You do your best to avoid the gouting flames and showers of molten rock, but they are totally unpredictable. Roll one die and add 1; this is the number of STAMINA points you must lose as your body is burnt by the fiery eruptions. However, if you have a Dragon Tattoo, or if you drank a Potion of Fire Protection before entering the tunnels, you may reduce this damage by 1 point. If you have a Dragon Shield you may reduce the damage by 1 more point, and if you are wearing a Wyrmskin Cloak, reduce it by 2 points. All of these reductions are cumulative, so if you drank the potion, have the shield and the cloak, you can reduce the damage by up to 4 points.
If you are still alive, you make it to the other side of the causeway only to find that you have reached a dead-end (Lose 1 LUCK point.) You have no choice but to cross the cavern again to return to the tunnel to proceed. Roll one die again, but this time deduct 1; this is the number of STAMINA points you lose this time. Just as before, the tattoo, shield, cloak and potion can reduce the damage suffered accordingly. If you survive this second crossing, turn to 245.
Bad choice, but at least we can reduce 2 points of the damage with our tattoo and shield.
1st crossing: die roll 1+1-1-1 = 0! We take no damage!
2nd crossing: die roll = 5-1-1-1 = 2 damage.
The tunnel you are following eventually brings you to steps hewn from the rock that lead down into the very heart of the volcano. The steps bring you into a vast chamber. Beneath you is a vast lake of boiling magma. It is all you can do to not succumb to the exhausting heat of the chamber. The rock-cut staircae comes to an end upon a spur of black rock that just out over the seething lake. Another set of steps, like the ones you have just descended, leads down to the spur from the opposite side of the chamber. The spur feels hot beneath your feet. You approach the altar-like plinth of black rock that stands at the end of the spur, and see six curiously-shaped holes carved into the top of it.
Suddenly, the magma surges violently and a column of flame shoots twenty metres into the cooked air of the chamber. You recoil instinctively, throwing up an arm to shield yourself from the incandescent flames. Squinting against the blistering light you see the jet of flame widen and take on a roughly humanoid shape, like a genie of flame. A voice, like the blazing roar of a conflagration, echoes around the magma chamber. "Who dares desecrate this sanctuary of the Fire God?" the Fire Elemental bellows, and you feel its unbearable hot breath on your face.
Speaking up confidently, you tell the Elemental your name, shouting to be heard over the roar of the flames and the bubbling of the magma, and go on to explain why you have braved the perils of Mount Pyre to reach the sacred shrine of the Fire God.
"You have the audacity to demand assistance from a true servant of the Burning One?" the Fire Elemental rages. "Then you will pay for that audacity with your worthless life!"
You are going to have to act fast if you are to avoid being burned alive by the furious Elemental. if you have six Fire Crystals, turn the letters associated with them into numbers using the code A=1, B=2, C=3...Z=26. Add the numbers together and then turn to the paragraph which is the same as the total. if the paragraph does not begin with the words, 'Invoking the power of the God of Fire,' or you do not have six Fire Crystals, turn to 214.
Oh dear, we only found 1 out of the 6 Fire Crystals, clearly not enough...
The Fire Elemental roars towards you, its body a ball of incandescent flame. Once again you are forced to rely on your enchanted blade.
FIRE ELEMENTAL SKILL 12 STAMINA 16
If you somehow manage to defeat the Elemental power that dwells at the heart of Mount Pyre, turn to 114.
A SKILL 12 opponent...and we're still under -1 Attack Strength penalty from passing through that noxious cloud. Even if we use the Potion of Giant Strength, we're still at a disadvantage.
And we can't even use the Warhammer here, since we need our enchanted sword to harm a Fire Elemental.
Do we use the potion here? Use our LUCK for this battle (although note that it's now at 6 after losing one point from the dead-end we just visited)?
Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Name: Lisbeth Munroe
SKILL 9/9
STAMINA 17/19
LUCK: 6/8
Equipment: Backpack, Leather Armour, Lantern and Tinderbox, Wyrmbiter (+2 Attack Strength & +1 damage against dragonkind), Dragon Tattoo, Hunting Horn, Potion of Giant Strength (+2 SKILL and 1 damage when drink before battle), Rope and Grapple, Potion of Levitation, Warhammer (does +1 damage after hitting an opponent if 5-6 is rolled on 1d6), Clay Statuette ('Arkolith'), Sun Talisman, Breathing Helmet, Dragon Shield, Shell of the Seas (12 spines, 'Oceanus'), Bag of blackpowder and shots, Fire Crystal ('I')
Provisions: 2/10
Gold: 1
Day of the Week:
Stormsday
Moonsday
Fireday
Earthday
Windsday
Seaday
Highday
Codewords: Mortsleam, Enihcam, Noollab
Time Track:
Damage:
Notes:
1) For as long as Brokk is with you in the Fathomdeep Mine, if you find yourself reading a paragraph that has an asterisk (*) next to the number, subtract 50 from that reference and turn to the new paragraph to see what Brokk has to tell you. Brokk will also join in any battles you face underground. When faced with two opponents, you need only fight the first one to win the battle, as the Dwarf will do away with the other with his battle-axe. His attributes are SKILL 10, STAMINA 8. If you face only one opponent you will gain two Attacks, both of which can injure that opponent. In this case, if injuries are sustained they will only affect you on a dice roll of 1-3.
2) To call on the West Wind, intone his name, Zephyrus - may only be done once
Extra Lives remaining: 2/7
[/spoiler]
