Queen's highway?’ asks Paido, irritated by the delay. ‘By the authority of the Queen herself,’ retorts the old man, indignantly, pointing with crooked finger to a placard on the wall of his hut. It bears the faded seal of Queen Evaine, but the board is so weathered that the words above it are illegible.
‘We travel to Tharro on royal business,’ you say, showing the Pass given to you by Lord Adamas. ‘Stand aside and let us proceed.’ The old man snatches the Pass from your hand and scrutinizes it, though it is obvious that his eyesight is so poor that he cannot read the contents.
‘Bah!’ he snorts, thrusting the Pass back into your hand. ‘It's a forgery! You'll not fool me with that worthless scrap o' vellum!’
‘And we'll not be taken in by a greedy old fool whose wits are as rusty as the armour he wears!’ shouts Paido angrily. As his words echo along the street a dozen villagers, armed with an assortment of farming tools, come to investigate the commotion. They form up in a line behind the old man, ready to enforce his demand.
‘What is the toll?’ you ask.
‘Only a trinket you may have that takes our fancy; that is all. One item apiece and you can continue on your way,’ replies the old man, smugly. ‘But let it not be said that we are without wit,’ he snaps, glaring at Paido. ‘We Stians pride ourselves on our sense of fair play and our love of riddles, therefore I shall make you an offer that satisfies us both. Answer me one riddle correctly and you can pass through our village without paying the toll. Answer wrongly, or give no answer at all, and you must pay the toll without question. Is it agreed?’
If you wish to agree to the old man's terms, turn to 112 .
If you refuse to agree, turn to 149 .
281
Nausea and giddiness are beginning to impair your senses. Desperately you muster all your reserves of strength to combat the poison, but you are greatly fatigued after your fight with the Helghast. Gradually the pain subsides to be replaced by a fearful numbness that paralyses your limbs. Swiftly you sink into a coma induced by the poison in your blood. It is a sleep from which you will never awaken.
Your life and your quest end here.
285
The flicker of an eyelid and a bead of sweat are the first signs of Paido's recovery. Slowly he stirs to consciousness, waking from a sleep that was so nearly his last. He can remember nothing of the ordeal and, when you tell him all that has happened, he shakes his head in disbelief. ‘A Helghast?’ he says, incredulous. ‘How can it be?’
‘The servants of Darklord Gnaag have infiltrated this monastery,’ you reply. ‘They have kept themselves hidden, but I fear the day is fast approaching when they will rise up and wreak havoc in this town. Already they know our true identities, and I wager they know why we're here.’
‘This is bitter news, Lone Wolf,’ says Paido, his face etched with worry. ‘We can afford to delay no longer. If Talestria falls to Darklord Gnaag before we reach the Danarg, then the quest is lost.’
It is a sobering thought but you do not dwell on it. You help Paido to his feet and cast your eyes around the chamber in search of an exit.
Turn to 201 .
286
‘Shieldwarden Nehdra ain't here; this is the town gaol,’ retorts the guard, narrowing his eyes suspiciously as he inspects first you and then Paido, as if you were both escaped felons.
‘At the end o' Copperpiece Lane, next to the Temple o' the Sword, there's a tower. That's where you'll find the Shieldwarden, only you 'ad better 'ave good reason for wantin' 'im at this hour or you'll both end up spendin' the night 'ere.’ He cocks his thumb over his shoulder at the gaol and a sneer spreads across his ugly face.
You follow Paido out of the courtyard and continue your ride along Copperpiece Lane.
Turn to 204 .
287
You deflect the stream of liquid fire with the edge of your golden blade, sending it raining down into the Danarg. Two more Kraan swoop in
‘We travel to Tharro on royal business,’ you say, showing the Pass given to you by Lord Adamas. ‘Stand aside and let us proceed.’ The old man snatches the Pass from your hand and scrutinizes it, though it is obvious that his eyesight is so poor that he cannot read the contents.
‘Bah!’ he snorts, thrusting the Pass back into your hand. ‘It's a forgery! You'll not fool me with that worthless scrap o' vellum!’
‘And we'll not be taken in by a greedy old fool whose wits are as rusty as the armour he wears!’ shouts Paido angrily. As his words echo along the street a dozen villagers, armed with an assortment of farming tools, come to investigate the commotion. They form up in a line behind the old man, ready to enforce his demand.
‘What is the toll?’ you ask.
‘Only a trinket you may have that takes our fancy; that is all. One item apiece and you can continue on your way,’ replies the old man, smugly. ‘But let it not be said that we are without wit,’ he snaps, glaring at Paido. ‘We Stians pride ourselves on our sense of fair play and our love of riddles, therefore I shall make you an offer that satisfies us both. Answer me one riddle correctly and you can pass through our village without paying the toll. Answer wrongly, or give no answer at all, and you must pay the toll without question. Is it agreed?’
If you wish to agree to the old man's terms, turn to 112 .
If you refuse to agree, turn to 149 .
281
Nausea and giddiness are beginning to impair your senses. Desperately you muster all your reserves of strength to combat the poison, but you are greatly fatigued after your fight with the Helghast. Gradually the pain subsides to be replaced by a fearful numbness that paralyses your limbs. Swiftly you sink into a coma induced by the poison in your blood. It is a sleep from which you will never awaken.
Your life and your quest end here.
285
The flicker of an eyelid and a bead of sweat are the first signs of Paido's recovery. Slowly he stirs to consciousness, waking from a sleep that was so nearly his last. He can remember nothing of the ordeal and, when you tell him all that has happened, he shakes his head in disbelief. ‘A Helghast?’ he says, incredulous. ‘How can it be?’
‘The servants of Darklord Gnaag have infiltrated this monastery,’ you reply. ‘They have kept themselves hidden, but I fear the day is fast approaching when they will rise up and wreak havoc in this town. Already they know our true identities, and I wager they know why we're here.’
‘This is bitter news, Lone Wolf,’ says Paido, his face etched with worry. ‘We can afford to delay no longer. If Talestria falls to Darklord Gnaag before we reach the Danarg, then the quest is lost.’
It is a sobering thought but you do not dwell on it. You help Paido to his feet and cast your eyes around the chamber in search of an exit.
Turn to 201 .
286
‘Shieldwarden Nehdra ain't here; this is the town gaol,’ retorts the guard, narrowing his eyes suspiciously as he inspects first you and then Paido, as if you were both escaped felons.
‘At the end o' Copperpiece Lane, next to the Temple o' the Sword, there's a tower. That's where you'll find the Shieldwarden, only you 'ad better 'ave good reason for wantin' 'im at this hour or you'll both end up spendin' the night 'ere.’ He cocks his thumb over his shoulder at the gaol and a sneer spreads across his ugly face.
You follow Paido out of the courtyard and continue your ride along Copperpiece Lane.
Turn to 204 .
287
You deflect the stream of liquid fire with the edge of your golden blade, sending it raining down into the Danarg. Two more Kraan swoop in
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