The Heart of Fire (15 page)

If you defeat the dastardly goblins, turn to
205
.

72

‘They see things. The future,’ says Murlic. ‘But we not have Sanchen for long time. We stumble blind and in the dark. We hope that . . .’ He stops to
regard Conall darkly. ‘We hope you tell us what to do.’

You take a step back in astonishment. ‘I am no leader! I thought Conall . . . Damaris . . .’

Murlic sniffs with displeasure. ‘They do not see. But you . . .’ He waves a dirt-stained finger in your face. ‘You see things. And you lead us out of dark. Yes?’

73

Quest: Behind the mask

(
NOTE
: You must have completed the green quest
Curse of Crow Rock
before you can start this quest.)

You hurry across the open moors, buffeted by wind and snow. How quickly the weather changes in this strange land. Only hours before you had been wandering through a tranquil forest, ringing with
birdsong and the chatter of water over rocky stream beds. And then, as you trudged out into the wilder country, the skies had darkened and the snows had come. You considered turning back, to take
shelter in the forest, but something – perhaps a wilful stubbornness not to surrender – kept you blundering onwards into the face of the storm.

After what feels like an hour, shivering and shaking from the cold, you spy a ridge of rock, cutting a grey line through the white haze. The sight immediately raises your spirits, promising you
shelter to wait out the storm.

As you near, you see that the ridge is dominated by a single rocky bluff, which thrusts up out of the mist like a giant fist. Firelight dances at the base of the rock, flickering within its many
pits and hollows. It appears you are not the only one to have come here for shelter.

You cautiously put a hand to your weapon before approaching. A jagged cleft runs down one side of the bluff, forming a natural overhang. Here you see two horses tethered to a finger of rock,
shifting nervously in the chill wind. The cleft goes deeper and rises, forming a rocky shelf, where a small fire has been lit. A black-coated man with short grey hair is poking at the contents of a
cooking pot. You catch a waft of stew and find your stomach knotting into a growl of hunger.

You step closer. The man looks up startled, his hand reaching towards his pack. There you see a scabbarded sword, its hilt gleaming with jewels. As the firelight shifts across his features you
see that he is an elderly gentleman, with a neatly clipped moustache and beard. His appearance speaks of wealth and high class, a cravat and formal shirt visible between the collars of his coat.
Mindful that both horses are still saddled, you quickly scan behind him, looking to see if he has company. It seems he is alone.

74

Your final blow smashes through the skeleton’s ribcage, sending it stumbling back into the nearest wall. Reaching out, you grab the medallion and yank it free. The moment
the medallion is removed, the skeleton ceases its rattling throes and crumbles into a cloud of grave dust.

You may now take any/all of the following items:

Searching the rest of the chamber, you manage to uncover 5 gold crowns but little else of worth. Disappointed with your finds, you decide to leave the tomb. Turn to
215
.

75

The performers appear to be a family. The wife is playing a flute, whilst the two sons beat a steady rhythm on their drums. The crowd cheer and gasp as the orator, a thin,
balding man dressed in white robes, hops agilely onto one of the tables.

‘Come,’ said Allam, ‘join my side! Swords are no good, to fight this tide.’ He raises a wooden sword above his head, pulling an exaggerated frown. ‘We must cast
down our weapons to win this day. We must show our faith, to keep them at bay!’ He tosses the sword aside as the drumbeat gets louder. ‘I call upon your faith. Do you believe? Question
all that you perceive?’ He sweeps a hand across the crowd, his eyes sparkling with zealotry. ‘What about you? You?’ His finger stabs at various onlookers, who raise their mugs and
call out, goading him on.

The drumming stops abruptly, the soft notes of the flute rising into a sonorous melody.

‘Behold, the light! The One God’s might! It will smite our foes with zeal!’ With a flourish the orator throws up his arms, sending gold dust billowing into the air. Then he
falls into a crouch, his expression serious. ‘Our fists are now our hardened steel; our bodies the—’ He throws a punch, losing his balance as his foot slips on a patch of ale.
With a squeal, he falls backwards off the table, much to the amusement of the crowd. They are all clapping and stamping their feet, although it is clear that the mishap was not part of the show.
However the performer skilfully recovers, springing back with a flurry of kicks and punches. ‘Behold, my fists of light. With these fair hands, I will bring the light!’ Urged on by the
crowd the orator continues to battle his unseen enemy, assuming various exaggerated poses to much cheering and applause.

The show continues, but your attention has already wandered back to the taproom. Turn to
47
.

76

‘An unfortunate mistake on my part,’ says the witchfinder, his hungry eyes flicking to your wound. You step away warily. ‘I’m sorry,’ he smiles
weakly, putting a hand to his mouth. ‘I haven’t . . . I haven’t taken blood. You don’t have to worry.’

You frown, your grip still tight around your weapons. ‘Isn’t that what your kind needs – craves? It’s what keeps you alive.’

The witchfinder leans forward, his pale eyes glimmering like stars in the lantern light. ‘I am dying. Can’t you see that? I have very little strength – my sight is . . .’
He clenches his fists, looking away; greasy strands of hair fall across his face. ‘I cannot tell you what it is like; the hunger is . . . indescribable. But I will not . . . become a
monster.’

Turn to
347
to ask Eldias another question. When you are ready to continue, turn to
340
.

77

Reaching the summit, you find yourself on a windswept plaza. Various stately-looking buildings crowd in on a wide paved square, dominated by a tall statue of a man. A group of
pilgrims are kneeling before the statue, offering prayer. Two guards stand either side of it, watching the pilgrims warily.

To the left of the square, rising high above the buildings, is a church – a sprawling arrangement of golden domes and white towers, glowing with holy scripture. Such a building alone would
be the talking point of most towns and cities, but your attention is already being drawn across the square, to the dark castle that juts out of the murky gloom. It is clearly dwarven, with sharp
angles and points, making it look more like a vast stone arrowhead than a place of habitation.

Next to it, a narrow bridge leads out across a vertiginous drop to an outcropping of rock. There a single tower stands in eerie isolation, its cracked stonework patched with moss and ivy.

As you ponder your next move, you spot a man weaving between the crowds. An open satchel hangs at his side, filled with rolls of parchment. ‘Keep to the path of the righteous!’ he
calls. ‘Let Mendo’s maps lead you to the light!’

78

You are about to leave when Benin takes your arm, leading you into a secluded corner of the nave. ‘I spoke to the bishop,’ he says, dropping his voice to a whisper.
‘I found out what happened.’

You nod, urging him to say more.

‘It was a
dwarf
,’ he grimaces with evident distaste. ‘I thought such vermin were wiped out long ago – by their pagan magics and constant warring.’

‘Perhaps the bishop was mistaken,’ you venture.

Benin frowns. ‘I know the bishop. He is an honest man.’

‘So, the dwarf was the one who cursed him? The one who made the charm?’

Benin nods. ‘Both the bishop and your Wiccan thief were struck down with the curse. The dwarf escaped unharmed – and took the relic with it.’

‘Seems a lot of fuss over some old artefact. What does it do?’

‘I don’t know.’ Benin glances warily over his shoulder. ‘It was discovered by a group of inquisitors, in some ruins to the south. They said the place was haunted –
corrupted by old magic. The relic was brought here, to the church, so that our scholars might learn more about it, keep it safe.’ He drops his gaze. ‘Now it is lost to us.’

‘But were there no clues?’ you ask intently. ‘Perhaps we can track this dwarf. Find out what happened?’

Benin sighs, then straightens, forcing a smile. ‘You have already done enough for us. Thank you, my friend – but this is a matter for the inquisition now.’ He gestures to the
entrance of the church, implying your conversation is now at an end. Grudgingly, you decide not to pursue the topic. After bidding Benin farewell, you leave the church and resume your journey.
(Return to the
map
.)

79

You descend a set of creaking stairs into the cramped crew’s quarters. Several bunk beds and hammocks line the walls, with a table and bench nailed to the centre of the
room.

You search the beds, looking for any clues that might explain what happened to the original crew. To your surprise, a few items have escaped the goblins’ attention. The first is a note,
which looks to have been torn out of a journal. It reads:

The storm is getting worse, I fear. Some of the crew want to turn back. For once I am in agreement – I don’t see how we can navigate the Sisters in such weather.
But Betsy is adamant. I think if any captain could, perhaps it is her. I will say another prayer to the One God. Let His light guide us to safety.

You also find a red bandanna hanging from a bed post and a small gold ring caught in the crack between two floor boards.

‘Ugh!’ shrieks one of your team. ‘You gotta be kidding me!’ You turn to see them backing away from a bunk bed. Resting on the lower mattress is a human hand preserved in
a bottle of vinegar. ‘Who would want to keep
that
?’ they grimace.

If you wish, you may take one of the following items:

Finding little else of interest in the crew’s quarters, you head back to the deck. Turn to
159
.

80

‘I am a priest, devoted to the One God,’ says Benin, proudly. ‘My power comes from within – from my kha.’ He glances around at the smoking circle
of devastation. ‘I prefer to use my powers for good – for healing – but there are times when more . . . direct measures are required.’

81

You are able to make sense of the complex runes and glyphs. They provide a powerful set of enchantments designed to punish unruly spirits. If you wish, you may take the
following item: