The Heart of Fire (11 page)

42

Quest: The light and the dark

(Note: You must have completed the blue quest
Behind the mask
before you can start this quest.)

You leave the settlement of Raven’s Rest, striking south along the well-worn track that will take you out of the moors and into the lands beyond – the grassland plains known as the
Saskat Prairies. It is time to move on – something you have always been good at, aware that your strange powers can often draw the wrong kind of attention. The last few weeks have taught you
that your gift, your ability to glimpse the future, has been changed somehow by your exposure to the Elysium. It has made you faster and more agile in combat, a second sight that always keeps you
out of harm’s way. As for the other visions, they come and go, but are always the same – a vast forest of thorns and some presence beckoning you from its darkest depths.

A light rain begins to spatter off your cloak as you make your way through the bleak hills. You will not be sorry to trade this wet and wintry northland for the warmer climes to the south.
Lowering your head to the chill wind you pick up the pace, hoping to reach a settlement or inn before nightfall.

You slow when you hear voices ahead. Through the blanket of drizzle you see a covered wagon lying askew across the water-logged track. Your hands immediately go to your weapons, your quick eyes
flitting between the three visible travellers: an elderly-looking man sat hunched on a boulder by the roadside, and a man and a woman talking by the wagon. All three are dressed in mud-splashed
coats and hats; possibly pilgrims or trinket sellers.

The woman has already spotted you, her hands dropping to the long swords resting against her hips. Curtains of blond hair tumble out from beneath her wide-brimmed hat, framing a pale face
dominated by piercing blue eyes. The man next to her appears to be weaponless, but the cuffs of his coat are long and wide, covering his hands. He stiffens, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

You nod your head in greeting, approaching cautiously. It is the woman who drops her guard first, her face splitting into a wide beaming smile. ‘Well, lookee here. If it isn’t my
woozy fainting friend.’

For a moment you frown, trying to place her. Then you remember – the woman who came to your aid when you first had your strange vision in Carvel. ‘You’re a long way from
town,’ you state, noticing that the man is still tensed, his posture emanating distrust.

He scowls. ‘Someone else you courted with that tongue of yours?’ he says, aiming his statement at the woman. She gives him a hurt expression, before lowering her eyes.

‘The priest will come good,’ she says. ‘He wanted to help.’

You notice that the elderly man by the roadside has not looked up or shown any interest in the conversation. He is muttering to himself, wringing his hands together as if trying to rid them of
something unclean.

43

‘You’re no fun, no fun at all!’ squeals the child. You hear angry thumping sounds, reverberating along the metal walls. You can almost imagine the child
beating his fists in some juvenile frenzy. Then there is a grating squeal, coming from behind you. You spin around, to see one of the wall panels sliding open to reveal a glowing doorway.

‘An exit at last . . .’ you sigh with relief.

You step through. There is a bright flash of white light, accompanied by the dizzying sensation of movement, then you find yourself stumbling out into a small square room. A quick scan of your
surroundings confirms you are back where you started, with the trapdoor opening in the floor ahead of you. You step around it, eager now to explore the noisy workshop below. Turn to
398
.

44

With the pillars destroyed, the stone giants are weakened – making it easy for you to smash through their rock armour and extinguish whatever dark magic had once given
them life. You may now help yourself to one of the following rewards:

If you have the word
Wiccan
on your hero sheet, turn to
354
. Otherwise, turn to
400
.

45

The priest reins in his horse in a flurry of mud and water. ‘You!’ he sneers, raising his staff. ‘At last, the One God delivers you to me.’ A white fire
leaps along the length of the staff, mirroring the fire that burns in his fanatical eyes. ‘The bishop died because of you. And now you will pay!’

If you have the word
papal
on your hero sheet, turn to
282
. Otherwise, turn to
315
.

46

You emerge in a small square room made from riveted plates of iron. It is devoid of any furnishing or decoration, save for a giant metal wheel set into the floor. Your feet
clang noisily on the metal panels as you step closer to examine it. The wheel is reminiscent of those you might find on a ship, with a series of spokes radiating out from a centre point, each one
ending in a wooden handle. You assume that the wheel is meant to be turned – but for what reason, you cannot
fathom. There does not appear to be any exit from the room, other than the door
you used to enter.

47

It is difficult to get a sense of your surroundings, as the tight press of bodies and the hazy clouds of pipeweed obscure much of the cramped taproom. From somewhere to your
left you hear drums and flutes, and an orator retelling a story about Saint Allam. Onlookers are clapping along to the rhythm, offering occasional hoots or boos at opportune moments in the
story.

You head for the bar, passing a group of bedraggled travellers who are gathered in a corner. They look pale and shaken, their clothes grime-stained and weather-beaten. They are recounting their
own story in hushed tones to a smaller gathering, who are all listening intently.

At the bar, a plump woman is serving drinks to the clamouring patrons. She is laughing and joking along with their banter as she hands over frothing mugs of ale. As you near, you realise that it
is her face that adorns the sign outside the tavern.

48

You make short work of the headless horseman, while Eldias gives the skull a firm kick, punting it over the nearest building.

‘And good riddance,’ he growls.

You find 10 gold crowns and may now help yourself to one of the following rewards:

With the way clear, you follow Eldias up the stone stairs that lead to the church. Turn to
168
.

49

Jolando’s safe house is an elegant-looking mansion on the east-side of upper town. However, its outward appearance is sadly deceiving. Once past the front door the
interior is an empty shell, crawling with rot and mould – and the occasional rat.

It appears that Jolando’s belongings amounted to little more than a pallet bed, a chamber pot and a rusted old trunk. Opening it up, you discover that the trunk is empty – but this
will provide a useful area for you to store items safely.

You may store any extra backpack items or items of equipment in the safe house during act 1. If you swap equipment (weapons, backpack items etc.) during a quest or while exploring Carvel, you
may put the item you are replacing in your safe house by turning to this entry number. This will prevent it from being destroyed. You can only keep a maximum of four objects in your safe house:

You can only re-equip items from your safe house when you visit this entry number
between
quests. When you are done, return to your previous entry number.

50

The armour and weapons are coated in dirt and grime, but it is clear that these were once prized treasures belonging to a great hero. With your only exit closing rapidly behind
you, there is no time to waste.

You may grab any two of the following items:

Once you have made your decision, turn to
95
.

51

The sheet of parchment has a pattern drawn on it, with the words ‘A stitch in time saves nine,’ across the bottom. Next to the parchment are nine squares of cloth
with the numbers one to nine stitched on them. This looks like some form of puzzle.

The pattern shows an arrangement of squares. You assume you need to place the nine pieces of cloth on the pattern, so that a number is in each square. There is only one of each
number, so the pattern should finish up with the numbers 1 to 9 arranged within the grid. Then the symbols will give you a three digit number.