Golden Dragon Fantasy Gamebooks

Crypt of the Vampire

The Temple of Flame
The Lord of Shadow Keep Oliver Johnson
The Eye of the Dragon
Scanned and compiled by Underdogs THE
Home of the Underdogs
http://www.the-underdogs.org/ LORD
OF
SHADOW
KEEP
Illustrated by Leo Hartas

DRAGON
Granada Publishing
Dragon Books
Granada Publishing Ltd
8 Grafton Street, London W1X 3LA
To Suzanne
Published by Dragon Books 1985
Reprinted 1985
Copyright Oliver Johnson 1985
Illustrations copyright Leo Hartas 1985
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Johnson, Oliver
The Lord of Shadow Keep. - (Golden dragon
fantasy gamebooks; 3)
I. Title
793'.9 GV1203
ISBN 0-583-30760-4
Printed and bound in Great Britain by
Collins, Glasgow
Set in Palatino
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may
be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,
without the prior permission of the publishers.
This book is sold subject to the conditions that it
shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent,
re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated
without the publisher's prior consent in any
form of binding or cover other than that in
which it is published and without a similar
condition including this condition being imposed
on the subsequent purchaser.
 INTRODUCTION

Imagine how it would feel to be Indiana Jones, or

Conan the Barbarian, or Luke Skywalker. Rather
than merely sitting back and watching the adven-
tures of these heroes, you could actually experi-
ence the thrill and danger at first hand. All that
stood between you and certain death would be
your own skill and daring, and the decisions you
made.
In Golden Dragon Fantasy Gamebooks, you are
the hero.
You are a skilled adventurer who has roamed
over much of the known world. In your yearning
for constant challenge and the excitement of battle
you have fought goblins, giants, trolls, ogres,
dragons, evil wizards and many other strange and
terrifying opponents. And you have always won.
The years of adventure have honed your reflexes
and fighting skill so that few men could stand
against you in single combat.
To determine just how good an adventurer you
are, you must use the dice:
Roll two dice. Add 20 to this number and enter
the total in the VIGOUR box on your Character
Sheet. This score represents your strength,
fitness and general will to survive. Any wounds
you take on your quest are subtracted from your
VIGOUR score - if it ever reaches zero you are
dead.
 Roll one die. Add 3 to the number rolled and Your AGILITY and PSI are less likely to change,
enter the total in the PSI box on your Character although this is possible. Spraining your ankle, for
Sheet. The higher this score, the better you are at example, might reduce your AGILITY by 1 point.
resisting spells cast at you and the more sensitive A magic helmet might increase your PSI. But, as
you are to psychic impressions. with VIGOUR, your AGILITY and PSI will never
exceed their normal scores unless you are speci-
Roll one die, add 3 and enter the total in the fically told otherwise.
AGILITY BOX. This score reflects how nimble
you are. You will need a high AGILITY to scale
walls, leap across chasms, and so forth.

YOUR NAME
Try to personalize your adventuring persona by
thinking of a heroic name. You might call yourself
Lucas Starkiller or Sir Bergan the Bold, Lady
Angela Centuri, or Li Chun the Black Dragon, or
any other name you can think of. Imagine what
sort of adventurer you are first - a noble knight, a
crafty rogue, a dashing swordsman or a rugged
Viking, perhaps - and then choose a name to
reflect that. Try looking at the BACKGROUND to
the adventure first; it may give you some ideas.

VIGOUR, AGILITY and PSI

Your VIGOUR will change constantly during the
adventure - every time you are wounded, in fact.
You may find healing potions in Shadow Keep.
These will restore some of the VIGOUR points you
have lost owing to wounds - but unless you are
told otherwise your VIGOUR score must never
exceed its original value. This is your normal
VIGOUR score, and you must keep a careful note
of it.
You can keep your scores on this Character Sheet, in pencil so COMBAT - HOW TO FIGHT THE
that they can be rubbed out for further adventures. You may OCCUPANTS OF SHADOW KEEP
prefer to copy it out on to a sheet of paper for each adventure.
Often during the course of your adventure you will
CHARACTER SHEET
VIGOUR
come across a creature or human enemy whom
PSI you must fight. When this happens, you will be
Current score: Current score:
told to roll the dice. The number you roll will
determine whether you wound your opponent or
AGILITY ITEMS
Current score: whether he - or it - wounds you.
sword
armour A typical entry might read like this:
backpack
TREASURE
8 Cold pieces 87
The Ogre hefts his axe and advances towards
you. You have no escape route, and must fight.

OGRE VIGOUR 10

Roll two dice:

score 2 to 5 You are hit and lose 3 VIGOUR
points
score 6 to 12 The Ogre loses 3 VIGOUR points

If you defeat the Ogre, turn to 45.

ENCOUNTER BOXES
OPPONENT OPPONENT
VIGOUR VIGOUR At the start of every combat, you should note
down your opponent's VIGOUR score in an empty
OPPONENT
Encounter Box. You then roll the dice to see who
OPPONENT
has been wounded. If both you and your opponent
VIGOUR VIGOUR still have VIGOUR scores of more than 0, you must
continue to roll the dice until the VIGOUR score of
OPPONENT . OPPONENT either you or your opponent is reduced to 0 -
VIGOUR VIGOUR indicating death. Keep note of the VIGOUR scores
on your Character Sheet and in the Encounter Box.
 ESCAPING FROM COMBAT YOUR ADVENTURE
in some cases you may start a fight and then find You are now almost ready to embark on your
yourself losing badly. If you are told that you can adventure. You should start at 1 and then proceed
FLEE from the combat then you may choose that to further entries according to the decisions you
option. Your opponent will, however, attempt to make.
strike at your unguarded back as you turn away. Be warned: this adventure is not easy. You are
To represent this you should roll two dice; if the highly unlikely to find and defeat The Lord of
total exceeds your AGILITY score than you have Shadow Keep on your first attempt. Keep notes of
been hit (lose 3 VIGOUR points) as you flee, but if the rooms you go into and what you find in them
the dice roll is less than or equal to your AGILITY as you explore the castle. If you get killed, fill in a
score then you dodge your opponent's parting new Character Sheet and try again, using the notes
blow and manage to escape without further injury. you made before to guide you. It may take you
several attempts, but eventually you will win
through to confront Arkayn Darkrobe in battle!
And now - the adventure begins . . .
ITEMS and TREASURE
While exploring Shadow Keep you will collect
TREASURE and a number of ITEMS. Some things
may be needed later in your quest, although others
may turn out to be useless or even harmful. You
must fill them in on your Character Sheet as you
acquire them and cross them off as they are spent
or used up. Any coins (Gold or Silver Pieces) that
you find should be entered in the TREASURE box.
Anything else should go in the ITEMS box.
At the start of your adventure you have the
following ITEMS:

a sword; a suit of armour; 8 Gold Pieces; a

backpack in which to carry further items

These are already listed on your Character Sheet.

 BACKGROUND
You are a warrior in the elite Imperial Guard of
King Valafor, Paladin King of Lalassa. Although
this position might be expected to bring with it all
the rewards and honour of the realm, things are
quite different. Seven years ago, Valafor announ-
ced a crusade against the savage goblin hordes of
Imhilik and set out across the eastern mountains
with a large army.
Yalafor left his brother Averok as regent of the
kingdom in his absence. At first Averok's ruler ship
was as benign and just as Valafor's had been before
him, but suddenly all this changed. Averok locked
himself away in the Imperial citadel, Sternhold,
and has not been seen by any but his generals and
ministers for many years. From Sternhold, cruel
edicts are issued which afflict the people with
needless poverty and suffering. Bound by duty to
obey Averok's commands even while outraged by
his injustice, you and your comrades in the Im-
perial Guard have become hated and feared as the
instruments of oppression.
To make matters still worse, news came from the
east some months ago that Valafor's army had
suffered a terrible defeat in the Ice wrack Hills of
Imhilik. The tattered remnants of the army are
even now hobbling back to Lalassa without Vala-
for, reportedly slain by a volley of goblin spears.
You look around your barrack rooms for the last
time. The Guard's chapel is dusty and seldom
 visited - the arms and armour of several of your knock at the door. After a moment it is opened. A
comrades executed at Averok's whim stand peasant woman stands before you, her face
shrouded in cobwebs. You have resolved to depart flushed from the heat of the stove where she has
tonight and seek out the greatest dangers in far been preparing a hot stew. She seems anxious, but
lands, rather than stay and rot in this decaying the sight of the Imperial emblem on the clasp of
realm. You mount your horse and pass down the your cloak reassures her - she beckons you in and
narrow streets. A drear mist hangs over the hud- closes the door.
dled bodies of the beggars and cripples whose only A hunched figure sits in a chair before the
bed is the city's gutters. The sentries at the gate roaring fire. You see his head turn as he looks at
recognize you and stand aside to let you through. you, but his face is in silhouette. Only when he
Outside, you spur your horse away from the city speaks your name do you recognize him, and even
across open country. The miseries of Lalassa - you then it takes you a moment to reconcile the voice
hope - are now behind you. with this frail form. For it is the voice of Valafor,
The state of the countryside, however, is hardly your liege! You are overjoyed by this happy discov-
better than that of the city. Brigands roam the ery that the king is alive, but as you step forward to
moors unchallenged, robbing and murdering kneel before him you receive a second shock. In
travellers. Lepers lurk in the deserted villages the firelight you see that a terrible change has
scavenging for food. The once golden fields now befallen him. Although in the prime of life when
lie overgrown with briars and thorns. A heavy chill he left on the crusade, his features are now wrink-
lies on your heart as you remember the former led with age, his eyes rheumy, his hair white and
glory of the realm. thin . . . You start to speak, but he holds up a
After a few days you come to a dense forest. You trembling hand to silence you.
are still riding through it when dusk settles, and 'Loyal subject and noble warrior,' he says, 'you
finally dark night. In the distance you hear the may be the last hope that I and the kingdom have
howl of a wolf. The hairs on the nape of your neck of salvation. As you can see, the rumours that
prickle as you seem to sense thousands of eyes abound are wrong - I live, but I am horribly aged,
peering at you from out of the darkness. You are and Death flies towards me before my time.
lost in the forest. Then, with a flood of relief, you Attend, then, and I will relate how this came to be
see a glint of light through the trees. You urge your so. After the battle in the Ice wrack Hills I escaped
weary nag towards it and soon discover a low, with a handful of survivors. All of them save I
rustic cottage set in a clearing. It presents a cheer- perished in the arduous trek across the mountains
ing sight, with lamplight flooding from the win- back to Lalassa. Eventually I came to the borders of
dow and the smoke of a welcoming fire wafting my kingdom, which I had left in such proud
from the chimney. Tethering your horse, you splendour many years before. But where I had left
a rich and verdant land, I returned to find plague Gently you lift the broadsword from the lap of
and famine. Worse, the people complained bitterly your king. The scabbard and hilt are of the finest
of Averok's harsh rule - my beloved brother, who ivory, inlaid with gold and blood-red rubies. You
before had been the very soul of goodness! I draw it a few inches from the scabbard at Valafor's
determined to go about disguised until I had got to behest. The steel gleams in the firelight and the
the heart of this mystery. blade is keen enough to cleave a man in two. From
'Weeks of travel and many perilous adventures the tales you have heard, it also holds potent
brought me to Shadow Keep, a black castle set atop enchantment.
a crag beyond the forest. Its master, Arkayn Dark- Valafor tells you how you must travel to reach
robe, has long been known to me as one who Shadow Keep. You would speak further, ask him
would sow discontent and misery in the kingdom of the castle's defences and the creatures Darkrobe
and revel in his unholy harvest of evil. Ah, had I employs as guards, but his old eyes close and he
but had the wisdom to direct my wrath against him lapses into sleep. Before you leave, the woman
- and those who, like him, seek to spread wicked- thrusts into your hand a silver ring with a blue gem
ness in fair Lalassa - instead of leading the army in set into it (remember to write this on your Charac-
a futile crusade to distant lands . . . ! ter Sheet). You thank her and step out into the chill
'I fought to the heart of the castle and confronted night. Your quest has begun.
Darkrobe in a hidden chamber deep within the
rock. There I learned from his own lips that he had NOW TURN TO 1
used his necromancy to make my brother his
undead slave, a vampire! Using base trickery to
escape my avenging blow, Darkrobe unleashed a
bolt of ebon lightning to strike me. Thus sorely
wounded by his sorcery, I have no recollection of
how I fought my way to safety. I remember only
finding myself here, where this kind woman
tended my fever with herbs. But the sorcerous
wound Darkrobe inflicted on me has robbed me of
my strength and vitality. My youth will be res-
tored, and the soulless husk of my poor brother
crumble to dust, only when the foul necromancer
is slain. Take my sword. I charge you now - you
are the first among the Paladins. You must be
the saviour of the realm.'
 11
Following the directions given to you by the king,
you find a road which leads out of the forest into
moonlit fields. Ahead of you lies a high crag, and
at its top you fancy you can see the twinkling of a
light. The landscape of the barren moor you are
crossing is empty. Everything is deathly quiet
except for the beat of your horse's hooves and the
distant hooting of an owl.
Suddenly you hear the sound of a horse gallop-
ing up behind you. Looking back, you see a
black-cloaked figure astride a fierce charger
approaching you at great speed. Will you:
Try to outdistance him by
spurring your own horse to a
gallop? Turn to 161
Rein in and turn to face the
rider? Turn to 271
Leave the road and hide in the
bushes? Turn to 58

2
You hold out the ball, grinning hopefully, but are
only met with a derisive laugh. Clearly the lady
you are dealing with is a woman of sophistication!
Maybe you would like to chose a different item
from your backpack. Turn back to 125 for another
look. If you'd now like to speak to her instead, turn
to 10.
 3
As you rush into the room you see an old, wizened
man sitting at a desk. He is disturbed by your
abrupt entry and looks up, then lunges for a lever
by his side. He yanks at it, leering toothlessly at
you. Turn to 117.

4
The iron door groans with rust and age as you
swing it open. You light a torch, and are puzzled to
find a number of extremely lifelike statues - many,
like yourself, carrying swords and torches - block-
ing your way. As you are debating what to do next,
you fancy you hear a rustle of chains from beyond
the statues. Will you:
Make your way around the
statues into the room? Turn to 109
Go back and try the gold door? Turn to 96
Go back and try the wooden
door? Turn to 106

5
You try to wrench open the grille but fall back-
wards with a great clatter of your armour. You
stand up, dusting yourself off. Looking up, you
see a small figure come skipping up to the grille.
You see it is a horrible, misshapen Dwarf with a
large wart on his bulbous nose and a drooling
lower lip. 'Having trouble with the door are we?'
he titters, creasing up his face in mirth. He holds
up the fingers of one of his hands and the grille
flies off its hinges straight at you! (continued)
 Roll two dice and try to score less than or equal
to your current AGILITY. If you succeed, turn to 52.
If you fail, turn to 266.
6
The moonlight casts heavy black shadows in the
courtyard. A winged shape detaches itself from the
side of a dark tower and drops towards you. You
look up to see the ghastly apparition of a Zombie
Hawk swooping silently downwards, its beak
opened in rage.
If you possess Shambol Eyehawk's staff, turn to
170. If you do not have this item, turn to 227.
(illustration on previous page)

7
You pull out the Throwing Dagger and aim it
carefully at the rope holding the chandelier above
the Dwarf's head. It flies through the air, neatly
severing the rope. The chandelier lands with a
smashing of glass and a fracturing of wood on top
of the Dwarf. You step into the library and retrieve
the dagger. As you check to see that the Dwarf is
dead, you notice the ledger in which he was
writing. Turn to 74.
8
You hear voices behind the door. There is some-
thing rather odd about the conversation, although
you can' barely hear it; no emotion seems to be
expressed in it and the voices drag on in a tedious
monotone.
If you want to enter the room, turn to 207.
Otherwise you will either have to get the Bronze
Warrior to pull the lever in the corridor (turn to You cry out in disgust and jump back, knocking
118), or pull it yourself (turn to 197). over the screen. The gentlemen leap to their feet,
baring their fangs! They are Vampires and there
9 are too many of them for you to fight: your
You instinctively draw your sword as you see, adventure ends here as they close round in a ring,
beneath the rider's black cowl, the horrifying grin all eager to drink your lifeblood.
of a fleshless skull. You have one chance to hit him:
12
Roll one die:
score 1 to 4 You miss, turn to 191. You manage to shrug off the effects of the spell and
score 5 to 6 You hit, turn to 279. the tingling in your limbs begins to recede. You
(illustration on previous page) swipe at the Dwarf, preparing to remove the smirk
10 from his face forever. Turn to 101.
As you are about to speak to her, she suddenly 13
spits out a gobbet of blood and you see fierce fangs
instead of teeth in her mouth. You also notice that You open the door and find yourself in a banquet-
her tiger-skin suit looks more like her skin than a ing hall where a feast of Ghouls has taken place.
suit now! She leaps at you with a growl, taloned Most of the Ghouls now lie slumped across the
claws extended. You have no room to FLEE past tables, sleeping off their gross meal of human
her. flesh, but one of them starts to crawl over the floor
towards you, begging you to join him and eyeing
WERETIGER VIGOUR 12 the meat on your calf as he does so.
Roll two dice: You slam the door hurriedly and decide to go
score 2 to 3 She bites you with her sharp teeth; straight on. Turn to 270.
you lose 4 VIGOUR
score 4 to 6 You are hit by one of her claws: 14
you lose 3 VIGOUR The Bronze Warrior is still holding off the Zombies
score 7 to 12 The Weretiger loses 3 VIGOUR in front of you, but bits of his armour are hanging
If you win, turn to 194. off and he is badly damaged. He looks around at
you and calls out in his tinny voice: 'Run while you
11 have a chance, there are too many of them!'
You slip behind the screen, only to bump into a Do you want to take his advice and escape? Turn
waiter filling decanters from a dripping corpse. to 146. If you want to ignore his advice, turn to 155.
 15
As the Ruffian you are fighting blunders over a
fallen stool, you race out of the Inn and along the
road leading to the Keep. The Ruffians come to the
door and jeer at you, but don't bother setting out in
pursuit. The road soon starts to climb steeply up
the crag towards the Keep. Turn to 78.

16
As you draw abreast with the first suit of armour,
you see its halberd suddenly swing down towards
you. Roll two dice and try to score less than or
equal to your current AGILITY. If you succeed, turn
to 76. If you fail, turn to 162.

17
You swig back the 'Strong Stuff and feel waves of
health coursing through your body. You have
recovered 10 VIGOUR points. Add these to your
current VIGOUR score but do not exceed your
normal VIGOUR. Any extra points are wasted.
Delighted by your discovery, you lean forward to
drink some more, only to find that the vat has
suddenly emptied. The mouse sitting at its edge
seems to frown at you, but scuttles away when you
glare at it. You leave the room and turn right down
the passageway. Turn to 34.

18
You step from the path and at once sink almost to
your waist in the thick mud. As you struggle
towards firmer ground, a serpentine form covered
in weeds and slime rears up in front of you. You extremely faint bubbling noise coming from inside.
barely have time to draw your sword as its fanged Do you want to go in and investigate (turn to 105)?
maw darts at you. If you would prefer to continue, turn to 34.
SWAMP WYRM VIGOUR 9
21
Roll two dice:
score 2 to 6 You are bitten by its sharp teeth; You whip out the dagger, and throw it at the dark
lose 3 VIGOUR form across the hall. Darkrobe casually flicks his
score 7 to 12 The Swamp Wyrm loses 3 wrist and the dagger twists in the air and flies back
VIGOUR straight at you! Although you try to dodge it, it
lands in your arm with a dull thud. You lose 3
You cannot FLEE from this battle. If you slay the VIGOUR. If you're still alive, turn to 248.
Wyrm, turn to 190.

19 22
The cloud of pepper dust envelops you and you let You have a curious impulse to fill one of the hollow
out a horrible sneeze! The Ogre, however, has horns with the liquid in the cistern and you do so,
recovered from its own sneezing fit, and belts you swigging back the mixture with gusto. It seems to
with its bone before you can recover. You lose 3 be some kind of wine. You feel fortified by your
VIGOUR points. You must fight it if you are still drink of Bull's Blood, and you feel your old
alive. wounds knitting together and healing. You recover
10 VIGOUR points (but do not exceed your normal
OGRE VIGOUR 12 VIGOUR score). Unfortunately you can't carry any
Roll two dice: of the liquid along with you. You continue down
score 2 to 5 You are hit; lose 3 VIGOUR the tunnel, turn to 212.
score 6 to 12 The Ogre loses 3 VIGOUR
23
If you wish you may FLEE back the way you came.
If you do so, throw the dice as usual and turn to You tiptoe up to her desk. There are various
128. If you fight and win, turn to 111. strange items on it: a jar of pickled toads, a
necklace made out of spiders' legs and a human
20 skull used as a candle-holder. You also see various
scraps of yellowing paper covered with crabby
Soon after you have left the bronze double doors, writing. You can just about make out the sentences
you see a closed door to your right. You hear an 'Rumpole should wear stilts' and 'Small things
have small minds' amongst all the other doodling
on the paper. In a drawer of the desk you find a
clay doll of a Dwarf. It has pins sticking out of it at
all angles. You may take this item if you wish, and
anything else on the table. Mark down the items
you take on your Character Sheet.
Will you now leave the room and go on down
the corridor? Turn to 43. Or would you like to go
over and have a look at the Witch? Turn to 237.

24
The door is made of oak and would require a lot of
effort to force open. You estimate you could lose
up to 2 VIGOUR points doing so. If you would like
to try forcing the door deduct these points from
your current VIGOUR score and turn to 163. If you
would prefer to continue down the corridor, turn
to 150.
25
As you cross over the bridge, an evil-looking Troll
lopes up to block your path at the far end. You hear
a whinney behind you and turn to see that a
second Troll has just hacked down your horse
where you left it tethered to the bridge-post. Turn
to 258.
26
Have you been using the ball of string from the
Ogre's room? If you have, you make your way
back through the labyrinth to the bronze double
doors, turn to 128. If you haven't been using it,
turn to 185.
 27 30
You continue down the road until you come upon 'You obviously don't trust me,' she says, looking at
an oily black river. There is a sign that reads: Terry you with her dark, mournful eyes. 'But you should
straight ahead' and another, pointing to the right, take this gift. I'm the ghost of Darkrobe's mistress.
which says 'Bridge 200 metres'. You can make out He killed me in a fit of madness; now I want my
the shape of a black barge moored on the far bank. revenge.' You notice she isn't actually standing on
A shadowy figure stands at its stern. You may hail the carpet, but hovering a few inches above it. If
the ferryman, turn to 278, or ride along the bank to you now want to accept her gift turn to 210. If you
the bridge, turn to 50. want to refuse it again, turn to 217.
(illustration on previous page)
31
28 Floods of nausea wash over you and you feel
The ball of string has nearly run out. If you are dizzy. The sides of the tunnel start to swim
worried about this, you will have to retrace your towards you and you begin to lose consciousness.
steps now; turn to 229. If you don't mind continu- Roll two dice and deduct the total from your
ing without it, turn to 91. VIGOUR points. If you are still alive, turn to 156.

29 32
You recoil in horror as you see a grinning skull You whip out the Throwing Dagger as the Dwarf
reflected in the mirror next to your own face. The waves his hands in the air, forming some magical
Skeleton swings round on you, a bright dagger spell. You fling it at him and it sinks into his chest;
clutched in its bony fingers. he collapses to the floor with a surprised look on
SKELETON VIGOUR 9 his face. You step over his body into the library. At
Roll two dice: one end you see a desk with a chandelier hanging
score 2 to 6 The Skeleton strikes you; lose 3 over it. There is a large ledger on the desk. Turn to
VIGOUR 74.
score 7 to 12 You hit the Skeleton; it loses 3
VIGOUR 33
If you win, you decide to rub some wax from one Their conversation soon turns to the merits of the
of the candles on your armour to stop it squeaking. 'wine'. You learn with horror that the glass in your
You then go through the door to the next room. hand actually contains human blood and that
Turn to 136. you're sitting with a group of Vampires. You put
your glass down on a side table and make a hurried on your Character Sheet. Well pleased with your
excuse about leaving something behind in the acquisition, you go through the door at the far end
library. Just as you're going out of the doorway, of the chamber and walk down a passageway.
one of the Vampires calls out to you. Will you Turn to 37.
ignore him and rush off down the corridor (turn to
265) or will you stop and listen to what he has to 36
say (turn to 82)?
You pull out an acorn and throw it into the dark
chasm. Nothing happens for a while, then sud-
34
denly you see the top of an oak tree snaking up
You descend a flight of steps into a high chamber towards you out of the darkness! The acorn has
filled to the ceiling with dusty old furniture and rapidly grown into a mature tree, its branches
weapons. Amongst the debris you notice war overhanging the terrace. You climb on to them and
banners once carried by the proud knights of make your way down safely. As you reach the
Lalassa into battle. You vow that should you bottom, you notice the other tree shrivelling up
survive your encounter with Arkayn Darkrobe, and buckling down to the ground. Soon all that is
you will return and place the banners in the chapel left of it is rotten bark crawling with thousands of
of your knights' hall in the capital. woodworms. You shudder, and make your way
You make your way through an avenue in the over to a tunnel entrance you can see set into the
stacked furniture and eventually come to a heavy side of the chasm. Turn to 239.
wooden door, under which you see a light.
Pressing your ear against the door, you hear from 37
within a loud snuffling noise, then a grunting
followed by a prodigious belch. You decide to You are now standing in a small hallway in front of
enter the room. Turn to 167. two large bronze double doors. Carved on to them
are bizarre figures of beings, half bull and half
35 human. You pass through the doors and find
yourself in a corridor running east and west. If you
Relieved that you are still alive you reach out and would like to go west, turn to 128. If you would
lift the green leather boots from between the sta- like to go east, turn to 20.
tues. You wade back to the edge of the pool and
kick off your old waterlogged boots, replacing 38
them with the new ones. You immediately feel that
your normal AGILITY has improved by 3 points. You see a faint crack in the brickwork where the
Raise your current AGILITY to this level and note it dog is standing. There is an empty torch bracket on
the wall, and you decide this may be a secret lever. If you now want to go through the door behind
You pull it down, and a stone block swings away the Ogre's table and you have the ball of string,
revealing a hidden room. A fountain bubbles in the turn to 174. If you have chosen not to take the
centre surrounded by a pool. There is a door in the string you may go through the door by turning to
north wall of the chamber. 261. If you would prefer to turn back, turn to 128.
Would you like to investigate the fountain? Turn
to 149. If you'd just like to go through the far door,
turn to 56. 41
You rifle the pockets of the three Ruffians and find
39 a total of 17 Gold Pieces, a pair of loaded dice and a
locket containing a strand of golden hair. Remem-
You twist the door ring, and the door creaks open ber to note down on your Character Sheet any-
on rusty hinges. Ahead of you is a dark passage- thing that you take. You wipe the blood from your
way leading up into the heart of Shadow Keep. sword on the apron of the startled innkeeper and
You hold your torch up and move forward leave to resume your trek towards the Keep. Turn
cautiously down a long corridor. Turn to 153.
to 78.

40 42
The Ogre seems pleased by your offer and seizes You feel your ankle seized by an icy tendril as you
the earthenware jug. It swigs back the wine in a wade through the water. Looking down, you see
couple of gulps. 'Bweeerk!' It lets out a loud belch. the water has become animate and is forming into
It seems drunk and talkative: 'Lissen' it says, 'if a transparent creature with a gaping mouth full of
ah's you ah'd not go through the door 'cos there's a sharp, icicle teeth. It has a firm hold on you so you
blinking great bull through there, i'nt there? If you cannot FLEE. You must fight it.
wanna go on, cop this shtring 'cos ah won't be
needing it - hie!' It throws you a ball of string. WATER MONSTER VIGOUR 9
Mark it down on your Character Sheet if you keep
it. The Ogre is now lying on the floor, its belching Roll two dice:
score 2 to 6 The monster bites your leg with its
soon followed by earth-trembling snores. You sharp teeth; lose 3 VIGOUR
notice there is a copper key hanging from a chain score 7 to 12 The Water Monster loses 3
around its neck. If you would like to take this and VIGOUR
the thighbone, mark them down as well on your
Character Sheet. If you win, turn to 35.
 43
There is a small antechamber at the end of the
corridor. Curiously, for warmth is not one of the
normal features of Shadow Keep, a large fire is
burning in a grate. There is a panel set into the wall
by the fire. You push this slightly and it opens a
crack. You peep through the gap and see an
enormous library. It looks like the panel in front of
you is disguised on the other side as a bookcase.
You hear a tuneless whistling from the end of the
room and, pushing the panel open a fraction more,
you can see a horrible misshapen dwarf sitting at
an overlarge desk. He is scratching a large wart on
the end of his nose with one hand and writing with
a quill with the other. A large chandelier swings
over hi, head casting a pool of light.
Would you like to take out an item from your
backpack? If so, turn to 285. If you would like to
rush into the library, hoping to surprise the Dwarf,
turn to 66.

44
You reach into your backpack and fumble around
desperately for the thighbone. You throw it down
in front of the Minotaur just as it's about to gore
you. It falls on the bone like a playful dog and
begins to chew at it, having forgotten all about
you. You turn to glare at the young man, but he's
already running off through the archway yelling
back at the Minotaur: 'You blinking idiot! Do the
geezer, not the bone!' The Minotaur seems quite
happy with the bone, however.
 Do you want to follow the young man? Turn to
75. If you'd prefer to retrace your steps, turn to 26.

45
You fling yourself to one side as the stone block
crashes into the wall with a horrible grating sound.
You pull yourself to your feet and see a wood-
panelled corridor ahead of you. You set off down
it. Turn to 88.

46
Sweating heavily, you manage to relight your
torch. Looking down at your feet you see the
hideous form of a Wyrd dressed in grave-clothes,
its grey flesh exposed by your sword blows. The
chamber is littered with old human bones. Shud-
dering, you move on quickly. Turn to 290.

47
The Inn is brightly lit and smells evilly. Over in a
corner by the fire you see a Knight clad in rusty
antique armour. Three unkempt Ruffians play dice
in another corner. The loud, drunken shouts you
heard come from them. The landlord stands at the
bar cleaning glasses. Will you:
Go over to talk to the
Innkeeper? Turn to 51
Sit down at the Knight's table? Turn to 63
Join the three Ruffians? Turn to 72
Leave the Inn and continue
along the road to Shadow
Keep? Turn to 78
 48
The Ore swings round in surprise and you have hit
him before he can react. He yells with pain but
grabs a butcher's cleaver from a hook on the wall
and swipes at you with it.
ORC VIGOUR 9

Roll two dice:

score 2 to 6 The Ore strikes you with the
cleaver; lose 3 VIGOUR
score 7 to 12 The Ore loses 3 VIGOUR
If you win, turn to 114.
49
You jump and land heavily at the bottom of the
chasm, twisting your ankle. You lose 3 VIGOUR
points. If you are still alive, you hobble over to a
tunnel entrance you can see at the bottom of the
crag on which the Keep is built. Turn to 239.
50
Following the signpost, you come to a rickety
bridge. Braziers burn at either end and so it is well
illuminated. A crudely painted sign reads Toll -
orl yor gold or yor life!' Before passing on to the
bridge, will you deposit your gold in the box beside
the sign (turn to 177)? Or will you ignore the sign
and step on to the bridge anyway (turn to 25)?

51
The Innkeeper watches you with small, unfriendly
eyes as you explain your mission. 'Many a young
 upstart have I seen passing my door,' he says with 55
a cheerless laugh. Tew even survived beyond the
Though he fights valiantly, the Knight proves no
courtyard of the Keep, which is guarded by a great,
match for three opponents after his long period of
unliving Hawk that pecks the eyes from foolish
inactivity. He wounds two of them - one severely -
adventurers like yourself!' Sneering, he returns to but is then hacked down and butchered. The
polishing the beer-glasses. Although perhaps a Ruffians glare at you and then shuffle out of the
little daunted by his words, you leave the Inn and Inn nursing their wounds. You may now talk to
make your way towards the dreaded castle. Turn the Innkeeper (turn to 51) or resume your journey
to 78.
towards Shadow Keep (turn to 78).

52 56
The grille misses you by a fraction and crashes into You walk across the chamber and open the door. It
the wall behind you. Do you have a Throwing gives on to a passageway which you walk down.
Dagger in your backpack? If you do, turn to 32. If Turn to 37.
not, turn to 198.
57
You find yourself seated at the table between two
53 Ghouls. The one on your left is already extremely
You go through the room where the dog was. drunk and leers at you greedily through his blood-
There is a lighted candle on a table, but nothing shot eyes. The one on your right is totally engros-
else of interest. You duck under a low archway and sed in gnawing a footman's leg. A waiter comes up
find yourself in a corridor. You walk northwards and places a covered dish in front of you: 'Special-
along it for a few metres. Turn to 37. ity of the day, sir!' he announces, whipping off the
lid. The drunk Ghoul leers at you again, daring
you to eat.
54 Will you eat a little bit just to sate his curiosity
(turn to 241)? If you'd prefer to order some wine,
Do you have the Troll's bowling ball? If you do,
turn to 220. If not, you find nothing of use. You can turn to 189.
either step out into the corridor (turn to 16), or go 58
back and chose another door. You may chose
either the gold door (turn to 96). Or the iron door You leave the road and see a high, lichen-covered
(turn to 4). barrow behind which to hide. The rider passes
down the road and is lost in the distance. Just as
you are about to leave, a voice comes from behind
you. Turning, you find an old man leaning against
the barrow. He has an earthenware jug in his
hand. 'Drink with me and be merry,' he offers, 'for
the night is long and I will drink till dawn.' Will
you accept the jug and drink from it (turn to 73), or
decline the offer (turn to 268)?

59
You head north for several minutes and then there
is a circular staircase winding down into the dark-
ness in front of you. You check that your torch is
burning properly and go down the stairs
cautiously. A smell of decay wafts up from below.
Just as you reach the bottom, your torch goes out
and you are left in pitch darkness! Before you can
relight it, your hair stands up on end as you hear
something large slouching towards you in the
dark. Did you befriend a Golden Hawk earlier in
your adventure? If you did, turn to 116. If not, turn
to 93.
60
You realise you are now lost in the heart of a
labyrinth. Do you have the ball of string? If you do
turn to 28. If you haven't, you decide to carry on
regardless. Turn to 91.

61
You rush forward, shouting out your battlecry;
Darkrobe stands unmoving, not even bothering to
lift his weapon. Suddenly, you realize your feet are
treading air and you topple head over heels into a 64
vast pit which was concealed by the mist. Have As you draw close to the old man he stops and
you made friends with the Golden Hawk? If you addresses you: 'I am Shambol Eyehawk, a blind
have, turn to 139. If not, turn to 119. old man. Step from my path and let me by!' Will
you step off the path on to the swampy ground to
the side of it? If so, turn to 202. Or will you make
62 him leave the path (turn to 234)?
The Lizard Man's spindly legs give way and he 65
falls to the floor, run through by your sword. You
find a large bronze key hanging on a cord around You are in a vestibule with a window in the north
his neck. If you would like to take this, mark it wall. You look and see that a dark chasm separates
down on your Character Sheet. You also find a the outer towers of the castle where you are from
phial with ink in it in one of his webbed hands. the Inner Keep. Looking up at the parapet of the
You decide to have a look at the scroll the old Inner Keep you fancy you can see the silhouette of
magician was writing on. Turn to 70. a cloaked figure gazing down at you. Just then the
moon passes behind a thick bank of cloud and
when you can see again the figure is gone.
Two staircases lead down from the vestibule.
63 The left-hand one passes under a Gothic arch into a
The Knight regards you coldly. 'I am Stentorian of mist-shrouded graveyard. You can just make out a
Snout,' he says. 'I have sat here for over a year. I pathway snaking its way between some yew trees
came here after a terrible storm - my armour and gravestones to a door at the bottom of the
rusted, and since then I have been unable to rise. Inner Keep walls. The staircase to your right leads
The Innkeeper brings me food and sees to my down to an empty moonlit terrace overlooking the
needs, not out of goodness but because he has a chasm. The top of a gigantic tree can be seen at the
black heart and rejoices to see me thus humbled. same level as the terrace, and it looks like it might
Give me oil, I pray you, and I will slay those evil be possible to climb down it to the bottom of the
Ruffians!' At this, the three men give a great hoot chasm. You must take one of these routes to reach
of derisory laughter. the Inner Keep.
You could pour some oil from your lantern on If you would like to take the left-hand staircase,
the joints of the Knight's rusted armour. Will you turn to 292.
do this (turn to 80)? Or will you refuse to help him If you would like to take the right-hand staircase,
(turn to 184)? turn to 83.
 66 you. You cower in terror knowing there's no
escape from the ghosts of the Darkrobe family!
You rush across the library towards the Dwarf. He
looks up from his ledger and makes a gesture with Your adventure ends here.
his pudgy little hands. An aura of sparkling blue
light envelopes you and you feel wracking pins-
and-needles in all your limbs. Roll two dice and try 69
to score less than or equal to your current PSI. If You are on a narrow track. The ground to either
you succeed, turn to 12. If you fail, turn to 280. side is marshy and treacherous. Occasionally
evil-looking mists emanate from the bubbling mire
67 to envelop you. Eventually you catch sight of a
stooped old man wending his way towards you
To your surprise, he bows reverently towards you along the narrow causeway. He wears a high,
when you speak to him. He steps over to the chest peaked cap and carries an oaken staff. As far as
on the carpet and swings the lid open. Inside you you can tell he has not yet seen you. You may carry
can see a small phial resting on a velvet cloth. The on to meet him (turn to 64). Or you can leave the
Bronze Warrior turns to you and addresses you in causeway and hide in the swamp (turn to 18).
a tinny voice: (illustration on following page)
This is a Potion of Invisibility. It will only work for
a very short time after you have drunk it: the time
it takes to run across a room and deliver a blow for 70
example. It will be useful to you when you come to
meet the Lord of Shadow Keep!' You look at the scroll the old man was writing on.
Thanking him for his advice, you put the phial in The ink is just drying on it and you make out
your backpack; mark it down on your Character mystic characters which seem to glow with an
Sheet. You ask the Bronze Warrior to lead you arcane magic. If you read out the spell from the
down the corridor. Turn to 264. scroll you will find that your VIGOUR points are
restored to their normal level. You may either use
the scroll now, and then discard it, or take it with
68 you (noting it down on your Character Sheet) and
You panic, all your knightly discipline forgotten, use it at any time between combats. You may not
and rush off down the corridor lined with family use the scroll during combat and it will work once
portraits only to find that it's a dead end. Looking only. After you have picked up the scroll you leave
round, you see ghostly emanations emerging like the room and continue down the corridor. Turn to
mist from the portraits and drifting down towards 59.
 71
The Ore crashes to the floor, its meat cleaver
clattering over the damp cobbles of the cellar. You
search around and find a loaf of black bread and
some smelly cheese. You try a little and are sur-
prised to find it tastes quite nice. Restore 6
VIGOUR points for your meal but do not exceed
your normal VIGOUR score. Any extra points are
wasted.
You now decide to leave this dank place so you
go up a staircase and turn left down a dimly-lit
corridor. Turn to 153.
72
You approach the Ruffians, who eye you slyly and
invite you to join their game. Do you accept? If so,
turn to 86. If not, you may join the Knight (turn to
63) or the Innkeeper (turn to 51), or else leave the
Inn and go on (turn to 78).
73
As you gulp down a long draught of the wine you
experience a sudden nausea. Lose 6 VIGOUR
points. If still alive, you hear the old man emit a
menacing growl low in his throat. Turn to 268.
74
You look at the yellowing paper of the ledger. It is
open at a page that bears today's date and seems to
itemize the bizarre bill of fare offered up for supper
tonight at Shadow Keep:
'Item: Two country maids for the Ghouls'
dinner.
 Item: Two gallons of peasants' blood left in pails
for the Vampires.
Item: Bats' wings garnished with beetles for the
Lord.
The tray left outside his door as he was occupied
in magical arts.'
There are many similar entries on previous
pages. You realize there must be legions of undead
creatures lurking in the cellars and dungeons
underneath the castle! Turn to 84.

75
After a while you come to a dripping cistern set
into one of the rocky walls of the tunnel. Looking
into it, you notice with disgust that the liquid in it
looks like blood. Have you got the bull's horns? If
you have, turn to 22. If you haven't, you continue
down the tunnel. Turn to 273.

76
The first halberd missed you by a fraction, but
you've jumped right in front of the second suit of
armour and its halberd is now swinging down at
you! Roll two dice, and try to roll equal to or less
than your current AGILITY. If you succeed, turn to
94. If you fail, turn to 162.

77
You whip off your cloak and wave it in front of
you. The bats fly into it and fall to the floor
entangled in its folds. You run off down the
corridor before they can recover. Soon you're in
the library again. You must chose to take either the and are grimly drawing their swords. Will you help
central passage (turn to 205), or the left-hand one the Knight (turn to 230), or leave him to fight the
(turn to 148). three men on his own (turn to 55)?

78
81
The path spirals up around the crag. You seem to
have been climbing forever when finally it levels The severed stumps of the tree bleed a dark red
out and in front of you there stands a gateway. On ooze. You scramble down the rest of the way and
either side of the gateway, illuminated by the reach the bottom of the chasm. You see a tunnel
setting moon, two stone skulls stare down at you. entrance at the base of the crag on which the Keep
You feel a premonition of doom, but manage to is built and make your way over to it. Turn to 239.
gather your courage and stride up to the heavy oak
gate. Will you knock, demanding entrance (turn to 82
240), or push at the gate (turn to 130)?
'I say, old chap,' he says, 'would you mind bring-
79 ing in another body; we're getting a bit low on
drink!' He smiles at you, baring his blood-flecked
You instinctively whip your sword up in defence. fangs. You promise you will and leave. You soon
The Dragon stops in mid-roar as it turns to stone. find yourself in the library again. Will you go down
The gout of flame issuing from its mouth is also the central passageway (turn to 205)? Or will you
petrified, creating a spectacular piece of sculpture. go down the left-hand one (turn to 148)?
The Basilisk's head is now useless, so you throw it
away. You notice a glint of gold coming from the
Dragon's nest. Looking closer, you see it is a 83
golden egg.
You walk down to the terrace. The dark walls of
Do you want to pick up the golden egg? Turn to the Keep loom high above you in the darkness.
113. Or would you prefer to look around for an Looking over the parapet of the terrace, you see
exit? Turn to 286.
there is a drop of a hundred feet into the chasm
below. An enormous, sprawling tree has grown up
80
to the edge of the terrace however. Do you want to
The Knight swings his arms up and seizes an old climb down the tree? Turn to 291. If you have
halberd from above the fireplace. He approaches Shambol Eyehawk's bag of acorns, you could use
the Ruffians, who have now ceased their taunting those instead. Turn to 36.
 84
There are three exits at the north end of the library.
All are stairways leading down into the darkness.
There is a fragment of red ribbon by the left-hand
exit and a small splash of blood on the floor by the
right-hand stairs. The central stairway has no dis-
tinguishing marks by it. Which staircase will you
take:
The central stairway? Turn to 205
The left-hand stairs? Turn to 148
The right-hand stairs? Turn to 256

85
You wrench off the bull's horns and stick them in
your belt. You noticed the young man running off
under the archway just as you won the fight. If you
want to follow him further into the labyrinth, turn
to 75. If you'd prefer to retrace your steps, turn to
26.

86
They ask you what stake you will play for. You can
wager up to 5 Gold Pieces if you can afford it.
Decide how much you will risk and then roll one
die. On a roll of 1 to 5 you have lost your stake. On
a roll of 6 you have won twice your stake. After one
game you realize that they're cheating. If you want
to make an issue of it, turn to 169. If not, you may
talk to the Innkeeper (turn to 51) or leave the Inn
and head towards Shadow Keep (turn to 78).
 87 manage to roll out of the tunnel and drag out your
Passing under another archway, you are almost sword.
blinded by the lights coming from a brightly lit ORC VIGOUR 12
vestibule. There is a thick carpet on the floor, and a
cheerful fire in the grate. Reclining on a red velvet Roll two dice:
score 2 to 6 The Ore strikes you with the
divan in front of the fire is a beautiful woman with cleaver; lose 3 VIGOUR
fiery red hair. She is clad in what appears to be a score 7 to 12 The Ore loses 3 VIGOUR
suit of close-fitting tiger skin. After the grim
adventures of the last few hours you think it would If you win, turn to 71.
be pleasant to relax in front of the fire. You must
pass through the vestibule to reach a door which 90
seems to be the only exit from the corridor that you
are in. Do you want to talk to the woman (turn to You pull the Throwing Dagger out of your back-
10)? Or maybe you feel you ought to offer her pack. It seems alive with magical power as you
something from your backpack first? If so turn to clutch its hilt. You throw it, sighting it on the cord
125. holding the chandelier above the Dwarf's head. It
(illustration on previous page) whistles through the air, severing the rope and
sending the chandelier crashing down on the
Dwarf. You retrieve the dagger and then go over to
88
inspect the remains of the Dwarf and his desk. You
You stop outside a door set into the right-hand drag out a ledger from the splintered wood. Turn
wall of the corridor. Do you want to open the door? to 74.
If so turn to 172. If you'd prefer to continue up the
corridor, turn to 43. 91
You walk a, long way down the tunnel until you
89 feel a breeze on your face coming from in front of
The Ore throws the slops right into your face. This you. There is another tunnel on your left which
time you manage to hold on to the sides of the you think leads back into the labyrinth, so you
tunnel but are completely blinded by a lettuce leaf ignore it. A bit further on the tunnel turns into a
which is wrapped around your eyes. You manage normal corridor which ends with a locked grille.
to wipe away the mouldy green leaf just as the Ore Past the grille you can dimly see a vast dark hall
hacks down at you with a vicious-looking butcher's lined with thousands of books. Do you have the
cleaver. Lose 3 VIGOUR. If you are still alive, you Ogre's key? If you do, turn to 233. If not, turn to 5.
 92 95
You shout at her and she wakes with a start, As you pass round another corner in the twisting
relaxing her grip on your hair: you fall like a stone passageway, a voice calls out from a lighted alcove
through the night air, losing consciousness before to your right: 'Spitter! Is that you? Where's my ink?
your body smashes into the sharp rocks below. I've been waiting for it for over an hour!'
Your adventure ends here. Will you ignore the voice and run on down the
corridor? Turn to 107. If you would like to try
93 imitating the Lizard Man's odd manner of speech,
There is the sound of movement in the darkness as turn to 138. If you would just like to rush into the
your opponent leaps at you. You get a whiff of old room hefting your sword, turn to 3.
grave-clothes and damp earth as something strikes
out at you with horny talons. Although you can't 96
see a thing, your assailant seems to be able to see in With a great effort you heave the golden door
the dark. aside. It groans monstrously as you do so. You find
WYRD VIGOUR 12
yourself in a small chapel. The odour of death
hangs here, and a cold chill passes up your spine.
Roll two dice: At the far end of the room you see an altar made
score 2 to 3 The horned talons of your entirely of skulls, thigh and arm bones. You are
opponent rip open one of your just about to leave this evil place when you notice
arms, lose 4 VIGOUR and 1 PSI, as in the dim light of your torch a gold dagger of
the creature's magic draws on immense value glinting on the altar. It has a
your psychic reserves beautiful jet pommel and curious golden runes
score 4 to 7 You are hit; you lose 3 VIGOUR engraved on its haft. Two black candles stand to
score 8 to 12 You strike out blindly in the either side of it on the altar. You can see an exit
darkness and hit your opponent; it through an archway to one side of the altar. Will
loses 3 VIGOUR you:
You cannot FLEE in this blackness. If you win, turn Go through the archway? Turn to 225
to 46. Pick up the dagger? Turn to 143

94 97
You reach the end of the corridor and walk into a You look at the Witch's clay doll and scratch your
vestibule hung with ancient tapestries. Turn to 65. head; well, it seems worth a try. You throw it on to
the crackling fire. The tuneless whistling in the 100
library stops abruptly. You rush over to the crack
As you approach them, the gems suddenly fly up
in the door: the chair by the desk is now empty,
and you see the feather quill that the Dwarf was and coalesce into a shimmering crystal warrior
writing with falling in gentle spirals to the floor. wielding the two scimitars. You must fight it.
You enter the library cautiously, fearing he might JEWEL WARRIOR VIGOUR 12
be lurking somewhere in the shadows, but after a
while of looking behind bookcases and curtains Roll two dice:
you realize he has gone for good. You go over and score 2 to 6 You are hit and lose 3 VIGOUR
score 7 to 12 The Jewel Warrior loses 3 VIGOUR
have a look at the ledger open on his desk. Turn to
74. If you win, turn to 269.

101
98
You think it will be an easy job to finish off the little
You haul yourself out on to the ledge and inch man. As you carve down at him with your sword,
your way along it, clutching on to the stonework however, he steps to one side nimbly and delivers
above you with frozen hands. You look down and a mighty kick on your shin. Deduct 2 VIGOUR
see a sheer drop beneath you of hundreds of feet. points. If you are still alive, turn to 296.
You've soon drawn level with a lighted window
and peep in. You can see a huge mastiff dog
looking at a door: obviously the door into the 102
chamber you have just left.
Do you want to force open the window, hoping You open the door. Down a few stairs there is a
the dog is friendly? Turn to 231. If you'd prefer to dining room where a number of Ghouls sit around
carry on inching your way along the ledge, turn to a table laden with strange meats. There is a menu
158. board beside you and you read: 'TODAY'S SPE-
CIALITY: MAIDENS IN TARRAGON SAUCE.'
The Ghouls have fallen silent on your entrance.
One of them calls out, 'Welcome to our feast, the
99 more the merrier!' 'Food or guests?' enquires
The bolt hits you full on and you feel your flesh another and they all fall about laughing. If you
seared by the hellish flames. You lose 15 VIGOUR would like to go down the steps and join them,
points. If you survive, turn to 157. turn to 57. If you'd prefer to leave, turn to 115.
 103
The surviving Troll battles on desperately.
Roll two dice:
score 2 to 5 You are hit; lose 3 VIGOUR
score 6 to 12 The Troll loses 3 VIGOUR
If you beat him, turn to 120.

104
You panic and rush off through the graveyard in
fright. You see the open doorway of a crypt and
fling yourself through it. The stone covering shuts
with a grinding noise behind you, and you find
yourself left in darkness. You try to push the
covering open again but it is jammed fast. You hear
a low moan; looking over your shoulder you see a
swarm of ghosts coming towards you from the
burial chamber. There is no escape; your adventure
ends here.

105
You enter a small laboratory. There are instru-
ments scattered over the work tables, and a quant-
ity of multi-coloured glass vessels and wooden vats
stand here and there, full of strange liquids bubbl-
ing merrily. A small brown mouse is sitting on the
edge of one of the vats staring at you incuriously.
You decide to investigate the various liquids.
Only three containers are labelled. The first
reads 'Rat Poison Antidote', the second Tor High
Fliers Only' and the third 'Strong Stuff. The tame
mouse doesn't constitute any threat of a rat-like
nature, but if you would like to pour some of the fiery red eyes glowing in the darkness. A strange
Rat Poison Antidote into a bottle for later use, do magical force seems to seize your limbs and you
so, and mark it down on your Character Sheet. If feel a chilling cold all over you. Looking down you
you would like to drink some of the 'High Fliers' see your armour and your flesh turning a grey-
brew, turn to 253. If you would like to try some white colour. Your body is turning into stone! Roll
'Strong Stuff, turn to 17. If you don't want to drink two dice and try to score equal to or less than your
anything, you leave and continue eastwards. Turn current PSI. If you succeed, turn to 137. If you fail,
to 34. turn to 283.

106 110
The wooden door closes with a thud behind you. The ghosts surround you, wailing louder and
You find yourself in a long corridor illuminated by louder. You recognize amongst the twisting spec-
torches burning in wall brackets. Along both walls tral forms the raven-haired lady you gave the ring
there are a number of suits of armour; halberds rest to, and she throws back her head laughing. Icy
in their hands at about head height. Will you fingers clutch you and hurl you down the dark pit.
advance without further ado down the corridor Your adventure ends here.
(turn to 16)? Or will you get an item from your
backpack first (turn to 54)?
1ll
107 The Ogre lies in a pool of greenish blood. You step
The voice calls out at you again as you rush down over its body, pushing aside the table which was
the corridor. You decide not to stop however and smashed in the fighting. You notice a ball of string
soon reach the end of the passageway. Turn to 59. next to the door. There is also a half-gnawed
human thighbone in one of the Ogre's hands and a
108 copper key hanging from a chain around its neck.
If you would like to take any or all of these items,
You try inserting the key into the rusted iron lock. mark them on your Character Sheet. If you take the
To your surprise, you hear a click and the door string, turn to 174. If not, turn to 261.
swings open. Turn to 260.

109 112
The first - and maybe the last - thing you notice as You manage to recover your wits and strike out at
you pass through the throng of statues is a pair of the lady with your sword; it passes clean through
her and she vanishes into thin air with a low moan.
You turn again to the iron-bound door. Turn to
267.

113
You are pleased to find that the egg appears to be
solid gold; it is, as a consequence, extremely
heavy. If you want to take it with you, you will
have to discard all the items currently in your
backpack. If you do so, cross them off your Charac-
ter Sheet. You must also deduct 1 from your current
AGILITY as you are encumbered by the weight.
You estimate the egg to be worth 1000 Gold Pieces.
After you have made all the necessary alterations
to your Character Sheet, turn to 286.

114
The Ore falls backwards into the sink with a
-splash, disappearing from view. One or two bub-
bles break the surface of the vegetable scum, then
all is still. You search around the kitchen and find a
loaf of black bread and some old cheese. Grimac-
ing, you force some into your mouth and are
surprised to find it tastes quite nice. Restore 6
VIGOUR points for your meal, but do not exceed
your normal VIGOUR score. Any extra points are
wasted.
You leave the cellar by walking up some slippery
stone steps. You turn left down a dimly-lit pas-
sageway which eventually opens into a corridor
leading north. Turn to 153.
 115 the old man! You plunge headlong down a steep
You close the door on the grisly feast, and make shaft, landing with a bone-shattering crunch at the
your way back to the library. Which of the two bottom. Your adventure ends here.
stairways will you take? If you want to take the
central one, turn to 205. If you want to take the 118
right-hand one, turn to 256. The Bronze Warrior steps up to the lever and gives
it a sharp yank. The block of stone suddenly
116 swings open and there is a crunch like a tin can
The darkness is suddenly illuminated by a golden being crushed as it smashes into the wall where the
aura as an image of the Hawk appears in the air. A Bronze Man was standing. You pull the block back
ghastly Wyrd dressed in soiled grave-clothes to see what has become of him, but find that he has
stands in front of you holding its horny talons to been squashed till he is only a fraction of an inch
the eye slits of its bandages as if blinded by the thick all over. You are sorry to lose your friend but
light. You swing your sword at it before it has a you decide to continue down the passageway
chance to recover. which you can now see beyond the stone block.
WRYD VIGOUR 12 Turn to 88.
Roll two dice:
119
score 2 to 4 The Wyrd strikes you with its
talons; you lose 3 VIGOUR and 1 You fall down and down, your head spinning with
PSI as the creatures magic draws dizziness. The drop never seems to end and you
on your psychic reserves hear the cruel laughter of Arkayn Darkrobe in your
score 5 to 6 The creature catches you a ears. Suddenly there is a bone-shattering impact
glancing blow; you lose 2 VIGOUR and all goes black. Your adventure ends here.
score 7 to 12 You strike the Wyrd heavily as it
cannot defend itself because of the 120
light; it loses 4 VIGOUR
You find 12 Gold Pieces and a round stone with
If you win, turn to 209. holes in it on the bodies of the Trolls. The stone is a
(illustration on previous page) Troll bowling ball. You may also recover your own
gold from the box at the end of the bridge if you
117 paid it as a toll. Record what you take on your
The floor suddenly gives way from under your Character Sheet. You pass over the bridge, trudg-
feet. You have fallen down a trapdoor opened by ing towards the distant crag and regretting the loss
of your horse. Soon you reach the edge of a You may take his jug of Werewolf wine if you wish
swamp. You set off cautiously, trying to find a way - it is very potent and debilitating to anyone but a
through the mire. Turn to 69. lycanthrope, or werecreature. Turn to 27.

121 124
You see a welcome light ahead through the mist After about half an hour of this torture the Snow
and realize you are nearly out of the swamp. Soon Fairies become bored with their sport and, pouting
you arrive on dry land and trudge up to an Inn. in disappointment, sprout tiny wings and whirr off
The torches outside gutter in the chill breeze and into the night air. You sigh with relief and inch
barely illuminate the Inn sign which creaks over- your way down the ledge until you come to an
head on its hinges. You make out the words 'The open window. You throw yourself through it, only
Knight's Rest'. There is a prone figure lying in the to land on a bed with a skeleton lying in it, its skull
mud outside the door, but you can't make out grinning up at you. You get up hurriedly and leave
whether it is a drunk or a corpse. You hear the the chamber. Turn to 37.
sound of raucous laughter coming from inside. Do
you want to continue along the road to Shadow 125
Keep (turn to 78)? Or would you prefer to enter the If you have them, which of the following will you
Inn (turn to 47)? offer her:
122 A jar full of Werewolf's wine? Turn to 203
A Troll's bowling ball? Turn to 2
You bring your sword down on the monster's A locket with golden hair in it? Turn to 151
neck, severing its head from its body. Grabbing the
head by its comb, you fasten it on to the end of If you have none of these you decide to speak to
your sword, taking care all the time not to look into her. Turn to 10.
its eyes. Although you now won't be able to use 126
your sword in combat, the next creature you show
the head to will automatically be turned to stone. You let out a scream as the great block of stone
Make a note of this on your Character Sheet, and smashes into you, breaking every bone in your
then turn to 206. body. Your adventure ends here.

123 127
The Werewolf at your feet slowly reverts to human You look at the Zombie blankly. It swings at you
form as his lifeblood spills out on the grassy sward. with the scimitar it is holding in one of its hands.
Soon you're in a desperate fight, and other Zom-
bies are swarming up from the guardroom behind
it. Although you fight bravely there are far too
many of them. You collapse to the floor badly
wounded, never to recover. Your adventure ends
here.

128
You walk down the corridor until you reach a small
hall. Its walls are covered with mouldy tapestries,
and a tarnished silver service lies on a dusty
banqueting table in the centre of the room. Ahead
you can hear someone or something padding
down the thickly carpeted corridor towards you.
You creep up the corridor towards the sound.
You round a corner and come face to face with a
Lizard Man. He stares at you from under his
heavy, hooded eyelids, his green complexion con-
trasting starkly with the white ruff around his neck
and his bright purple velvet pantaloons. He is
holding an elegant rapier. 'Halt! Who goeth there
and whath the pathword?' he shouts, lisping
heavily, his serpentine tongue darting in and out
of his mouth.
Will you fight him? Turn to 179. Or would you
prefer to try and bluff by inventing a password?
Turn to 182.

129
You notice with satisfaction that it isn't squeaking
now. You silently round the corner and find your-
self face to face with a Small Dragon sitting on its
nest of cinders. As you stare at it, it takes a deep
breath; any second now it will breathe a gout of 'Take the route to the east. Whatever you do,
flame over you. don't take the ball of string from the Ogre you will
You may attempt to FLEE. If you do, do not meet: it's a base trick! If you find an alchemist's
throw the dice as usual but turn to 299. Or you may laboratory, you must drink a potion labelled "For
attack the Dragon by turning to 262. High Fliers Only", you will need it to complete
your quest. A fellow ghost slain perfidiously by
130 Darkrobe roams the corridors outside the Lord's
chambers. Accept her assistance as you have
It is locked. Do you have the skeletal rider's accepted mine, and at last justice will return to the
parchment? If so, turn to 140. If not, you will have land!'
to knock - turn to 240. You remember Sylvestus as being rather a with-
drawn, melancholy knight when you knew him in
131 Lalassa many years before. Do you want to risk
You enter a dark chamber where a young man is offending him by testing the truth of his story? If
chained to the wall. He looks in a bad way and so, turn to 288. If, however, you're happy with his
you're just about to offer him some help when he story, turn to 242.
notices the bull's horns stuck in your belt.
'Strewth! You've done for the bull!' he exclaims. 133
He slips his chains and runs away into the dark- You manage to dodge the falling net. You swing
ness. You follow him, rather puzzled by his beha- round to confront the Young Man who you saw
viour. Turn to 75. running away earlier. He jumps down from the
overhang brandishing a knife.
132 YOUNG MAN VIGOUR 9
You recover from your fright to see that the spectre Roll two dice:
is hovering before you, moaning softly. You bend score 2 to 5 The Young Man wounds you with
closer and hear that it is speaking to you. his knife, you lose 2 VIGOUR
1 am the ghost of Sir Sylvestus, a noble knight of score 6 to 12 You hit the Young Man; he loses 3
Lalassa. I was slain in my attempts to overcome the VIGOUR
Lord of Shadow Keep and was buried in this If you win, turn to 60.
gloomy spot. Listen to my advice, for my time with
you is short. There are two ways through the Keep; 134
you'll get to them through that door.' He points to You are nearly swept backwards but manage to
the ivy-choked doorway you saw from above. cling on to the sides of the tunnel. Shaking the
rotten cabbage peel from your hair, you continue Roll two dice:
up the shaft. Eventually you pull yourself out of score 2 You inadvertently catch the gaze
the drainage tunnel and find yourself in a dimly-lit of the Basilisk reflected in your
cellar. A foul-smelling Ore is filling an enormous armour; you are petrified. Your
pail by dipping it into a sink full of vegetable adventure ends here.
peelings. He has his back turned to you and you score 3 to 6 The Basilisk pecks you with its
have the advantage of surprise as you rush in to grotesque beak: you lose 3
attack him. Turn to 48. VIGOUR
score 7 Although you manage to wound
135 the Basilisk (it loses 3 VIGOUR), a
venomous asp slides out of its side
You hurriedly uncork the stopper of the flask with and bites you. If you are bitten this
the Rat Poison Antidote inside it. As you swig it way a second time, you will die
back you feel the throbbing in your wounds sub- immediately!
side and your muscles relax. Wiping the cold sweat score 8 to 12 You hit the Basilisk; it loses 3
from your brow you move on. Turn to 91. VIGOUR
136 If you win, turn to 183.
You find yourself in a cavernous chamber. Giant
stalactites hang down from the ceiling, and there is
a fierce red glow coming from round one of the
corners. It is extremely warm, and you begin to 138
sweat freely. Did you wax your armour in the
previous room? If you did, turn to 129. Otherwise You do a good imitation of the Lizard Man's lisp:
turn to 142. 'Right away, thir! I have come ath thoon as I could!'
You take out the phial which you now realize
137 contains ink and enter the alcove. There is an old,
wizened man wearing greasy robes scratching
You avert your gaze from the glowing eyes, and away with a quill on a parchment. He gestures
you see the grey sheen begin to disappear from irritably at his inkwell without looking up from his
your body. You know that you can't afford to look work. You try to creep up on him without him
into the Basilisk's eyes again, so you strike at it looking at you, but just as your shadow falls across
blindly. his desk he raises his head, gasps when he sees
BASILISK VIGOUR 12
you and lunges for a lever set into the floor next to
his desk. You can try and hit him once before he is score 5 to 7 You are caught a glancing blow by
able to reach it: the scythe; lose 2 VIGOUR
score 8 to 10 You hit Darkrobe; he loses 3
Roll one die: VIGOUR
score 1 to 2 He gets to the lever before you can score 11 to 12 Summoning all your energy, you
hit him; turn to 117. strike Darkrobe a mighty blow; he
score 3 to 6 You react swiftly (turn to 152). loses 6 VIGOUR
After two combat rounds, turn to 298.
139
140
A golden aura appears next to you as you tumble
down into the darkness, and you feel a strong beak You read out the rune from the parchment and, as
grabbing your tunic. First your fall is slowed, then you do so, the oak portal creaks and swings open.
it stops altogether, and finally you feel yourself The parchment fades, its magic expended - but at
being lifted back up the pit. The Hawk lands you least it has gained you admittance to the courtyard
on the other side of the pit, its powerful wings of Shadow Keep. Turn to 244.
wafting away the layers of mist on the floor.
Darkrobe had turned away thinking you dead, but 141
swings round, alerted by the movement of the The Ogre is still wheezing and gasping as your
mist. A look of surprise is replaced by one of sword carves into it. Although the Ogre is now
hatred on his horribly scarred face. He sweeps his badly wounded, it has recovered from its sneezing
deadly scythe at you as the Hawk vanishes for the fit and you must fight.
last time in a cloud of golden light.
OGRE VIGOUR 6
ARKAYN DARKROBE VIGOUR 18 Roll two dice:
Roll two dice: score 2 to 5 You are hit; lose 3 VIGOUR
score 2 You are hit by the scythe; all your score 6 to 12 The Ogre loses 3 VIGOUR
limbs seize up as they are affected If you FLEE back the way you came, throw the dice
by a magical spell. You fall to the as usual and turn to 128. If you win, turn to 111.
floor, paralysed, never to get up
again. 142
score 3 to 4 The scythe slices through your
armour delivering a crippling A jet of flame gouts out at you as you round the
blow; lose 4 VIGOUR corner. Roll two dice, trying to score equal to or
less than your current AGILITY; if you fail, you score 3 to 6 The Young Man wounds you with
have been hit and must deduct 8 VIGOUR points. his knife, lose 3 VIGOUR
If you succeed you manage to roll away from the score 7 to 12 The Young Man loses 3 VIGOUR
blast. If you are still alive, you must now face a You cannot FLEE for you are entangled in the net.
Small Dragon as it steals forward from its nest. If If you win, turn to 60.
you have the Basilisk's head, turn to 79. If you do
not have this item, turn to 262. 145
You start hacking away at the branches with your
143 sword:
As you reach for the dagger, the candles on the FOUR CRUSHING BRANCHES
altar suddenly flare up, illuminating the farthest
recesses of the chapel with a sepulchral light. You Roll two dice:
hear a disembodied ghostly cackle, and your hand score 2 to 4 The branches close round you and
is drawn towards the evilly-glinting dagger as if by you are squeezed tightly; lose 6
magnetic force. VIGOUR
Roll two dice, trying to roll equal to or less than score 5 to 7 One of the branches wraps itself
your current PSI. If you succeed, turn to 200. If you around you; lose 3 VIGOUR
fail, turn to 175. score 8 to 10 You cut through one of the
branches
score 11 to 12 You cut through 2 of the branches
144
You may risk jumping at any time. If you would
The net drops around you and you flail around in it like to do so, turn to 49. If you manage to cut
like a spider in a web. The Young Man who ran through all four branches, turn to 81.
away from you earlier leaps down from the over-
hang with a whoop of joy. He is wielding a knife 146
and you must fight him.
You see that your only chance of surviving is to
YOUNG MAN VIGOUR 9
run. Just as you're going out of the door, you see
Roll two dice: another lever and you pull it. The stone block in
score 2 You become hopelessly entangled the passageway swings open violently, smashing
in the net and fall to the ground. into the wall where the first lever was. You rush
The Young Man has no trouble through the opening left by the block and find
finishing you off with his knife. yourself in another passageway. Turn to 88.
 147
You pull the lever and a trapdoor opens at the
Lizard Man's feet. He disappears down it with a
piteous wail. You look around the room, but you
don't see anything of interest. Skirting the open
trapdoor, you go out of the door and down the
corridor. Turn to 59.
148
You inch your way down the stairs to a dark
passageway. Holding your torch up to the drip-
ping walls, you see that the stone has been
scratched as if someone had been dragging their
fingernails along it. Just as you're thinking it might
have been a better idea taking another passage-
way, you feel a presence behind you. You see a
bald, smartly uniformed man standing behind you
in the shadows. He bares fang-like teeth in a
cordial smile of greeting. 'May I take your cloak,
sir? The others are waiting for you,' he says.
If you'd like to hand over your cloak and let him
usher you through a doorway you can now see to
your left, turn to 247. If you refuse to hand over
your cloak, turn to 216.
149
You walk over to the edge of the pool and have a
look at the fountain. There are two ornately carved
statues at the centre of it spouting water. Lodged
between them you can see a pair of green elven
boots. Do you want to wade through the water to
get the boots? If so, turn to 42. If you'd prefer to
leave through the door, turn to 56.
 150 153
Turning left out of the room, you walk down a Passing several side tunnels, which you ignore,
passageway until it ends in a stone block. There is you emerge through an archway into a small
a lever set into the wall to the left of the block and a chamber with a wooden door set into the wall in
wooden door to the right. The block is obviously front of you. There is an arched window to your
moveable judging by the scratch marks on the right. Through it you can see the first flakes of a
floor. Curiously, they seem to swing in on the snowstorm whirling down. You approach the door
lever. cautiously and peep through the keyhole. You step
Do you want to pull the lever? Turn to 259. If you back in alarm when you see a huge bloodshot eye
would rather listen at the door, turn to 195. staring back at you. A deep bark shakes the door,
followed by a frenzied howling. There is evidently
151 a large dog beyond the door.
You pull out the locket of hair. The effect is Do you want to open the door, hoping this dog
startling: as soon as the lady looks at it, she leaps is friendly? Turn to 192. If, on the other hand, you
up from the divan shrieking. You notice she has would prefer to open the window and crawl along
sharp fangs instead of teeth, and barbed claws at the ledge you can see outside, turn to 98.
the end of her fingers. Before you have time to
defend yourself, however, she slowly crumples 154
into a pile of dust at your feet. Shocked at your Cursing at the blue light that seems to half-blind
narrow escape, you look around the room and pick him, Darkrobe swings his scythe above his head.
up a dagger lying on a sideboard. It seems magical, There is a loud clap and black lightning leaps from
and when you try some practice swings it flies its tip, forking out towards you! You have a split-
from your hand and buries itself in the back of one second to dodge it. Roll two dice and try to score
of the luxurious chairs in the chamber. You realize less than or equal to your current AGILITY. If you
it must be a special Throwing Dagger. You place it succeed, turn to 272. If you fail, turn to 99.
in your backpack (remember to mark it down on
your Character Sheet). You decide to leave this 155
room and pace down a corridor to another vesti- You run up to the Bronze Warrior's side, hewing
bule. Turn to 65. down a Zombie as you do so. Unfortunately there
152 are just too many of them and although you fight
like a true Knight of Lalassa and slay many of
Just as he is about to clutch the lever, you cut him them, you eventually fall to the ground mortally
down with one blow from your sword. Turn to 70. wounded. Your adventure ends here.
 156
You come to an hour or two later, still trembling
with the fever but strong enough to continue.
Deduct 2 points from your current AGILITY, then
turn to 91.
157
You clutch the smouldering weal on your chest,
your vision swimming in and out of focus. You can
just about see Darkrobe moving towards you, his
scythe uplifted, ready to finish you off. You man-
age to fight back the pain and bring up your sword
to defend yourself.
ARKAYN DARKROBE VIGOUR 18 (less
any lost before)
Roll two dice:
score 2 to 4 The scythe slices through your
armour, delivering a crippling
blow; you lose 4 VIGOUR
score 5 to 7 You are caught a glancing blow by
the scythe; lose 2 VIGOUR
score 8 to 12 Arkayn Darkrobe loses 3 VIGOUR
If you win, turn to 300.
158
Suddenly the wind drops and you hear an eerie
tinkling noise coming from above you on the roof
of the Keep. You look up and are horrified to see a
horde of minute Snow Fairies sliding down the
frost-covered tiles towards the spot where you're
clinging to the ledge by your fingertips. They wave
brittle, pointed wands in their tiny fists and are 162
tittering with glee. You clench your teeth as they The halberd lands on your shoulder armour with a
swarm all over you, poking at the most unexpected sickening crunch. Waves of pain flood over you
parts of your body with their mischievous little and you lose 3 VIGOUR points. If you are still
wands! The tickling is unbearable. alive, you will now find it safe to move on down
Roll two dice and try to score less than or equal the corridor, as you can anticipate and dodge the
to your current PSI. If you succeed, turn to 124. If fall of the other halberds. Turn to 94.
you fail, turn to 243.
163
159
You throw yourself at the door, bruising your
You are still rather nervous after your encounter shoulder badly; lose 2 VIGOUR and 1 AGILITY.
with the Lizard Man when a voice calls out from an The hasp of the door has gone, however, and you
alcove further down the corridor, making you manage to kick the rest of it in. You enter a high,
jump. 'Spitter. You lazy lizard! Is that you? I've vaulted chamber; heavy tapestries festooned with
been waiting for my ink for over an hour; hurry cobwebs hang from the walls. A thick pall of dust
up!' It says. Will you ignore the voice and continue rests on a carpet that covers the centre of the room.
down the corridor? Turn to 107. If you would like It doesn't look like anyone has passed this way in
to try and imitate the Lizard Man's lisp and enter years. There is an ornately carved bronze chest
the room, turn to 226. If you would like to rush into resting on the carpet and a bronze suit of armour in
the room hefting your sword, turn to 3. the shadows at the back of the room. Will you
160 leave the room and continue? Turn to 150. Or
would you like to inspect the chest? Turn to 176.
You hold up the ring and a brilliant blue light
seems to explode from it. The ghosts are driven 164
back against the walls by the light, letting out a You remember hearing the password was 'Sha-
terrified wail as they are dispersed like smoke dows' from the Lizard Man. You blurt it out and
before a strong breeze. Turn to 154. the Zombie gestures you past him with a flick of
his dead white hand. You and the Bronze Man find
161 yourselves in a guardroom full of Zombies speak-
No matter how fast you ride, the galloping hoof- ing to one another in hollow unemotional voices.
beats tell you that your pursuer is gaining on you. None of them bother to turn their dead, staring
Finally, as he is almost upon you, you turn your faces towards you. You decide to listen to what
horse around and face him. Turn to 9. they are saying for a few minutes. Some plan the
murders of the few remaining loyal members of the
Imperial Guard of Lalassa, others talk of the power
that Arkayn Darkrobe wields over the puppet king
in the capital. You are enraged to hear such
treachery, but manage to control your temper
because the conversation has now got round to the
dangers that lie ahead of you. You hear them
discussing a Dwarf named Rumpole, who lives in
the library beyond the stone block. Apparently
Rumpole is wracked by pains caused by an old
Witch sticking pins into a doll effigy of him.
At last you decide to leave. As you're going out,
the Bronze Man pauses in front of a lever inside the
guardroom and pulls it. You hear a grating noise as
the stone block swings open in the corridor out-
side, smashing into the wall where the first lever
was. A corridor is now revealed leading off to your
right. Turn to 254.
165
He staggers back, grabs a hat-stand and slides
down it, bringing a shower of cloaks and hats
down on top of him. You lift the cloaks away with
your sword to check he's dead, and then go and
listen at the door set into the left-hand wall. Inside
you hear the sound of merriment and the chinking
of glasses. If you would like to go in, turn to 102. If
you would prefer to return to the library and take
the central exit, turn to 205. If you want to return
and take the right-hand passage, turn to 256.
166
You sip delicately at the full-bodied wine; it seems
to be a very fine vintage and you drink heartily.
Soon your head swims slightly and you feel drunk. over to inspect the ornate bronze chest and find it
You begin to think that you've been very lucky to unlocked. You lift up the lid and see a phial resting
meet such sophisticated gentlemen to drink with on a velvet cloth at the bottom. There is a liquid in
on this cold evening. You're not even worried it and you decide to risk drinking it. As you do so,
when one of the 'gentlemen' bares his fangs and your eyes catch your reflection in an old tarnished
refers to the wine as human blood! Without realiz- mirror hanging on the wall. As you watch, your
ing it, you have been sitting with a group of image fades away. You reach out and touch
Vampires for the past half-hour! Now you have yourself and you realize you have turned invisible!
drunk human blood, though, you will never Unfortunately, you soon see a dim reflection of
escape from their company and soon you will be yourself returning to the mirror and in a second
scouring the countryside looking for victims to your whole body is back in view. You leave the
satiate your bloodlust! Your adventure ends here. room and continue down the corridor, annoyed at
having wasted such a valuable potion. Turn to 150.
167 169
An Ogre is sitting at a table gnawing at a human You step back from the table and draw your sword.
thigh bone. It looks up at you with an angry One of the Ruffians kicks over the table and they
expression, its teeth chomping on gristle which circle in on you brandishing curved daggers. You
spills out over its thick, rubbery lips. 'Warrayer- must fight them all at once.
wont?' it asks, dipping the thigh bone into a dish of
pepper in front of it. The only other exit from the FIRST RUFFIAN VIGOUR 6
room is immediately behind the Ogre's table. Do SECOND RUFFIAN VIGOUR 9
you want to back out of the door and return the THIRD RUFFIAN VIGOUR 9
way you came? Turn to 128. If you would like to Roll two dice:
rush into the room and fight the Ogre, turn to 193. score 2 to 3 Bad luck! You are hit by all three
If you would like to offer it some Werewolf wine (if Ruffians; you lose 9 VIGOUR
you have any), turn to 40. score 4 to 5 Two of them strike you; you lose 6
(illustration on previous page) VIGOUR
score 6 to 7 One of them hits you; you lose 3
VIGOUR
168 score 8 to 12 One of the Ruffians (you choose
which) loses 3 VIGOUR
The Warrior topples over, his bronze armour clat-
tering in separate pieces across the floor. You go If you kill one of them, turn to 251.
 170
You hold the staff above your head as the Hawk
plummets towards you. There is a sudden crack,
and a burst of iridescent golden light pours from
the staff in a cloud. The Hawk disappears into the
cloud with a dismal shriek, and you fall back
against the wall of the Keep, preparing to defend
yourself. As the golden cloud disperses, however,
you see a golden image of the Hawk hovering in
the air, its rotten body transformed by the magical
fires of the staff. It alights on the staff and blinks at
you with its intelligent, friendly eyes. You remem-
ber Shambol's words: 'The staff will turn one of
Darkrobe's servants into a trusted friend.' You feel
sure you will meet the Hawk again even when its
aura fades into the night air. The staff too has
vanished, and you must cross it off your Character
Sheet. You have also gained 1 PSI point through
your good fortune. Increase your normal PSI by 1
point. You walk over to the tower across the
courtyard. Turn to 246.

171
As you step up to let the young man free, a look of
glee passes over his face and he slips the chains
from behind his back and over your head! 'Ok
Bower!' he yells, 'Let's do this sucker!' There is a
bellow from behind you and the door on the right-
hand side of the chamber swings open, silhouett-
ing the form of an enormous man with a bull's
head. It rushes at you, slavering madly as you
struggle with the chains. (continued)
 Do you have the human thighbone? If you have, guardroom door and try to pull it but it has
turn to 44. If you haven't, turn to 215. stiffened through "age and disuse and you can't
budge it. You will have to go out into the corridor
172 and pull the lever out there. Turn to 259.
You open the door arid hear a wheezy snore. You
poke your head inside the room and see a fat, 174
white-haired Witch sleeping on a decrepit bed. Leaving the Ogre's room you pass north along a
You can also see a broomstick leaning against a narrow, rock-choked passageway. Eventually you
mantlepiece and a desk strewn with papers and come to an intersection: tunnels run away to the
curious items. There is a window next to the desk left, right and centre. You realize that you could
and through it you can see the twinkling of stars become lost quickly and decide to attach the end of
and the distant mountains illuminated by the your ball of string to a rusty ring fixed on the wall.
moon. Do you want to risk searching the room Just as you are about to decide on your route, you
(turn to 23)? If you'd prefer to close the door and hear a roar in the distance coming from the central
tiptoe up the corridor, turn to 43.
(illustration on previous page)
tunnel. Which way will you go:
The left? Turn to 250
173 The right? Turn to 185
You remember hearing the password was 'Sha- Straight on? Turn to 218
dows' from the Lizard Man and you blurt it out.
The Zombie gestures you past him with a flick of 175
his dead white hand. You walk into a guardroom It seems as if someone of incredible strength were
where many more Zombies sit around talking in Indian-wrestling your hand on to the hilt of the
unimpassioned tones. You hear about Darkrobe's dagger. You can't resist the evil spell as your hand
plans to overthrow the kingdom, but you have grasps it. You realize with horror that your arm, as
heard much of this from King Valafor. More inter- if it belonged to one of your mortal enemies, is now
estingly, you hear about the feud between the thrusting the knife back at you with incredible
Witch who lives down the corridor beyond the force. It plunges into your heart. Your adventure
stone block, and Rumpole the Dwarf who runs the ends here as you become another sacrifice on the
Keep's Library. Apparently the Witch has a doll altar of evil!
effigy of the Dwarf which she sticks pins into,
inflicting great pain on the little man. The Zombies 176
laugh hollowly at this. After a few more minutes Your feet disturb thick layers of dust as you walk
you decide to leave. You notice a lever inside the up to the chest, your shoulder still throbbing
painfully. As you bend over it, you hear a creak
from the shadows; looking up you see the bronze
suit of armour lurching towards you wielding an
enormous pole-axe! The Bronze Warrior is upon
you before you can run away, and you must fight.
BRONZE WARRIOR VIGOUR 15

Roll two dice:

score 2 to 6 You are hit; lose 4 VIGOUR
score 7 to 9 You hit the Bronze Warrior and it
loses 3 VIGOUR; as you do so,
however, an electric shock runs up
your arm from your sword and
you lose 1 VIGOUR point yourself.
score 10 to 12 The Bronze Warrior loses 3
VIGOUR
If you decide to FLEE, turn to 150. If you win, turn
to 168.
177
As you cross over the bridge, an evil looking Troll
lopes up to block your path at the far end. You hear
a whinney behind you and turn to see that a
second Troll has just slain your horse where you
tethered it to the bridge-post. This Troll is clutch-
ing the box containing your gold. He sneers and
says smugly, 'Now you've paid your toll, you can
play with Trolls . . ,' Turn to 258.

178
The figure doesn't move as you sneak up behind it,
even when your armour squeaks irritatingly.
Nevertheless, you hold your sword in front of you,
ready for trouble. The first thing you notice as you LIZARD MAN VIGOUR 9
look over its shoulder, however, is your own face
Roll two dice:
reflected in the mirror it is holding in its hand.
score 2 to 6 You are hit and lose 3 VIGOUR
Are you carrying the Basilisk's head? If you are,
score 7 to 12 The Lizard Man loses 3 VIGOUR
turn to 238. If you aren't, turn to 29.
If you win, turn to 62.
179
182
The Lizard Man is nimble on his feet, although
rather frail-looking. You blurt out the first thing that comes into your
head. The Lizard Man blinks at you ferociously,
LIZARD MAN VIGOUR 9
then scratches his freckled green head before
Roll two dice: addressing you in his appalling, lisping voice:
score 2 to 6 You are hit and lose 3 VIGOUR 'Gad! I thought the path word wath Thadowth
score 7 to 12 The Lizard Man loses 3 VIGOUR today, but I mutht have been wrong,' he says. He
gestures you along the corridor. If you can guess
If you win, turn to 201. what the real password is, note it down on your
Character Sheet. Turn to 159.
180
You slip off the ring and place it on the dish, 183
picking up the gauntlet as you do so. You pull it on You stand over the fallen monster as it squirms in
and it fits snugly. Suddenly you yell out in pain; it its death throes. Your guttering torchlight shows
feels like an icy vice is crushing the hand with the you a bizarre hybrid - part serpent, part cock. Its
gauntlet on it. Unfortunately, you find you can't eyes still glow a dull red, like hot coals that have
pull the glove off. The lady tosses back her head fallen from the grate. Apart from you and the
and hoots in evil merriment, disappearing into thin Basilisk's corpse, everything else in the room is
air with your ring. You have now got a Gauntlet of made of stone - even the cobwebs! Do you wish to
Weakness: subtract 2 from all your combat rolls from pass on into the next chamber now (turn to 206), or
now on. You have no option but to face Arkayn do you wish to try taking the monster's head with
Darkrobe with this handicap. Gritting your teeth, you (turn to 122)?
you swing open the iron-bound door. Turn to 267.

181
The Lizard Man is nimble, although rather frail:
 184 poison rushes through your body,
and you drop down dead
You may now go over to the bar and talk to the score 3 to 5 The spider bites you and you lose
Innkeeper (turn to 51) or join the three Ruffians in 3 VIGOUR
their game of dice (turn to 86). If you have had score 6 to 12 You hit the Spider and it loses 3
enough of The Knight's Rest, you may leave and VIGOUR
continue on towards Shadow Keep (turn to 78).
You cannot FLEE from this battle. If you win, turn
185 to 39.
You are soon totally lost in the tunnels of the 187
labyrinth. You wander around aimlessly for about
an hour until you suddenly hear a loud snuffling You swig back the liquid in the phial. Cross it off
noise ahead of you and you stop. Coming around a your Character Sheet. Looking down you see your
bend in the tunnel, its nose twitching at your limbs begin to fade away and you rush into the
smell, is a Giant Rat. You must fight it. room as you become completely invisible. The
Dwarf looks up, sensing someone else's presence.
GIANT RAT VIGOUR 12
You can either have a free blow at him with your
Roll two dice: sword as he peers down his hooked nose trying to
score 2 to 5 You are bitten and lose 3 VIGOUR spot you (turn to 199), or you may avoid him
score 6 to 12 The Giant Rat loses 3 VIGOUR altogether by taking one of the three exits you can
see at the end of the library (turn to 84).
If you win but have been wounded, turn to 297. If
you win without being bitten, turn to 91. 188
186 You are soon overtaken by the bats and they
rematerialize in a cloud of mist as Vampires.
The doorway is choked with ivy and creepers and Although you fight bravely, you are heavily out-
you can't reach through them to the handle. As numbered and stand no chance. Your adventure
you're trying to hack a hole through to it with your ends here.
sword, a spider the size of a large dog drops on
you from above! 189
GIANT SPIDER VIGOUR 6 You call the waiter over and order some wine. He
Roll two dice: comes back with a fine vintage Chateau d'Ombre
score 2 The spider bites you in the neck, which he pours into your glass and into your
neighbour's. You sip it delicately, finding it to have 192
a full body, a pleasant bouquet, with perhaps just a
hint of lurking evil. Your neighbour also seems to You open the door and a huge mastiff stands there
appreciate the wine, and is soon drunkenly talka- wagging its tail. It brushes past you and starts
tive. He points out a door in the far corner of the snuffling at one of the walls of the chamber you're
room which he says leads to Darkrobe's chambers. in. If you'd like to continue through the now
After about an hour most of the Ghouls are empty room in front of you, turn to 53. If you'd like
slumped over the table totally glutted, or are to see what the dog is interested in, turn to 38.
rolling around on the floor drunk. You push back
your chair and make your way over to the far door 193
unnoticed. On the other side you find yourself in a As you rush into the room waving your sword, the
small hallway with a solitary torch burning in a Ogre stands up, grabbing the thighbone to use as a
bracket on the wall. There is one other door. A weapon. Just as it does so some of the pepper gets
covered dish lies on a table beside it. You decide to up its nose and it sneezes horribly into the dish in
go in. Turn to 270. front of it, sending a cloud of pepper towards you.
Roll two dice and try to score less than or equal
190 to your current AGILITY. If you succeed, turn to
You peer around you through the mists, but there 236. If you fail, turn to 19.
is now no sign of the old man. You trudge towards
the pathway and finally succeed in hauling your- 194
self on to it. The foul smelling mud has seeped into
your boots, and you are exhausted by your battle The woman lies dead at your feet; one of her fangs
and by the effort of wading out of the swamp. You protrudes over her upper lip and a thin trickle of
set off along the path once more. Turn to 121. blood runs down her chin. As you are about to
leave, you notice a dull gleam coming from a
191 sideboard. Looking closer you see a dagger glint-
ing in the dim light. If you would like to pick up
You prepare to defend yourself against a counter- the dagger, turn to 245. If you'd prefer to continue
strike, but he rides on without seeming to notice without it, turn to 65.
you. You feel an icy breath as his charger passes.
Soon the beat of trampling hooves is lost in the
stillness of the night as the strange rider disappears 195
in the direction of the crag ahead of you. Turn to You hear distant voices talking in strange, flat
27. monotones. You can't quite make out what they're
saying. Do you want to go through the door and swings round crying with rage. He brandishes a
investigate (turn to 219)? Otherwise you will have rapier skilfully.
to pull the lever by the stone block (turn to 259).
DWARF VIGOUR 6
196 Roll two dice:
score 2 to 3 The Dwarf runs you through with
You continue along the corridor, playing the string his rapier, lose 6 VIGOUR
through your fingers. Suddenly there's no string score 4 to 7 The Dwarf catches you a glancing
left and, looking down, you see that it's been cut, blow with his weapon, lose 3
probably by the Cadaver. You curse it heartily and VIGOUR,
try to remember the route as best as you can. Turn score 8 to 12 You hit the Dwarf, he loses 3
to 185. VIGOUR
197 If you win, turn to 74.
You pull the lever and suddenly the stone block
swings round at you: It's a trap!
Roll two dice and try to score less than or equal
to your current AGILITY. If you succeed turn to
249. If you fail, turn to 126. 200
Just as you are about to grab the hilt of the evil
198 dagger, you snap out of the strange spell preying
on your mind and you draw your hand away
You pull out your sword and rush at him just as quickly. You wipe the cold sweat from your brow
he's waving his hands in the air, forming another and turn to leave the room by the archway. Turn to
magical spell. An aura of sparkling blue light 225.
envelops you and you feel wracking pins-and-
needles in all your limbs. Roll two dice and try to 201
score less than or equal to your current PSI. If you
succeed, turn to 12. If you fail, turn to 280. The Lizard Man collapses to the ground, run
through by your sword. You find a large bronze
key hanging on a cord around his green neck. If
199 you would like to take this, mark it down on your
You have one free blow at the Dwarf before you Character Sheet. You also find a phial clasped in
become visible again. He winces with pain, but one of his webbed hands. There is some black
liquid slopping around inside it, but you don't 204
know what it is. Turn to 95.
Charon and his boat are momentarily cloaked in a
wisp of river mist. As it passes, you see that they
202 have disappeared. You have no option but to try
the bridge. Turn to 50.
You are surprised to find that the ground under-
foot is quite firm, despite the bubbling ooze all
around you. As he passes, Shambol tosses you his 205
staff and a bag of acorns. You pass along a corridor lined with sinister black
The acorns will grow into strong-limbed oaks drapes. There is a small hall at the end, with a
within a few seconds when you throw them solitary torch burning in a bracket on the wall.
down,' he tells you. The staff will turn one of There are doorways to your left and in front of you.
Darkrobe's minions into a trusted friend. I give you There is a covered dish lying on a small table by the
these gifts because you have shown kindness to an doorway ahead. Lifting up the lid, you see a
old man. Because you challenge evil, I will also bizarre dinner of fried bats' wings garnished with
give you some advice - beetles.
Better than that which slays the monsters dire Do you want to go through the doorway in front
And better than that which will possessions buy, of you (turn to 270)? If you'd like to investigate the
Choose that which will be burnt by fire left-hand door, turn to 13.
And line the box in which you'll one day lie.'
Without another word, he shuffles on along the
path. You ponder his riddle for a few moments and 206
then, pleased with the items he has given you, you You peer cautiously round the jamb of the door
return to the path and continue on your way. Turn into the next room. It is a long chamber with a
to 121. high, vaulted ceiling. At its far end you see the
flicker of two candles on a table. Between them,
with its back turned to you, is a hunched, cowled
203
figure apparently staring intently at something in
Her lips curl with pleasure when you offer her the front of it. The only exit from the chamber seems to
wine. She takes the jug and pours some wine out be a heavy oak door next to the table at the far end
into a jewelled goblet. While she is occupied with of the room. Despite your caution, your armour
this you may safely pass through the door into the clanks loudly as you shuffle forwards. For a second
next room. If you do, turn to 65. If you would like your heart stops beating as you wait for the figure
to await the effects of the wine on her, turn to 263. to swing round and confront you. The moment
passes, and you slowly let out your breath. Maybe
the figure's deaf: Or dead even? Do you want to
creep up on it and investigate? Turn to 178. Or
maybe you'd prefer to try to slip by it and pass
through the oak door? Turn to 235.

207
You swing open the door and find yourself staring
straight into the dead, unimpassioned eyes of a
Zombie! 'Password?' it intones in a hollow voice. If
you know the password, turn to 164. If you don't
know it, you must fight the Zombie, turn to 282.

208
The old man smiles maliciously as his bony hands
close on the lever. Your sword fells him before he
can pull at it however. You go over and look at the
parchment he was writing on. Just as you're about
to bend over to have a look at it, the Lizard Man
rushes in, no doubt alerted by the noise of the old
man's demise. 'Have at you, thirrah!' he lisps,
brandishing his rapier. You may either fight him
(turn to 181), or you may pull the lever by your side
(turn to 147).

209
You thank the Golden Hawk as it fades away into
the darkness. Something tells you that you may
meet it again before your adventure is over. You
pass on through the chamber. Turn to 290.
 210 Dagger in your backpack? If you do, turn to 32. If
you don't, turn to 198.
'I'm so glad you want my gauntlet,' she says
sweetly, 'but before you can take it, I must have 214
something valuable in return, otherwise the cruel,
magical spell that protects the gauntlet will dis- Only one Ruffian remains.
band my ghost forever. That ring, for example, Roll two dice:
seems to have no magical power but is made of a score 2 to 3 You are hit and lose 3 VIGOUR
precious stone.' She elegantly points out the ring score 4 to 12 The Ruffian loses 3 VIGOUR
the peasant woman gave you in King Valafor's hut.
Will you take it off and exchange it for the If you defeat him, turn to 41.
gauntlet (turn to 180)? If you refuse to part with it,
turn to 217. 215
211 The Minotaur charges at you, its horns lowered.
You can hardly swing your sword because of the
You find a parchment that the rider was carrying. chains.
It appears to be a rune for opening gates and
portals. Remember to note this down on your MINOTAUR VIGOUR 12
Character Sheet if you decide to keep it. Now turn Roll two dice:
to 27. score 2 to 4 It gores you with both of its horns:
lose 6 VIGOUR I
212 score 5 to 7 It gores you with one of its horns:
Continuing along the tunnel, you have to pass lose 3 VIGOUR
under an overhang in the rock wall. Suddenly you score 8 to 12 The Minotaur loses 3 VIGOUR
see a net dropping towards you. Roll two dice and If you win, turn to 85.
try to score less than or equal to your current
AGILITY. If you succeed, turn to 133. If you fail, 216
turn to 144.
You back away from him, whipping out your
213 sword. Tut, tut! What inexcusable manners!' he
says. He rushes at you, trying to throttle you with
You stagger to your feet, your ears still ringing his two spotlessly white gloved hands.
from the blow. The Dwarf is strolling towards you,
whistling tunelessly. Do you have a Throwing MAJOR-DOMO GHOUL VIGOUR 9
 Roll two dice:
score 2 to 3 He grabs you by the throat,
choking you, lose 6 VIGOUR
score 4 to 6 He punches you smartly on the
nose, you lose 2 VIGOUR
score 7 to 12 The Major-Domo Ghoul loses 3
VIGOUR
If you win, turn to 165.

217
All of a sudden, the lady drops the tray, throws
back her head and lets out a hideous shriek. Your
hair stands on end and a terrible chill seizes your
chest. Roll two dice and try to score less than or
equal to your current PSI. If you succeed, turn to
112. If you fail, turn to 68.

218
You pass along a winding tunnel, your torch
occasionally lighting up primitive paintings on the
walls which depict some beast, half-human and
half-bull. You come to a junction in the tunnel from
which many other tunnels lead. You shrug your
shoulders, choosing a way arbitrarily. Just as you
move on, a hideous bellow echoes around the
labyrinth. There is now a heavy animal odour in
the air. You round a corner and stop dead: ahead
of you, silhouetted by a reddish glow from a dying
fire, is a being with a human body and a bull's
head! It turns its gloomy, bloodshot eyes on you:
'OK guvnor,' it says wearily, 'I didn't ask you to
step on my patch, but now you're 'ere I fink I'm
going to do yer.' It lowers its horns and charges at 221
you. You must fight it. He punts you across the river but you have to leave
MINOTAUR VIGOUR 12 your horse tethered on the bank. You step off his
barge with some relief and head towards the crag.
Roll two dice: You suddenly realize that all your gold apart from
score 2 to 3 It gores you with both of its horns; one coin is missing from your purse. You turn back
lose 6 VIGOUR to confront Charon, but when you reach the river
score 4 to 6 It gores you with one horn; you bank you can find no trace of the morose bargeman
lose 3 VIGOUR or his boat. You have no option but to continue.
score 7 to 12 The Minotaur loses 3 VIGOUR Soon you reach a dangerous looking swamp. Turn
If you win, turn to 228. to 69.
222

219 With a final twitch of its armoured tail and a snort

of its fiery breath, the dragon expires. You notice
The door swings open at your gentle push and you that the dragon was guarding a golden egg which
find yourself staring into the dead eyes of a grey lies in the centre of its nest. Do you want to pick up
skinned Zombie! 'Password?' it enquires in the the golden egg (turn to 113)? Or would you like to
same type of dead voice that you heard through look around for an exit? Turn to 286.
the door. Do you know the password? If so turn to
173. If not turn to 127. 223
You are rather surprised that Sylvestus didn't warn
you of the presence of the Spider. Perhaps he had
220 been roaming the graveyard for so long that he'd
Sensing a trap, you take out the Troll's bowling ball forgotten it was there. Still, you are now ready to
and roll it down the centre of the corridor. You are continue on your way. Turn to 39.
satisfied to see that as it passes each suit of armour, 224
the ball triggers off a hidden mechanism which
makes the halberds crash down. You realize that If you have them, which of the following would
you could have been underneath them. The hal- you like to use?
berds are now locked in a 'down' position, and you A Potion of Invisibility? Turn to 277
can step over them safely and continue down the A Throwing Dagger? Turn to 21
corridor. Turn to 65. (continued)
 The ring that King Valafor's 227
servant gave you? Turn to 232 The bird emits a horrible shriek and swoops down
If you have none of these items, or don't want to on you.
use one of them, you rush at Darkrobe, trying to
catch him off guard. Turn to 61. ZOMBIE HAWK VIGOUR 9
Roll two dice:
225 score 2 to 6 It pecks you with its beak; you lose
You see a heap of sparkling gems underneath the 3 VIGOUR
score 7 to 12 The Zombie Hawk loses 3
archway. They glitter prettily in your torchlight.
You also notice two jewelled scimitars with sharp VIGOUR
blades sticking out of the treasure. Do you want to If you win, you continue across the courtyard to
approach the gems? Turn to 100. If you would the tower. Turn to 246.
prefer to edge past them into the next room, turn
to 87.
228
226 You decide that the Minotaur's horns may serve
some useful purpose later on, so you cut them off
You do a good imitation of the Lizard Man: 'Gad- and stick them in your belt. You can now either try
thooks, thir, I have been ath quick ath I could!' You going back to the Ogre's room (turn to 293), or go
risk a quick glance around the door. There is an old through the door you can see at the back of the
man wearing greasy robes writing with a scratchy chamber (turn to 131).
quill at a desk. He gestures irritably at his inkwell
without looking up from his work. You decide you
will creep up and surprise him, but just as you do 229
so he looks up and, crying out in alarm, lunges for
a lever set into the floor by his desk. You will be You begin retracing your steps, bent in a stoop as
able to strike at him once before he can reach the you reel in the string. You turn a corner and stop
lever. dead as you stare into the empty eye sockets of a
Cadaver! It is holding the string in one of its claws,
Roll one die: the other is clutching a deadly, curved dagger. It
score 1 to 2 He manages to reach the lever gives you a death's head smile and lunges at you,
first. Turn to 117 gashing your thigh: lose 2 VIGOUR. You swing
score 3 to 6 You strike him before he can reach back at it with your sword and you are soon in a
it. Turn to 208 desperate fight.
 CADAVER VIGOUR 9
Roll two dice:
score 2 to 7 You are hit and lose 3 VIGOUR
score 8 to 12 The Cadaver loses 3 VIGOUR
If you win, turn to 196.

230
The Knight closes to attack two of the Ruffians,
leaving you to deal with the third.
RUFFIAN VIGOUR 9
Roll two dice:
score 2 to 4 You are hit; lose 3 VIGOUR
score 5 to 12 The Ruffian loses 3 VIGOUR
If you win, turn to 284.

231
You push open the window and the dog turns
round, wagging its tail. You jump down and open
the door for it, and it rushes out to snuffle at a wall
in the chamber outside. If you'd like to continue
through the now empty room, turn to 53. If you'd
prefer to see what the dog is interested in, turn to
38.

232
You hold up the ring on your finger. Suddenly a
blue light seems to explode into the hall from the
ring, illuminating the farthest recesses, and high-
lighting every stone. The mists on the floor are
driven away like smoke in a strong breeze, and you
see an awful yawning pit just in front of Darkrobe. your hand on the door handle, you see a cowled
He clutches his eyes in pain and you rush at him, skeleton staring into a mirror. You shudder as you
yelling the battle-cry of the knights of Lalassa. open the door and pass through. Turn to 136.
Turn to 281.
236
233
You dodge the cloud of pepper and find that the
You insert the key in the lock and turn it; there is a Ogre is still bent double with a sneezing fit. Do you
faint click and the grille swings open noiselessly. want to rush past it and leave through the door
You creep forward into the hall, keeping to the behind the table (turn to 261)? If you'd like to hit it
shadows of the enormous drapes that hang down while it's incapacitated, turn to 141.
from the walls. Looking round the corner of one of
the immense bookcases, you see in the light cast by
a chandelier immediately above his head, a horri- 237
ble misshapen Dwarf. He is stroking a large wart A stale smell wafts up from the old lady as you
on his bulbous nose with one hand and writing bend over her looking for useful items. She sud-
something with the other. The desk he's writing at denly snorts, sits up and grabs your hair. For a
is quite a distance away. Would you like to use a moment your heart stops beating, but then you
Throwing Dagger (if you have one)? Turn to 90. If realize she's still fast asleep. Unfortunately she
you'd prefer not to (or don't have it), turn to 66. doesn't relax her grip on your hair. She slips off the
bed and walks over to her broomstick, dragging
234 you with her. She sits astride the broomstick and
sweeps out of the open window, jerking you along
He quickly takes an acorn from a pouch at his belt with her by the hair. You find yourself dangling in
and throws it to the ground in front of him. You mid-air, hundreds of feet above the dark crags of
stare in disbelief as a tiny green shoot emerges Shadow Keep. Your hair is twisting agonizingly in
from the earth and grows rapidly into an enormous the old lady's grip.
oak tree which completely blocks the way ahead. Do you want to yell out and wake her up? Turn
In order to go on you will now have to leave the to 92. If you want to try and endure the agony for a
path. Turn to 18. bit longer, turn to 274.

235 238
You are surprised to find that you reach the door Next to your own reflection in the mirror is that of
without the figure moving. Looking round with the Basilisk's head stuck at the end of your sword.
Once again you feel its baleful glare upon you, but him turn to 244. If he kills or paralyzes you, turn to
this time you're powerless as your limbs turn 255.
slowly to stone. As they do so, you fancy the red,
glaring eyes glint with satisfaction as the Basilisk 241
reaps its revenge! You scoop up some of the food on your fork and
force it into your mouth with repugnance, chewing
239 on it slowly. Hmmm . . . You are ashamed to say
You are at the bottom of a sloping drainage tunnel. that human flesh doesn't taste too bad . . . almost
You guess that the Keep must be at the top of it succulent. You chew faster, swallowing greedily.
and start to crawl upwards using your hands and Soon you've taken another mouthful and then
knees in the confined space. After a couple of another. Your drunken neighbour roars with
minutes of crawling, you hear water being poured laughter, as do the other Ghouls, and you grin at
down the drain and you are suddenly struck by a them sheepishly, your mouth full, realizing that
deluge of kitchen slops. you too have become a greedy Ghoul, doomed
Roll two dice and try to score less than or equal forever to feast on human flesh! Your adventure
to your current AGILITY. If you succeed, turn to ends here.
134. If you fail, turn to 252.
242
240 Moaning softly, the ghost of Sylvestus melts away
into the mists. You make your way to the doorway
You hear the dragging of heavy footsteps across on the other side of the graveyard. It is choked
the yard within. There is a rattle of keys and the with ivy and creepers and you can't reach the
oak portal is opened. Feverish yellow eyes glare at handle. As you're trying to hack a hole through to
you from a scabrous white face fringed with lank it with your sword, a Spider the size of a dog drops
greasy hair . . . A hunchbacked Ghoul confronts on you from above!
you, and you have no choice but to fight.
GIANT SPIDER VIGOUR 6
GHOUL VIGOUR 12
Roll two dice:
Roll two dice:
score 2 The Spider bites you in the neck,
score 2 to 6 You are hit and lose 3 VIGOUR poison rushes through your
score 7 to 12 The Ghoul loses 3 VIGOUR body, and you drop down dead
The Ghoul will paralyze you if he wounds you four score 3 to 5 The Spider bites you and you lose
times with his putrid claws and teeth. If you beat 3 VIGOUR
 score 6 to 12 You hit the Spider and it loses 3
VIGOUR
You cannot FLEE from this battle. If you win, turn
to 223.

243
Something snaps in your brain and you burst out
giggling. Unable to keep your hold on the ledge,
you topple over into the abyss behind you. You are
still tittering as you strike the deadly rocks hun-
dreds of feet below. Your adventure ends here.

244
Ahead of you lies the moonlit courtyard and one of
the looming towers of the Keep. As you step
through the open gateway you notice a stone
obelisk some distance to your left. Will you cross
the courtyard to the tower (turn to 6), or will you
first take a closer look at the obelisk (turn to 276)?

245
You swing the dagger in front of you and it flies
from your hand, burying itself in the back of a
chair. You have found a magical Throwing Dagger.
Note it down on your Character Sheet. You decide
to leave the room. Turn to 65.

246
The tower has three huge doors - of iron, gold and
wood. You face these and try to decide which to
take. Will you enter by:
 The iron door? Turn to 4
The gold door Turn to 96
The wooden door? Turn to 106

247
The doorman removes your cloak and opens the
door on your left. From it comes the sound of
merriment and much clinking of glasses. 'Whom
shall I announce?' he enquires. You find yourself
standing at the head of a small staircase. There are
a number of Ghouls below you sitting around a
table laden with strange meats. They have all fallen
silent at your entry and are eyeing you expectantly.
You think quickly: Tell them I am the First Knight
of Lalassa,' you tell the Major-Domo. The Major-
Domo booms out: 'Gentlemen Ghouls, the first
knight of Lalassa!' One of the Ghouls blurts out:
'More like the first course of our dinner!' Another,
looking at your armour, makes a disparaging
remark about tinned food. All the Ghouls fall about
laughing, but you can't turn back now as the
doorman is shepherding you down the stairs. You
notice with disgust a menu board that reads:
TODAY'S SPECIALITY: MAIDENS IN TARRA-
GON SAUCE'. Turn to 57.

248
Clutching your arm, you realize that Darkrobe may
try to finish you off at long range with his foul
sorcery. You rush towards him quickly before he
can throw another spell at you. Turn to 61.
 249 251
You manage to leap clear just as the stone block You have beaten one Ruffian, but this only makes
crashes into the wall where the lever is. Clearly the others more determined.
you would have been crushed to a pulp if you had
still been standing next to it! You decide to con- Roll two dice:
tinue past the block with the Bronze Warrior. Turn score 2 to 3 You are hit twice; you lose 6
to 254. VIGOUR
score 4 to 5 You are hit once; lose 3 VIGOUR
score 6 to 12 One of the Ruffians (your choice)
loses 3 VIGOUR
You may FLEE at any time during the fight. If you
decide to do so, turn to 15. If you fight on and kill
another, turn to 214.

252
You are swept backwards by the filthy water and
land painfully at the bottom of the tunnel. Lose 2
VIGOUR points. If you are still alive you spit out
some carrot peel from your mouth and wring the
foul-smelling water from your tunic. Cursing
250 loudly, you start crawling up the tunnel again.
Turn to 257.
The passage winds off into the darkness, turning
to the left and then to the right. Eventually you
253
reach a chamber with a door in the right-hand wall
and an archway opposite you. To your left, a You suddenly feel weightless as the liquid passes
bedraggled young man is chained to the wall. "Ere down your throat and your body starts to float up
cock, let us free will yer? I've been 'angin' 'ere a to the ceiling. Before you can grab hold of any-
flippin' fortnite,' he shouts at you through a beard thing, you are stuck against it, waving your hand
covered with straw and filth. Will you pass and legs helplessly. You notice that the 'mouse'
through the archway, ignoring his plea? Turn to down below has suddenly become much larger
75. Or will you go up to him and set him free? Turn and has transformed itself into a wizened old man.
to 171. He rubs his hands together in glee at the thought
of another live experiment in his laboratory. Your
adventure ends here as you bubble away merrily in
one of the Wizard's vats.

254
The Bronze Warrior clanks along ahead of you
down a wood-panelled corridor. You can see a
room at the end of the passage and a door to your
right before that. Just before you get to the door,
however, the wooden floorboards collapse beneath
the Bronze Warrior's weight and he goes crashing
down into the darkness. Looking down, you see
that he has been completely wrecked by the fall.
You are sorry to lose a friend, but you decide to
carry on along the corridor. Turn to 88.

255
Your adventure ends as you become a feast for the
ghoulish gatekeeper of Shadow Keep!

256
There are a series of small red splashes in a trail
down the stairs and along a corridor. You follow it
and soon come to an opening covered by a curtain.
Peering round this you notice a group of about a
dozen pale, cloaked gentlemen sitting in leather
armchairs. They are sipping red wine and talking
genteelly. There is a screen just to the right of the
opening which you could sneak behind.
If you want to hide behind the screen, turn to 11.
If you'd just like to go up and join the gentlemen,
turn to 294. If you don't like the look of this room,
go back to the library and chose either the central score 4 to 5 You are hit once; lose 3 VIGOUR
passageway (turn to 205) or the left-hand one (turn score 6 to 12 One of the Trolls (your choice)
to 148). loses 3 VIGOUR
Once the first Troll is down you can either FLEE
257 onwards over the bridge (turn to 69) or remain to
You get to the top of the drainage tunnel just as an fight the other one (turn to 103).
evil-smelling Ore is about to pour an enormous pail
of slops down it. 259
Roll two dice and try to score less than or equal You pull the lever and the stone block suddenly
to your current AGILITY. If you succeed, turn to swings at you with alarming speed! You have a
289. If you fail, turn to 89. split second to throw yourself out of the way.
Roll two dice and try to score less than or equal
to your current AGILITY. If you succeed, turn to 45.
If you fail, turn to 126.

260
The door swings open to reveal a dust-filled room
with mouldering tapestries hanging on the walls.
There is a faded carpet in the centre of the room
with a bronze chest resting on it. Suddenly, what
you took to be a bronze suit of armour standing in
258 the shadows of the tapestries steps forward carry-
ing a large pole-axe. If you want to talk to it, turn to
You charge at the Troll in front of you. He looks 67. If you want to back out of the room hurriedly
somewhat unnerved at your ferocity, and barely and continue down the corridor, turn to 150.
manages to parry your first blow. Within
moments, however, you are fighting for your life 261
against the pair of them!
You leave the Ogre's room and make your way
FIRST TROLL VIGOUR 9 north down a rock-choked corridor. Eventually
SECOND TROLL VIGOUR 12 you reach a junction where tunnels lead off to the
Roll two dice: left, the right and in front of you. You hear the
score 2 to 3 You are hit twice; lose 6 VIGOUR distant roar of some animal, but can't make out
which of the tunnels it came from. Do you want to door set into the right-hand wall just before the
go left (turn to 250), right (turn to 185), or straight block. Will you:
on (turn to 218)?
Ask the Bronze Warrior to pull
the lever? Turn to 118
262 Pull the lever yourself? Turn to 197
The Small Dragon rears up in front of you, its Listen at the door? Turn to 8
leathery wings extended. It breathes fire over you Have a look around? Turn to 275
as it strikes out with sharp talons.
265
SMALL DRAGON VIGOUR 15
You rush through the doorway and down the
Roll two dice: passageway. You hear flapping behind you and
score 2 to 4 You are burned by the Dragon's see that the Vampires have turned into bats and
breath; lose 5 VIGOUR are flying after you at great speed. Will you stop
score 5 to 7 You are wounded by one of its and face them? If so, turn to 77. If you would like to
claws; lose 3 VIGOUR try outdistancing them, turn to 188.
score 8 to 12 The Dragon loses 3 VIGOUR (illustration on following page)
If you win, turn to 222.
266
263 The grille smashes into you sending you crashing
To your surprise she swigs back the poisonous into the wall. Deduct 4 VIGOUR points. If you are
muck with gusto, smacking her lips with pleasure. still alive, turn to 213.
You suddenly remember that the wine is actually
pleasant for lycanthropes (beings half-human,
267
half-animal) to drink. The woman emits a low,
guttural roar. Turn to 10. You pass through the door into a vast, vaulted hall.
Moonlight streams through an arched window set
264 high up on the wall, casting a pool of light on a
thick pall of mist that completely cloaks the floor.
The Bronze Warrior clanks off ahead of you. Soon You see a cowled figure standing by the edge of the
the corridor is blocked by a large stone. There is a pool of light; all that is visible of a face under the
lever set into the left-hand wall, apparently a cowl is a dead white cheek puckered with ugly
device to move the stone block. There is a wooden scars. Light glints off the tip of the blade of a scythe
held in the cowled figure's gauntleted hand. The
silence is broken by Darkrobe's hollow voice:
'So, Paladin knight, you are to be congratulated;
for you have come as far as your king came, into
the presence of Arkayn Darkrobe, now Lord of
Shadow Keep, but soon Lord of all Lalassa! You
will bow before my sorcery like your king and do
me obeisance!' You are filled with fury at his vain,
mocking words.
Do you want to rush in on him immediately?
Turn to 61. If you'd prefer to use one of the items
you have collected first, turn to 224.

268
A startling transformation takes place as the old
man suddenly sprouts fangs and drops to all fours.
Fur springs up all over his face and hands, and you
find yourself staring into the red, ravening eyes of
a Werewolf.
WEREWOLF VIGOUR 12

Roll two dice:

score 2 to 6 You are hit; lose 3 VIGOUR
score 7 to 12 The Werewolf loses 3 VIGOUR
After 3 rounds of combat you may FLEE; if you
decide to do so, throw the dice as usual and turn to
27. If you fight on and win, turn to 123.

269
Shattered glassy shards lie all around you; all that
now remains of the Jewel Warrior. You bend to
scoop up some of the gems only to find that the
stones are, in fact, made of ice. They melt in your ARKAYN DARKROBE VIGOUR 18 (less
hand and you throw them away in disappoint- any lost before).
ment. Turn to 87.
Roll two dice:
score 2 to 4 His scythe slices through your
270 armour delivering a crippling
You find yourself in the reception room of a blow; lose 4 VIGOUR
sumptuous apartment. Rich tapestries hang down score 5 to 7 You are caught a glancing blow by
the walls, and expensive-looking bronze urns the scythe, lose 2 VIGOUR
stand on plush carpets. Down one corridor you can score 8 to 10 You hit Darkrobe; energy bursts
see a series of well-executed portraits. You decide from your sword on impact,
to go straight on towards an iron-girded door charring Darkrobe's cloak; he loses
which stands in a stone archway. Just as you get to 4 VIGOUR
it, however, a woman's voice calls out to you. Turn score 11 to 12 You strike Darkrobe a mighty
to 287. blow; blue light coruscates off the
blade of your sword searing into
271 Darkrobe's diseased body; he loses
10 VIGOUR
You instinctively draw your sword as you see,
beneath the rider's black cowl, the horrifying grin If you win, turn to 300.
of a fleshless skull. Your enchanted sword cleaves
through the frail body of the dark rider, and he and
his mount collapse to the road in a heap of dry,
lifeless bones. You may go on (turn to 27) or stop to
examine their remains (turn to 211).
273
272
Continuing along the tunnel you have to pass
You leap out of the way, deflecting the bolt of under an overhang in the rock wall. Suddenly a net
lightning with your sword. As you get to your feet drops on you from above and you're entangled.
you see that some strange energy has passed into The Young Man you encountered earlier on leaps
the Sword from the lightning; blue light seems to down from the overhang brandishing a knife,
burn up and down its blade. A look of panic passes obviously intending you no good.
over Darkrobe's face as you close on him, holding
out the sword. YOUNG MAN VIGOUR 9
 Roll two dice: 276
score 2 You become hopelessly entangled
in the net and fall to the ground. A shrill cry pierces the night. Looking up, you see
The Young Man has no trouble a great bird of prey perched atop the tower. It does
finishing you off not seem to have noticed you in the shadows.
score 3 to 6 The Young Man wounds you with Keeping close to the wall you approach the obelisk
his knife, lose 3 VIGOUR and see that it is a pillar of grey stone carved to
score 7 to 12 You hit the Young Man; he loses 3 resemble entwined demonic forms. You may con-
VIGOUR tinue around the courtyard to the tower, keeping
to the shadows of the wall to avoid detection (turn
You cannot FLEE because you are entangled in the to 246), or you may examine the obelisk more
net. If you win, turn to 60. closely first (turn to 295).

274 277
After a few seconds she sighs in her sleep and You pull out the small phial and drink its contents.
sweeps back through the window with the broom- Looking down, you see your limbs fade from view.
stick. She flops back on to her bed, releasing the You move forward quickly. Darkrobe stiffens,
grip on your hair. You touch your aching scalp sensing that you're coming towards him. You
tentatively and realize you have gone rather bald move to the right as he leans his head towards you,
on top! The Witch's cat, which you hadn't noticed trying to pick up the sounds of your footsteps. You
before, blinks at you smugly. You leave the room swing your sword into him just as you become
and go down the passage. Turn to 43. visible again. He lets out an inhuman cry of pain,
but strikes back at you with his scythe.
275 ARKAYN DARKROBE VIGOUR 15

You find some scratch marks on the" floor where Roll two dice:
the stone block has grated open. Curiously, the score 2 You are hit by the scythe; all your
scratches seem to indicate that the block opens on limbs seize up as they are affected
to the lever. Will you now: by a magical spell. You fall to the
floor, paralyzed, never to get up
Ask the Bronze Warrior to pull again.
the lever? Turn to 118 score 3 to 4 The scythe slices through your
Pull the lever yourself? Turn to 197 armour delivering a crippling
Listen at the door? Turn to 8 blow; lose 4 VIGOUR
 score 5 to 7 You are caught a glancing blow by also going numb; the last thing you notice before
the scythe; lose 2 VIGOUR you lose consciousness is the smirking face of the
score 8 to 10 You hit Darkrobe; he loses 3 Dwarf as he stamps his little feet on the ground in
VIGOUR glee. Your adventure ends here.
score 11 to 12 Summoning all your energy, you
strike Darkrobe a mighty blow; he 281
loses 6 VIGOUR Just before you reach him, he swings his scythe
After two combat rounds, turn to 298. through the air and there is a sudden clap of
thunder. Black lightning bolts fork out from the tip
278 of the scythe towards you.
Roll two dice and try to score less than or equal
He casts off and punts over to you. Even in the to your current AGILITY. If you succeed, turn to
bright moonlight you cannot see a face beneath the 272. If you fail, turn to 99.
shadow of his cowl. In a sepulchral voice he tells
you his name is Charon and he will convey you 282
across the River of Death. His fare is a scroll for
opening locked portals. If you have this and wish The Zombie swings at you with its scimitar. As you
to give it to him, turn to 221. Alternatively, if you parry the blow, you notice a horde of other Zom-
don't wish to or cannot meet his demands, you bies swarming up the stairs towards the spot
may draw your sword and command him to take where you're fighting. The Bronze Warrior steps in
you across. Turn to 204. front of them, blocking their path and holding
them off while you deal with your adversary.
279 ZOMBIE VIGOUR 9

Your enchanted sword cleaves through the frail Roll two dice:
body of the dark rider, and he and his mount score 2 to 5 You are hit; deduct 3 VIGOUR
collapse to the road in a heap of dry, lifeless bones. score 6 to 12 The Zombie loses 3 VIGOUR
You may go on (turn to 27), or stop to examine
their remains (turn to 211). If you win this fight, turn to 14.

280 283

The pins-and-needles are followed by a chilling Your body becomes stone. You will remain here
paralysis. Your sword drops from your numb forever, a piece of sculpture in the collection of
hands on to the floor with a clatter. Your brain is Arkayn Darkrobe.
 285
You may use any of the following items if you have
them:
A Throwing Dagger. Turn to 7
284 A Potion of Invisibility. Turn to 187
A Clay Doll. Turn to 97
You look around and see that the Knight has slain
both his opponents. 'You handle your sword well,' If you would rather not use any of these items or
he says, 'as befits one of your bravery.' You sit you haven't got any of them, you rush into the
down to order some food and enjoy a tankard of room hoping to surprise the Dwarf. Turn to 66.
mead with him. This meal will restore 6 VIGOUR
points. Add these to your current VIGOUR score 286
but do not exceed your normal score. Any extra You find a low tunnel snaking off into the darkness
points are wasted. at the back of the cavern. You crawl down it and
When you mention your quest the Knight gags find yourself on a ledge overlooking a small vesti-
on his drink. 'Shadow Keep! Hah! That stormy bule. You will have to jump down to the floor
night a year ago I had just escaped from there with which is a few metres below you. Roll two dice,
my life and little else. It was then that my armour trying to roll equal to or less than your current
rusted into an immoveable block; but I would have AGILITY. If you succeed, you have landed safely.
sooner sat here taunted by these louts for another If you fail, you land awkwardly, twisting your
year than return to that desperate place.' When he ankle. Lose 2 VIGOUR points and 1 AGILITY.
sees that you're determined to go, he warns you Now turn to 65.
that the most dangerous way through the outer
defences of the Keep is through an Iron Door.
He sets off into the night, beginning the long 287
journey to his fiefdom at Snout. You wonder You whirl around and see a tall, raven-haired
whether it wouldn't be more sensible to join him, woman dressed in a sheer red dress appear from
but you remember your king's words, and your behind one of the curtains and come over to you.
courage returns. You search the Ruffians' bodies, She seems to walk with an odd, gliding motion.
finding 7 Gold Pieces and a locket containing a She looks around furtively as she does so as if she
strand of gold hair. Note these on your Character thought you were being watched. You see she is
Sheet. You set off on the steep path towards the holding a tray with a black, studded leather gaunt-
Keep. Turn to 78. let on it. She bows before you: 'Hail, noble cham-
pion,' she says, 'Arkayn Darkrobe, the Lord of
Shadow Keep waits beyond that door.' She indi-
cates the doorway you were about to go through
with a nod of her head. 'To overcome him you will
need all the skill of a Paladin Knight of Lalassa, and
this.' She holds up the tray. 'It's a gauntlet of
strength.'
Will you accept the lady's gift? If so, turn to 210.
If you refuse it, turn to 30.

288
You hold out King Valafor's sword in the shape of
a cross in front of the ghost. It lets out a shriek and
vanishes into thin air. You realize you have been
talking to an evil spirit all this time! However, you
decide to continue regardless. Turn to 186.

289
You manage to pull yourself out of the tunnel
before the Ore has time to throw the slops at you.
You whip your sword from its scabbard as the Ore
takes down a butcher's cleaver from a hook on the
wall.
ORC VIGOUR 12
Roll two dice:
score 2 to 6 The Ore strikes you with a cleaver;
lose 3 VIGOUR
score 7 to 12 You hit the Ore; it loses 3 VIGOUR
If you win, turn to 71.
 290 293
You walk down a dank, dripping passageway. Have you brought along the ball of string from the
From far off you fancy you hear a hollow laugh and Ogre's room? If you have, you make your way
then the rustle of chains. The passageway turns to back through the labyrinth, turn to 128. If you
the right and where it bends you find a locked door haven't, turn to 185.
in the left-hand wall. Do you have a bronze key? If
you do, turn to 108. If you haven't, turn to 24. 294
They invite you to sit with them and you take a
place in their circle. A waiter appears from behind
291 the screen and offers you a glass of the red wine.
Will you drink (turn to 166), or would you prefer to
You swing yourself over the edge of the terrace listen to their conversation first (turn to 33)?
and grab hold of one of the branches of the tree.
You start to climb down carefully. After a while
you're surprised to see bits of weapons, gauntlets 295
and even helmets sticking out of the bark of the The surface of the obelisk begins to writhe with
tree. Suddenly you feel a pressure behind you. The motion as you draw near. The tiny demonic
branches of the tree are bending in on you, trying figures, which seemed in the moonlight to be one
to crush you into the trunk! Will you try to cut with the stone, disentangle themselves from it and
yourself free of the branches before you're fly at you. Soon they are crawling all over you,
crushed? Turn to 145. Or would you prefer to risk scratching at all the exposed parts of your body
jumping? Turn to 49. with their tiny claws. Treat them as a single crea-
ture.
DEMONS VIGOUR 12
292 Roll two dice:
You reach the bottom of the stairs and begin to score 2 You lose 12 VIGOUR
wade uneasily through the wreathes of mist that score 3 You lose 9 VIGOUR
hang around the graveyard. Suddenly there is a score 4 You lose 6 VIGOUR
deep groan from one of the graves and a ghost score 5 You lose 3 VIGOUR
leaps up in front of you! Roll two dice and try to score 6 to 12 The Demons lose 3 VIGOUR as
score less than or equal to your current PSI. If you you crush some of them in your
succeed, turn to 132. If you fail, turn to 104. mailed fist.
If you win, you continue stealthily towards the
tower, remaining in shadow so that you won't be
spotted. Turn to 246.

296
The Dwarf has now pulled out a small rapier which
he waves in front of your face.
DWARF VIGOUR 9

Roll two dice:

score 2 to 6 The Dwarf hits you; lose 3
VIGOUR
score 7 to 12 The Dwarf loses 3 VIGOUR
If you win, turn to 74.

297
Your wounds begin to ache horribly and your
muscles cramp up. You fall on to the floor in a cold
sweat; the rat's fangs are highly poisonous and you
are already feverish. Do you have the Rat Poison
Antidote? If so, turn to 135. If not, turn to 31.

298
Suddenly Darkrobe throws up one of his hands,
shouting out a strange incantation. The mist on the
floor begins to whirl about and form into ghostly,
shrieking shapes. They clutch at you with tendrils
of icy vapour. Do you still have the ring given to
you by King Valafor's servant? If you have, turn to
160. If you haven't, turn to 110.
 299
As you turn and run, you feel the full blast of the
Dragon's breath hitting your back. In an instant
your armour and skin are horribly charred, and
you pass out in the intense heat, never to recover.

300
Your last blow passes right through Darkrobe's
chest. He lets out a hoarse cry that seems to make
the very foundations of Shadow Keep tremble. He
staggers back, his eyes ablaze with hatred, and
grabs a metal ring set into the wall behind him.
There is a sudden gust of snow and howling wind
as he pulls at it, and a secret door opens in the side
of the Keep. You are blinded by the blizzard for a
minute. When you can see again Darkrobe is gone.
You rush to the door and look down. Your head
spins when you see below you a drop of thousands
of feet. You pull the door to with a thud. There is a
deathly hush over the Keep, as if all its inhabitants
had perished with their master.
You find a stairway that leads up to one of the
towers and emerge on to its parapet just as the first
streak of dawn bars the sky. Soon the golden disc
of the sun will rise above the Icewrack Mountains,
spreading its warming rays. Somewhere below
you, the king will also be rising, his wound healed
and his vigour restored. He will ride to the capital
with you at his side and reclaim his rightful throne.
Only then will righteousness and justice be Lalas-
sa's once more!