The Eye of Winter's Fury (30 page)

+1 armour

Ability: charge

If you would rather return the gauntlets to their rightful owner at a later date, then remove the keyword
thievery
from your hero sheet and replace it with the keyword
gains
. When you have made your decision, turn to
221
.

183

Your feet become tangled in the bloodied canvas. Losing your balance, you drop to the ground – a mishap that quickly becomes a blessing. The yeti’s next swing sweeps overhead, exposing its body to a counter strike. You take the opening without a second thought, driving your weapons hard through the fur and fatty tissue to puncture whatever vital organ you can reach. You keep pushing until you feel the beast’s body go slack, then you release your grip, rolling away as the enormous yeti topples forward.

There is a sticky-sounding splat.

You find yourself face down in a treacle tart. Grimacing, you scoop the goo from your eyes, spitting out a mouthful of pastry. ‘Some party,’ you remark dryly.

If you are a warrior, turn to
440
. If you are a mage, turn to
131
. If you are a rogue, turn to
561
.

184

The troll slams its hammers against the ground, sending a shockwave ripping through the stone of the keep. Soldiers are thrown up into the air by the force of the blast, including several of the reptilian monsters.

For a brief moment, the battlefield is obscured by stone dust.

Then a dark shape rushes past you.

Rook is sprinting towards the troll, his cloak now tattered ribbons whipping back from his shoulders. He sends knives spinning towards one of the scaled warriors. Several thud deep into its chest but appear to do little harm. Without slowing, he skids underneath the creature’s sword swing, drawing another dagger to hamstring it as he slides past. The reptilian stumbles then falls. Before it can recover, you take off the creature’s head with a well-aimed swing of your weapon.

Rook rolls to his feet, giving you a brief nod. ‘Still alive?’

‘Barely,’ you grunt, spitting dust from your lips.

The ground has started to tremble again – but this time the cause is evident. The troll is lumbering towards you, flanked by two of the tall warriors. As they approach you notice their scaled flesh shimmer,
then start to change colour – going from blue-black to a cold grey.

‘Stone blood,’ hisses Rook. He motions to a group of guards on the inner wall. They move to the edge, holding buckets which you assume contain tar. One member of the group has a lit torch, waving it in answer. It is time to fight:

	Special abilities
	Petrifying peril : The warriors are coating themselves in stone. At the end of each combat round, their armour is raised by 1 – up to a maximum of 5.
	Regeneration : The troll heals 2 health at the end of each combat round. Once the troll is reduced to zero health , this ability no longer applies. (This cannot take the troll above its starting health of 20.)
	Outnumbered : At the end of each combat round, you must take 1 damage from each surviving opponent, ignoring armour . This ability only applies while you are faced with multiple opponents.

If you have any tar barrels recorded on your hero sheet, you can use them at the end of a combat round. Each tar barrel causes 1 damage to all opponents, ignoring
armour
. You can use up to four barrels per combat round. (Remember to remove any used tar barrels from your hero sheet.)

If you manage to defeat your opponents, turn to
427
.

185

You swing out blindly, your makeshift club sending chunks of toadstool flying in all directions. Eventually you find an opening and push forward, the edge of the forest dimly visible through the rotting haze. But, just as you are about to reach the safety of the tree line, one of the toadstools shuffles into view. Without slowing, you swing your
arm back and deliver a punishing whack with your club. There is a satisfying explosion of pulpy flesh as the remains of the toadstool shower down around you, coating your clothing in sticky goo.

You have gained the following bonus:

Death cap fungus

(special)

Add 1
armour
to a chest, feet

or cloak item you have equipped

At last, your way is clear. You plunge into the forest, stumbling and tripping over roots and stones in your haste to escape. Only when you finally drop to your knees, half-blinded by sweat and sticky toadstool slime, do you pause to take breath.

Looking back, you are relieved to see that there is no sign of pursuit. After taking a moment to recover, you continue onwards through the tangled undergrowth, determined to put as much distance as you can between yourself and the peculiar ring of toadstools. Turn to
161
.

186

(If you have the word
fractured
on your hero sheet, turn to
88
. Otherwise, read on.)

You push against the wide double-doors, their hinges creaking and groaning as they slowly open out onto the great hall. To your surprise it is a grander chamber than you had expected, although still a pale imitation of the royal court back at the palace.

Two rows of trestle tables run the length of the hall, framed on either side by frosted-glass windows and fluttering house banners. At the opposite end, stairs lead up to a high table where you assume Everard and his top-ranking officers take their meals.

A gust of wind follows you into the hall, sending the nearby torches fluttering in their sconces. ‘Shut the door,’ grumbles a nearby soldier, waving his mug in your direction. He is plainly a grizzled old veteran, his craggy pock-marked face made rougher by his thick tangle of hair and beard.

Further along the same table, a group of young recruits are talking and laughing. One of their number, a blond-haired male with arms as thick as barrels, is recounting some tale of battle, making stabbing gestures with his leg of mutton.

187

Your eyes are drawn to the flames licking around the coals. Most of the acolytes are standing around the fire, their attention focused solely on the ritual. You dart from pillar to pillar, seeking the best angle for your attack, then – praying that your aim is true – you toss the explosives into the fire.

They tumble across the coals in a shower of sparks. There are a few gasps of alarm, then suddenly the cavern is lit by a bright explosion, sending rock and bodies flying through the air. With weapons drawn, you are already moving forward, striding through the smoke, slashing and cutting at the staggering acolytes that get in your way.

‘What’s happening?’ The woman shrieks. ‘It’s impossible . . .’

You emerge out of the dust, stepping over the scattered coals. The female and two of her coven have survived the blast. You meet her cold glare with a twisted grin.

‘I like to defy the odds.’

‘The fool! Insidious has failed us!’ The woman draws out her wand, aiming its spiked head towards your chest. ‘I will not make the same mistake!’ It is time to fight:

	Special abilities
	Matriarch’s malice : The matriarch has magical wards carved into her skin. While the Matriarch has health , you cannot use modifier abilities during this combat.
	Dark mending : At the end of each combat round, each opponent will heal themselves for 2 health . This cannot take them above their starting health and once their health is reduced to zero, this ability no longer applies.
	Outnumbered : At the end of each combat round, you must take 1 damage from each surviving opponent, ignoring armour . This ability only applies while you are faced with multiple opponents.