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MacWorld 1996 April
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Macworld (1996-04).dmg
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Shareware World
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Realmz 1.2.2
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City Of Bywater
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1994-07-16
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Do not use. You detect no signs of a trap. >You have checked the lock and are sure that it is not trapped. !You have failed to pick the lock. The lock is now open. /You have been successful at disarming the trap. #You have failed to disarm the trap. $Your inspection has detected a trap! (Who will attempt to break the door down? 6After making a hell of a lot of noise nothing happens. ˇNothing happens. /You have found a secret passage. Do you enter? "This passage leads to the surface. ˇThis passage leads to the underdark. You find nothing of value. Who is so brave as to volunteer? This gate is locked. _You could easily barricade this door so that it would be safe to rest in this room undisturbed. ˇYour attemt at forcing the door has failed. It is wedged shut. ˇYou collect anything you find on your vanquished foe before heading for the prize table to collect your winnings. ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇYou need to finish the quest. You have finished the quest. ˇ ∫You enter the guard house outside the main gate to Castle Anthrax. Several guards keep a wary eye on you as you approach the head Magistrate. He is a stately looking man in fine robes. ´Judging by the man's large girth, robes are not all he fancies. You approach his fine oak desk. "Present your invitation so I may validate it for passage to yon castle." ºThe lump of a man leans close so the guards do not hear. "For 300 Gold, I shall give you an invitation, but you must swear to use it but once. To do so more than once will raise my ire." ˇIn a booming voice, he pronounces you valid petitioners and bades the guards to let you pass into Castle Anthrax. ÚHe takes your clever forgery and looks it over carefully. Ere he hands it back to you his eyes go wide and he summons the guards. "Hold these fools, they attempt deception." Guards rush to apprehend you. çThe sergeant of the guard grins in anticipation. "You shall swing from the gallows ere today's sun bids us farewell." The battle is joined. ˇThe Magistrate screeches in fear. "Hold men, for I fear they have foul intentions!" With your hostage you manage to beat a hasty retreat from the guardhouse and disappear. Twas a difficult task with such bulk in tow. ºWith the reluctant aid of the Magistrate you find your way to a secluded alley. From the shouts you here in the streets, it would seem the whole kingdom is in search of your whereabouts. ˇThe guards begin to pursue when you here the Magistrate bellow with laughter as he calls them back. "Run foul vermin, for we are far too busy to chase the likes of you!" It would seem they did not take you as too serious a threat. ˝After you explain that you only want to gain entrance to the court on honest business, the Magistrate is so amused that he lets you enter. "Since you chose not to resist, I deem you to be honest folk, and this is an honest kingdom. Enter as you will." ÍHe hands you an invitation to the Castle Anthrax. ˜He bids you farewell as you make your way from the gatehouse. óThe lump of a man leans close so the guards do not hear. "For 300 Gold, I shall give you a writ of entrance, but you will be able to use it but once." ˇThe Magistrate gazes at you and speaks "Without an invitation you will not be allowed through the main gate. Perhaps we can work something out." ë"Very well then. Guards! Show these fine people to the door, they have no valid business in the castle this day. Fare-thee-well good people." ˇThe gate guards check your invitation and wave you through. û"Sorry citizen, without a formal invitation, the only way into the Castle is in chains. See the Magistrate in yon building, he can explain all. Now be off." ÅYou approach the main gate to Castle Anthrax. As you near, the gate guard bars your path and asks to see your formal invitation. nThe corporal of the watch shouts "Be sure to check in with the Magistrate in the guard house before entering." "The town patrol waves you through. flYou send him to the gods. In his dying whispers he says a prayer to an unfamiliar god. It would seem he has cursed you with his last gasp. One might hope he was not held in high regard by his deity. You search the body. ∏You take all his possessions as you strip him down to his breeches. "You ruffians shall pay dearly for this! The King will spare no expense at expunging you and your kind!" he cries. ˇ"Well, I should guess so. I shall explain the error of your ways to the city guard. It is fortunate for you that I am a patient man. Now be gone, for I must return to my duties." ˇAs he flees, he shouts to no one in particular. "Help, I am being waylaid. Help....Help!" Unfortunately for you, the streets are filled with troops searching for you and they stream towards you. They do not even ask you to throw down your arms. ªTown guards rush towards you. The corporal in charge screams, "They are the ones who murdered the good Magistrate. Kill them!" Troops are upon you before you can make good your escape. ÈYou have entered a rather fine tavern filled with only the best citizens of Bywater. Most of the tables are filled with patrons eating spiced potatoes and engaged in interesting discussions. You find yourself a table near the back. You are standing in a tavern. ˇ"The way I see it, those trolls need to be taught a lesson. If the king won't take care of it, then the town council said they would. I'm tellin' ya. Someone better do somthing right quick. People are afraid to leave town and travel the roads at night¯"Steven says there is gold under Crystal Mire Lake. I says he's crazy, that's what I say. Steven and a few of his men are plannin' to set out and find that gold. I says to em, 'Take your galoshes, ye be needin' em to wade the lake ya fool.' Ha! ¸"Seems like everybody in town be sayin' that those Gnolls down south be gettin' too big fer der breeches. I be agreein'. Two merchants due today didn't show and one of dem was supposed to be a Wizard. 'Tis bad times when Wizards start to disappear." Ò"I hear there be an old underground city called Waterford southeast of town. Been buried for a hunerd years, maybe more. Full of treasure for he who's brave enough to go get it. Master Thew the librarian has been tellin everybody seen it." ª"King Sevren's daughter disappeared a few days ago. Rumor has it she turned into a Dragon and flew out of the tall tower. I'm thinkin' too many people have been drinkin' too much grog." ˇ"I hear the city council is plannin' on takin' on King Sevren for rule of the whole province. I'm tellin' ya, there be some sparks flying soon!" ı"My sister's new boyfriend is the sergeant of the south gate. He says the King's men captured a monster and have it chained beneath the guards' quarters. A big brute it is, all green and scaly. He set his Mages to work on pickin' its brains." Ó"Word has it, there's a 5,000 gold piece reward for the capture of the leader of a band of Orcs that have been raiding the village of Sestoon. I believe it, too. A big band of mercenaries arrived today to set out and claim that reward." ˇ"Thanks friend." He pockets the coins and pats you on the back. He seems a bit more friendly to you. ˇ"Oh, I don't really know much." She smiles and points to the seedy looking man. "Ask him, he's been tellin' me all kinds of stories all day." ‚As you approach the table, he places his palm on the hilt of a rusty looking sword. You realize he is not a man but a Half Orc. And judging by the bulk under his worn tunic, a strong one at that. ‹"What you want?" "Me no make trouble! Good King say me no have to leave!" His panic quickly subsides as it begins to dawn in his puny mind that you are not the King's men and you are not there to kick him out of town. Ò"Targ no go out of town. Targ being chased. You help Targ?" He grasps at your sleeve as he stands. "Me go with you, tell big secret. We go to see big iron box near lake and...AAAARRRRGGGG!!" You see a steel point sprout from his chest. ¸He pitches forward with a red feathered shaft growing from his back. As bile spews from his slack jaw, he thrusts a slip of paper into your grasp. You see his assassins at the bar. Three very large orcs smiling a toothy grin and brandishing weapons. ΩThey make for the door in haste, yelling, "Targ the thief has gotten his due! Any man who follows us shall join him in Hades!" Apparently, they did not see the slip of paper Targ gave you. ˇAs you step from the door, you meet a hailstorm of arrows. They seem to appear from nowhere and pin you down in the doorway. You are forced to retreat inside. By now, they have surely made it to safety. ÔHis body is filthy and unwashed. You find several copper coins that are all but worthless. In your haste to search him you take less caution than is wise and prick yourself on a poison needle concealed in his sleeve. ŸYou are at your table when the town guards show up. Luckily, nobody wants to get so involved as to implicate you in any manner. The guards bind Targ's arms to his chest and drag him from the inn. ÓAs you examine the slip of paper, you see that it's a map describing the location of an Orcish stronghold due east of ByWater. The stronghold is hidden deep in the mountains by means of a secret cave entrance. Secret that is, until now. ûThe town guard is quick to arrive. You explain your view of what happened. The guards prepare to leave with the body and begin a search for his assassins. ˚The man in charge of the guards is known by the name of Haikur. He invites you to visit him at the guard's barracks. He hands you a paper. "This will allow you to enter Castle Anthrax so you may visit. I believe we have much in common. Good day." ˇWho will do it? )You enter the barracks of the town guard. ˇAs you enter, you hear sharp words being exchanged from two high-ranking men. It would seem the guardsmen are split into two factions. One faction appears to be headed by a man by the name of Haikur, the other by a man named Thurfur. ÌBefore you catch too much of the argument, the barracks falls silent as all heads turn to you. Thurfur comes over and demands to know your business for being there. Not satisfied with your answer, he orders you to leave. Do you leave? ˇ"We ask you to leave one last final time, citizens. This area is restricted to you. Do not make us take you by force." Judging by the atmosphere in the barracks, you get the feeling they may attack if you stay any longer. Do you leave? Ä"Very well. Now is a rather poor time to test my never plentiful supply of patience." Thurfur draws steel and falls upon you. ¸Haikur recognizes you and walks over to greet you. He introduces you to Thurfur who seems to take an immediate liking to you. It is obvious both men have a certain distaste for each other, but a strong sense of duty keeps them from all out bloodshed. ÷There have been several threats to ByWater as of late and disagreements on how to handle the situation. You sit at a table and listen to both men as they tell their stories in an effort to win your assistance. ·Haikur speaks, "There have always been Goblin raids on some of the more far-flung southern farmsteads, but recently they grow more and more bold. In days past, they would steal a pig or two but would never harm the farmers." ˇ"Yestereve, we discovered two farmsteads burned to cinders and nothing can be found of the peasants that worked the land. I say we should squelch these foul vermin before they begin raiding some of the smaller hamlets." ˙Thurfur speaks, "That can wait Haikur. Our more immediate threat is to the east. Orc tribes have been raiding our eastern provinces. Just last week, Vesba was sacked and nearly fifty people lost their lives. These orcs must pay for their crimes!" SBoth men are determined to take their troops and engage the enemy. What do you do? ˇBoth men are determined to complete their quest on their own and bid you good day. They set about making preparations for their upcoming battles. ¸Thurfur scowls as he walks away. "So be it, fools. The kingdom shall not suffer for your foolish choice. Men, we march east in a few days. With or without Haikur and his friends! Gather your gear and assemble at the east gate! Good day citizens." ˛Haikur scowls as he walks away. "Very well. I count you amongst fools for not seeing the more serious danger. There seems little I can do. My men march south. All right men! Fall out to the south gate! Good day fine people, to you as well Thurfur." You enter a pleasant little shop that seems well stocked. The shopkeeper smiles and asks you to look around at his fine wares. ÂThis is a temple dedicated to Mielikki, goddess of nature. A portly-looking man wearing a green robe approaches and speaks. "Welcome travelers, to this most holy of temples. If you like, you may partake of our healing skills." ÕYou come upon a shocking scene. You spy a small group of town bullies attacking an old woman. It would seem they are after a dagger she is clutching to her chest. Do you wish to intervene on her behalf? ÚThe bullies do not have the stomach to fight and flee at your approach. The old hag scowls at you, "Stay away! You can't have it!" The dagger she is clutching is rather ornate and seems very likely to be magical in nature. What do you do? i"You young whelps! You shall rot in hell for your evil ways!" Having lost the dagger she shuffles away. ˇAs you walk away, she yells, "Come and see me at my shop. I will give you a special price!" She quickly disappears around a corner before you realize that you do not even know where her shop is. €You notice a small wooden sign near the window. It is so old and faded as to be almost illegible. It reads, "Madam Otik's Specialty Shop." It appears to be closed. öMadam Otik's specialty shop appears to be open. As you glance in through the window, you recognize Madam Otik as the old hag you saved from the ruffians. °This is an old abandoned well. It looks to be a long ways down. The bucket and crank are almost rotted out. This well has not been in use for quite some time. ÛYou hear the yip of a frightened dog followed by a yowl and barking. A dog appears to be in distress somewhere close by. Hopefully, someone does not intend to dine on poor man's filet mignon tonight. ıA wretched young gutter snipe runs up to you and begins crying so loud you can barely make out what he is saying. "Oh, please help me, please, please! My dog has fallen into the old well and I can't get him out. Please help!" What do you do? Á"Oh, thank you so much! Come, this way. Hurry! Hurry!" He leads you to the old abandoned town well. At the bottom, you see a miserable little mutt covered in mud. The bucket for drawing water is so old it's completely useless. ˆThe sides of the well are slick with green slime. You estimate it to be about 50 feet to the bottom. It is amazing that the mutt survived such a fall. ÏYour attempt at climbing down the well has failed. You lose your grip and fall to the bottom. Now you need to be rescued as well. The boy bursts out in tears all over again. What have you gotten into? ÚYou have been successful and have retrieved the mutt. The boy looks at you with misty eyes as he thanks you. Somewhere a passionate deity looks down and smiles. You are invited to come play in the old cave. "What cave?" you ask. ÈYou now need to be rescued. This is not how a hero should go about this. In the well, you find an old rope ladder. You throw one end up and climb out. As you exit, the dog jumps out and runs off. A screaming boy follows behind. ˇAs you are bumbling about at trying to rescue the dog, the town guard shows up. After much laughter at your expense, they produce a rope and complete the rescue. This does not do much to raise your status as a hero. éYou come upon an inn and cookhouse. The smell of hot meals and the sounds of good conversation waft to you from inside. Do you step inside? ‹As you try the fare, disappointment is king. The aroma far outshined the taste. Most of the food is very bland indeed. Some is outright awful. The cook approaches you. "Well, good patrons, how is my fine meal today?" ÒThe cook's face grows red as veins bulge from his neck. He produces a meat cleaver and charges you yelling obscenities. You easily hold him at bay until other patrons pull him into the kitchen. You decide that now is a good time to leave. ÂHe smiles a toothy grin, "Ah, thank you fine people. For a very special price of but 10 Gold, I will let you taste this fine wine." He pulls a rather crusty looking bottle from a pocket and offers it to you. What do you do? ∑"Very well. Please feel free to visit this humble house of finery again." The cook retreats to the kitchen as you decide to leave the remnants of your meal to feed the squalor bins. ΔBefore you drink the wine, you read the label. It is Bordeaux Sal La Sal, House of Chalingrad, Waterford, 1423. You mention to the cook that you believed the city of Waterford to be but a legend. ˇ"Oh, well. I guess not. I don't really know much about such things. I was given this bottle by Master Thew, the chief librarian across the street." The cook bids you good day and departs for the kitchen. ÛYou enter the town archives. An old withered man with dried leather for skin sits perched behind a sturdy desk. He is scratching at some parchment with an ink quill. As you approach, he frowns and looks up with a furrowed brow. "Sssshhhh!" "You people make more noise than a herd of rampaging Trollocs." He continues with a sour look upon his face, "What is it that you want? We are very busy here. You may look around, but do not bother me unless I am needed." Do you browse? ˚"Waterford was supposed to be but a legend. I have discovered in my days of research through volumes of forgotten lore that it did exist. In fact, it lies through a secret cave in the mountains east of here. Only the best of wines were made there." ˇYou discover one tome to be very different than the rest. It appears to be magical. You easily slip it under your clothing and make off with your theft. ˇYou browse through many volumes of text. If nothing else, you feel more enlightened. &You are standing in the town archives. ˇYou are attacked by a band of Goblins. ˇYou have the pick of their equipment. Most of it is shoddy and stinks of Goblin- an odor most find almost unbearable. ˇYou have the pick of their equipment. It is well-made and will last for years to come. `You engage the Royal Guard. Two of the King's commanders and lieutenants number among your foe. 9You are attacked by the Royal Guard headed by a corporal. ˇYou are attacked by the Royal Guard led by a lieutenant. ˇYou are attacked by the Royal Guard led by a sergeant. ˇYou are attacked by a small group of Orcs. ˇYou are attacked by a large group of Orcs. You collect up their equipment searching for valuables worthy enough to keep. »"I sought it out many years ago and brought some wine back, but I have not been there in many years. The exact location of the city is lost to me. I only recall the way into the Grimwall mountains." ˇThurfur turns to you, "He is but a fool! We have many preparations to make. Meet me at the east gate when you are ready to depart. We shall teach these foolish Orc tribes that we are their betters! Remember, the east gate. May Adon smile upon us this d¸Haikur turns to you, "Thurfur has always had a hot temper. He seldom sees things clearly as do I. Let us prepare for the upcoming battle! Meet me and my men at the south gate when you are ready to depart. These evil goblin folk shall rue this day!" ”Thurfur and his men are at the east gate preparing to leave as you approach. Many colored banners flap in the breeze depicting the King's standard-a huge gold dragon with a pair of swords clenched in its fists. Ÿ"Ah! Our heroes have come to join the fun! Let us set out to crush the rabble!" You make aquaintance with Thurfur's lieutenants and sergeants. Amongst great fanfair from the townsfolk, you set out on your mission. ¯At long last, your column comes to a halt. You see an Orc village in the distance. Thurfur rides up alongside, "I deem this to be the very tribe that waylaid Sestoon. Let us charge in. Surprise shall be a formidable ally to lead our just cause. ËThurfur raises a mail-clad arm to signal the bugle to sound the charge. Your mounts churn up dust as they dash into the village. Unaccustomed to fighting on horseback, you dismount once you're in the fray to fight on solid ground. ÃYou have come to the town brothel. Perfume fills the air and covers any original odor that may come from this former boarding house. A sign outside the building gives prices for various races and sexes. ≠It appears to be well-managed and doing a lot of business. There is a steady stream of customers going in the front door and another coming out the back. Do you go inside? ¡As you step inside, you are instructed by several thugs to see a small scruffy- looking dwarf behind a desk. You step up to the desk, as he smiles at you displaying more gold teeth than ivory. ˇThe dwarf thanks you for your interest and asks you to visit again. Soon! —As you rejoin the group, you notice you feel a little strange. It becomes apparent that you have caught some kind of disease. It would seem a trip to the Blue Temple is in order. What would your mother say? ˝"You're cute, honey! Hey, are you one of them mercinary types that's here to collect that 5000 gold piece reward I been hearin' about? How much of that 5000 do you get? You know, I kinda like you." ñ"I don't believe all this scare-talk about trolls, do you? My cousin says she started that rumor just so her boyfriend would walk her home at night." ˛"Did you see that big green monster the king's men were draggin' into the guards' quarters last night? Probably not. It happened late at night. Not too many people of honest professions up that late. Not that what I do isn't honest. Just late hours." ›"I hear master Thew over at the library is giving away wine from Waterford. I always thought that place was just a legend. If your interested im sure master Thew could tell you all about the place." ØHe looks around to see that nobody else is watching too close. He whispers, "Head round back. The treasure is ready to be split up." He tells you to follow him around back. ˚You go to the back and step inside the rear door. You are standing inside a large room with seven large men. The door behind you slams shut and you here a jam being placed behind it. It would seem you have walked into a trap. ˇYou push on the door to attempt a quick escape. The jam falls loose and you spill outside followed closely by the thugs. The battle is on! „You step inside to check out the room before the town guard shows up. You notice a large iron box under a loose floorboard. It would appear that you have found the profits from the brothel. ˇYou have entered the blacksmith's shop. The smithy is hard at work on repairing the bellows. His face is covered with soot except for a clean streak leading down each cheek. It would appear he has been crying. ˝"Hello. Good people, what can I do for you today?" You ask him where his apprentice is that he must stoop to fixing the bellows. "My son was slain several days ago in the Barren mountains. We found his body defiled by the evil sluk that live there." ı"I cannot get the King's men to rout out these foul vermin, and I do not have the gold to purchase retribution from mercenaries. All I have is the sweat of my brow, and that buys little justice these days. You would seem to be of hardy stock." sIf you were to send these foul sluk to the pits that spawned them, I would be eternally grateful." What do you do? ˘"I bid you good day then, for I have much work to do and can ill afford to waste my time telling my problems to every wayward band." ‚You end the misery of the poor sod who fell victim to this foul state. As you search the area you see a blood-stained diary. Most of the pages have been torn out and are nowhere to be found. One page remains and it reads... ˜You see a small village in the distance. It appears to be vacant. Many of the straw huts have fallen into total decay. Pieces of broken crockery and cooking utensils lie scattered about. Whoever lived here seems to have beaten a hasty retreat. LThis appears to be the site of a rather large cavern that recently caved in. »You have only managed to bring fresh debris down around you. ˇIt is a sickly sight to see living flesh growing out of the very rock. However, your spell is far too feeble to move such large quantities of earth. ˆYou have succeeded in uncovering the passage behind the cave in. It is now possible to traverse the passage to wherever it may take you. ˇAs you stand pondering the situation, you here a deep rumble. You look skyward and see the whole slope begin to slide towards you. You manage to get away from the area with only slight damage. However, the old site is hopelessly buried. ˇThe tunnel continues west. You smell decaying flesh. The odor is almost overwhelming. ¯You find the slain bodies of several goblins. Their bodies have been scattered about the area. You also see a small pile of what looks to be polished stones. As you kick the pile around you notice a gem among them. Do you wish to look for more? BYou search the remains of the cavern and find nothing of interest. DYou kick around the stones and a small treasure of gems is revealed. "Do you wish to look for more gems? ÒAs you are rummaging around in the polished stones, you hear a bizarre sound. One of the large stalagmites begins moving. It takes the shape of a hideous creature. You now realize that you have been fishing around in this creature's dung. ‡You manage to flee the cavern. The speed of this bizarre creature is amazing, and it dogs your heels all the way to the cave entrance. You get out into the open, but it is of no use. You will have to face this mighty foe. CYou finish your search of the stones and find a few remaining gems. GThis is an ancient secret passage into the courtyard of castle Anthrax. Ã"Why, the old cave that leads into the castle courtyard." He draws you a map on a piece of parchment. You kindly turn down the chance to play with him, and he skips off with his happy, but muddy friend. The gate stands unguarded. A notice from the king is posted. It reads, "Stanchion burial lands are closed until further notice. All those that enter do so of their own accord and at their own risk." ¢The graveyard has fallen into a state of total disrepair. Most of the graves and crypts have been looted. The caretakers have not been busy for quite some time. @The stench of death assaults you as you are attacked by zombies. ˇThe reek of death and decaying flesh hang heavy in the air as you are attacked by zombies and ghouls. 7You search the putrid bodies but find nothing of value. ˜The doors on this crypt are broken as are most in the graveyard. As you peer in, you happen to see a small crack in the floor. Your investigation reveals that it is a trap door that leads to a subterranean crypt. Do you wish to enter the crypt? ÔThis room lies undisturbed. As you stand in the doorway, you feel a strong desire to leave this room. That might explain why thieves have not pilfered the coffin in this room. It lies covered in century's old dust. Do you approach it? ˚The coffin is made of solid stone with a stone lid. Dust leaps into the air as you pass across the floor. You are the first person to enter this crypt in countless years. The coffin must contain one of the first occupants of this now decrepit tomb. KYou lift off the lid and peer inside, but it appears to be empty after all. ˇYou FEEL rather than see a corpse in the coffin. You come to the conclusion that the corpse inside must be invisible. You feel around the corpse and discover a necklace. You remove it and the corpse reappears. You find keys as well. ÙIn the process of demolishing the coffin, a corpse appears out of nowhere. It was in the coffin wearing an ornate necklace that has slipped off its neck. A large piece of stone has destroyed the necklace. However, you do find some iron keys. {You carefully place the lid as it was and stand back. Except for the disturbed dust, all is as it was before you entered. WYou see a small notch carved into the wall. It holds an iron chest bolted to the wall. JYour attempt at dislodging the box has failed. You have triggered a trap. ˇWith the trap triggered, the lock is quickly defeated. Inside, you find treasure. ˚You hear a click as a trap disarms and the lock opens. Inside you find treasure. ‡Nothing seems to happen. ŒYou come upon some fresh excavation. It would seem that someone or something has burrowed up from below. The tunnel is considerable in size and looks to be frequently used. Do you wish to venture inside? NThis hole leads to Stanchion graveyard. Do you wish to return to the surface? You descend approximately 60 feet below the surface by means of a well-trod slope. It would take countless shuffling feet to compact the earth to such a flat and hard surface. It is likely that you are not alone below the city of ByWater. LShambling creatures that resemble living fungus move towards you and attack. AYou search the remains of their bodies but find nothing of value. <This chamber has been looted. You find nothing of interest. CThe door to this chamber is locked. It is made of quite solid oak. ïAs the echos fade from your pounding, you hear a faint shuffling. It would seem you have gained the attention of some of the denizens of this crypt. oThis wall is but an illusion. Behind its fake facade is an earthen tunnel. It leads to an underground cavern. ⁄This large cavern appears to be used as both a laboratory and a place of ritual. Several pedestals have been built. Their appearance suggests they've been used to strap human-sized beings in place for experiments. ÂAll are stained with dried blood and ichor. Off to one side of the cave you see a decomposing pile of human appendages- arms, legs, heads and all manner of organs. It would appear that someone has been experimenting on bodies. ÌOne of the pedestals still has a body strapped to it. The flesh on half of its body has decomposed so badly that it is literally falling off the bones. Next to the body is a tray of long thin knives. Some madman has been flaying flesh. ¸As you stand in witness to this awful carnal scene, the body on the pedestal begins to move slowly. It makes no attempt to escape its bonds for it would appear to be a zombie. Its creator has left it to decompose over the centuries. Do you approach? ˜"The chamber has grown too small for my army. I have to locate a larger cavern to continue my preparation of the assault on Spider Tower. In addition, I need more supplies from the king. He seems reluctant to meet with his end of the bargain." ˇYou happen upon a group of myconids. They do not see you. Do you wish to attack them? ˜You stand at the entrance to an enormous cave. Zombies mill around in great numbers. Towards the center of the cave, you see a cleric standing over a dead body chanting arcane words. Suddenly, the dead body shudders and rises. It shuffles off. √He suddenly sees you and calls zombies to stand between him and you. In a very strange tone of voice he says, "Where have you been? I'm almost out of bodies and the time for attack grows nigh." ÏHe shouts, "You shall pay for your interference! You are a minor problem to deal with!" Zombies shuffle forth to attack you. Their forces are bolstered by myconids and a few ghouls. ˆNow that the cleric has perished, the remaining ghouls flee. All the remaining zombies collapse in heaps. The myconids wander off, no longer prisoners of the cleric. One zombie, however, does not collapse. In fact, it turns to you and speaks. ı"Thank you, fools! I was imprisoned by this foppish man and bound to do his bidding. Now that you have set me free of his bonds, I shall take my revenge-not on him, but on ALL the living." He waves his hands and disappears in a ball of flame. zYou gather together the dead bodies and burn them. It would seem there is a new enemy-one who is both undead and magical. Ù"I assume that you are not here to deliver bodies. My name is Arrock, high priest of the king's archdiocese. He has tasked me to rid the city of that accursed Spider Tower in any manner I see fit. My army of undead will deal the fatal blow." ˚"The days of that foul Spider cult are at an end. In fact, I was expecting one final shipment of bodies to add to my army before I commenced my attack. However, if you were to join me, we would be more than strong enough to attack now. What say ye? ˇ"Excellent! After this final batch, my army shall be more than strong enough to defeat the puny defenses of that accursed Spider Tower. Bring them in here and lay them next to the wall." ˆ"In any case, I have waited far too long for the last shipment of bodies. I depart now to deal with this foul tower. Fare- thee-well. Tell the king he shall once again be sole master of this fine city." He marches out with his army of undead. Ù"Good! Good! Let us be off to mete out the king's justice. I have had my forces digging a tunnel under the Spider Tower for several weeks. Now all is ready to seal their doom. Ha! We shall arrive at their very doorstep." This is the gate to enter the Spider Tower. Herein dwells an evil cult bent on total dominance of the world by arachnids and others of their ilk. The gates are massive, and the walls are guarded by fierce beastmen. Do you want to attack? ˝You are immersed in a veritable cacaphony of beasts-all of them quite hostile to you. oYou have managed to battle your way past the gate. Something tells you that the tough battles are yet to come. UAfter the thrashing you gave the guards before, the gate is now only lightly guarded. ãThe courtyard is filled will small groups of arachnids. They scurry about in all directions. A small group crosses your path and attacks. EYou move away as their bodies drip ichor from punctured exoskeletons. ”You enter the spider tower and charge into the main audience chamber. Inside you see two clerics. They have heard the clamor outside, and have prepared for battle. You face a large force of eight legged foes. ‘You have defeated the keepers of the Spider Tower. The remaining arachnids in the area wander off to nooks and crannies in the surrounding countryside. You find treasure hidden on the bodies of the two clerics. JYou perform a thorough search of the surrounding rooms and find treasure. ÒYou burrow up through the last few feet of earth and emerge at the very foot of the tower. You rush inside with your undead allies. You come upon two clerics discussing business. There is a sizeable contingent of arachnids in attendance. ≠They see you and your undead army rush in. They command their sickly army to destroy you. Arachnids and undead mix in a ghastly battle that can only resemble a freak show. XYou have walked into a tannery. Many fine quality leather goods are made and sold here. ÿThe tanner hands you a map showing the location where they found his son's body. As you depart he says, "Thank you, good people. Return when you have cleansed the land of these foul vermin, and we shall celebrate." ÎIn this hut there is a wounded goblin lying on the floor. Blood leaks slowly between his fingers as he clutches at his chest. He sees you and his eyes grow wide in horror. He topples over dead, his face locked in a horrible grimace. “You search his body and turn up a map scribbled on a piece of bark. What it represents, no one will ever know. As you prepare to leave, you hear a loud thump. A party of kobalds storm the village behind you. •Among the items, you find a sack with personal items belonging to the blacksmith's son. It would seem you have killed the very group who had slain the smithy's son. NYou spot a group of goblins before they spot you. Do you wish to attack them? KYou spot a group of orcs before they spot you. Do you wish to attack them? ˘You burst into the most flamboyant hut in the village. The goblin king is inside with several of his most prominent warriors. They jump in front of the king ready to attack. However, the king barks out a sharp command to call off his dogs of war. flHe speaks in surprisingly good common, "Why you come my land. Me no have war with human king. We no raid human village. We only have war with kobald sluk. We fight sluk well. We good warriors. Why you no like goblin?" ˘His goblin dogs rush you, literally bowling you over and out the door before you can set up a good defensive position. Goblins join the fray from every direction. It would seem that you have made a gross miscalculation of the goblin king's forces. ÌYou have defeated the goblin king's strongest warriors. The remaining goblins in the village flee in panic. Inside his hut, the goblin king awaits his fate. As you approach, he begs your mercy as only a goblin could. Do you grant it? åYou execute the goblin king and gather whatever you find in the shack as spoils of war. It appears he lived more like a pauper than a king. ÁHe whimpers in excitement at being spared and speaks, "My people stand no chance now. We must flee, for the kobald werg are too numerous. I show you where they live so you shall know where not to go as well." He gives you a map. ç"I let you go if you pay. You pay king 500 gold and me let you go. You no pay, me have warriors kill you and take gold. PAY!" Do you pay? Â"Me king! Lead sneak attack now. You come." He stands and dons his armor and weapons and leads his force to a secret cave just west of the great iron door. "We sneak here. Kobald not know we come. We kill them from behind. " ˘"Goblin and kobald always fight. Now kobald have powerful wizard. They kill many goblin. We need kill all kobalds, but they hide behind great iron door. We no can break it down. Now we find secret cave and sneak up behind. We kill all kobald." ˙He leads the war party into a long, twisting, turning crevasse. It is barely wide enough to squeeze through. You exit into a large alcove. Once the entire force is assembled, the goblin king leads a small scouting party ahead to set up the ambush. ˛You come upon a small band of kobalds manning a great iron door. It is massive and obviously beyond their building capabilities. The goblin king believes it is the work of a wizard who made a pact with the kobalds and has helped them kill many goblins. ´Plans are laid, and the rest of the force is brought up. On the king's command, goblins storm the iron door in great force. The puny kobalds seem to stand little chance. £It appears the kobalds were waiting for the wizard to show up while they stood guard over a reinforced chest. The goblin king shows little interest in this chest. ≥He turns to you and speaks, "You go. We kill kobalds now. We need your help no more. You go." He turns and leads his forces deeper into the caves in search of kobalds to kill. ·Your fumbling around with the box has caused some vials of liquid to break inside. Liquid oozes out of the box and seeps into the ground. The smell is repugnant. Most likely the vials contained magic potions. What a pity! íWith the glass already broken, you smash the box open. There are several smashed vials and a pair of scrolls. They are now soaked and worthless. ÜAs you hit the box, you hear glass break. Inside are several smashed vials and a pair of scrolls. They are now soaked and worthless. BThe chest pops open revealing several vials and a pair of scrolls. qYou turn your attention to the chest. You tip it slightly and hear several objects made of glass clink together. HYou spot a group of undead stumbling about. Do you wish to attack them? flAt the bottom of the well, you find an old rope ladder. It is very old but usable. You throw one end up and climb out. As you exit the well, the dog jumps out of your arms and runs off. A screaming boy is right behind. There are two caskets in this chamber. One is still sealed, the other empty. The lids contain inscriptions bearing the occupants' names along with a declaration of their mutual devotion. Although the door was locked, one body is missing. OYou search the chamber for signs of a secret entrance or exit but find nothing. <This is the cave that leads to the sunken city of Waterford. üYou step into a large valley. It is completely shut out from the outside world by high peaks. Towards the east you can make out a large cave in the distance. ΔYou find a cave behind a stone outcropping. It is practically invisible unless you're right in front of the opening. This passage has lain hidden for ages. It winds east through a jagged crevasse. ‹You have found the sunken city of Waterford. Legend has it that a great crack rent the earth and swallowed the city. No one managed to escape before the massive fissure collapsed in upon the city and buried it forever. ÔThe entire city was thought to have been destroyed. You now see that large sections of the city have survived remarkably well. There are signs of some type of two-footed creature having been in the area. The prints are large and clawed. You are attacked by trollacs. UTheir bodies are filthy and unclean. You wonder how they can stand their own stench. >You see a small group of trollacs. Do you wish to fight them? ÍYou hear growls. Suddenly, there appears a trollac. It is being chased by a beast even more fierce-a giant troll. Do you wish to attempt to save the trollac from its obvious fate or do you stand back and enjoy evil destroying evil? èYou come upon a building that appears to have been an armory. It must have been closed during the catastrophe. The door is still bolted shut. QYou have set the building on fire. Something causes the old building to explode. uMost of the shop's goods have fallen into total ruin. However, some items did survive along with a tidy sum of gold. „You enter Anthrax castle. The herald announces your arrival to the king who is holding audience. As your names are called, there are puzzled looks. It is obvious that you are newcomers. King Stevens motions you to approach. €"Hail, good people! What brings you here this fine day? You are obviously not from Bywater, for your manner of dress is most foreign." You explain to the king that you are but simple travelers in search of adventure. fl"Adventure! Well, my good citizens. This is the place! Many strange happenings have been taking place of late. Many, I'm sure, the direct result of that accursed Spider Tower that has sprung up at the east end of town." fi"But this is a peaceful land, which claims hatred towards no one who does no direct harm. As of yet, there has been no evil which can be proven to have originated from that foul spire. Come, meet with me in my chambers." ˆWith little fanfare, he calls an end to court and bids his patrons good day. You retreat with the king to a chamber adjoining the main hall. The door is closed, and you are surrounded by only the king and his closest advisors. The king speaks. Ù"My good fellows. Dark times have befallen this fair city. Alas, politics prevents me from declaring so in public. This foul spider cult is sapping the very strength of our bustling city. I would see this vile cult rousted from my kingdom, ‡but my own decrees of fairness prevent me from doing so. If you rid this town of this accursed tower, I could not reward you publicly. In private, however, is another matter. I charge you to rid Bywater of this foul cult!" D"What say you? Will you accept my plea of help for this fair city?" –"If that is your wish, then so be it. I bid you good day then, for a king has many duties-duties that I neglect even now. Steward, show these fine people to the door." You are briskly ushered out the door. DYou enter Castle Anthrax. Scant attention is paid to your presence. ›"Good! It's settled then. There is another secret agent of mine that is striving toward a similar goal. If you cross paths, I decree you to help rather than hinder each other's efforts. Well! We all have much to do." óThe steward shows you to the armory and lets you have pick of standard equipment. You are allowed to gather any equipment you choose for your mission. }You enter Castle Anthrax. You relay the status of your mission to the king's steward who promises to pass it on to the king. RYou are jumped by a pack of thieves, intent on slitting more than just your purse. »As you top a knoll, you come upon an orc female giving birth. She looks quite pale, and is so weak she doesn't even notice you. The baby is breached and will die if you do not help. Do you aid her? €You are successful at delivering the baby. The mother only has time to see the face of her healthy newborn boy, before she slips into a coma and dies. It would seem you have become parents by default. What do you do? ;You wrap the babe in a blanket and secure him to your back. ®You stumble upon an old orc burial mound. Several of the mounds seem to be untouched, but many have been dug up. Do you wish to excavate them in search for valuables? ÓYou break into several mounds and find nothing of value. As you are excavating another mound, you feel a chill in the air. A spirit rises from one of the mounds that is yet untouched and speaks in a voice that resembles leaves rustling. "This most sacred ground has been disturbed for the last time! Foolish mortals, now you shall wish for the everlasting peace that you so cruelly deny us!" The spirit sweeps a wispy hand over the mounds. The earth erupts as corpses rise. IThe air is filled with a musty smell as the dead stumble forth to attack. ıYou hear the sound of battle in the distance. You see a band of orcs being attacked by a large group of goblins. The orcs appear doomed unless you help. The battle spreads out to engulf you. Do you stand with the orcs or attack both parties? ˙This is the shack belonging to the village chief. His features are clouded by a worried expression. During your conversation, you learn that his pregnant daughter is missing. "If you find my daughter, I will reward you." He sends you on your way. ®You come to a village of orcs. Normally nomadic, it appears they have set up a temporary village. You question some of the villagers as to why they have settled down. They tell of the chief's daughter who is pregnant. The chief has ordered them to make camp for several weeks until his daughter gives birth. Now the chief is worried, for his daughter has disappeared. SThe village chief greets you and asks you how the search for his daughter is going. b"You keep looking! I give big reward if you find daughter. Now go!" He shoves you out the door. πThe chief takes the babe and grins. "This babe will be a mighty warrior like his gamp! You are welcome to travel in my territory." He lifts a fur rug from the floor revealing a pit. ËFrom the pit, he pulls out two objects wrapped in animal skins. He uncovers a set of throwing daggers and a throwing axe. "You take! Strong magic! You take!" He hands you the gifts and goes off to find his grandson a wet nurse. ‡You happen upon a troll dining on a grizzly meal of kobald. The kobald corpse is wearing a backpack. The troll is eating so greedily that it is swallowing kobald, backpack, and anything else it can stuff into its huge maw. aYou figure that the beast will completely consume the corpse in short order unless you interfere. ¨As you search the remains of the troll and goblin, you discover one item of value. A scroll case is jammed in the backpack. It is an odd item for a kobald to be carrying. IYou leave the ugly brute to dine on his meal. You weren't hungry anyway. ‘As the troll finishes his meal with a loud belch, he pulls something from a tooth. It appears to be a ribbon commonly used to bind scrolls. His meal included more than first met the eye. The troll wanders off. EYou stand before a great iron door set into the side of the mountain. ©Small sliders open in the face of the door. Crossbow bolts and rocks hail down on you. Behind the door, you can hear the harsh gutteral laughter and sneers of kobalds. QYou move through a great iron door. It connects the underworld with the surface. ˛Deep within a crevasse, you see a pentagram. It has been drawn with the blood from a kobald's dead body lying nearby. At each crux of the pentagram is a disk made of gold etched with arcane runes. The bludgeoned body of a wizard lies near the kobald. ‘Searching the chamber and bodies, you find several items of interest. One such item is a bloody page from some arcane text. It describes the ritual for summoning the demon Rewop and binding him to your service. ‹It would seem that this poor wretch was not up to the task, lost control of his servant, and paid the price. Do you wish to take the gold disks for their treasure value, or do you wish to attempt the summoning yourself? ≤You collect the disks, scatter the blood-soaked earth, and burn the page that describes the summoning. It is a wise choice. You collect the other items of interest in the cave. ÓAs you follow the rites described on the page, you see the gold disks begin to glow. A tendril of smoke wisps up from the center of the pentagram followed by a spire of flame. Your eyes widen as a huge sand demon steps from the flames. Ì"I see the lackeys of the fool I dispatched earlier have arrived. You shall pay dearly for disturbing me! I shall feast well on your lifeblood this day!" He mutters a few words in some unknown tongue and summons two of his lieutenants. óWith the demise of these foul creatures, you collect the treasure in the room. The page on which the demon's name was inscribed exlplodes into flames. ÀA net drops over you from above. A large group of kobalds quickly pounce with such numbers that any resistance is quickly squelched. You are trussed up and roughly dragged through a long set of tunnels. ¸You are battered and bruised, but not seriously hurt. They finally dump their cargo unceremoniously at the feet of their ruler. You are unable to clearly understand their discussion, but you get the general gist. You are to be today's entertainment. –They plan on dumping you into a pit. Apparently, the pit is filled with nasty beasts of the underworld. No one has ever left the pit alive. They drag you kicking and screaming into the pit and toss you in. çYou land in the bottom with a loud thump. Whatever is in the pit must be foul indeed, for they did not even bother to disarm you. {The pit has only two exits. Both disappear into the blackness of the underworld. Do you choose the left pit or the right? ÀThe reason no one has ever returned from this pit is that this tunnel leads to the surface! The kobalds must have been so afraid of whatever dwells in the other tunnel, they never investigated this one! ˛The real reason no one has ever returned from this pit is because this tunnel leads to the surface! You suspect that former victims of this evil band were immediately killed. Those who weren't, probably escaped to the surface through this very tunnel. äAs you delve deeper into the tunnel, you begin to think the cave uninhabited. Soon, a putrid smell surrounds you. The cave is inhabited! TYou encounter a party of kobalds. They do not see you. Do you wish to attack them? <You encounter a group of kobalds. They attack you on sight. †At battles end, the leader of the king's men turns to you and speaks, "I shall mention your good deeds to the king. Now we ride on to rout out any stragglers." ≈You see a huge iron gate in the distance. It is guarded by a small party of kobalds who are gathered around a reinforced chest. They spot you and attack before you can slip back into the tunnels. ¸The tanner weeps as you hand him his son's possessions. "Thank you, friends. Now, no one else will have to know what it is to lose a loved one to these vermin. If I'd only been a younger man, I would have ventured forth myself to right this wrong." ‚"But alas, I am old and withered. I was saving these for when my son left the shelter of my home. Now you may have them as payment." He hands you a cloth bundle containing leather goods and retreats to a back room to weep. ÙThe king sees you immediately. "Ah! Our mighty heroes. This fine day you have done a great service indeed. Your efforts shall be rewarded with great treasure." He orders three chests brought out. "You may select one chest as your reward." ¶The king's cleric takes charge of the situation. He turns to you and says, "See the king for any reward you may have coming. You are great friends of this kingdom." BThe king races off to make plans for a celebration in your name. XYou enter an immense building. It was once a temple dedicated to Milkelie-god of magic. ÜYou enter the sleeping chamber of a high priest. The quarters are modest except for a large ornate pillar that supports the ceiling. ÍYou enter the main hall of worship. Many pillars support the high ceiling. This room is vast indeed. Old moth-eaten tapestries cover the walls. You expect there to be a thick coating of dust on the floor, but that is not the case. uYou see the tracks of many clawed feet. Many appear to be recent. The temple is not abandoned as you first thought. {This room is rather large and cluttered with religious paraphernalia. Do you wish to rummage around to look for valuables? fYou search through the musty equipment and artifacts in search of anything worth its weight in copper. ÆUnder some old rotting robes, you find a small box. Its hinges are rusty and crumble easily. Inside, you find a necklace with a small key. It appears to be quite valuable. ãThis room is very extraordinary. There are many pegs on the walls-some with robes still hanging on them. It was once a simple cloak room. vAs you walk by this wall full of old rotting cloaks, you notice one that appears to have survived the ravages of time. ®You enter the quarters that use to house several acolytes. The bunks have long since rotted and collapsed. A quick glance inside the room reveals nothing of interest. ◊This was an old storehouse. Most of the provisions have long since decayed to uselessness. You do, however, find some dried rations that were stored here in case of great need. They have survived all these years. ÆYou find barrels upon barrels of wine. In addition, you find several cases of very fine wine. The label reads, "Bordeaux Sal La Sal, House of Chalingrad, Waterford, 1423." You enter a large prayer room. ¡You stand at the foot of a massive gate. It stands some 30 feet high, but it has been shattered by the sundering that rocked this city so long ago. A gaping hole enables you to pass through. 2The door to a large ornate palace stands unlocked. ©This large, semicircular room is dominated by a stairway. The room is totally empty except for a large creature that patrols the room. It keeps a respectable distance. éWhen you approach the stairs, the creature attacks you. Obviously, this creature has been put here to keep anybody from ascending the stairs. °The chamber at this level is smaller. The room is also guarded by a fierce beast. The only way up is blocked by this monstrosity. It attacks you without fear. ≥You see a wizard who is hunched over a large book. "Well, well! Still alive! I have listened to your progress with interest. Unfortunately for you, it shall stop here and now." ®He utters an arcane word and a secret panel slides over. Another monstrous beast stands between you and the wizard. At his command, it attacks you with total abandon. x"You have defeated all my pets. I can enslave more, I assure you. After I have disposed of you, I shall do just that!" UYour search of the wizard and his workshop reveals a treasure trove of magical items. lThis room is patrolled by a group of repulsive creatures. Their odor is so foul it almost makes you retch. @You find the temple treasury. Do you wish to take the treasure? hThe floor opens up underneath you. Those that do not perform an acrobatic act, fall in and take damage. :You quickly scale the rough sides of the pit and get out. VThis is a rather ornate building. Do you wish to explore the inside of the building? You notice a coating of dust on the floor disturbed only by the footprints of many clawed feet. In the center of the room is a wooden chair. A small leather pouch has been set on it. Do you take it? flAs you lift the pouch, the floor gives way. You have triggered a trap door. You fall into a smooth tunnel and slide down an unknown distance. You hear the floor above spring back into place and reset for the next victim. ≤As you try to lift the pouch, you feel it resist and the floor shifts slightly. It would seem you have discovered a trap. Do you wish to trigger the trap and see what is below? dAs you reach the bottom of the pit, you hear the tunnel above collapse. You are trapped down below. ÛYou are in a dark cave. As you search the immediate area, you notice numerous piles of trollac bones. This trap has obviously trapped many before you and may have no exit. With the tunnel's collapse, you could very well be its last victim. ÙYou come upon a large group of gaunt- looking Trollacs. They have been digging a tunnel in an attempt to escape. The tunnel is almost complete, but they are too weak from hunger and fighting carrion crawlers to complete the job. Do you help? ≤With your help, you easily finish the tunnel. The sickly trollacs shuffle off to recover in their own hellholes. The purpose of the trap is unknown and has died with its maker. fYou are attacked by the scavengers of the deep. They would like to add some fresh meat to their diet. vYou pass a small group of trollacs fighting against carrion crawlers. The trollacs will surely lose in the long run. GYou see a large group of carrion crawlers feeding on trollac carcasses. „The collapse of the tunnel beneath the floor has caused a deep shift in the foundation of the building above it. As a result, a portion of one wall has collapsed to reveal a small, iron box. It contains many items of worth. ŒYou discover a large, rickety, old building. Inside is the remains of an old wizard's lab. There are numerous cages along the walls that contain skeletons of various creatures long since starved to death. ÍYou also see a human skeleton on the floor. It is covered by an old rotting robe. You search the corpse and find a ring and a set of gauntlets. In addition, you find a pair of vials in a cabinet. They may contain magical potions. ıOne of the cages is huge and encompasses a large pool of water. The lock on the cage is so old that it practically falls apart in your hands. As you stand at the edge of the water, you see a myriad of fish swimming in a vast, underground lake. ≤About forty feet down, you see a short tunnel that radiates light. It obviously surfaces somewhere, but you cannot hold your breath long enough to reach it. You must turn back. ’With your increased ability to breath freely, you search the entire pool and notice many large bones of bipeds littering the bottom. This pool has proved to be a watery grave for more than one unlucky adventurer. ÃYou move through an underground tunnel and emerge into a cave that is totally immersed in a strange, green light. The light comes from a strange moss-type plant that covers the walls forming a thick mat. *You engage in combat with giant shantiles. You are attacked by shantiles. EYou spot a group of reptilian creatures. Do you wish to attack them? EYou see a large hole that measures six feet across and six feet deep. ûThe ground bursts open beneath your feet. A huge skeletal head pops up from the ground. It fixes you with an icy stare. Before you can retreat, it attacks. óYou see smoke coming out of the chimney of this old building. Someone or something is in there. Do you attempt to hail whoever or whatever is inside? ˝An old man pokes his head out of the window. "Hulloooo! Oh my, I thought I was the only human left alive in the whole world. Come in! Come in!" You enter his modest abode. He tells his tale of how his ancestors were stranded during the catastrophe." ÷Down through the years, his family kept alive. However, inbreeding eventually caused all the children to be born so deformed that few survived. He is the last. "I thought the world destroyed," cries the old man. Ê"At first, my great, great, great grandpap and his kin looked for a way out, but we never found one. Then the trollacs came and we holed up inside whatever building we could find. Now I am the last, and I have all but given up." ‹"I have spent my time in devotion to Steneck, the god of travel. Alas, my prayers are never answered." He is so happy when you tell him the location of the cave entrance leading to the surface, he breaks out in tears. º"Finally! My prayers have been answered. Here, take these. My ancestors gathered them during the years we searched for a way out. I have no use for them, and they may do you some good." ≈"You are welcome to rest here as long as you like. One of my ancestors knew some magic. A permanent protection spell has been cast on this area. Trollacs and other creatures will not come near." NYou are standing at the edge of the pool of water that leads out of this area. ¨You see a hill giant slumped against a tree. He is wounded and is nearly dead. He speaks, "Ranthog fight big bear. Ranthog hurt. You help Ranthog?" What do you do? ˆ"Ranthog thank you. Ranthog give you big treasure." He sketches a map on a piece of papyrus showing the location of a large, hollowed out tree. He says the treasure is hidden inside the tree. "Ranthog go home. Ranthog tired." He limps away. xAs you approach him, he sighs with a mighty wind and hoists himself up. He does not plan on going down without a fight. ÀJust as Ranthog had promised, you find a sizeable treasure larder. Most of this stuff looks incredibly valuable. Ranthog must have had no idea how valuable it was, or he would never have given it away. ∑You spot an adult hill giant teaching the finer points of setting up ambush to a small group of youngsters. Do you wish to teach them a valuable lesson and set an ambush of your own? ÒThe students have paid very close attention to their teacher. Your ambush is spotted by one of them. You are surprised as they set upon you. They act as if they are seasoned veterans, not the greenhorn youngsters you expected them to be. ÎYou spot what appears to be three young hill giants tormenting a large deer. Upon closer examination, you see that it is not a deer. It's a centaur of the good guardians of the woods. Do you help the centaur against these evil folk? 2You engage in combat with a small group of giants. CYou spot a small group of hill giants. Do you wish to attack them? ∫This crypt is occupied by the undead. Several ghouls are feasting on a corpse they have dragged from a stone crypt. They quickly leap at the chance of dining on a fresh corpse. Yours! óThis room has been recently disturbed. All the bodies that occupied the crypt are missing, and there are many footprints of booted and unbooted feet. ˇStanding in the doorway of this room, you are overcome by a strange sensation. It's as if something is running down your spine. A cold draft of very dank and musty air is coursing through, and you are unable to decipher which direction it's coming from.ÿThis chamber has been recently desecrated. Several of the bodies that occupied the crypt have been removed. The footprints in the dust suggest that a large group of people wearing steel-shod boots are the culprits. This small alcove held supplies for the caretaker of the burial crypt. They were seldom used, for they are covered with a thick layer of dust. Do you wish to search the supplies for anything of worth? ≥You are just about to continue on, when you notice an old piece of folded parchment jutting out from the equipment. It is a map showing the location of a secret wall and passage. ¥You notice a small cave opening along the shoreline. A putrid smell pours out of the entrance. You suspect some creature must be living down there in its own offal. Do you enter? 0You are attacked by strange blob-like creatures. \You see a small group of blob creatures slithering in the mire. Do you want to attack them? ÷You stumble into the most bizarre battle you have ever known. It appears to be a civil war between jelly-like monsters. If you hadn't been dragged into its midst, you might have even been amused by the situation. ¡You see an enormous creature in the distance. At this distance, you are not certain if it is alone or not. You can still escape before you are noticed. Do you choose to engage it in combat? ·The river flows into a large cave. Shortly after entering the cave, the river disappears underground and becomes subterranean. The cave is not completely without interest. The creatures that attack you can attest to this! ÔA river emerges from below and flows out of the cave entrance. You can smell the stench of some creature living inside. Towards the back of the main chamber, there is a whole network of caves leading in various directions. Do you enter? ëYou are attacked by sickly creatures that stand no less than 10 feet tall. Their putrid bodies are slick with a secretion that looks like mucus. {You smell a foul odor so strong, it gives away the location of a group of disgusting monsters. Do you wish to attack them? ¶You find an old shack. Only Adon knows why it is buried so deep in these monster-infested caves. You look through a window and see that it is empty. Do you enter? ˝Inside, you see a small cot with the skeletal figure of the former occupant. Judging by the state of the corpse, he has been dead for many years. With the exception of several books that stand out from the rest, the shack contains nothing of interest. bYou see a group of kobalds. They have not noticed you yet. Do you wish to engage them in combat? ~This shallow cave is an abode for a family of kobalds. In defense of their home, those that are here quickly rise to attack. NThis cave is empty. You search the area quickly but find nothing of interest. ˙This cave is much larger than the others. Strewn about are items that appear kobald in origin. However, they are much too large. Bones of enormous creatures litter the floor. As you uneasily ponder over what lives here, you find out the hard way. zYou come upon a campsite of a group of ogres. They are roasting a kobald on a spit. They do not see you. Do you attack? äEverything these brutes possessed was crude and nearly worthless. However, you do find a peculiar-looking stone in a small leather pouch. ÉThis is an old inn and cookhouse. There is very little left. This part of the city did not fare very well during the catastrophe. }This is an old temple. It is in remarkable shape compared to many of the surrounding buildings. Do you wish to step inside? ºYou step into a foyer that has not seen use in countless years. A heavy gloom settles over you. This once holy place has taken on an atmosphere of despair. You feel great evil is afoot. ûThis is an old storeroom that now contains nothing but rot and decay. A few casks of wine still remain, but a sampling shows that it has long since gone bad. JNumerous cots with rotted legs have collapsed into termite-infested heaps. ®As you pass through the door, a strong wave of evil washes over you. You almost bolt for the door. Whatever lies beyond must be pure evil. Vileness radiates outward. ÿA huge crystal sphere is being held aloft by a net of strands. These strands appear to be made from living, scaled flesh that has materialized out of thin air. Inside the sphere, you see a whirling vortex of mist. “This seems to be the source of the evil you have felt throughout the temple. A shimmering, impenetrable energy field surrounds the sphere. A symbol is engraved on the floor at the foot of the energy field. oThe symbol is large enough for three people to kneel inside. Do three members of he party wish to step inside? «Upon kneeling on the symbol, a magical display of energy sweeps across the floor. Energy beams of light in a myriad of colors appear from all directions. They strike all those not within the symbol. ‚After the discharge of light beams, the protective energy field vanishes. Inside the sphere, the vortex of mist forms the visage of a hideous beast. It stares intently into your eyes and begins to communicate telepathically. €"Who dares summon me with the help of my very own scrying crystal? AHHHH! It is foolish mortals. How entertaining! What foolish passions can drive such frail beings such as yourselves to the point of utter insanity?" ˝Unstoppable, the beast's hideous laughter courses throughout your brain. "Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Run, puny insects! Run, while you may! You shall soon see that it is already far too late!" As evil permeates the room, you manage to safely reach the doorway. òJust as you are about to make contact with the sphere, the living flesh net that holds it aloft forms into a hideous demon. It immediately attacks you. •The sphere fades as the beast speaks one last time. "Fear for your short lives, mortals! You will be hard-pressed to escape my house alive. Hard-pressed, indeed!" Ú"I think not, puny mortals. Your destruction is beneath the likes of me. However, it is not beneath the duty of my lieutenants!" The beast's hideous laugh courses through your brain. At the same time you hear a low growl sound behind you. Ì"How dare you treat me as inferior! Now you shall know why mortals fear death!" The beast materializes before you. It stands nearly 13 feet at the shoulder. You may have made a very big mistake in enraging the creature to this point. ¬You have done a great deed this day. You have destroyed the material form of this foul demon. Though not permanently dead, it will be many years before it may torment the material plane again. tYou are attacked by a horde of disgusting creatures. They are being herded in your direction by some winged beasts. öThis room is inhabited by both the dead and the undead. Several ghouls are feasting on some of the fresher corpses. They intend to feast on you as well. ÊThe statue comes alive, turns towards the defiler and speaks, "You have taken that which is freely given and offended me. You shall not partake of my gifts again." Along with the pool of water, the statue fades into nothingness. ÿThe statue comes alive, turns toward the defiler, and speaks, "Your base attitude shall beget you nothing." A sudden flash of light overtakes the vandal, just before statue and pool of water fade into nothingness. 4Magic courses throughout your body. You are healed. dYou feel a deep, warm, tingling sensation. The calluses on your travel-weary feet slowly disappear. «You come upon a stone statue of a man. In one hand he grasps a staff. The other outstretched hand holds a bowl. Water continually pours from this bowl, forming a shallow pool at the statue's feet. flThis room is the only area so far that does not emanate a strong aura of evil. In the center of this large room, is a tall stone statue. There is an air of peace about this place that suggests you could rest here safely. MYou happen upon a family of gnolls. They viciously defend their meager home. ⁄You approach a goblin village. If you slip from hut to hut, it is possible to avoid contact with most of the dwellers. You surmise that the goblin king lives towards the south in a hut noticeably larger than the rest. ŒThis tunnel is inhabited by one of the world's mightiest of creatures. A red dragon sits atop a vast pile of wealth. The dragon is sleeping soundly but would be sure to awaken if you enter. Do you enter? #I hope you know what you are doing! AThe world is a safer place with the demise of this foul creature. ˚A very powerful animal must have feasted here. Several bones litter the floor. You recognize some of the bones. They were originally from trolls and giants. You shudder to think of the immense creature capable of feasting on such beasts as these. ÍA complete search of the area turns up nothing of value. However, you discover red scales scattering the ground. They could only have been shed from a red dragon. You know that such a creature could easily devour trolls and giants. XThey pull large weapons from leather thongs at their waists. They attack without mercy. ÈYou have entered a rather fine tavern filled with only the best citizens of Bywater. Most of the tables are filled with patrons eating spiced potatoes and engaged in interesting discussions. You find yourself a table near the back. zThis room is occupied by small, fluttering shapes not native to this plane of existence. They immediately swarm upon you. -You are attacked by a group of spined devils. qYou are attacked by a group of lemures. They are being herded in your direction by a pair of devilish herdsmen. uThis hidden room contains the old bones of many small rodents. You have a creepy feeling that you are being watched. ªYou hear a whisper that seems to come from nowhere and everywhere. "Free us! Our souls languish in eternal torment." The whisper fades, but everyone seems to have heard the same thing. :You step into a secret passage that leads to a large cave. V You encounter a patrol of disgusting, oozing creatures. Do you wish to attack them? YYou see a group of devil kin. They do not see you, however. Do you wish to attack them? AYou find a secret passage into the courtyard of the spider tower. ¯Haikur is at the gate awaiting your arrival. "Good, good. Now, let us be off and rid the land of these foul goblins." Several hours into the journey, you feel the hair on your neck prick. Suddenly, you are ambushed by goblins. This looks grim. ‰Your force has been too badly wounded to continue. Rumblings arise from the wounded. They claim that you are cursed. Haikur has no choice. To avoid a mutiny, he casts you out. You are now on your own, deep in no man's land. ´You find the remains of an old grave. It has been dug up and pilfered. The bones of the buried lie about the area. Do you rebury the bones or leave them where they lay? "A whisper from nowhere thanks you. ßYou enter the gaming arena. The master of the games asks if you wish to pit your skills in combat against dire creatures for a wager. Do you wish to enter the games? Let the games begin! §A sign above the front gate reads, "Official Sanctioned Gaming Arena." From inside you here the cheers of an excited crowd and the moans of the wounded and dying. ◊A man approaches you and speaks in a hushed voice. "My aides have told me of the arrival of an adventurous band. Hear my offer before you leave." He tells a story of an evil man who has a stable of wild beastmen. £The man asks if you would eliminate the stable of beastmen for monetary compensation. He offers you 400 gold pieces if you kill the foul creatures. Do you agree? √You find the small cave that leads to the stable. You creep inside to see a large corral of beastmen. They number a baker's dozen. This won't be easy. Do you wish to attack these vermin now? »Having completed your handiwork, the man contacts you as planned. He hands you a sizeable leather pouch. "Here is the price as we agreed. I have given ye a little something extra for your trouble." ƒThe man gives you a map showing the location of a hidden cave just outside the town walls. "Good luck friends. I shall seek ye out and reward thee when the deed is done. Now, good day to you." ;You see a group of giant rats. Do you wish to attack them? ÂAn old woman pokes her head out a window. As soon as she sees you she screams, "Get ye away! You stole my dagger! I don't sell my wares to thieves such as you! Now, begone before I call the guard!" She slams the window shut. VYou stumble into a cave inhabited by huge cave beetles. They scurry forth and attack. üAs you prepare to leave the area, you also notice that the bones seem to be picked clean. Those responsible seem to boil from a crack in the side of the cave. ∏As you are standing near a large group of huge shrub-like plants you hear a loud buzzing. Before long huge wasps decend from above. You must fight or end up as food for thier larvae. ÈYou see large iron door set into the mountain. Inscribed into the steel of the door are strange runes. They are an ancient but familiar script. It tells of a great evil that has been banished beyond mighty portal. Do you open it? >A blast of stale air pours forth. Along with a vile creature. _This was the room of a low level priest. Now however it is the home of a group of cacodeamons. ˛This pillar appears to be false. You discover a small panel that open to reveal a shaft inside the piller. It is large enough for a person to crawl inside. A ladder of rusty iron rings protrude from one side of the shaft. Does somebody wish to enter? TAt the bottom of the shaft is a large pile of gold coins. Do you wish to take them? åThis cave leads back into a completly dark and enclosed path. You feel a strange vibration coming from the floor. The cave continues east. uLarge rocks break loose from the ceiling. Those who are not quick enough fail to get out of the way and take damage. ôEven as you watch many eggs are hatching. Crawling around these eggs are hundreds of strange half crab half squid creatures. Some mistake you for food. ìYou have stumbled into some sort of nighmarish nursery. Thousands of eggs litter the ground. Some are hatching even as you watch with slack jaws. ıYou see huge piles of cracked and shattered bones. They seem to be from the creatures you saw in the nursery. It is hard to believe, but it seems like something is using THEM as livestock. Hard to believe until you see what that something is. ≠These dragons appear to have been trapped down hear by some great earthquake. Unable to escape they survived over the many years by living off the creatures in the nursery. `You have found the dragons treasure. Sad to say that it is not as wondrous as one might expect.