Legion of Shadow (7 page)
29
Legendary monster: Humbaroth the giant
You head east along the gravelly track that winds through the foothills of the Blackthorn Mountains. You pass the splintered wrecks of several carts and caravans, and are
immediately reminded of the tales of the giant that now holds sway over this stretch of Tithebury. To slay the deadly creature would be doing the locals an enormous favour.
You haven’t travelled far into the rocky hills before the ground begins to tremble and shake beneath your feet. Steadying yourself against a nearby boulder, you turn to see a giant of a
man stomping purposefully towards you, his immense strides carrying him over the jagged rocks that litter the hillside. Dressed in filthy animal skins and a necklace of human skulls, the giant is a
truly imposing sight. In his hands he carries a mighty stone club, which he now raises above his head as he bellows with rage. You glance down at your own weapons, which suddenly look small and
insignificant by comparison. Can you really hope to best such a monster in combat? It’s time to find out:
Special abilities
Punishing blows: Each time Humbaroth inflicts health damage, your
armour
is lowered by 1. (Your
armour
value is
restored after the combat is over.)
If you manage to defeat the giant turn to
44
. If you are defeated, you have no choice but to return to the quest
map
.
30
‘Got jumped by goblins. Three of the vermin – and fierce fighters too. I was lucky to escape with my life.’ The woodsman raises his sword, the polished blade
reflecting the afternoon sunlight. ‘I’ve seen a fair bit of action in my time. I know how to handle myself. But those goblins . . . they’re something else. Never seen their likes
in these parts before. It’s a bad sign. A very bad sign.’
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‘It’s been there two days, two days!’ says the elderly farmer, pointing a trembling finger at the mist. ‘And I seen strange things in there. Shapes . . .
and sounds . . . horrible sounds! I won’t go in there. No, I won’t! Please don’t make me.’ He jerks his head round to look at you, his expression slightly crazed. ‘The
wife won’t let me back in the house – not until I sort it out. But I can’t go in those fields. I can’t! The mist . . . it’s just not right. The witch did it, I know
she did!’
32
The bird ruffles its feathers angrily. ‘Oh by the saints of Judah, if I had a nice juicy worm for every time some idiot asked me that question. Look – I’m a
special bird, alright? My master trained me. I think some magic was involved – well, OK perhaps a lot of magic, but that’s not important. What
is
important is that my master is
in danger!’
33
Inside the tower, it is a scene of destruction: shelves and cupboards have been smashed to pieces; tables and chairs have been flung on their sides; books, scrolls and potion
bottles litter the floor . . . and at the centre of the circular room, spinning in a cracking maelstrom of electrical light, is a living whirlwind. With a booming thunderous rumble, it spins
towards you, sending torn papers and pieces of wood hurtling up into the air. You must now defeat this fearsome magical creature:
Special abilities
Charged: Each time you inflict health damage on the elemental, you take 2 damage in return. This ability ignores
armour.
If you defeat the storm elemental, turn to
94
.
34
You head off quickly down the track, pleased to have finally got away from the man’s odorous stink. After several minutes, you veer off the track, joining a gravel pathway
that leads into the nearby farmstead. As you approach the barn, you cast a curious glance at the other farm buildings. All of them seem eerily quiet, as if the place has long been abandoned. The
shutters on the windows are closed, and the garden and surrounding outhouses show clear signs of neglect. The hairs on the back of your neck begin to prickle. Something isn’t quite right
here. You step into the barn and discover that it is just as empty as the rest of the farm. Instead of golden piles of hay, there are just a few oily rags and some rusty pieces of farming
machinery. Scanning the ground you see no sign of any rats either. Across from you, a rickety-looking ladder leads up into the hayloft.
35
The moment you touch the stone there is a bright flash of light, followed by a dizzying sensation of movement. When the light fades, you find yourself in a large stone chamber,
its walls lined with blazing torches. In the centre of the room stands a man, wreathed in flame. He watches you intently, the fire licking around his ember-red eyes.
‘You trespass in the halls of ancient kings,’ booms a voice, from somewhere above. ‘Many have come here. All have failed. Fight my champions and prove your worth.’
The man points at you, then curls his finger, beckoning you to attack. Seeing you hesitate, he laughs to himself – then rushes forward, jets of flame streaking from the palms of his
hands.
Special abilities
Fiery aura: You automatically take 3 damage at the end of each combat round. This ability ignores
armour.
If you are defeated, you find yourself back on the hilltop, turn to
153
. If you defeat Malachi, his body turns to ash. All that is left is a stone
rune, its glowing surface marked with the symbol of a flame. If you take the
Rune of Malachi
, make a note of it on your hero sheet. There is a sudden flash of light and you find yourself
back on the hilltop (turn to
153
).
36
The farmer scratches his greying hair. ‘A reward? Well, yes I suppose yer did do me a favour. Thing is, I don’t have a penny to me name – not a thing. Hey,
wait! Perhaps I can give yer something.’ He stuffs a hand in one of his pockets and pulls out a small, grime-covered key. ‘I found this just the other week, when I was tilling me
southern fields. Don’t suppose it has much use really, but yer more likely to find the lock it fits than I am.’
If you decide to take the
grime-coated key
, simply make a note of it on your hero sheet (it does not take up a backpack space). You thank the farmer and then bid him farewell. Return to
the
map
to choose a new quest.