The Heart of Fire (85 page)
Congratulations, you have solved the puzzle and improved your chances of defeating the fire sprites! Make a note of the keyword
fire quencher
on your hero sheet and the number 350. You
may now examine the pipes, if you haven’t already (turn to
692
) or head up the stairs to the forge (turn to
601
).
568
Ahead, a stone ziggurat cuts an impressive shape against the bright-azure sky. You sense the demon has been this way – his taint, the pall of ancient evil, hangs heavy in
the air.
You make an immediate beeline for the structure, pushing through the garden’s unruly vegetation. At last, scratched and bleeding from the many thorns and needles, you break out onto a
paved causeway. It leads straight to the base of the ziggurat, where an open doorway provides access inside. However, your presence here has not gone unnoticed.
Two gold statues stand guard, either side of the path. They are fashioned to look like armoured warriors, with winged helms and runed breastplates. Each statue is armed with an immense halberd,
with a crescent-shaped blade almost a metre in length. The moment you set foot on the path the guards jerk into life, then proceed to move with deliberate strides towards you. It is time to
fight:
Special abilities
Scything blades: Each time you choose to play a speed or a combat ability, roll a die. On a result of
or less you are caught by the guards’ halberds. This causes 4 damage, ignoring
armour
. It also stops you from using your ability
until the next combat round.
or more and you avoid damage, allowing you to use your ability as normal.
Knockdown: If you suffer health damage from the guards’ damage score, you are knocked off your feet, lowering
your
speed
by 1 for the next combat round.
If you manage to defeat these deadly sentinels, turn to
524
.
569
You notice a number of items snagged in the weed-choked waters. Using Boom Mamba’s staff, you are able to fish them out of the pool. As well as a pouch containing 40 gold
crowns, you also find one of the following rewards:
Tremor stick | Sanctified scale | Lightning whetstone |
(main hand: spear) | (necklace) | (talisman) |
+1 speed +2 brawn | +1 armour | +1 speed |
Ability: | Ability: | Ability: |
(requirement: monk) |
When you have made your decision, you return to the courtyard. Turn to
510
.
570
‘You’re wasting time,’ you reply, raising your voice above the incessant thunder of the rain. ‘I’ll help you. For a cut of the prize.’
The two hunters exchange looks. Weasel scowls and looks about to argue, but his friend lowers his knife and starts towards the forest. ‘I had enough of this place already,’ he
grunts. ‘Let’s get this done. Save the rest for camp.’
The dark-skinned hunter leads the way, moving quickly through the rain-dripping foliage, his spitting torch streaking its own trail behind him. He stops occasionally, checking a muddy imprint or
a bent leaf stalk, then changes direction, heading deeper and deeper into the claustrophobic jungle.
Suddenly, without warning, a black body flies out from the undergrowth, slamming into the weasel and sending him screaming into the jungle. You hear a savage roar and the sickening sound of
claws rending through flesh. You stagger back, as does the dark-skinned hunter, both of you momentarily shaken by the suddenness of the attack.
A male tigris bounds back through the trees, its powerful legs driving it into the other hunter. They crash together, going down into the watery mud. A knife flashes, slashing into the
beast’s side – but the creature shows no sign of pain, its claws seeking to rake through the hunter’s leather armour. Quickly, you race forward, swinging your weapons and knocking
the tigris away.
The beast rolls over, then springs back onto its hind legs, golden eyes glaring at you with a fierce defiance. For a moment, you are caught between running and fighting – then the tigris
pounces. You must fight:
Special abilities
Revenge of the tigris: Your opponent fights with a fierce
determination, keen to defend his fleeing pack mates. The
tigris rolls three dice for damage and chooses the highest single die result to use for his damage score.
Bleed: After the tigris makes a successful attack that causes health damage, you must take a further point of
damage at the end of each combat round.
If you manage to defeat this savage opponent, turn to
678
.
571
As you head along the sea front, you see a group of sailors hoisting bamboo cages onto the largest of the merchant vessels. You edge closer, to try and get a look inside one of
the cages, but a bare-chested brute with thick hairy arms shoves you away.
‘Move on or I’ll be using yer as bait,’ he growls. From the unsettling array of knives and pistols at his belt, you decide to heed his warning.
Further along the promenade, one building in particular catches your eye. Its entrance-way is fashioned from a giant turtle shell, raised up on stilts to create a sheltered awning. Behind it a
wooden shack extends back into the trees, painted in a gaudy assortment of rainbow-coloured hues. Small, pig-like creatures are scurrying around the entrance, snorting and squealing as they nip and
chase each other. A sign dangling from the arched-shell reads ‘Yootha’s Trading Post’.
Next to it is an altogether less flamboyant building – a rickety lodge topped with a sagging roof of palm fronds. An elderly man is sat on its veranda, soaking his feet in a bucket of
water. A pirate-hat rests lopsidedly on his balding head. ‘Hey there, need somewhere to stay?’ calls the man, splashing his feet in the water. ‘Only 1 gold crown a night at
Bertie’s hostel. And the cockroaches come free.’
