rare artifact with magical powers.
If you are a Warrior turn to 3
If you are a Sorcerer turn to 24
If you are a Priest turn to 40
If you are a Rogue turn to 12

30

The Rope and Anchor Tavern is a smoke-blackened hall that reeks of strong ale and charcoal. At the back of the taproom are several dingy stalls where you can rest and recuperate. Each night you spend here costs 1 Talon and you may restore 1 point to your VITALITY score if injured.
Leave the Rope and Anchor Tavern turn to 25
Pay 3 Talons and buy a round of drinks turn to 16

31

You are travelling through one rugged dell, which is tainted by the heavy odor of rotting flesh. Up ahead, what you thought was a boulder suddenly lurches towards you on four stubby legs, uncurling a long tail, whilst a lizard-like head strains forward in your direction. You have been ambushed by a reptilian horror known as the Ora-Ora, famed for their venomous drool. Its pink forked tongue darts in and out of fang-lined jaws, scenting your warm blood…
Ora-Ora SKILL 2 VITALITY 3
If your VITALITY score is reduced to zero, turn immediately to 13. If you defeat the Ora-Ora, you may continue on your journey. Turn to 20.

32

You have several close calls, but manage to see out the storm unscathed, sheltering under a rocky overhang near the summit of one of the larger hills.
Turn to 20.

33

The southern hills of Goi-Han are rolling sun-blasted mounds surmounted by bleached granite boulders covered in lichen. The shallow vales between them are grassy fields bordered by crumbling walls of stone. Roll two dice:
Score 2-6 A deep growl turn to 4
Score 7-8 An uninterrupted stroll turn to 11
Score 9-12 The tinkle of bells turn to 27

34

If the box above is ticked, turn immediately to 19. If it is not ticked, tick it now, and read on.
Your walk is interrupted by a raucous chattering and a dark squat form swings down from the trees to land lightly on the path in front of you. You have been ambushed by a gibbering Bamboo Ape, which bares its teeth and screeches at you in pure malice.
Bamboo Ape SKILL 2 VITALITY 2
If your VITALITY score is reduced to zero, turn immediately to 13. If you defeat the Bamboo Ape, turn instead to 26.

35

Cross the jeweled amulet off your Adventure Sheet.
‘Much thanks!’ says the hermit as he swiftly removes it from your possession. ‘My name is Vajra and I must say that one good turn deserves another. Should you stray into the lair of the dreaded Cyclops Dhurz Deathsnare, be very, very wary! His cave is strewn with lethal traps that he spends much of his spare time preparing.’
‘How do you know this?’ you ask Vajra.
‘He caught me once whilst I was meditating at the summit of Mount Mua Kek and took me back to trial one of his newer inventions. Dhurz Deathsnare became distracted by this amulet of mine, however, and I managed to flee, dodging the deathtraps as I did so.’
Write the codeword Aware down in the Codewords box on your Adventure Sheet. You go to ask Vajra another question but he is already in a trance, his eyes rolled back in their sockets and showing only white orbs. It is time to move on. Turn to 41.

36

You have accepted the quest to slay Dhurz Deathsnare the Cyclops and free the people of Goi-Han from his dreadful tyranny. If you do not wish to embark on this quest just yet, return to 20 and make another choice there.
If you wish to begin your quest, you will have to Test your RESOURCE to see if you can track the hideous monster to his lair.
Successful RESOURCE test turn to 22
Failed RESOURCE test go back to 20

37

Thanks to the advice of Vajra the Hermit you know to be careful in the domain of the trap-setting Cyclops. Slowly, you pick your way through the chambers, dodging mayhem at every turn. Turn to 21.

38

On seeing you wearily enter the village of Han, the peasant folk gather around you expectantly. Their quiet murmurs turn instantly to rousing cheers of exultation as you hold aloft the bloody eye of the Cyclops .
The eye is taken from you and nailed to a tall post in the centre of the village square. Cross the eye of the Cyclops off your Adventure Sheet.
There is an enormous feast that evening. Livestock are slain and roasted on huge fires, whilst barrels of ale are carted out from the Rope and Anchor Tavern, opened, and quickly drained by thirsty celebrants. Village girls with orchid flowers in their hair dance a victory circle, accompanied by young men who beat out a rhythm on the now empty barrels of ale.
You are proclaimed saviour of the village of Han by a council of elders and rewarded with the only common property these poor fisherfolk can afford – a small ship! It is called the Wavedancer, and is a barque with a cargo capacity of 1 unit, and an average quality crew of villagers who have signed on to seek their fortune with you. There is currently no cargo, and obviously it is docked at Han. Note all these details on the Ship’s Manifest.
You awaken next morning with both a sore head and the irrepressible lure of adventure in your veins. Where are you bound next?
Turn to 48.

39

You ask the shepherd about the island of Goi-Han.
‘It’s a harsh place,’ says the shepherd. ‘I have to spend all my time making sure my herd avoids the Island Hyenas! Savage brutes they are, and a terrible nuisance to boot! I trade their skins with the villagers. My advice to you though, is to seek out the hermit who lives deeper in the hills. He is a wise man, mark my words.’
He wanders off, following his herd down the hillside.
Turn to 11.

40

You have discovered a magical ring of warding (+1 Hit: 1 use only). This enchanted artifact has one use only, after which you must cross it off your Adventure Sheet. It will allow you to ignore any one hit in any one combat, similar to that of a shield. Note the ring of warding and its properties on your Adventure Sheet, and turn to 7.

41

These far reaches of Goi-Han are steamy and tangled with thick undergrowth. From the heights you can glimpse the dark bulk of the eastern isles of Morkatal and Nen-Tai. Several faint paths lead back west to the central highlands of this lonely island.
Head back west turn to 44

42

The wreck of the Blood Auk still lies here on the beach, gradually being broken up by the action of the waves. If you wish you may search the wreckage – tick one of the boxes above if you do so. This yields 1-6 Talons worth of coins (roll one die and add the result to the Money box on your Adventure Sheet). However you must deduct 1 VITALITY point as you are savaged numerous times by the aggressive purple swimmer crabs that are picking over the wreck in search of rotting flesh. If this reduces your VITALITY score to zero, turn immediately to 13. If not, read on below.
When all the boxes have been ticked, there is nothing left here to search for. If you are finished here, you trudge back up the beach. Turn to 18.

43

The shrine of Bakalgu the Fear-Bringer is a cliff-face on the northern edge of Han, adorned with sacred hand-paintings and the tallow stubs of innumerable candles. The stench of cheap incense prevails throughout.
The priest is a fresh-faced youth in red robes with a tarnished iron scimitar hanging from a black tasselled sash around his waist. He cannot initiate you into the worship of Bakalgu, though he can offer the blessing of his sovereign deity.
It costs 25 Talons to obtain the blessing of Bakalgu the Fear-Bringer, or 10 Talons if your are an initiate.
If you buy the blessing, cross off the money and write SKILL in the Blessings box on your Adventure Sheet. The blessing works by allowing you to roll again when you make a failed SKILL roll. This includes a SKILL roll during combat. It is only good for one re-roll. When you use the blessing, cross it off your Adventure Sheet.
You can have only one SKILL blessing at any time. Once it is used up, you must return to any shrine or temple of Bakalgu the Fear-Bringer to purchase a new one.
When you are finished here, turn to 25.

44

In central Goi-Han the misty crags rise high into drifting banks of grey cloud, and are covered in loose ash-coloured shale. The deep valleys are almost impenetrable due to thorny bushes of dark green and brown hue.
Roll two dice:
Score 2-6 A foul stench turn to 31
Score 7-8 An uneventful journey turn to 20
Score 9-12 Thunderclouds overhead! turn to 9

45

If you have the codeword Aware, turn immediately to 37. If not, read on.
The cave leads to a series of shadowy chambers with very disturbing contents. There are the corpses of villagers impaled on spiked floor traps, split by pendulum axes, crushed under blocks of stone, and semi-dissolved in vats of venomous goo. It is difficult to tell what are real traps and what are merely exhibits, and the floor itself is criss-crossed with wires, ropes, and suspicious-looking tiles.
To see if you can pick your way carefully through these chambers of horrors, Test your RESOURCE.
Successful RESOURCE test turn to 21
Failed RESOURCE test turn to 50

46

‘Ah, the punisher of primates returns,’ says Vajra the Hermit jocularly upon seeing you. You bow before him and he touches you lightly on the brow. His jeweled amulet sparkles like a miniature sun as it hangs from his neck. ‘I bless you again with thanks for the deed that you have done for me,’ says Vajra. ‘I hope that in times of strife, calm will descend causing storms to abate and allow you to find your way safely forward.’
You have been blessed. Note the blessing Safety from Storms in the Blessings box on your Adventure Sheet. The blessing works by allowing you to ignore any one storm on land or at sea. When you use the blessing cross it off your Adventure Sheet.
You go to thank Vajra but he is already deeply involved in a levitational exercise and is currently hovering crosslegged some distance off the ground. Turn to 41.

47

Passage to the dusty and ravaged western island of Sempura costs 10 Talons. The ferry is a rickety-looking wooden skiff, and upon seeing you eyeing it dubiously, the ferrymaster pats its side and proclaims: ‘Safest ship in the archipelago! Survived five storms, four pirate attacks and just one mauling by a deranged Kraken!’
Sail to Sempura The Valley of Bones 50
Stay in Han turn to 15

48

If you have the eye of the Cyclops, turn immediately to 38. If not, read on below.
The villagers of Han welcome you with open arms as the slayer of Dhurz Deathsnare the Cyclops. You can rest here for as long as you like, free of charge, and you can restore your VITALITY score to its starting level if you are injured. When you are ready to move on, return to 25 and make a choice from the options presented there.

49

In the centre of the room you trip over a tiny thread drawn tight across the floor. Instantly, there is the flapping sound of all the ropes simultaneously releasing, sending blades converging from all corners of the room onto you.
Your corpse, now resembling a pin-cushion, expires quietly but messily to the floor…
Turn to 13.

50

You trip on a wire that sends a huge stone mallet lazily arcing towards you. Although you evade it easily enough, it hits a ceramic jar on its return swing. The jar shatters, flooding the floor of the chamber with a mixture of acidic venom taken from a reptilian beast called the Ora-Ora, and a sulphurous-smelling liquid.
Again you dodge the mallet on the next swing, whilst struggling to find patches of floor that are still dry and not yet covered in toxic sludge. As a result you fail to see the mallet swing to where the jar once was, and hit a tinder-flint that had been jammed behind the jar.
Sparks shower onto the floor, causing the liquid from the jar to instantly alight in a firestorm of flame and turn you, hapless adventurer, into a charred and blackened corpse.
Turn to 13.