The Heart of Fire (43 page)
Special abilities
Searing skull: At the end of every combat round you automatically take 2 points of damage from the skull’s
flames. If the skull is defeated, this damage no longer applies.
Head case: The skull is immune to
bleed
.
Wrath of the witchfinder: Eldias adds 2 to your damage score in this combat.
If you win a combat round against Headless, you can choose to apply your damage to Headless or the Flaming skull. If Headless is defeated, then the skull (if still alive) is automatically
defeated also, winning you the combat.
If you defeat the headless horseman, turn to
48
.
285
This demon must have been the farmer’s wife – or what was left of her after the Wiccan’s magic had run its course. Amongst the creature’s smouldering
remains, you spot a silver locket glittering in the firelight. You retrieve it from the ashes, wondering if it might be of significance to the farmer and his sons.
You have gained
Dagona’s locket
. (Make a note of this on your hero sheet, it does not take up backpack space.) After pocketing the locket, you decide to leave the farmstead –
hoping there is still time to find the family and inform them of what has happened. (Return to the
map
to continue your journey.)
286
You try and settle into a calm state where you are reading your opponent, anticipating his attacks. Lazlo is a skilled fighter, agilely dodging the lightning and constantly
throwing you off balance with his feints. But few of his measured blows strike home.
It is a long and gruelling battle. Lazlo observes your performance with growing admiration, occasionally offering advice when he sees you overstepping a lunge or struggling with a parry.
Eventually Lazlo makes a mistake, failing to dodge the lightning in time. He stumbles back, wincing with pain. Before he can right himself, a sudden lurch of the disc throws him forward. You dodge
aside, sliding a leg between his own and tripping him over. He lands roughly on his stomach, with your foot resting on his back.
‘Game over,’ you grin, looking down at the defeated prince.
He releases his grip on his sword. ‘A worthy victory,’ he smiles. ‘You fought well.’ The prince utters a word of magic. The lightning ceases and the disc starts to lower
itself back to the ground.
Lazlo gets to his feet, dusting off his shirt and breeches. ‘I think you deserve a reward, don’t you?’ He nods towards the weapon’s rack. ‘Take whatever you
like.’
The disc comes to a rumbling halt, allowing you to descend the stairs. The rack contains a fine array of weaponry, all sharpened and polished, ready for battle. If you wish, you may now choose
one of the following items:
Knot of knives | Red mist | Jeeves’ juicer |
(chest) | (main hand: sword) | (left hand: dagger) |
+1 speed +1 brawn | +2 brawn +2 magic | +1 speed +1 brawn |
Ability: | Ability: | Ability: |
When you have made your selection, turn to
174
.
287
You add the ingredient to the liquid. However, it only takes a few minutes of stirring for you to realise that you have made a mistake. The liquid is now giving off a bitter
smell, having turned lumpy and sour. You will need to start again.
If you wish to try and make another potion then turn to
361
. Otherwise, you can leave the laboratory and visit the reverend’s house (turn to
210
) or the herbalist’s cottage (turn to
224
).
288
Malak glares at the seal, his scowl deepening. ‘Humph. You’d better follow me, then.’
The mage leads you up a spiral staircase to a small landing. Here, he unlocks a door and indicates that you should enter. Warily, you step through the doorway into the room beyond.
The first thing that hits you is the smell – dampness and rotting decay. The second thing to hit you is a giant fist, which sends you hurtling across the room. You crack into the far wall,
slumping down to your knees with a groan of agony.
There is a bestial growl.
Looking up, you see a hulking creature shuffling towards you. Its entire body is a writhing mass of vines and roots, crawling with worms and other small bugs. Frantically, you edge around the
wall, towards the open door where Malak is grinning at you.
‘What is this?’ you growl angrily.
‘The last student,’ he replies. Then the door is slammed closed, the rattle of a key confirming that you are now locked in. You circle the beast warily, looking for some sign of
weakness – for some possible advantage. But you are constantly distracted by its writhing snakelike vines and the gooey sap running from the corners of its gaping mouth. Is this really what
happens, when magic goes bad? It is time to fight:
Special abilities
Sinister sap: At the end of each combat round the fungus belches out a globule of sap, which immediately moves to
attack you. For each sap in play, you lose 1
health
at the start of each combat round.
Blast the bile: When you win a combat round, instead of rolling for a damage score, you can use your magic to
destroy all the saps that are currently in play.
Power pruning: When you win a combat round, instead of rolling for a damage score, you can use your magic to blast
away at the beast’s armour. This automatically reduces Fungalus’
armour
by 4 each time it is used. (Note: You cannot use
blast the bile
and
power pruning
in the
same combat round.)
If you defeat the lumbering fungus then all saps are also defeated. You may restore any lowered attributes (such as
magic
) and then turn to
272
.
289
The tower is starting to break apart. You can barely maintain your footing as you are thrown from one wall to the other. Cracks and fissures branch through the black stone.
Behind you, a whole wall crumbles outwards, its stone fragments floating away into the inky dark.
