The Heart of Fire by Michael J. Ward

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!’
     
Will you:
Examine the statue? — 84
Explore the church? — 111
Investigate the castle? — 65
Cross the bridge to the tower? — 139
Talk to the map-seller? — 99
Leave Carvel? — Turn to the Act 1 map
    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.