ransom.
Illustration XII —On a charger as black as midnight sits a scar-faced young man.
As you reach the bottom of the wooded crag, a stone church and graveyard loom into view at a point where the highway turns sharply to the west. Blocking the road, on a charger as black as midnight, sits a scar-faced young man. His eyes, set in a white and disfigured face, burn with a cold dark glow. You recognize him immediately. It is Roark, the lordling you defeated at the Barrel Bridge Tavern.
If you possess a Silver Brooch, turn to 31 .
If you do not have this Special Item, turn to 14 .
189
The thin-faced merchant bids you sit at his table, his shrewd eyes narrowing at the thought of a new and profitable deal. You tell him that you require some information and may be willing to pay for it if the price is right. He asks the nature of this information, but when you ask for the directions to Brass Street, his business-like mood suddenly changes.
Turn to 47 .
191
You are tired after your long night's ride, but you know you must press on if you are to reach the town of Soren by nightfall. You come to a shallow stream, which crosses the highway, and here you stop briefly at a ford to wash and rest. You must also now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points. Beside the ford stands a signpost pointing to the west:
SOREN — 25 MILES
Turn to 102 .
192
Splashing through ankle-deep slime, you suddenly catch sight of two glowing pinpoints of red light in the darkness ahead. They grow larger and brighter and suddenly you realize the awful truth — there are two Yawshaths. Their hideous laughter builds to a deafening climax as they close in for the kill. Unwittingly, you have entered their lair and now they have you trapped.
You fight valiantly but the creatures finally overwhelm you in the dark and fetid confines of the passage. You are torn limb from limb, with no one to hear your cries for help.
Your quest and your life end here in the dungeons of Castle Taunor.
193
The Kloon begins to wail as you dispatch his vicious watchdog. With scarlet tears streaming from his crimson eyes, he scampers out of the room and bolts the door. After wiping the blood from your hands, you pick up a Map of Varetta and hurry out of the room.
Turn to 16 .
195
Suddenly, you sense that you are in grave peril, and you listen carefully at the keyhole to determine what is being said by the preacher.
‘… and so I beseech you, my brothers, do not listen to Gwynian's foolish and dangerous theory. The star that shone in the night is a warning to us to guard our knowledge, to keep safe the secret of the Lorestone. We must stop all those who would use its power for their own wicked ends.’
The preacher's words are answered by loud chanting: ‘Keep the secret, keep the secret, keep the secret!’
The sound of a key in the lock makes you start. The meeting has come to an end, and the congregation are preparing to leave. Quickly, you sprint away and take cover in a darkened doorway. The brown-robed men pour out of the temple and disperse, but a small group are heading towards your hiding place; if you stay where you are you will be seen for sure. Without a second thought, you push open the door and enter.
Turn to 127 .
197
You are almost out of bowshot when an arrow gashes your calf (lose 2 ENDURANCE points) and thuds into the side of the pontoon. You bite your lip and stifle your urge to scream, for you are now within range of the city's archers. As soon as the pontoon grounds on the bank, you slip ashore and creep across the rocks towards the sewer outfall.
Turn to 249 .
199
Having removed a bunch of flowers from the ear of a startled merchant and a clucking hen from the petticoat of the merchant's wife, the flamboyantly dressed conjurer calls for silence from his cheering audience before announcing his next trick. Two children shuffle onto the stage, their bodies and faces completely hidden by long black gowns that are tied at their foreheads.
Illustration XII —On a charger as black as midnight sits a scar-faced young man.
As you reach the bottom of the wooded crag, a stone church and graveyard loom into view at a point where the highway turns sharply to the west. Blocking the road, on a charger as black as midnight, sits a scar-faced young man. His eyes, set in a white and disfigured face, burn with a cold dark glow. You recognize him immediately. It is Roark, the lordling you defeated at the Barrel Bridge Tavern.
If you possess a Silver Brooch, turn to 31 .
If you do not have this Special Item, turn to 14 .
189
The thin-faced merchant bids you sit at his table, his shrewd eyes narrowing at the thought of a new and profitable deal. You tell him that you require some information and may be willing to pay for it if the price is right. He asks the nature of this information, but when you ask for the directions to Brass Street, his business-like mood suddenly changes.
Turn to 47 .
191
You are tired after your long night's ride, but you know you must press on if you are to reach the town of Soren by nightfall. You come to a shallow stream, which crosses the highway, and here you stop briefly at a ford to wash and rest. You must also now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points. Beside the ford stands a signpost pointing to the west:
SOREN — 25 MILES
Turn to 102 .
192
Splashing through ankle-deep slime, you suddenly catch sight of two glowing pinpoints of red light in the darkness ahead. They grow larger and brighter and suddenly you realize the awful truth — there are two Yawshaths. Their hideous laughter builds to a deafening climax as they close in for the kill. Unwittingly, you have entered their lair and now they have you trapped.
You fight valiantly but the creatures finally overwhelm you in the dark and fetid confines of the passage. You are torn limb from limb, with no one to hear your cries for help.
Your quest and your life end here in the dungeons of Castle Taunor.
193
The Kloon begins to wail as you dispatch his vicious watchdog. With scarlet tears streaming from his crimson eyes, he scampers out of the room and bolts the door. After wiping the blood from your hands, you pick up a Map of Varetta and hurry out of the room.
Turn to 16 .
195
Suddenly, you sense that you are in grave peril, and you listen carefully at the keyhole to determine what is being said by the preacher.
‘… and so I beseech you, my brothers, do not listen to Gwynian's foolish and dangerous theory. The star that shone in the night is a warning to us to guard our knowledge, to keep safe the secret of the Lorestone. We must stop all those who would use its power for their own wicked ends.’
The preacher's words are answered by loud chanting: ‘Keep the secret, keep the secret, keep the secret!’
The sound of a key in the lock makes you start. The meeting has come to an end, and the congregation are preparing to leave. Quickly, you sprint away and take cover in a darkened doorway. The brown-robed men pour out of the temple and disperse, but a small group are heading towards your hiding place; if you stay where you are you will be seen for sure. Without a second thought, you push open the door and enter.
Turn to 127 .
197
You are almost out of bowshot when an arrow gashes your calf (lose 2 ENDURANCE points) and thuds into the side of the pontoon. You bite your lip and stifle your urge to scream, for you are now within range of the city's archers. As soon as the pontoon grounds on the bank, you slip ashore and creep across the rocks towards the sewer outfall.
Turn to 249 .
199
Having removed a bunch of flowers from the ear of a startled merchant and a clucking hen from the petticoat of the merchant's wife, the flamboyantly dressed conjurer calls for silence from his cheering audience before announcing his next trick. Two children shuffle onto the stage, their bodies and faces completely hidden by long black gowns that are tied at their foreheads.
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