V

“K

HOWL OF THE
WEREWOL

ET
os
 Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2022 with funding from
Kahle/Austin Foundation

https://archive.org/details/howlofwerewolfO000jack
 MT
STEVE JACKSON anp IAN LIVINGSTONE

NEWTON RIGG COLLEGE

PENRITH
date
rn on or before the last
This book is due for retu
shown bel ow
e
ee
———
_—_———————

(01768) 893503 with your

To renew please telephone
library card number.
College
Part of Askham Bryan

IwewiLon KIgg
Campus Library
Fighting Fantasy: new Wizard editions
The Warlock of Firetop Mountain
The Citadel of Chaos
Deathtrap Dungeon
Stormslayer
Creature of Havoc
City of Thieves
Bloodbones
Night of the Necromancer
CONATRONS
. House of Hell
10. Eye of the Dragon
11. Howl of the Werewolf
12. Trial of Champions

Also available in the original Wizard editions

6. Crypt of the Sorcerer
8. Forest of Doom
9. Sorcery! 1: The Shamutanti Hills:
10. Caverns of the Snow Witch
11. Sorcery! 2: Kharé — Cityport of Traps
13. Sorcery! 3: The Seven Serpents
14. Armies of Death
15. Sorcery! 4: The Crown of Kings
16. Return to Firetop Mountain
17. Island of the Lizard King
18. Appointment with F.E.A.R.
19. Temple of Terror
20. Legend of Zagor
22. Starship Traveller
23. Freeway Fighter
24. Talisman of Death
25. Sword of the Samurai
27. Curse of the Mummy
28. Spellbreaker
 HOWL OF THE
WEREWOLF

Balonaihes Bree
Illustrated by Martin McKenna
3 +
u!
Wizard Books
 For Andy, Simon and Stef, the godfathers
Ceoy

Published in the UK in 2010 by Wizard Books,

an imprint of Icon Books Ltd., Omnibus Business Centre,
39-41 North Road, London N7 9DP
email: info@iconbooks.co.uk
www.iconbooks.co.uk/ wizard

Previously published by Wizard Books in 2007

Sold in the UK, Europe, South Africa and Asia

by Faber & Faber Ltd., Bloomsbury House
74-77 Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DA or their agents

Distributed in the UK, Europe, South Africa and Asia

by TBS Ltd., TBS Distribution Centre, Colchester Road,
Frating Green, Colchester CO7 7DW

Published in Australia in 2010 by Allen & Unwin Pty. Ltd.,

PO Box 8500, 83 Alexander Street, Crows Nest, NSW 2065

Distributed in Canada by Penguin Books Canada,

90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto,
Ontario M4P 2Y3

ISBN: 978-1-84831-194-7

Text copyright © 2007 Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone

Illustrations copyright © 2007 Martin McKenna

Fighting Fantasy is a trademark owned by

Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, all rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, or by any means,

without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

Printed and bound in the UK by

Clays of Bungay
 CONTENTS

HOW WILL YOU START YOUR ADVENTURE?

6

BAD MOON RISING

8

HOWL OF THE WEREWOLF

if.

CHOOSE YOUR ADVENTURER

376

RULES AND EQUIPMENT

: a79

ADVENTURE SHEET
388
 HOW WILL YOU START
YOUR ADVENTURE?
The book you hold in your hands is a gateway to
another world — a world of dark magic, terrifying
monsters, brooding castles, treacherous dungeons
and untold danger, where a noble few defend against
the myriad schemes of the forces of evil. Welcome to
the world of Fighting Fantasy!
You are about to embark upon a thrilling fantasy
adventure in which YOU are the hero! YOU decide
which route to take, which dangers to risk and which
creatures to fight. But be warned — it will also be YOU
who has to live or die by the consequences of your
actions.
Take heed, for success is by no means certain, and
you may well fail in your mission on your first
attempt. But have no fear, for with experience, skill
and luck, each new attempt should bring you a step
closer to your ultimate goal.

6
Prepare yourself, for when you turn the page you
will enter an exciting, perilous Fighting Fantasy
adventure where every choice is yours to make, an
adventure in which YOU ARE THE HERO!
How would you like to begin your adventure?
If you are new to Fighting Fantasy ...
You probably want to start playing straightaway.
Just turn over to the next page and start reading.
You may not get very far first time but you'll get
the hang of how Fighting Fantasy gamebooks
work.
If you have played Fighting Fantasy before ...
You'll realise that to have any chance of success,
you will need to discover your hero’s attributes.
You can create your own character by following
the instructions on pages 379-380, or, to get going
quickly, you may choose one of the existing
Fighting Fantasy adventurers described on pages
376-378. Don’t forget to enter your character’s
details on the Adventure Sheet which appears on
pages 388-389.

Game Rules
It’s a good idea to read through the rules which
appear on pages 379-387 before you start. But as
long as you have a character on your Adventure
Sheet, you can get going without reading the Rules
—just refer to them as you need to.
 BAD MOON RISING
It was madness even to think that you could make
it to the next village before nightfall. As dusk
descended, what possessed you to leave the road and
attempt to take a shortcut through the suffocating
forest? An experienced sword-for-hire you may be,
but your brash bravado has got the better of you this
time once and for all. Your heart beats a tattoo of near
panic in your chest, your ragged breathing rasps
loudly in your ears. You quicken your step, just as
you know that the creatures that are hunting you are
quickening theirs.
You can hear the wolves panting as they run, easily
keeping pace with you. The night closes in, a
smothering shroud of darkness.. You trip over
exposed tree roots, the moon — only a matter of nights
away from being full — casting its sickly light through
naked, black branches above. To your agitated mind
the trees seem to claw at you with skeletal black
fingers.
Suddenly the adrenalin rush of panic is replaced by
that of desperate hope as you catch sight of a flicker-
ing light between the looming, leafless trees. It may
be no more than a lone guttering candle-flame, but to
you it is a brilliant beacon of hope amid the blackness.
The light is shining from the window of an isolated
hut, and suddenly you feel there is a chance you
might yet escape the cruel fate that the encroaching
night seems to have set aside for you.

8
A howl cuts through the chill night air, a mournful
sound that freezes the blood in your veins. You
immediately stumble to a halt: the animal cry came
from somewhere close by. Your heart racing, your
breathing shallow and fast, you spin round, scouring
the oppressive forest for the tell-tale signs that you
know must be there. And then you see them, a dozen
blazing-red eyes, smouldering like coals, watching
you from the darkness.
Growling, the wolves slink into the moonlight in
front of you. The animals have a lean, hungry look,
their grey pelts scabrous and patchy, their ear-tips
pressed low against their skulls, lips curling back
from yellowed, slavering fangs. Darting anxious
glances around, you realise, to your horror, that you
are surrounded.
You unsheathe your sword, the blade shining as it
slides from its oiled leather scabbard. You test its
weight in your hand, knowing that it is only a matter
of moments before you will be forced to fight for your
life. In that moment, your mind is suddenly awhirl
with memories of the last few months...
Growing weary of the comfortable security of the
plains of Femphrey and Lendleland, you ventured
north into that cloud-capped, frostbitten realm of
unforgiving mountain peaks and brooding forests
that is Mauristatia. The pettily feuding principalities
of that deadly land have histories as long and as
bloody as that of the Old World itself. People talk in
hushed tones of the Vampire Lords of Mortvania and
the ghoulish death-cults of Bathoria. No land is more
benighted and accursed than that of Lupravia. A chill
place of primeval mountains, dark forests and mist-
shrouded moorland, it is said to be haunted by the
spirits of the restless dead. The wretched native folk
of that land struggle to eke out even the meanest
living from its thin soil and regularly suffer the
predations of wild animals. Only the foolhardy or
insane would choose to willingly pass beyond its
borders and enter that desolate realm. And yet here
you are on the very edge of Lupravia, and suddenly
everything you have ever heard about that place
seems so terrifyingly real...
A snarl more menacing and blood-chilling than any
you have yet heard this hateful night brings you back
to the present and the dire nature of your predi-
cament. The wolves halt as one. Pushing aside the
other wolves as it moves through the pack is the
undoubtable leader. It is caught for a moment in
the washed-out light of the moon, which hangs like
a mourner’s corpse-watch candle in the pall of night.
You have never seen its like before.
The creature is huge, a monstrous beast twice the size
of any other wolf in the pack. Its pelt is utterly black,
apart from the one long streak of grey that runs from
the top of its head all the way down its back. The look
of evil intent is in its eyes, something wholly unnatu-
ral in a wolf, something almost inhumanly human. A
guttural growl that speaks of your imminent demise

10
rises from deep within its chest and the wolves begin
to move again.-With death reflected in its eyes, the
great wolf prepares to pounce.
Turn to paragraph 1.

11
 1-3
1
With the wolf pack steadily closing in on you, and the
great wolf tensed ready to attack in an instant, you are
going to have to act fast and use all your cunning if
you are ever'going to get out of this dire situation
alive. Will you:
Turn your back on the wolf and try to run
for it? Turn to 43
Stand your ground and prepare to meet
the Black Wolf’s inevitable attack? Turn to 66
Seize the initiative and charge the wolf? Turn to 147

2
Sharpness? Silverness? She must be talking about the
Silver Dagger you found on the body of the goblin
thief. Quickly you take out the gleaming blade. The
Spider-Queen’s eyes practically bulge out of her head
as the eight black orbs catch sight of the dagger
glittering in the light of the crystal formations. ‘My
sharpness! My pretty silverness!’ she shrieks. ‘Give it
to me, thief. Or shall I have to take it from you?’ She
stalks towards you over the desiccated husks of men
and dwarfs that litter the floor of her chamber. If you
want to throw the monster the Silver Dagger, turn to
67. If you choose to keep a tight hold of it, turn to 162.

3
Inexplicably, something starts to claw at you inside
your chest —.at least that’s what it feels like. You cry
out in pain as you double up, but the cry that comes
from your throat is more like a lupine how]; and that’s

[+]Ei
4-5
not all! You can feel fur bristling on your face and see
it appearing on the backs of your hands, while the tips
of your ears stretch and reshape themselves. (Add 1 to
your CHANGE score.) The gathered circus folk gasp
and take a step back, apart from the Master. ‘Ah,’ he
muses, ‘a wolfman. We haven’t got one of those.’ You
stare at him in stunned amazement; this is not the
reaction you would have expected. ‘We all have our
secrets, do we not?’ the Master says, giving you a
wicked grin. ‘But I think we might have a place for
you, within our Carnivale — that is, if you would like
to join us.” Will you accept the Master’s offer (turn to
15), or decline his invitation (turn to 509)?

4
Hans, the young man you met at The Gibbet Tree,
said that his sister Leisel had run away to join the
Carnivale. It surely can’t be a coincidence; this must
be the travelling circus he was talking about. You
remember Hans’ words clearly: ‘weird, grotesque and
macabre,’ was how he described it. You have to admit
that you are intrigued. Do: you want to pay the
entrance fee and enter the Carnivale now, in the hope
of finding out more (turn to 134), or would you rather
wait until after dark and enter then under cover of
darkness (turn to 238), or would you rather have
nothing to do with the place (turn to 26)?

You do not have to walk far to reach the ruins. With

the dusk deepening around you, you begin to explore
them by twilight. You pass between crumbling stone

CE
 6
walls — whatever roof they might once have supported
long gone — and beneath broken arches into dirt-
floored chambers open to the sky, home now to scurry-
ing beetles, centipedes and vermin. Who built this
place — you find yourself wondering — and what went
on here? Were these ruins once some lord’s stronghold,
a sorcerer’s hideaway, or some holy temple dedicated
to a now-forgotten deity? There is one thing you are
certain of, however. Evil holds dominion here now.
Lurking shadows seem to change shape and move.
The longer you explore the ruins the more intense the
feeling becomes that there is an evil presence lingering
within this place, and it is making you feel increasingly
uncomfortable. Do you want to depart the ruins with-
out further delay (turn to 38), or will you persist with
your investigations (turn to 249)?

6
Lifting the latch, you push open the heavy door of The
Gibbet Tree. The inn sign, which depicts an empty
gallows scaffold and swinging noose, creaks rustily in
the night-breeze above you. Shutting the door, you
enter the bar room beyond. It is relatively large, witha
number of tables and chairs dotted around, but, other
than you, there appears to be only one other customer:
a young man with an intensely serious expression on
his face. The last embers of a frre smoulder in the grate,
which is set into a large chimney breast. Standing
behind the bar is a blubbery, bald-headed man whom
you take to be the landlord, lugubriously rubbing a
tankard with the skirts of his filthy apron, and a girl of
no more than eighteen or nineteen, whose black hair

Ee}
7
is an unkempt mess, her vacant eyes staring into the
dying coals of the fire. No one speaks, making the
whining of the wind in the eaves even more unsettling.
Anight at an inn such as this shouldn’t cost more than
a couple of Gold Pieces, but you can imagine you
would receive a warmer welcome from a pack of
snow wolves in the Cloudcap Mountains in mid-
winter. Do you want to spend what remains of the
night at The Gibbet Tree (turn to 131), or would you
prefer to risk a night out on the moors under the stars
(turn to 466)?

7
Being mindful not to return to anywhere you have
already been, which floor will you now explore?
The crypt? Turn to 297
The cellar? . Turn to 138
The ground floor? Turn to 126
The first floor? Turn to 187
The second floor? Turn to 217
The third floor? Turn to 348
The fourth floor? Turn to 284
The fifth floor? Turn to 408
The sixth floor? Turn to 435
The seventh floor? Turn to 273
 8
Leaving Strigoiva, you make your way towards the
dark spur of trees that delineates the outermost extent
of the forest. Gnarled and twisted trees arch over the
path between: them, forming a foliaged tunnel that
leads into the depths of the woods. Between the
crowded trunks and clutching branches, the forest is
as dark as at dusk. Occasionally you hear the twitter
of birdsong or the distant shriek of a forest animal, but
you see nothing. The forest has an uncanny quality to
it that unnerves you. It has all the atmosphere of the
woodlands of fairy tales and folk-lore. The dimming
of the half-light that penetrates this far beneath the
trees tells you that night is on its way. A clearing opens
before you and you find yourself looking at the
mirror-black surface of a woodland pool. Traces of
water-weed trail the surface amid patches of thick,
slime-green algae. The pool is a good hundred yards
across but in the twilight you can see that the straggly
path you are following wends its way around the
edge of the lake to the far side. As you prepare to set
off again, the sound of singing drifts to your ears over
the water. It is a lilting, wordless tune that speaks to
you of melancholic loneliness and a deep, dark
sorrow. Roll two dice. If the total rolled is less than or
equal to your current CHANGE score, turn to 64. If it is
ereater, turn to 161.
g-10
9
Following the tunnel through the peak you come to
a smaller cave from which a total of three routes
lead onwards. How will you progress now? Will you
follow:
The tunnel from which emanates a
musky animal smell? Turn to 433
The cobweb-plastered passageway? Turn to 415
The white quartz tunnel? Turn to 70

10
Staring into the Countess’ eyes and enraptured by the
mesmerising tone of her voice, you forget why you
came to Maun Tower in the first place. Suddenly all
that matters is what the Lady is telling you: “You will
be my agent of destruction. I know what you desire,
and I desire it too. Hunt down the wolf and slay it.’
Her manservant is suddenly at her side, a small, teak
chest, open in his hands. Inside, lying on a bed of
black velvet is an ornate Silver Dagger. “Take this,’ the
Countess says, as her servant offers you the blade,
‘and if you succeed in your quest, I shall reward you
beyond your wildest dreams.’
Acting as if all free will has left you, you take the Silver
Dagger (add it to your Adventure Sheet, along with the
codeword Deliugeb). You may use the dagger in
combat but, if you do so, you will have to fight with
your Attack Strength reduced by 1 point. Injuries you
cause any creature with the word ‘Were’ in its name
will suffer increased damage (3 STAMINA points rather
than the usual 2) as the pure metal is inimical to their

PE
 LI=12

kind. The Silver Dagger will also harm the Undead

but will only cause the usual 2 sTAMINA points of
damage.
‘Now go,’ the Countess commands, and you leave her
tower. Passing through Maun you head north into the
hills. Turn to 350.

11
By the time you have trekked high into the hills to the
dark, fortress-like structure, night has properly fallen
and the moon holds dominion over the land once
more. The path between the peaks climbs a rocky
escarpment, with a precipitous drop on one side and a
sheer cliff on the other, until it finally stops in front of
the stone-walled entrance to the building, the wall
having been built across a narrow pass between the
peaks, so that they have been incorporated into the
building. Beyond the rockface-wall, you can see the
pointed gables and squat towers of another structure
within the complex. You are standing in front of a
sturdy, and secured, oak door. To one side a tallow-fat
lamp flickers within a tiny recess, and on the other
side there hangs a knotted piece of rope that you take
to be a bell pull. If you want to spend the night under
shelter, you are going to have to gain access to the
building, somehow. Will you ring the bell pull (turn
to 58) or look for another possible way in first (turn
to 23)?

12
After half an hour of searching, and with beads of
feverish sweat prickling your brow despite the cold,

[-]fd
Ulrich suddenly cries out, ‘Over here! I’ve found it!’
You hurry to the spot where the woodsman is standing
beside the bole of an aging oak. Growing there is the
plant known as belladonna, or deadly nightshade, the
herb you have been so desperately seeking. Quickly
you pick a handful of sprigs and pop them into your
mouth. But belladonna is poisonous and eating some
makes you sick (lose 2 STAMINA points). By doing so,
however, you have also slowed the advance of the
lycanthropy throughout your system (subtract 1 point
from your CHANGE score). Yet, despite this, some sixth
sense tells you that it hasn’t been enough to rid you of
your affliction altogether. Unless you find another,
more effective cure, you are still going to turn into a
wolf the next time the moon is full. Will you now set
off after the wolf pack (turn to 473) or go in search of
Grandmother Zekova (turn to 302)?
 13-14
13
You spend a restless night in your room, kept awake
by strange and disturbing noises that fill you with a
sense of dread. There is the clattering of hooves on
cobbles, shrill whinnying, crazed cackling laughter,
and the moaning of an unearthly gale. Come the
morning, you feel just as tired as you did on retiring
to bed and in your weakened state, your inner wolf
gains a greater hold on your body (add 1 to your
CHANGE score). You leave The Gibbet Tree without
seeing another soul and set off again along the road
north across the moors. Turn to 69.

14
Emerging from the tunnel, you enter a vast chamber
— a natural stone cathedral deep within the rock of
Sundered Peak. Hanging amid the stalactites
suspended from the roof of the cavern are pendulous,
silk-wrapped egg-sacs, like those made by spiders,
although each of these is as big as a treasure chest. As
you cross the chamber, you detect movement above
you. Looking up into the gloom you see several of the
sacs split open and the giant spider hatchlings emerge.
Each has a distinctive set of markings on its abdomen,
in the form of a grinning Death’s Head, and each
hatches with the instinctive desire to hunt! Roll one
dice and add 1. This is the total number of spider
hatchlings that attack you. Each of the hatchlings has
the same statistics. Fight the emerging spiderlings one
ata Hines 7 =
GIANT SPIDER HATCHLING sSKILL6 9 STAMINA 2

Py
15
If you manage to battle your way through the hatch-
ery, which route will you take out of the vast cavern
again?
A wide, circular tunnel? Turn to 122
A tunnel with its walls running with
water? Turn to 405
A steeply inclined cleft in one wall? Turn to 31
A narrow, twisting passage? Turn to 415

15
You spend the next two days in the pleasant company
of the Carnivale folk as they break camp and set off
along the road east out of Balci. You feel rested and
refreshed, and more positive about your whole situ-
ation. The unsettling transformation you underwent
also reversed itself come dawn the next day. (Restore
up to 4 STAMINA points and 1 LUCK point.) Another
day on the road brings you to the town of Vargenhof.
As the circus folk start setting up for another series of
shows, you thank the Carnivale Master for his gener-
osity of spirit but tell him that you must be on your
way, and so wander off into the town. Turn to 500.
 16-17
16
You come to lying in a cold stone cell, lit by a single
flickering oil-lamp. Awareness returns more quickly
as you hear a disconcerting chirruping sound. You are
not alone in the cell. Between you and the cell door
scuttle two grotesquely overgrown cockroaches. Saw-
ing their antennae together they move towards you.
You are going to have to fight them at the same time.
SKILL STAMINA
First GIANT COCKROACH 7 6
Second GIANT COCKROACH 6 7
If you defeat the Cockroaches you manage to break
the rusted lock of the cell door and, opening it, find
yourself in a subterranean passageway. To your right
the corridor comes to a dead end. You can either
follow it left (turn to 421), or take another passage that
runs perpendicular to this one straight ahead of you
(turn to 282).

a7
Brandishing the holy symbol in front of the Vampiress
causes her to recoil, throwing her hands up in front of
her face, spitting like a wildcat. Turn to 245.

Ee [|
 18-19
18
The savage Shuck is upon you. This demon dog has
terrorised would-be pilgrims making the journey to
the healing shrine of Saint Crucius for long enough.
Tonight, its reign of terror must come to an end.
SBUCK js SKILL7 STAMINA 7
If the Shuck wins three consecutive Attack Rounds,
turn at once to 30. If your battle with the hell-hound
reaches the seventh Attack Round without a resolu-
tion, turn to gg. If you kill the beast before then, turn
to 113.

19
The people of Wulfenstein have locked and barred
their doors and windows, hiding from whatever it is
that is making the dreadful, growling you can hear
echoing along the village streets. Your hackles rise,
your wolfish senses recoiling in the presence of
something bestial and malign. As you creep through
the eerily empty streets, you hear panting and the
scrape of claws on cobblestones. Shadows loom
around a street corner . . . Something is coming . . It is
at that moment that a gaunt old man sticks his wild-
haired head out from an alleyway and beckons to you
with a long-nailed finger. ‘Stranger, if you want to
live, come with me.’ Will you:
Follow the mangy beggar? Turn to 59
Prepare to face whatever it is that’s
coming? Turn to 172
Try to hide without the beggar’shelp? Turn to 204

[ []
20-21

20
The lycanthropy is steadily spreading throughout
your body and changes are being wrought at the core
of your being. In fact, perversely the curse of the
werewolf is making you physically stronger and more
adept. Increase your current and Initial skILL score by
1 point and your current and Initial STAMINA score by
2 points. You must also increase your CHANGE score
by 1 point. And there are other changes that you are
becoming aware of too, which might not be altogether
unbeneficial. Roll one dice and turn to the paragraph
indicated. Remember each of the following may occur
only once. If you roll a number you have rolled before,
roll again.
Dice Roll
1 Turn to 51
2 Turn to 248
3 Turn to 469
4 Turn to 106
5 Turn to 305
6 Turn to 354

21
With the wolf-monster that has terrorised Lupravia
for so many years lying dead at your feet at last, you
become aware of something flapping at the window
of the Count’s chambers. You gasp, truly taken aback
to see a striking, platinum-haired woman, with skin
as white as ivory, wrapped ina black cloak, suspended
in the cold night air beyond the glass — the Countess
Isolde of Maun! A cruel smile spreads across her
 Paps

blood-red lips revealing the points of elongated fangs

and she transfixes you once more with her mesmer-
ising stare. You cannot help yourself as, compelled by
a persuasive voice inside your head, you step forward,
open the window, and invite the Countess into the
tower chamber. ‘Well done, my pet,’ she purrs. “You
have served me well. Ever since the days of the Cadre
Infernal I have sought power over these lands, but,
thanks to the ritual we enacted that night, so many
years ago, Count Varcolac of the ruling House of
Wulfen has had power over me and the others. For as
long as he lived, and the demon protected him, I could
not act against him: nor could Serpensa, the widow
Aranaea, or the Abbot. But now that you, one of his
own line, have deposed him, I am free to take up the
reins of power and seize control of all Lupravia.’ You
are in the thrall of the vampiric Lady of Maun, and
have been ever since she bewitched you in her tower.
So it is that there is nothing you can do to stop her;
you are utterly under her control. Count Varcolac may
be gone, but Lupravia will remain in the grip of evil,
only now under the rule of the House of Maun and
the Vampiress Isolde. You will serve her loyally, as her
wolf-thrall. When it seemed that, against all the odds,
you had beaten the Curse of the Werewolf, the Curse
of the Vampire has thwarted you at the last. You have
failed in your mission. Your adventure is over.

22
With such a large target and at such a close range there
was never any question of you missing. The rod buries
itself deep inside the torso of the hulking golem but it

min
23
does not even slow the brute. With clanking steps it
stalks towards you. It is at that moment that lightning
strikes the windmill again. Scintillating flashes of
elemental energy explode around the laboratory,
shattering dials and setting fire to banks of arcane
equipment. All of this raw storm-force finds its way
to the lightning rod that you have just plunged into
the golem, with devastating effect. The man-made
monster shudders where it stands, as the full force of
the storm passes through its metallic components. Its
dead flesh cooks to a blackened cinder while its
metallic parts melt and fuse together. Eventually the
whole ruined creation topples over backwards and
crashes onto the floor of the laboratory. Add 1 Luck
point for defeating such a dangerous enemy without
having to resort to physical combat and turn to 169.

23
To your left at the base of the wall, where it merges
with the natural rock face, is a grilled culvert, the
rusted bars clad with moss: An unpleasant odour, a
blend of raw effluent and damp-rot, rises from the
tunnel. Even without your lycanthropy-heightened
senses the stink would make your eyes water. You test
the resistance of the bars and, with little effort, the
grille twists in the hole. You do not fancy scaling the
high, sheer wall in front of you in the pitch darkness,
nor, as the temperature drops, do you fancy spending
another night in the open: so if you want to enter this
place you are going to have to try the culvert (turn to
39) or ring the bell (turn to 58).

EYE.
 24-25
24
Taking a firm hold of the stones at the lip of the pit
you carefully lower yourself over the edge, down into
the darkness. There are plenty of hand- and foot-holds
to be found but the stones lining the pit are slick with
slime. The air in the shaft smells of damp, fungal
matter. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, you reach the
bottom of the pit safely (turn to 221). If you are
Unlucky, turn to 121.

25
It is no good; the lycanthropy has your body within
its clawed grip now. With a yowl of intense, bone-
wrenching pain, your physical form reshapes itself,
growing in height, limbs becoming longer, your pain-
contorted features giving way to a lupine muzzle. You
have become the thing you have fought so hard and
for so long to thwart. Your clothes and leather armour
can no longer contain your changing body and are
shed along with your human skin, as the hairy wolf’s
hide rips through from inside. (Lose 2 LUCK points,
increase your current and Initial sKILL score by 1 point
and your current and Initial sTAMINA score by 2
points.) Dropping the weapon you wielded as a
human being, howling with bestial rage, still vaguely
aware that it is the Count Varcolac who has ultimately
brought the Curse of the Werewolf upon you, in your
new lycanthrope form you spring at the Varcolac-
wolf, determined to exact your revenge. Record the
codeword Degnahc on your Adventure Sheet and turn
to 189.

C4 Newton Rigg
Campus Library
26-27
26
‘Roll up! Roll up!’ the elfin Carnivale Master shouts,
his voice like a town crier’s, seeing that he is about to
lose a paying customer. “Tame the savage Grendel,
and see the unnatural cross between female beauty
and rapacious reptile that is Serpensa the Snake-
woman. Visit the haunting Hall of Mirrors, marvel at
the magic of the Puppetmaster’s marionettes or cross
Madame Zelda’s hand with gold to have her forecast
your future. All the fun of the fayre is here at the
Carnivale!’ You find yourself drawn to the little man’s
mesmerising gaze, unable to tear your eyes away. Roll
two dice. If the total is less than or equal to your
CHANGE score, something makes you change your
mind and you decide you would like to visit the
Carnivale after all, turn to 134. If the total is greater,
turn to go.

27
You take another step forward and your boot abruptly
sinks into the squidgy ground up to your thigh. Your
momentum carries you forward with your other foot
and soon you are up to your waist in the stinking
clutches of a peat bog. Grasses and moss have grown
over this patch of marshy ground, hiding the dangers
of the bog beneath. As you twist and turn, trying to
see a way to get yourself out of the bog your body
sinks still further. You are up to your chest when you
spy the length of exposed root protruding from a
tussock of grass on which a gnarled bush grows.
Trying to gain any purchase you can from the ground
beneath your feet you lean forward, straining every

EE
 28-29
muscle in an attempt to reach the root and pull
yourself free. Roll three dice. If the total rolled is less
than or equal to your STAMINA score, turn to 128. If the
total is greater, turn to 84.

28
As the sun runs its course across the heavens, you
climb higher through the wooded hills and the clouds
close in. During your trek you see not hair nor hide of
the Beast. In fact you are barely aware of any signs of
life in this desolate landscape. The sound of birdsong
ceased long ago in the woods of the lower slopes. You
come in sight of an isolated farmstead. As you take in
the drooping, mossy thatch of the farmhouse and the
near-derelict nature of the tumbledown outbuildings,
thunder rumbles across the hilltops and the clouds
burst. What starts as a shower becomes a torrential
downpour within minutes. Do you want to seek
shelter at the run-down farm (turn to 53) or will you
turn back and return to Vargenhof (turn to 483)?

29
It is almost dawn by the time you make it away from
the Carnivale. Having tended to any wounds you
may have received and eaten a meal (if you wish), you
decide that it is time to move on from Balci altogether.
Pressing on east, there are two routes you can take. Do
you want to travel on the open road towards the town
of Vargenhof (turn to 144) or would you rather follow
the well-worn track that leads south-east into the
forest (turn to 508)?

Ce} L]
30-31
30
Beaten back by the Shuck’s relentless attacks you find
yourself teetering on the edge of the escarpment. The
monstrous dog bounds forward to attack once more
and you take an involuntary step back. Your heel
touches midair and you topple backwards off the cliff.
The last thing you see before your body is broken
upon the jagged rocks below is the slavering face of
the demon Shuck. Your adventure is over.

31
The steady drip, drip, drip of water echoes around the
waters of the basin-like chamber you now find
yourself in. Formed in a natural hollow in the rocky
floor is a wide pool of sharply cold, crystal clear water.
In the darkness it looks like a black mirror, disturbed
only by the occasional droplet of water seeping
through from the bedrock above to drip into the pool
below. If you want to drink from this natural pool,
turn to 185. If not, how will you proceed from here?
Will you take:
The tunnel accessible through a pit-like
hole in the cavern floor? Turn to 97
The steeply inclined cleft in the wall of
the cavern? Turn to 14
The uneven-floored tunnel with an
almost triangular entrance? Turn to 142
The winding corkscrew tunnel? Turn to 159
The green crystal-riven passageway? Turn to 70
 32
32
Ulrich bends down beside the crone, curled in a ball
in front of you, feeling for a pulse at her throat. A
moment later he rises, his head hanging, his chin on
his chest. Before he speaks you know what he is going
to say. ‘We are too late: she is gone.’ You do not need
to ask who the old woman was, either. From the
moment you saw the cottage and heard Ulrich utter
the name Grandmother you had a fearful premonition
that this was the home of the wisewoman Zekova,
the one person who could help you, and now she is
dead. “There is nothing more we can do here, my
friend,’ Ulrich says. ‘But we can avenge Grandmother
Zekova’s murder by hunting down her killer!’
So you set off into the night once more, determined to
run the insane lunatic to ground and put an end to the
nightmare that this ill-fated night has become. You
soon find yourselves descending a path strewn with
pernicious exposed roots. You become aware of
distant yelps and howls. There is a sudden snarling
roar behind you and you turn in time to see the
monstrous Black Wolf launch itself from the deeper
pools of darkness between the trees. But this time it is
Ulrich who turns out to be its target. The creature has
revenge on its mind. You hear a sickening crunch and
Ulrich howls in pain as the wolf sinks its teeth into his
throat. Then the woodsman lies still. You watch,
frozen for a moment in disbelieving horror, as the
wolf rises from Ulrich’s prone form and you realise
that it is now standing on its hind legs. Only the
creature is a wolf no longer. Its body is shaped more

Ee] Ey
33
like that of a man, although it is still covered in coarse
black fur and has the unmistakeable snout and arrow-
tip ears of a wolf. It has become something more than
beast and less than human. Lips curling back from its
bloodied fangs, the Black Werewolf growls, its bestial
voice full of menace, and turns towards you. You have
no choice but to fight.
BLACK WEREWOLF SKILL7 STAMINA 7
The beast will not run from this fight and you will not
let it. One way or another, this will be a fight to the
death. If you prevail, turn to 229.

As you gaze around the chamber, your vision blurs

momentarily and then refocuses, only now everything
is suffused with an orange glow. Burning torches have
appeared in cast iron brackets on the walls. That is not
the only change; you are no longer alone either. Five
other people have joined you in the vault. They are
each standing a few feet from the edge of the pit,
facing the gaping hole. They are chanting the same
phrase over and over, esoteric words that mean
nothing to you, but words of power nonetheless. They
are carrying out some kind of invocation, the echoes
of their chanting out of time with their voices, creating
an unsettling resonance that fills the vaulted space.
None of them appears to be aware of you presence. As
they continue their rite, you examine each of the
individuals in turn. The first upon whom your gaze
falls is an attractive, black-haired woman with one
eyebrow raised. She wears a revealing, low-cut black

EE]
bodice and long velvet skirts. Next around the circle is
a platinum-haired younger woman with striking
aristocratic features, her slim figure hidden beneath
the drapery of a velvet cape. The third is a monk, only
the white skin of his hands and face visible outside his
heavy-cowled habit. Then there is another woman,
wearing a midnight-blue gown embroidered with
stars and moons. She wears numerous charms on
chains around her neck, suggesting she is an initiate
of the magic arts. Finally, there is a tall, raven-haired
man, muscularly built and wearing a garish ruffled
shirt, open to the waist, and a crushed velvet jacket.
The man’s dark hair falls in a thick mane around his
shoulders, a wave of white hair running through it
from the middle of his forehead. Each of the people
is holding something in their hands. The wolfish-
looking man holds a shining sword in front of him, its
tip resting on the lip of the pit. With one abrupt action,
he hurls the sword into the hungry black maw of
the pit. Each of the others in turn toss the relics of
their former lives into the pit, their chanting rising
in pitch and intensity. Their voices are joined by a
booming bellow, that rises from the depths of the pit,
and thick shadow-black smoke begins to rise from the
darkness below. Something has been summoned from
the pits...
Silence returns, sudden as a clap of thunder, leaving
only the echo of its passing behind. The light fades,
the gloom returns, and your vision of the vault is
gone. Turn to 214.

Es ie]
 34°95

In frustration, you hurl a wrought-iron candelabra at

the Obsidian Mirror, hoping to reveal its secrets that
way. The black glass shatters, splintering into a thou-
sand razor-sharp shards, as does your own reflection.
At the same moment, your body has received a multi-
tude of horrendous stabbing wounds and you drop to
your knees. Gasping in agony, you catch a sliver of
your reflection in an obsidian splinter. There is some-
thing increasingly bestial about the expression that
snarls back at you. For your rash action you have
suffered the Curse of the Mirror. Roll one dice and lose
that many STAMINA points. If you are still alive, also
add 1 to your CHANGE score. There is nothing left for
you to do here and so you have to return to the Map
Room and proceed from there. Turn to 321.

You crouch over the body of the werewolf, lantern in

one hand and sword ready in the other. Before your
eyes the creature undergoes one final transformation.
You watch appalled as the beast sheds much of its
thick black hair and the corpse becomes that of a pale-
skinned, wild-haired man, missing his left hand.
Suddenly aware of a snuffling sound behind you, you
turn and come face-to-face with what looks like a
furious grizzly bear. Then you see that it is dressed in
the tattered clothes of your woodsman ally. It takes
you a moment to realise the terrible truth of what has
happened before the Werebear is on you, terrible steel-
dagger claws ready to tear you limb from limb, and in

Ee}
36-37
that split second the beast cuffs you with one mighty,
paw (lose 2 STAMINA points). You have no choice but
to fight your erstwhile friend.
WEREBEAR SKILL 8 STAMINA 10

If the Werebear wounds you three times or more,

add 1 to your CHANGE score. If you win this battle,
turn to 200.

36
The Countess’ servant swoops down on you, seizing
your shoulders in its claw-footed grasp. With two
strong wing-beats, the Werebat hauls you up into the
vault of the dome. When you are some height above
the chamber floor, it lets go of you again. You crash
down onto the cold marble with bone-shattering
force. Lose 4 STAMINA points and 1 SKILL point (unless
you have the Quickening special ability, in which case
you simply lose 3 STAMINA points). If you survive the
fall, you cannot rest as you must finish your fight with
the Werebat. If you win, turn to 68.

37
The cottage shudders with a resounding crash as
something throws itself at the bolted door. Incredibly
the wolves are attacking the cottage, trying to force
their way in. You are going to have to help defend
Grandmother Zekova’s home from the creatures’
determined assault.
There are three ways into the cottage, the door by
which you entered and two windows. Ulrich, Grand-
mother Zekova and you all guard one entrance each.

Pye
Choose who is covering each entrance. Eight wolves
will attempt to break into the building. Roll one dice
for each wolf. On a roll of 1 or 2 the wolf charges the
door; on a roll of 3 or 4 it attacks the first window; ona
roll of 5 or 6 the creature assaults the second window.
The door can resist one wolf attack; Ulrich will be able
to kill two wolves before any of the animals can get
past him and into the cottage; Grandmother Zekova
can dispatch one wolf with her trusty frying pan
before any others get the better of her. Any wolves
that you must face you fight one at a time, adding one
to your Attack Strength because you are defending a
narrow opening.
WOLVES SKILL6 STAMINA5
If you win, you will then have to do away with any
other wolves that have managed to enter the cottage.
Once you have dispatched any remaining wolves,
with the pack’s attack repelled the wizened old
wisewoman turns to you, fixing you with her needling
gaze. “Tell me again about the creature that attacked
you,’ she says. If you have a Signet Ring, turn to 369. If
not, turn to 326.
38
38
Turning back, you retrace your steps through the
tumbledown warren of the ruins. You are within sight
of the spot where you entered the ruins when you
become aware of a skittering, scurrying sound from
all around you. Iridescent black beetles scuttle across
the packed earth at your feet, while long-bodied centi-
pedes writhe from between the bricks of the walls
either side of you. Pale, almost luminous moths flutter
down from out of the darkness. The oppressive feeling
of an all-pervading evil intensifies as, right there in
front of you, beetles, moths, centipedes, worms and
spiders emerge from the shadows, scuttling, writhing
and crawling over one another to form a swelling pile
at your feet. In seconds this mass of gathering vermin
has become a pulsating mound of disgusting carrion
creatures. With a sudden upwards thrust the mass of
tiny living things takes on a semi-humanoid form. Its
undulating body held together by the will of the
malefic presence that lives within these ruins, the
Vermin-Host reaches for you with hands dripping
with wriggling mealy bugs and, somewhere within
the mass of creatures that you take to be a face, a
disgusting maw opens, but makes no sound. The only
thing you can hear is the incessant slithering, skitter-
ing rattle of the writhing invertebrates. You are going
to have to fight this bizarre manifestation of the evil
possessing these ruins.
VERMIN-HOST SKILL6 STAMINA (see below)
To work out the Vermin-Host’s sTAMINA score, roll
one dice and add 5; if you roll a 6 also add 1 to its SKILL

CIE]
 39-40
score. If you win this battle, the malign sentience
holding the Vermin-Host together loses the power to
maintain a physical form and bursts apart like a ripe
boil, spiders, beetles, worms and other wriggling
things raining down on top of you. But other than for
a brief shuddering feeling of revulsion, you suffer no
lasting effects. Turn to 143.

39
Tugging the rusted grille free of the culvert opening,
taking a deep breath, you crawl into the stinking tun-
nel beyond. You have not gone far when you feel the
tunnel angle downwards dramatically and, without
any warning, find yourself slipping on the wet slime
coating the pipe. Unable to control your descent, you
slide head first down the tunnel into the foetid
darkness beyond. Turn to 194.

40
‘We have a little time before sunset,’ Konrad says, ‘so
rest awhile here and enjoy your meal.’ The headman
keeps you company as you gulp down your steaming
bowl of stew. Several things he mentioned have
caught your attention, and there may be other things
on your mind as well, of course. As you finish your
meal you seize the opportunity to ask Konrad more
about the troubles besetting Strigoiva. Will you ask
him about:
The Headless Highwayman? Turn to 179
Theshuck? 2 Turn to 157
Strigoiva’s neighbouring settlements? Turn to 132
The Howling? Turn to 109

PIE
41
Alternatively, if you have the codeword Avokez
recorded on your Adventure Sheet you may choose to
ask Konrad about-another matter altogether by turn-
ing to 61.

41
Making your way inside the gaping maw tent, you
come face-to-face with a fire-eater, with the tattoo of a
sinuous red dragon across his chest. The man sinks a
burning torch into his throat, pulls it out and exhales
flame into the air, to cries of wonder from the other
Carnivale visitors. ‘Welcome to Crookshank’s Cabinet
of Curiosities!” he declares. What curiosities they are!
As you wander around the tent you see a two-headed
sheep, a pair of conjoined juggling twins and a half-
giantess. But then you come to the most mutated
mutant of all. In a large cage at the back of the tent is
one of the most hideous and terrifying creatures you
have ever seen. From the waist up it appears to be
humanoid but from the waist down, it is wholly snake,
and a large snake at that. ‘Serpensa the Snakewoman’
a sign above the cage reads in gaudy red letters. As
you approach, Serpensa hisses and darts her head
close to the bars, her tail rattling ominously. You
decide there is something unnatural about a snake-
woman and, as a result, something sinister about a
 42-44
circus that would exhibit one. (Make sure that the
codeword Egnarts is recorded on your Adventure
Sheet.) You have seen enough. It is time to leave the
Cabinet of Curiosities. Turn to 167.

42
Cautiously you approach the scything blade, judging
your moment carefully. Test your Skill. If you are
successful, turn to 208. If you are unsuccessful, turn
to 447.

Spinning on your heel you hurl yourself away from

the leader of the pack even as the monstrous wolf
springs forwards, claws bared. But are your reflexes
faster than those of a deadly predator? Test your Skill.
If you succeed, turn to 191. If you fail, turn to 254.

44
You follow the corridor until it ends at an open
archway in the right-hand wall. Stepping through,
you find yourself in a cloistered courtyard. In front of
you looms the impressive and yet, at the same time,
oppressive facade of the Abbey church. To your right,
another archway leads back to the main entrance to
the complex and in the left-hand wall of the cloister
there is a closed oak door. Will you enter the inner
sanctum of the Abbey church (turn to 156), try the
door in the left-hand wall (turn to 356), or turn right
and make your escape from this accursed Abbey (turn
to 98)?

[|
45-46
45
Night comes and with it a horde of huge spiders
emerges from the cave mouth, ready to hunt for their
queen. The giant. arachnids immediately pounce on
you. There are too many of them for you to have any
hope of defending yourself and you soon succumb to
numerous venomous bites. Your adventure ends here.

46
You continue your way through the woods undis-
turbed by man or beast, the stands of beech and elm
uncannily quiet. The sun sinks lower until the day is a
mere purple-orange line on the horizon, half-glimpsed
through the gnarled and tangled trunks. With sunset
almost done and moonrise well under way, you reach
a crossroads in the forest path. Surprisingly, for sucha
lonely, isolated place, there is a signpost with four
place names marked on the four’ panels that point
north-west, south-west, north-east and north-west,
respectively: Balci, Strigoiva, Vargenhof and Maun.
Having travelled from the west already, and sensing
that your path lies towards the east, you ignore the
 47
other track that leads back west through the forest,
leaving you a choice of two routes. You have heard too
many tales about what happens during the witching
hour to spend a night in the open at a crossroads. So,
will you head ‘north-east towards Vargenhof, indi-
cated in gothic lettering on a larger sign (turn to 490)
or follow the Maun path south-east (turn to 438)?

‘Count Varcolac, I have not fought my way across

many leagues to join you in your debauched cele-
bration of the evil curse that has this land within its
cruel grasp!’ you declare. ‘I have come here to kill you,
to liberate Lupravia and free myself from the Curse of
the Werewolf.’
‘Brave words,’ Varcolac counters, ‘but I have endured
long and have learnt how to use my gift to the best of
my ability, whereas you are yet to embrace its power.
How can you hope to best me, Count Varcolac, Prince
of Lupravia, the Wulfen Lord?’ With that the Count
snaps his fingers and the huge wolves pad towards
you, hungry fora kill. If you have the Call of the Wild
special ability, turn to 247. If not you are going to have
to fight these creatures together if you are to get to
Varcolac.
SKILL STAMINA
First DIRE WOLF 8 8
Second DIRE WOLF 8 9

If you kill Varcolac’s lupine bodyguards, turn to 513.

Ee Ea
48-50
48
Trusting your instincts, Katya directs the horses onto
this new track. You cling onto the roof of the jolting
carriage as it bumps and bounces over exposed tree-
roots and deep potholes, determined not to fall off.
And your ploy appears to have worked. The sounds
of the pursuing pack fade as the stagecoach follows
this less well-used route through the night-shrouded
forest. At last the uneven, winding path loops back
towards the most direct route through the forest and
rejoins the main highway. With no little satisfaction
you start to think you might have left the hunting
pack behind for good. Turn to 239.

49
In the drama and tension of the moment, time seems
to slow as you discharge your weapon, the Werebeast
appearing to freeze midleap. And then your projectile
finds its mark and the passage of time returns to
normal. With a howl of rage and pain the Werebeast
crashes down on the roof of the coach, claws splinter-
ing the wood mere inches from you. Turn to 480.

50
An evil practitioner of the Black Arts lies dead at your
feet: you were right not to trust this servant of the
Dark Powers, for who knows what vile witchcraft she
might have used on you, given the chance. (Restore 1
LUCK point.) There is little the crone has that you could
possibly want, or use, but two things intrigue you: her
book and the bubbling concoction steadily simmering

Ey
 51
on the hearth. The bubbling brew doesn’t seem to
smell quite so noxious any more. Do you want to:
Look at the crone’s book? Turn to 338
Sample some of the concoction she
was busy brewing? Turn to 119
Leave the kitchen and take the other
passageway leading from the
entrance hall? Turn to 340
Leave and ascend the grand staircase
to the double doors? Turn to 146

51
The Call of the Wild — You have gained a howl like a
wolf, which those you fight will find very unnerving.
When you use this new ability in battle you may
reduce the Attack Strength of your opponent by 1
point. However, it will not affect magical creatures,
artificial constructs or the Undead. Make a note of this
new special ability on your Adventure Sheet and then
turn to the paragraph with the same number as the
one you were last instructed to write down.
 52
52
Even as the woman’s beguiling powers are beginning
to take effect, a persistent part of your subconscious
screams at you to break eye contact; the Lady of Maun
is trying to mesmerise you with her hypnotic gaze.
Through sheer strength of will alone, you force
yourself to look away, freeing yourself of the Countess’
enchantment. She hisses in frustration, like a wildcat,
but takes a step away from you. ‘Very well,’ she spits,
‘let’s see what manner of creature you truly are.’ She
casts a dagger-glance at her manservant. ‘Kill the
intruder. Put the animal down,’ she says with icy
malice.
The Countess’ manservant steps between you and his
mistress. He opens his mouth and utters a shrill,
piercing cry. Your eyes fixed on the gaunt-faced man
in appalled wonder, you watch as he undergoes a
hideous and terrifying transformation. His limbs
warp and distort, his arms contracting into his body
even as his finger bones lengthen, membranes of
leathery skin unfurling between them. The man’s ears
become pointed and pronounced as his nose becomes
an ugly snout. His body, now entirely covered in
bristly fur, bursts free of his clothes. No longer a man
but a monstrous bat with a wingspan nearing twelve
feet, the Countess Isolde’s servant dives for you,
trying to snatch you up in his clawed feet. With the
Werebat suspended in the air in front of you, buffeting
you with every beat of its wings, you retaliate with
your Own weapon.
WEREBAT SKILL8 STAMINA8
53-54
If the Werebat wins two consecutive Attack Rounds,
turn at once to 36. Also, if the Werebat wounds you
more than twice, add 1 to your CHANGE score as the
creature’s own strain of lycanthropy accelerates the
spread of the disease in your body. If you manage to
kill the shape-changing servant, turn to 68.

Da
There is something deeply unnerving about the farm.
Wheat has been left to rot in the fields and everywhere
you see signs of neglect. As the rain drums down
around you, keeping caution foremost in your mind,
will you approach the farm directly along the muddy
track that leads to the farmyard (turn to 420), via the
wheat-field to your left (turn to 460), or across the
muddy pasture to the right of the road (turn to 392)?
On the other hand you may now prefer to turn back
and leave this place (turn to 483).

Plumbus Gelt’s stall is arrayed with all manner of

coloured glass potion bottles and the other accou-
trements befitting a work-a-day alchemist. There is a
crucible set above a small, smouldering brazier, a
pestle and mortar, as well as ingots of metal still to be
worked. You get chatting with the eccentric alchemist
— all patched robes, wild hair and scorched eyebrows
— who happily divulges the properties of his wares
and their prices. You may buy one of each of the items
listed below, as long as you have enough money (and
any other special materials required).
Healing Potion Cost: 4 Gold Pieces
Drinking this potion will restore your STAMINA score
to its Initial level and reduce your CHANGE score by 2
points.

Elixir of Expertise Cost: 6 Gold Pieces

This potion will restore your SKILL score to its Initial
level and will increase your Attack Strength by 1 point
for the first battle you fight after consuming the elixir.

Fare-Thee-Well Cost: 5 Gold Pieces

When drunk, this potion restores your LUCK score to
its Initial level. The next time you have to Test your
Luck after drinking the potion you do not need to roll
any dice as you will be Lucky automatically and will
not need to lose 1 LUCK point either.

Lead Bullets Cost: 4 Gold Pieces

You can purchase six lead bullets for use with a
Flintlock Pistol for a reasonable price. If you already
have such a pistol you will know how to use them.

Silver Bullets Cost: 6 Gold Pieces

If you have an item of silver (such as a Silver Dagger,
Silver Cross or Silver Candlesticks) the alchemist can
melt down the precious metal to make six silver
bullets. Plumbus will melt down a maximum of two
silver items for you. As this is a relatively laborious
process there will not be time for him to make more
than twelve bullets in total.

PIL
55-56
Iron Padlock Cost: 5 Gold Pieces
As described, this is a large, iron padlock, which
comes with its own set of keys.

Brass Key Cost: 4 Gold Pieces

Plumbus claims he cannot recall how he came by this
key, nor what it is that it opens, but it is such a large
and finely wrought piece — ensorcelled with silver
filigree — that it must be valuable in its own right.

When you have finished making your purchases, you

may peruse the market for more practical pieces of
equipment (turn to 170), join with the hunting party
outside the meeting hall (turn to 201) or leave the
town without any further delay (turn to 507).

55
The contorted shadow-shapes of stunted moorland
trees come and go through the fog so that you cannot
even use the bleak, rocky bluffs of the landscape or
the dark quagmire pools of peat bogs as effective way-
markers. Strangely muffled hoots and _ echoing
croaking cries add to the eerie atmosphere of the
moors. To try to go back now would be as hopeless as
to continue your directionless wandering. So you
press on and after another hour you realise that you
are totally lost. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to
272. If you are Unlucky, turn to 27.

56
The Tower of Maun, forbidding fortified domain of
the Countess Isolde, stands on a blasted escarpment

EIG]
overlooking the village, which appears almost to
cower under its ever-present shadow. The sun has
already set by the time you reach the tower and you
are surprised to find the gatehouse unmanned.
However, something makes you feel uneasy, goose-
flesh rising on your arms and the hairs on the back of
your neck standing on end. Crossing the bridge —
which spans a chasm-rift in the cliff in front of the
tower — unhindered, you enter the high-walled court-
yard that stands beneath the looming tower. The
sudden snarling that greets you makes you start but is
not entirely unexpected. Two large, lean and hungry-
looking dogs bound out of the gathering shadows,
halting a few feet from you. The animals are wearing
heavy spiked iron collars, their fur matted with dried
blood. The dogs fix you with red-eyed stares, their
lips curling back threateningly, revealing horribly
elongated canine teeth. There is something evil and
other-worldly about these creatures: in the next
moment they bound forward to attack. If you have the
Call of the Wild special ability and wish to use it now,
turn to 71. If not, you will have to meet the dogs’
dreadful teeth and claws with the keen edge of your
blade.
SKILL STAMINA
First FANG HOUND 7 6
Second FANG HOUND 6 7
If you win your battle with the bloodthirsty dogs, you
are free to approach the entrance to the tower itself (by
turning to 102). However, before you do so, if the
battle lasts longer than six Attack Rounds, add 1 to

Py
a7
your ALARM score. Also, if you suffer more than three
wounds add 1 to your CHANGE score.

57
‘And it was then that the wolves attacked,’ you
explain, coming to the end of your story. “Their leader
was a monstrous black beast the like of which I have
never seen before, nor do I wish to again, for it bit me
here,’ you add pointing to your shoulder. Without
even a by your leave, the man suddenly rips open
your tunic to see the wolf-bite for himself. He gasps in
horror and recoils. Glancing sideways, you cannot
contain your own appalled cry of disgust as you see
the skin surrounding the spot where the Black Wolf
bit you now bristling with black hair. (Add 1 CHANGE
point.)
‘Get away from here!’ the villager demands, his stern
voice edged with wavering fear. ‘Leave Strigoiva now
and never return!’
Will you do as the man says (turn to 202), or will you
try to explain that you are.as much the victim as
anyone, considering the circumstances, and try to
persuade him that you mean him and the other
villagers no harm (turn to 246)?
 58-59
58
As you tug on the rope, a bell rings somewhere inside
the complex. When several minutes have passed and
nothing has happened, you try again. This time the
slap of sandals on stone approaches the door from the
other side, there is the rattle and grate of bolts being
drawn back, and then the creak of hinges as the door
opens. A black-robed monk stands there, his face
entirely hidden by the cowl he wears. ‘Well met,
traveller,’ the monk says. ‘What brings you to the
Abbey of the Black Monks this night?’ How will you
reply? Will you:
Tell the monk that you are a lone traveller
in need of shelter for the night? Turn to 129
Admit that you are travelling the land
seeking a cure for the lycanthropy you
have contracted? Turn to 75

59
‘This way,’ the beggar says as you follow him into the
alleyway. He scampers away from you along the
narrow space between close buildings. At the end of
the alley he sweeps aside a ragged piece of sackcloth
to reveal a grate. He yanks this open and drops down
into the darkness beneath. ‘Come on,’ he calls from
below. The unearthly growling is nearing the end of
the alleyway, so you drop through the hole after the
old man, pulling the grate shut above you.
‘This way,’ the beggar calls and trots away along the
stinking sewer tunnel you find yourself in. Seeing that
you have little option other than to keep after him, as

Big
60

you travel through the sewer, bent almost double, you

ask, ‘Where are we going? How much further is it?’
‘This should be far enough,’ the man chuckles and
turns to face you. As he does so, you see that his body
is changing shape. His face stretches into a pronounced
snout, his ears stretch to points, fingers and toes
become talons and claws, and a hairless tail extrudes
from the base of his spine. Your supposed saviour was
just after you for himself. With a shrieking cry, almost
like a furious squeaking, the Wererat attacks.
WERERAT SKILL8 STAMINA 6

If the Wererat wounds you more than twice add 1 to

your CHANGE score. If you defeat it; you see greying
sky through another grilled opening above you.
Climbing rusted rungs to this grate you push it open
and assess where you are now. Turn to 390.

60
Despite all your exertions over the last day you push
your body into a sprint. Leg muscles burning in
protest, you hare along the road, fatigue giving way
to an adrenalin-fuelled burst of speed. But you can
still hear the hooves pounding after you, getting
closer all the time, and the desperate panting of the
horse joined by the maniacal laughter of its rider. Then
the racing phantom horse is next to you and the rider
kicks out with a heavy booted heel, planting it
squarely in the middle of your back. You are sent
sprawling on the hard-packed earth of the road and
cut your leg open on an exposed flint. (Lose 2 STAMINA

PIC
 61-62

points.) The ghostly rider races away ahead of you

down the road and then is gone, like mist on the night-
breeze, the echo of maniacal laughter lingering for a
moment after the apparition has vanished. Picking
yourself up, you hobble the last hundred yards to the
coaching inn. Turn to 6.

61
Considering the startling stories Grandmother Zekova
told you, will you ask the headman if he knows
anything about:
The House of Wulfen and Mad Prince
Garoul? Turn to 283
The village of Wulfenstein? Turn to 318
Werewolves roaming the countryside? Turn to 339

62
Revealed as the Werebeast at last, Burgomaster Straub
undergoes a terrifying transformation. His clothes are
shredded as his metamorphosing body swells beyond
all reckoning. The Burgomaster must have had his
clothes hidden close by so that when you and Katya
pursued him back to Vargenhof he just had time to
clothe himself so as not to arouse any further suspi-
cions. But now, his terrible, murderous secret revealed,
the Werebeastof Vargenhof has nothing to lose and
everything to gain, if he can escape. Ignoring you, the
monster bats the Burgomaster’s fellow townsmen
aside in its bid for freedom. Fighting its way through
the startled, screaming onlookers, the Werebeast
bursts from the meeting hall with you in hot pursuit.
Running on all fours, the hulking Beast easily outpaces
you. It flees into the night along the road that leads
further north and east into the Orsov Mountains.
There is the clatter of iron-shod hooves and banded
wheels on cobbles, the rattle of harness, the sharp
whinny of horses, and then Katya is next to you rein-
ing in two horses pulling a requisitioned stagecoach
behind them. ‘Quickly, get on board!” she shouts. You
stand there staring at her in dumbfounded amaze-
ment. ‘It’s the only way we have any chance of catch-
ing up with that monster and bringing Burgomaster
Straub to justice!’
“Hi-yah!’ Katya shouts as she cracks the reins, and the
stagecoach flies out of the town gates. The moon is
rising, icy-white beyond the mountains. Katya urges
the horses onwards along the road that leads from
Vargenhof to the furthest inhabited point in all
Lupravia — Wulfenstein. Towering dark pines press in
from either side of the road and you find yourself
seized by doubt. When you left Vargenhof you and
the Were-hunter had been chasing down the Were-
beast but now you are out in the wilds, you get the
feeling that the tables have been turned, as myriad red
 63-64
eyes appear between the trees to your left. The wolves
are running again: the hunters have become the
hunted. Behind the pack you can see the black shape
of the Werebeast as it runs with the wolves, guiding
them towards their target — the stagecoach!
A fork in the road appears, curving sharply away to
the right. Will you urge Katya to take this diversion
(turn to 48) or will you let her keep to her current
course along the main highway (turn to 166)?

63
The Hall of Mirrors isn’t very impressive: it’s not very
large for a start, and seeing yourself morphed to be
taller and thinner, or shorter and fatter, than you really
are can only be so funny for so long. The longer you
find yourself staring at the distorting mirrors the
more uncomfortable you begin to feel, until you
become paranoid that others can see you for how you
truly are. The claustrophobic confines created by the
mirrors is also starting to get to you. Roll two dice. If
the total rolled is less than or equal to your CHANGE
score, turn to 92. If it is greater, turn to 78.

64
The wordiess voice speaks to you in a language that
something deep inside you understands, and that
new entity awakening within you responds to its call.
As if ina dream, you approach the reedy bank of the
pool and without a moment's hesitation dive head-
long into its reed-choked depths. In the dark waters of
the pool, you can still see the way forward thanks to

Cd fe
65
an eerie, all-pervading emerald luminescence. There
is magic at work here, a primal magic that speaks to
you of the wild, untamed places of the world. Fronds
of water-weed sway before you, but you brush past
them as you swim deeper and deeper, on towards the
source of the mournful singing, which you can still
hear despite being far beneath the surface of the pool.
And then, between the spiralling fronds, you see them
— three beautiful maidens, their long green hair
streaming out around them like pondweed and
veiling their fish-white nakedness. The dirge of the
Daughters of the Drowned fills you with a heart-
rending pity that is hard to resist. Test your Skill,
adding 2 to the total rolled. If you succeed, turn to 388,
but if you fail, turn to 213.

65
Armed and with your ire up, you leap at the cantan-
kerous old witch who shrieks while trying to strike
you with her crackling wand.
CRONE . SKILL6 STAMINA6

If the witch manages to hit you, by winning an Attack

Round, roll one dice and consult the table below to see
what damage it does.
Dice Roll Damage
1-2 Lose 2 STAMINA points.
3-4 Lose 3 STAMINA points.
5 Lose 2 STAMINA points and 1 SKILL point.
6 Lose 2 STAMINA points, 1 LUCK point and
add 1 to your CHANGE score.

[+]ES]
 66—68
If you reduce the witch’s STAMINA score to 2 points or
less, turn to 359.

66
Feeling the familiar, reassuring weight of the blade in
your hand, you take deep, measured breaths to calm
yourself, and prepare to meet the beast’s attack. With
a snarl, the creature is on you.
BLACK WOLF SKILL8 STAMINAQ
After two further Attack Rounds, or if you reduce the
Black Wolf’s sTAMINA to 7 or less, whichever comes
sooner, turn at once to 271.

67
You toss the dagger across the chamber, where it
clatters to the ground at the monster’s feet. ‘My pretty
precious,’ she coos. ‘My silvery darling, my shining
sharpness.’ As the spider-creature fusses over the
dagger you have time to act while she is distracted.
Will you:
Set fire to her webs (if you have a lantern
in good working order)? Turn to 125
Turn tail and run for it? Turn to 498
Charge the spider-monster with weapon
inhand? | ’ Turn to 252

68
Her shape-shifting servant dead, with a banshee
scream the Countess throws herself at you, claws and
fangs revealed. The deceptive mask of apparently

EE]
 69
alluring beauty is gone, with the Lady of Maun
revealed now in her true bat-like undead form. You
are going to have to defend yourself. If you have a
Silver Cross and want to use it, or a Pair of Silver
Candlesticks with which you can improvise, turn to
17. If not, turn to 141.

69
You walk for the best part of the morning, your well-
paced footsteps carrying you to the village of Balci.
The architecture of the buildings reminds you of the
distinctive style of Strigoiva, all sharply pointed roofs
and gable-ends. What makes Balci so different is the
huddle of multicoloured tents pitched outside it. The
Carnivale is in town. The sound of accordion music
reaches your ears along with the ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ of a
captivated audience. A few villagers are drifting in
and out of the entrance. A board beneath the entrance
banner declares that the entry fee is 2 Gold Pieces and
standing next to that is a grotesque little man — almost
Dwarfish in his proportions. Barely a metre tall, with
a large grinning face and spindly limbs, he is dressed
in the most outlandish and brightly coloured clothes
you think you have ever seen, crowned with a black
top hat. If you have the codeword Retsis written on
your Adventure Sheet, turn to 4. If not, a visit to the
Carnivale might be just what you need to give you an
hour’s respite from the rigours of your mission. Do
you want to pay the 2 Gold Pieces and enter the
Carnivale (turn to 134), or will you pass by and enter
the village of Balci itself (turn to 26)?

Ef
7°72
70
The tunnel that lies beyond the cave entrance winds
its way up inside the peak. When the daylight that
seeps in from outside is but the merest glimmer, you
emerge from the twisting passageway and step down
into a broad, low-ceilinged gallery. Not including the
tunnel you entered by, there are four further tunnels
leading to elsewhere within the cave network. The
rough walls of each is shot through with different
coloured seams of quartz crystals. (While you are
exploring the cave network inside the Sundered Peak,
make a careful note of the paragraph number of each
new cavern you enter. If you find yourself returning
to somewhere you have already been, unless you
are specifically told otherwise, you may skip the
encounter described at that paragraph and go straight
to the exit options listed at the end). Which way do
you want to go now?
The white quartz tunnel? Turn to 9
The blue crystal passageway? Turn to 415
The green crystal path? Turn to 31
The narrower yellow crystal tunnel? Turn to 159
The wider tunnel with the rumour of
daylight at its end? Turn to 331

71
The how] rises from deep inside your chest and rever-
berates around the walls of the courtyard. Hearing the
sound, the Fang Hounds break off their attack and run
whimpering back to their den beneath the walls. If
you have the codeword Nethcir written on your

BR
 72-73
Adventure Sheet, turn to 89. If not, you are able to
approach the tower unhindered (turn to 102).

72
The table and chair clatter to the floor, now just
chopped firewood. You freeze, your heart racing, your
breathing shallow. Someone must have heard the
fight and you remain exactly where you are, half-
expecting the landlord to burst in at any moment. But
no one comes. With the poltergeist activity apparently
done with, you try to settle down again. As you lie
awake, unable to sleep, thanks to the adrenalin still
coursing through your system, you hear the sound of
a door opening followed by the creak of floorboards
as somebody makes their way down the corridor to
the stairs. But who would be moving around the inn
in the middle of the night? Will you satisfy your
curiosity and investigate further (turn to 429), or will
you stay where you are for the rest of the night (turn
to 13)?

The Cadaver drops to the floor and is motionless

again, as Doktor Kafka sits up, rubbing his head. “She
knows we are coming!’ Van Richten hisses, his
expression as dark as ever. ‘The situation is even more
dire than I had imagined.’ While you are hunting
down the Vampiress, she will be preparing for your
arrival; keep track of how much advance warning she
has by means of an ALARM rating. Write down on your
Adventure Sheet that your ALARM rating is currently 1.
Any combats you tackle from now on, until you are
74
informed otherwise, you will face with Van Richten
fighting at your side. When faced with two opponents,
you need only fight the first one to win that battle, as
the Vampire Hunter, who is a consummate swords-
man, will do away with the other. His attributes are
SKILL 10, STAMINA 9. 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 effect you on a dice roll of 1-3. Keep a
careful note of Van Richten’s STAMINA score as well.
If he dies in battle you will have to continue alone.
Cross off the codeword Nethcir from your Adventure
Sheet.
‘It is time we were gone,’ Van Richten says, eager to be
away. The two of you set off for the home of the
Countess Isolde, the forbidding Tower of Maun. Turn
to 56.

74
Descending the steps, you find yourself in the damp,
musty tunnels of the castle’s.dungeon levels. It is as
you are exploring these chambers and corridors that
you hear a wailing howl, the like of which you have
heard before in the realm of the Lords of Lupravia. As
you prepare to defend yourself, something resembling
a decomposing wolf erupts from the darkness.
Snarling with insane hunger, the Werewarg attacks.
WEREWARG SKILL7 STAMINA 7
If you are wounded more than twice, add 1 to your
CHANGE score. If you kill the undead werewolf you

CIE
 75-76
decide that these dungeons have nothing more to
offer you and so return to where you first entered the
castle. Will you now take the other passageway that
leads from the hall (turn to 319), or climb the staircase
to the second set of double doors (turn to 146)?

75
It is a daringly honest move, but one which pays off.
‘Then I think we can help you,’ the monk says in
response to your brave admission. ‘Come with me.’
He leads you inside the complex, taking you to the
Abbey’s herbalist. This monk is robed like the first, his
face hidden, but he welcomes you into his workshop
where he quickly sets to work. In no time at all it
seems, he has prepared you a concoction made from
the distilled essences of various plants. You give it a
sniff: the panacea smells strongly of mint. ‘This elixir
is something of my own making. There is a little
valerian in there, and a drop or two of belladonna
extract, along with other ingredients, but it should do
the trick. Now, drink deeply and finish all of the
draught.’ With nervous excitement you take the elixir
from the herbalist. Could this really be the end to your
quest? Could it really be this simple? Do you want to
down the draught in one go, as the monk instructed?
If so, turn to 91; if not, turn to 108.

76
With a wailing cry from the Headless Highwayman,
the phantom horse launches itself skyward. Meg
screams as she too is carried off, the horse galloping
away towards the cold orb of the moon and into the

Ey EJ
7778
next world. Meg and the Highwayman were lovers in
life and after his death she recovered his severed head.
Tutoring herself in the Dark Arts, she used the skull to
summon his spirit back to the Earthly Plane to be with
her. By your actions you have broken her evil spell
and banished the ghost of Lord ‘Filthy’ Lucre back to
the hell where he belongs. (Regain 1 LUCK point.) The
last discernible words you hear are Meg’s. ‘No, not
like this!’ she screams. ‘It wasn’t meant to be like this!’
And then the ghostly rider and his sorceress lover are
gone. The only sound that remains is that of the wind
whistling over the moors.
Considering what you have been party to at The Gibbet
Tree there is no way that you can stay here a moment
longer. It will be a night on the moors for you after all.
Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, morning comes cold
and grey and you are on your way again (turn to 69).
If you are Unlucky, turn to 466.

Li
Taking a firm hold of the Iron Rod you hurl it at the
construct-creature as if it were a spear. Test your Skill.
If you are successful, turn to 22. If you fail, incredibly
you miss your target (turn to 152).

78
On the verge of screaming, you run out of the Hall
of Mirrors, overwhelmed by the feelings of paranoia
and claustrophobia. Add 1 to your CHANGE score and
make sure that the codeword Egnarts is recorded on
yourAdventure Sheet before turning to 167.

ETC
 79-80

79
Snatching the crone’s Cook Book from your pack you
flick to the correct page and begin intoning the
Transfiguration Spell. As the words of power take
effect you watch as Varcolac doubles up in pain, his
body wracked by further changes. His fangs and
claws lengthen further, as do his arms and legs. The
Transfiguration Spell has certainly worked on the
Count, but it has made him even more like the savage
wolf he is steadily becoming; it has not had the
crippling influence you had hoped. When you come
to fight the Arch-Lycanthrope you must add 1 SKILL
point and 3 sTAMINA points to his statistics before you
resolve the combat. With a roar of rage, the Varcolac-
wolf leaps at you, teeth bared. Lose 1 LUCK point and
turn to 150.

80
Approaching the wide-arched entrance to the sanc-
tuary of the church, you hear an ominous staccato

[+] [4
81

drumming. The sound betrays the presence of your

would-be ambushers. Two robed monks emerge from
either side of the pillared archway. They are dressed
in the same all-enclosing black robes but, as they move
to attack, the hood of one of the monks falls back from
his head. With a sharp intake of breath you see that
his head is halfway between that of a cockroach and a
man, as black and hard as obsidian. As the mandibled
monk hisses at you, malformed jaws clacking, the
second monk advances, reaching for you from within
the voluminous sleeves of his habit..The sleeves fall
back to reveal mantis-like claws where the monk’s
arms should be. You have no choice but to fight the
Black Monks together.
SKILL STAMINA
MANDIBLED MONK 7 &
MANTIS MONK 8 6
If you manage to defeat both mutated monks, turn
to 262.

81
As you unsheathe the Wulfen Sword you see some-
thing like recognition in the Werewolf’s eyes and the
creature recoils from you, allowing you to get in an
uncontested strike before it retaliates. As with any
other were-creature, the Wulfen Sword will cost the
Arch-Lycanthrope 3 STAMINA points of damage
(rather than the usual 2) with every successful strike.
However, the sword seems to hold some other power
over the transformed Varcolac and for the duration of
your battle against the monstrous Prince of Lupravia

Ee]Le]
 82-83

you may reduce his skILL score by 1 point. Regain 1

LUCK point for having this advantage and turn to 150.

82
Wandering the market square you find all manner of
peddlers and traders selling their goods. But one stall
attracts your particular attention. It is hung with a
garish banner declaring that it belongs to ‘Plumbus
Gelt — Alchemist and Metallurgist’. Do you want to
spend a little time perusing the alchemist’s stall (turn
to 54) or would you rather scour the market square for
more practical items of equipment (turn to 170)?
Alternatively, if you wish, you may join the hunting
party in front of the meeting hall (turn to 201) or
simply quit the town (turn to 507).

83
Retracing your steps, you make your way back
through the labyrinthine ruins. You pass through a
broken colonnade of gargoyle-infested columns. The
small stone carvings of the demonic imps glower
down at you. with malevolently narrowed eyes and
leering, fang-filled smiles. A sinister, high-pitched
chuckle echoes from the broken walls either side of

[+]
84
you, followed by the abrasive sound of stone scraping
on stone. In the encroaching darkness you glimpse
movement, but what you think you see causes you to
doubt your own eyes. It must be a trick of the failing
half-light. Then you see it again, and now there cannot
be any doubt. The stone-carved imps, which moments
before were clinging to the tops of the shattered
columns, are scrambling down from their perches and
advancing towards you, predatory smiles wide, stone
claws outstretched. The malefic presence haunting
this place has taken physical form, manifesting in the
animated stone imps. Once again you find yourself
fighting for your life. Fight the Grinnygogs at the
same time.
SKILL STAMINA
First GRINNYGOG 6 5
Second GRINNYGOG Ss 6
Third GRINNYGOG eZ 26
Fourth GRINNYGOG 6 a

If you win, the malicious sentience animating the

stone imps is forced to quit the statues. The Grinny-
gogs shatter, now just so many shards of splintered
stone. Unable to rid yourself of the lingering feeling of
unease you hurry away from the ruins as quickly as
you can. Turn to 143.

84
Unable to haul yourself out of the bog you continue to
sink. Soon the clinging mud is up to your neck. Finally,
with a disgusting sucking belch, the bog closes over
your head and swallows you up. Your eyes see

EYE]
 85
nothing but smothering darkness as the bog draws
you down into its foetid depths. You involuntarily
gasp for air, swamp water rushing in to fill your lungs.
You drown in the depths of the bog. Your life and your
adventure are over.

f 85

Cutting the bodies free of the webs, you are not

surprised to find that they are those of two dead
goblins. They are wearing rough hide clothes and
have small leather backpacks. In one you find a pouch
containing a total of 8 Gold Pieces and in the other no
money, but a finely crafted Silver Dagger instead. The
two goblins were obviously thieves but it looks like
they got their come-uppance. Where they stole the
dagger from, you have no idea.
If you take the Silver Dagger, add it to your Equipment
list and write the codeword Snilbog on your Adventure
Sheet. You may also use the dagger in combat, if you
wish, but because it is not as long as your sword,
nor balanced in the same way; if you do so you must
fight with your Attack Strength reduced by 1 point.
Injuries you cause any creature with the word ‘Were’
in its name, however, will suffer increased damage (3
STAMINA points rather than the usual 2). The Silver
Dagger will also harm Undead and demons but only
causes such creatures the usual 2 STAMINA points
damage.
There is nothing else here that is of interest or value to
you so, before the weavers of the webs return, you
leave the cave. Return to 368 to choose your way out.

Ee ES
 86
86
‘The Order of the Black Rose,’ you state confidently.
The old man looks you up and down once more and
then hurriedly ushers you inside, securing the door
firmly behind you.
‘Well met, friend,’ comes a familiar voice from a
darkened corner of the room and the Vampire Hunter,
Van Richten, emerges from the shadows. He is
obviously pleased to see you but his expression is still
a dark mask. Having formally introduced you to
Doktor Kafka, the three of you retire to the surgeon’s
crude operating theatre. You are taken aback to see
that the surgeon appears to be part-way through an
autopsy — the partially dissected body lies on a blood-
stained table, draped with a filthy sheet. You find
yourself wondering what sort of people you have got
yourself mixed up with.
With the three of you secreted away in the Doktor’s
lab, Van Richten tells you of the quest that has brought
you here. ‘As you know, I am a renowned Vampire
Hunter, and the bloodsucker I am currently trailing
keeps the people of this place in her thrall.’ Van
Richten certainly has you in his thrall now.
‘Who is this life-leech?’ you ask.
‘The one whose greatest concern should be the welfare
of the people who owe her fealty, the noblewoman
who claims authority over this village and its environs,
the Lady of Maun herself — Countess Isolde. I have
tarried too long and been delayed by distractions of
her making enough already but with your help I can
put an end to her. Let us ready ourselves and then be
on our way, for time is very much of the essence.’
There is a movement from under the sheet covering
the corpse. All eyes turn to the autopsy table. ‘We have
been overheard!’ Kafka cries. An arm, grey-green with
rot, throws the sheet aside and the surgeon’s dissection
subject sits up. You gag in horror at the sight of the
disembowelled corpse as it rises to its feet. A clay-like
fist lashes out and Doktor Kafka is sent crashing to the
floor, unconscious. Van Richten reacts immediately,
unsheathing his rapier blade with a practised flourish,
but you are the one closest to the reanimated cadaver.
You arm yourself as the undead cadaver bears down
on you with throttling hands outstretched.
CADAVER skKILL 8 (see below) STAMINA 9g (see below)

Doktor Kafka has already begun to.dissect the corpse

and as a result its performance may be affected. Roll
one dice to see which crucial part, or parts, of the body
the surgeon has removed and alter the Cadaver’s stats
accordingly.
Dice = aLarits)
Roll Removed Effect
1-2 Brain Reduce its SKILL by 1 point.
4m hleate Reduce its STAMINA by 2 points.
5 Brain and Reduce both its attributes as
Heart _ described above.
6 Intestines No effect.
In the cramped confines of the lab, you must fight
the first two Attack Rounds against the corpse alone.

[Ee]
 87
After that Van Richten is able to join the fight, so you
effectively have two Attacks to the Cadaver’s one.
The Vampire Hunter has a SKILL score of 10 but any
successful strikes made by the corpse are deducted
from your STAMINA score, as you are the one it is
trying to kill. Also, if the Cadaver wins two Attack
Rounds in a row, it grabs you by the throat and
throttles you for an extra 2 STAMINA points of damage.
If you win your fight with the Doktor’s dissection
subject, turn to 73.

87
Pulling your travelling cloak tighter about you, you
set off across the barren heath with only a chill, close
wind for company. You had hoped you could reach
the shrine before another night passed but, after an
hour’s trudging across Fenmoor, a miasma rises from
the peaty ground, limiting your visibility even further.
Stifled by the cloying mist you proceed with greater
caution. The dark tufts of reed-beds at your feet and
the spongy feel of the turf under your boots indicates
that this stretch of moorland is becoming ever more
boggy and treacherous. Also, it is not long before you
cannot even accurately judge which direction you are
travelling in: the usual markers you would use to
estimate compass points are al] smothered by the fog.
You are not certain you could even retrace your steps
successfully. There is a very real risk of you becoming
completely lost on Fenmoor. Roll two dice. If the total
rolled is less than or equal to your current CHANGE
score, turn to 363; if it is greater, turn to 55.

CdEe
88-89
88
Through the door you follow another passageway,
which turns right and ends at yet another portal.
Sensing that something ominous awaits you on the
other side, taking a deep breath, you turn the handle
and step through. Turn to 156.

89
‘What is this?’ Van Richten almost screams. ‘What
kind of a creature are you that you can command the
beast-servants of a creature of the night, unless you
are a thing of darkness yourself? And if that is the
case, how were you able to fool me?’ The Vampire
Hunter takes a step away from you, unsheathing his
trusty rapier. ‘You may have fooled me once, but you
have revealed your true nature to me now, and I
cannot allow you to live.’ Van Richten seems willing
to put aside his quest to destroy the Lady of Maun
until after he has dealt with you. You have no choice
but to defend yourself against your erstwhile ally.
VAMPIRE HUNTER SKILL10 STAMINA Q
 90-91
If you defeat the Vampire Hunter lose 1 LUCK point,
gain 1 ALARM point and then decide how you want to
proceed. Will you continue with Van Richten’s
mission to put an end to the Vampiress (turn to 102) or
will give up on this course of action and return to your
own quest (turn to 240)?

go
Leaving the bright tents of the Carnivale behind you
enter the village of Balci. There appears to be nothing
particularly special about this place. It has a mill, a
tavern and a forge and you would judge that most of
its populace make a living either farming the land
hereabouts or through forestry in the woods that lie to
the south and east of the settlement. If you wish to,
and you can afford it, you may enjoy a basic meal of
meat and potatoes along with a flagon of ale for 2
Gold Pieces, which will restore up to 4 STAMINA
points. Whether you eat here or not, with the sun past
the zenith again, you decide that it is time to press on.
There are two routes you can take out of the village:
the road east, signposted towards Vargenhof (turn to
144), or the well-worn track that leads south-east
towards the forest (turn to 508).

biter
You knock back the contents of the cup in one go and
swallow deeply. You feel the effects of the potion
immediately, as the sleeping draught you have just
consumed sends you into an unconscious stupor in
seconds. Turn to 16.

Ea!
92-99
g2
You turn, catching one of what seems like a million
reflections in the mirrors surrounding you: but the
reflection looking back at you is that of a half-human
wolfman. You cry out in terror and look down at your
hands to see that your fingernails have grown to
become cruel, sickle-edged claws. You look back into
the lupine eyes of the monster reflected in front of you
and blackout in shock (add 1 to your CHANGE score).
When you come to again, you stumble out of the
Hall of Mirrors to find that night has fallen and the
Carnivale has closed to the public for the night. But
you are not alone. Turn to 281.

93
Sprinting out of the stable you come face to face with
the Highwayman’s phantom steed. The ghostly horse
rears up onits hind legs, trying to trample you beneath

Eo]EG
 94-95
its crushing hooves. Before you can defend yourself
you feel an icy stab of pain in your back as the cold
iron of a basket-hilted sabre skewers your heart on its
tip. You drop to the cold, hard cobbles of the stable
yard, your heart’s blood pooling on the ground
around you, and the last thing you ever hear is the
insane giggling of the barmaid-witch and the words
of the headless ghost. ‘Like I always say, your money
and yout life.’

94
‘In the name of Saint Crucius, I would rid the unholy
and the unclean from this temple!’ you declare, calling
on the spirit of the long-departed holy man. The
maggot emits a shrill, screeching cry, its body writhing
in torment. You have dealt the monster a grievous
blow. Regain 1 LUCK point and then turn to 426 to fight
the creature, but before you do so reduce both its SKILL
and STAMINA scores by half.

Considering fresh human flesh preferable to rotting

rat meat, the beetles leap from the half-eaten carcass
into your path, ready to take you on. Fight the insects
two at a time.
SKILL STAMINA
First DEATH’S HEAD BEETLE’ 6 D
Second DEATH’S HEAD BEETLE 5 s)
Third DEATH’S HEAD BEETLE 6 6
Fourth DEATH’S HEAD BEETLE vi 6
If you kill the carrion feeders, turn to 136.

Ey£2]
96
96
You hack and slash at the ghostly wolf but your
sword simply passes straight through it. However,
the dire spectre has no difficulty in harming you. The
phantasm savages you with teeth and claws before
leaving you for dead on the cold ground and moving
onto its next victim. (Lose 6 STAMINA points.) If you
survive the attack, you slowly lose consciousness
listening to the desperate cries of the Strigoivans as
they struggle against seemingly insurmountable odds
to rid themselves of the spectral pack...
You come to the next day, lying on the cold, hard
ground where the villagers left you, having been
driven back while fending off the ghostly wolves of
the Howling. From the position of the sun’s white disc
in the leaden sky, you judge that you have slept well
into the following afternoon, although you feel no
better for it. Beyond the eastern boundary of the
village you are confronted by a parting of the ways.
Will you follow the road as it divides to the north (turn
to 160) or the east (turn to 478)? Or will you take the
less well-used track into the forest, which lies a mile
or so to the north-east of Strigoiva (turn to 8)?
 97

You enter a chamber that is really a natural chimney,

rising into the gloom above, from which you can feel
movement in the cold, moist air of the cave complex.
And the breeze is not all that is moving in the cave.
Two zebra-striped spiders leap out of the shadows.
Each of them is over four feet long, their short power-
ful legs hurling them high into the cavern to drop
down on you from above. Fight the Giant Jumping
Spiders one at a time.

SKILL STAMINA
First GIANT JUMPING SPIDER 7 4
Second GIANT JUMPING SPIDER 6 5

If either of the spiders wins its first Attack Round, its

leaping assault knocks you to the floor. This means
that you spend the next Attack Round getting up
again (unless your have the Quickening special ability
in which case you jump to your feet straight away).
This means that you must fight the next round of
battle with your Attack Strength reduced by 1 point. If
you defeat the two spiders, which way will you take
out of the chimney-cave?

A tunnel through which the moist breeze

is channelled? Turn to 368
A narrow crawl-space? Turn to 122
A passageway strewn with rough,
broken stones? Turn to 207
A pit-like hole in the floor of the cave? Turn to 31

Ce}Ee]
98
98
Another night under the stars beckons, so leaving the
road you make a bed for yourself among the fallen
leaves that have collected beneath a stand of beech
trees. Fatigued by your travails, you are just dropping
off to sleep when a flapping sound in the branches
above rouses you again. Fully awake, you listen more
carefully to the sound: it is like the beating of wings,
and — from the gusts of air sweeping down over you
and stirring the leaves within the hollow — large ones
at that. Then you see it, silhouetted for a moment
against the moon. It looks semi-humanoid but for a
huge pair of moth-like wings. Soundlessly, the night-
hunter descends. You see long, feathery antennae,
large multifaceted eyes, a grey furred body and aslash
of mouth filled with needle-sharp teeth. Without
making any noise, this curious nocturnal hunter
closes in for the kill. .
MOTH-MAN SKILL7 STAMINA 7
 99-100
If you defeat your assailant you spend the rest of the
night without any further disturbances and, in the
morning are on your way again. Turn to 500.

99
As you battle on against the snarling demonic hound,
the door of the chapel opens and a wild-haired man,
wearing a worn and patched robe and sporting an
equally unkempt beard, dashes out of the building
brandishing a large silver cross in one hand. ‘Begone,
devil!’ he shouts, spittle flying from his lips. ‘Begone,
hound of Hell, back to the pit that spawned you!’ At
that the Shuck breaks off its attack, snarls savagely at
the man, who thrusts the silver cross even closer, and
then turns tail, fleeing into the embrace of night. Turn
to 367.

100
You heave open the huge book and start to flick
through its pages. As you do so, a strong smell of
sulphur fills the library and a thick black cloud
coalesces in front of you. You jump back startled,
knocking the book from the lectern, but hear nothing
as it crashes to the ground. The cloud solidifies into a
vaguely man-like shape, with strong, clawed arms,
velvety black skin and — most horribly of all — no face!
Trapped within the demon’s veil of silence you
prepare to defend yourself against the Silent Death.
SILENT DEATH SKILL10 STAMINA 10

Being a demon, the Silent Death can only be harmed

by magical weapons or ones cast from silver. If you

Pd
101-102

have neither, the demon will slay you where you

stand. If you can defend yourself, and you manage to
kill the Silent Death, turn to 459.

101
The bare stone walls of the chamber drip with black
slime and patches of grey mould bloom in the
crumbling crevices. The air smells of rot and damp
earth. There is nothing of note in the vault, other than
the gaping black mouth of a wide, stone-walled pit in
the middle of the packed earth floor. Once again you
find yourself wondering what happened here. Roll
two dice. If the total is less than, or equal to, your
current CHANGE score, turn to 33; if it is greater, turn
to 214. :

102
You climb a broad flight of steps up to the grand
entrance of the tower. Testing the double doors you
find that they are not locked and so, cautiously push
them open. You enter a large, circular entrance hall, its
floor polished white marble inlaid with darker stones
to produce the heraldic crest of the noble house that
rules the people of Maun. But what a house it must be,
for the crest is that of a human skull surmounted by a
bat with wings outstretched. A sudden gust of wind
rises from nowhere, sweeping through the hall and
slamming the door shut behind you. Torches in wall-
sconces burst into flame in its wake. You try the
doors but they are now locked, and no amount of
struggling on your part can force them open again.
You shudder at the prospect of what might await you
within the Tower of Maun, but there is no going back
now. On the other side of the entrance hall a broad,
polished stone staircase spirals both up to the top of
the tower and down to a cellar level and beyond. On
first inspection it appears that the staircase gives
access to seven floors above, as well as a cellar and
crypt level below. You have no choice but to explore
this dark domain further. Where will you explore
first?

The crypt? Turn to 297

The cellar? Turn to 138
The ground floor (where youarenow)? Turn to 126
The first floor? Turn to 187
The second floor? Turn to 217
The third floor? Turn to 348
The fourth floor? Turn to 284
The fifth floor? Turn to 408
The sixth floor? Turn to 435
The seventh floor? Turn to 273
 103
103
Tearing your eyes away from the cold gaze of the
moon, you pull your cloak even tighter about you in
an attempt to keep out the freezing chill. Deciding it
would be best to keep moving for fear of succumbing
to hypothermia, you continue onwards through the
icy night. And then you catch sight of something
darting through the wintry woods. But when you turn
your head to get a clearer view of the glittering figure
it is gone again. Folk-lore has it that the wild, untamed
places of this accursed land are haunted by elemental
spirits, not evil as such but capricious, their intentions
unknowable and therefore just as dark and unsettling.
With another sharp drop in the temperature around
you, the being reveals itself, leaping onto the path. It
is no more than three feet tall and looks like it is made
entirely out of ice. Its hair consists of spiky upstanding
icicles, its nose and chin are pointed and sharp, its
arms and legs stick-thin. The creature’s hands and
feet end in glinting talons of ice and its mouth is
spread unnaturally wide in a shark-like grin. The
sprite cocks its head on one side, and fixes you with
its penetrating ice-blue gaze. Its teeth are never still,
chattering constantly. All the while it gibbers to itself:
‘Icicle nose and frozen toes, shudder and judder come
the snows. Slivers of ice and frost are nice, leave the
hearth and pay the price!’ The curious creature
continues its caper about on the frozen path in front of
you, effectively blocking your way. If you think you
know the ice sprite’s name, turn to 118. If not how will
you proceed from here? If you want to threaten the
creature to make it leave you alone, turn to 218. If you

[]
104-105
would rather try another, less aggressive, approach,
turn to 265.

104
Archer’s Arrows is a straightforward game of skill.
Archer — for it is he who runs the stall — and his
assistant, an attractive young woman, have set up
three targets at the back of his booth: 1 Gold Piece
buys you three arrows with which you have to hit the
targets, one in each. If you do not want to play turn to
167 now; if you do, read on.
You hand over your money to Archer who says to his
assistant, ‘Come on, Leisel, give our challenger his
three arrows.’ (If you have the codeword Retsis on
your Adventure Sheet after you have finished playing,
turn to 117.)
To hit the first target with the first arrow you much
Test your Skill: you succeed if you make a successful
roll. Do the same for the second target and arrow but
add 1 to the number you roll when Testing your Skill,
and on the third go add 2 to the number rolled. If you
succeed with all three rolls you win 5 Gold Pieces and
then have to leave the stall (turn to 167). If you fail
any of the rolls you lose. You may have up to three
goes before you have to move on from here (turning
to 167).

105
You find yourself in a luridly decorated chamber.
On display are all manner of musical instruments,
lutes, viols, horns, a harp and an ornately painted

PIC
 106-107
harpsichord. Another door leads out of the Music
Room on the opposite side of the chamber. You start
to cross the roonr but are barely halfway across when
a great cacophonous noise erupts from the instruments
around you, a jangling of bells, twanging of harp-
strings, jingling of keys, crashing of chords and
trumpeting of horns. As the spectral music continues,
you run for the second door. Roll two dice. If the total
is less than, or equal to, your CHANGE score, turn to
225. If it is greater, you make it out of the room
suffering no ill after effects (turn to 321).

106
Unnatural Vigour — Your continued transformation
into a Werewolf has granted you an increased
metabolism and resistance to damage. After a battle
you may restore up to half the number of STAMINA
points you lost during the fight. Also, if you suffer any
injuries outside a combat situation you may reduce
the damage sustained by 1 point. Make a note of this
new special ability on your Adventure Sheet and then
turn to the paragraph with the same number as the
one you were last instructed to write down.

107
You hurry over to Ulrich. At first you are thrilled to
see that he is not dead — he lies there with one hand
clamped over the wound to his throat — but then you
realise that there is something else terribly wrong. By
the light of your lantern you see that Ulrich’s eyes
have turned blood-red and his face is pulsating, as

Ee]Ee
108

though the bones beneath are rearranging themselves.

The wounded woodsman fixes you with that same
red-eyed stare. ‘Run!’ is the one discernible word he
manages to utter before his voice becomes an animal
roar. Backing away in horrified disbelief you cannot
tear your eyes away as Ulrich suffers his own flesh-
warping transformation. His body swells, bursting
his clothes at the seams, becoming covered in thick
brown hair. At the same time the whole shape of his
head changes — gaining a snout and fang-filled maw —
while his hands change into heavy ‘paws. He too is a
skin-changer but the second skin he wears beneath
his human one is that of a wild bear! Rising on its hind
legs, bellowing ferociously, the Werebear attacks! You
have no choice but to fight your friend.
WEREBEAR SKILL8 STAMINA 10

Slow to anger and yet highly dangerous once aroused,

Ulrich the Werebear is a formidable opponent. If he
wounds you more than twice, add 1 to your CHANGE
score. If you win this battle, turn to 200.

108
After everything you have been told or discovered so
far, you really do begin to imagine that this is all too
easy. Lowering the cup you take a step towards the
monk, trying to peek under his cowl. The unexpected
blow comes from behind as a blunt instrument cracks
across the back of your head. You fall unconscious to
the floor of the herbarium. Lose 2 STAMINA points and
turn to 16.

Esl i
 109-110
109
‘Since my grandfather’s time there has been talk of the
wild woods round these parts being haunted. Every
once in a while a wandering beggar or a child would
stray from the path and get lost in the woods, never to
be seen again. Whenever that happened the village
folk would always look knowingly at one another and
say, “The Howling called them and they went.””
‘But what is the Howling?’ you ask.
‘Some say it is the call of the wild. Some that it’s the
ghosts of all the animals that have been hunted to a
violent end in the wild woods,’ Konrad goes on. ‘But
whatever it is, over the last year there have been more
and more strange occurrences, until last month when
the attacks began. But you'll see for yourself soon
enough.’
None the wiser, but feeling a lot less certain, you do
what you can to prepare to face whatever it is that is
threatening Strigoiva. Turn to 395.

110
Your foot touches a flagstone, which is the trigger for
another trap. The floor drops away and you cannot
stop yourself plummeting through the trapdoor into
a vertical chute. You drop down the pipe until another
opening appears beneath you. You pass through the
hole to find yourself freefalling through the air into
the Garou Gorge, the protruding turret vanishing
into the velvet night sky above you. There is no way
that you can survive a fall from such a height. Your

EY Es
111

adventure ends with your body smashed to pieces on

the rocks at the bottom of the gorge far below.

111
You wake from a feverish and terrifyingly realistic
dream, in which a wolf is snapping at you with
slavering jaws. You open your eyes and find yourself
looking up at the cobwebbed rafters of a wooden
shack. You are suddenly brought back to the present
with a start, a rush of unbidden and unpleasant mem-
ories whirling through your mind. You remember
catching sight of the hut between the trees, a beacon
of hope in the cold, wolf-haunted night. Your next
recollection is a painful one — the savage attack by the
Black Wolf — and then you recall the face of the
woodsman peering down at you, his axe gripped
firmly in his meaty hands, its sharp edge ruddy with
the wolf’s blood. 1
But now you are lying on the uncomfortable, straw-
stuffed mattress of a pallet bed. You force yourself to
sit up and gasp in pain from the savage wolf bite you
received to your shoulder. “You want to take care of
that,” you hear a gruff voice say and you turn in
surprise — wincing again as the wound smarts — to see
a thickset, bearded man sitting at a table next to a
stone chimney breast, smoking a pipe. His careworn
face is lit by the dull orange glow of a fire, crackling in
the hearth. ‘I’ve cleaned and dressed the wound as
best I can but its going to take time to heal.’ A candle
burns in the window and outside all is shrouded in
darkness.

Hs) Es
Not really sure where you are, who the man is, or why
he’s chosen to take care of you, you mumble your
thanks. ‘Come, sit. There’s something I have to show
you.’ Cautiously you rise from the bed and join the
man at the table. ‘I’m Ulrich, and I make my living as
forester in these wild woods,’ he says, proffering his
hand as you take a seat. On the table in front of the
woodsman is a bundle of coarse, bloodstained cloth,
and you find yourself wondering why a seemingly
decent man would want to live out here in such a
wild, isolated and dangerous place.
‘What happened?’ you ask, unable to take your eyes
off the crimson bundle that lies between the two of
you. And so Ulrich relates his version of events. He
was inside his shack when he heard the wolves
howling and your cries. Taking up his axe, he rushed
to your aid. -
‘Imanaged to lay a savage wound on that black wolf,’
he explains. ‘Sent it packing, the rest of its sorry pack
scurrying after, once they saw their leader bested.’
‘You wanted to show me something,’ you remind
Ulrich.
‘Indeed I do,’ he mutters, and begins to unwrap the
bundle in front of him. ‘I told you I dealt the wolf a
savage blow. Well, in fact, I cut off its paw. At least, it
was a paw to begin with . . .’ Ulrich peels back the last
strip of bloodstained cloth, ‘But tell me, does that look
like a paw to you?’
Lying on the table in front of you is a gnarled black-
furred claw, somewhere between a human hand and
a wolf’s paw. Horror twists your heart in its chilling
grip. Before Ulrich even has a chance to explain, you
already know what he is going to say. “That wasn’t a
wolf that attacked you out there in the woods tonight.
Itwasa...’

‘Werewolf!’ you finish. You know what this means. It

would explain your feverishness and horrible hallucin-
atory dream. For the bite of a werewolf —a man cursed
to take on the form of a wolf when moonlight bathes
the world — carries the dread disease of lycanthropy,
the selfsame affliction that is responsible for its own
ghastly transformation. It is as good as a death
sentence, for without a cure, the only future you can
look forward to is one of madness and murder, as the
wolf inside you struggles to free itself and satisfy its
bloodlust.
You stare at the grotesque object lying on the table.
Even as you watch, it appears to become more
human and less animal in form. Seeing your reaction,
Ulrich says, ‘This is an evil thing and should be
destroyed. Throw it into the fire and be done with it.’
 112-113
Do you want to throw the changing hand into the fire
immediately (turn to 290), or do you want to take a
closer look at it first (turn to 139)?

. 112
You skilfully take control of the horses and the stage-
coach. Then, animal senses suddenly flaring, you hear
a terrible roar from behind and feel your blood turn to
ice. Turning, you see the huge and dreadful form of
the Werebeast as it leaps over the back of the carriage,
claws outstretched to tear you limb from limb. If you
have a crossbow or pistol, and something to fire, turn
to 49. If not, turn to 206.

113
At your killing blow the demon dog slumps to the
ground, the bulging milky orb of its blind eye still
staring up at you. As you watch, the Shuck’s body
begins to bubble and smoke, dissolving into a foul
black slime, until all that is left are a few bones and its
yellowed fangs. You look up to see that the door to the
chapel-shrine is open. A wild-haired man, dressed in
a worn and patched robe and sporting an equally
unkempt beard, is standing at the threshold holding a
large silver cross. He has seen everything. ‘It appears I
owe you a debt of thanks,’ the guardian of the shrine
says. ‘May the gods bless you.’ Regain 1 LUCK point
and lose 2 CHANGE points thanks to the priest’s
blessing. Add the codeword Nomed to your Adventure
Sheet and turn to 367.

min
114-115
114
At your final, killing stroke, the giant maggot goes
into its death-throes. Convulsing violently, it thrashes
about in the slick mess of its own yellow ichor-blood.
Its segmented tail hits one of the incense-burning
braziers, sending the brass stand crashing to the floor
and hot coals cascading across the flagstones of the
sanctuary. Several of these come to rest among the
gathered swathes of church vestments. In mere
moments the fabric is alight and seconds later fire has
seized hold of the Abbey building. It somehow seems
fitting that the corruption that was at work here
should now be purged with fire. (Regain 1 LUCK
point.) ;
Taking nothing from this desecrated temple, you flee
the Abbey. No one tries to stop you as you run back
through the courtyard to the main entrance, and from
there you follow the winding track back through the
crags. By the time you return to the highway, the night
sky to the east is lit up for miles around by the blazing
beacon of the burning Abbey.
Eventually you can go no further without stopping to
rest. You sleep fitfully, in a ditch beside the road, and
come the morning you are on your way again. Turn
to 500.

T15
You deliver what you would have thought was a
killing blow against the Highwayman’s body. But
what's this? The undead criminal still stands, laughing
at your vain attempts to destroy him. “You cannot kill

[Ee
 116

What does not live!’ the Headless Highwayman

declares triumphantly. Barely controlling your rising
sense of panic, you choose a different course of action.
Will you try to destroy the symbol marked out on the
floor of the stable (turn to 241), snatch up the skull
(turn to 295) or run for it while you still can (turn
to 93)?

116
Making your way between the tall, sharply pitched
buildings, you arrive at the village square, where an
impromptu meeting appears to be taking place. The
villagers present are all carrying pitchforks, scythes
and other objects, which might well be improvised
weapons. As soon as they become aware of your
presence, a hush falls over the assembled throng and
all eyes fix on you, making you feel incredibly uncom-
fortable. A lean, middle-aged man, with thinning grey
hair and wearing a chain mail-covered leather tunic,
detaches himself from the crowd and approaches you.
117
He holds his hands open to show that he means no ill,
but the scabbarded sword buckled to his belt and the
steely look in his eyes suggest this man is not to be
fooled with. ‘Ho, friend,’ he calls. ‘We don’t get many
strangers visit us in these parts. Where are you from
and what can we do for you?’ How will you answer
the man’s question? Will you tell him the truth, that
you were travelling through the backwoods when
you were attacked by a pack of wolves (turn to 57)?
Will you tell him that you were travelling from
Pritzbad to Saarven when you left the road and
became lost in the forest (turn to 135)? Or will you tell
him that you are a wandering sword-for-hire in search
of an employer who might appreciate your services
(turn to 268)?

117
You beckon Archer’s assistant to one side. Once she
has confirmed that her name is Leisel you tell her how
you met her brother Hans at The Gibbet Tree. As you
tell her of his heartbroken search for her, in order to
bring her home again, she bursts into tears. ‘I was too
hasty,’ she says between sobs. ‘I should not have left
home so suddenly. Oh my poor Hans. I must return to
him. Thank you, stranger, for bringing me news of my
brother. May the gods bless you.’ You feel the warm
glow of a good job well done, and feel that you have
achieved something to help repair the broken relation-
ships of an unhappy home. Regain 1 LUCK point and
turn to 167.

LIE]
 118-119
118
Convert the letters of the winter elemental’s name
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 makes no sense you have got the creature’s
name wrong and you are going to have to try a
different approach. Will you threaten the creature to
let you pass (turn to 218), or will you try something
else (turn to 265)?

119
Bravely — or foolishly — you scoop up some of the
sludgy green broth in a ladle and raise it to your lips.
In one bold action you gulp down its contents. You
gasp at the foul taste and it is all you can do to stop
your gorge rising. Slowly the potion takes effect. A
warming glow spreads throughout your body,
revitalising every fibre of your being. You have just
swallowed some kind of healing potion. Restore
STAMINA points equal to half your Initial STAMINA
score, rounding fractions up, and reduce your CHANGE
score by 4 points (noting that it cannot drop below 1).
Feeling that there is hope yet for your cause, will
you now:
Look at the book? Turn to 338
Leave the kitchen and take the other
passageway leading from the
entrance hall? Turn to 340
Leave and pass through the double doors
at the top of the grand staircase? Turn to 146
 aly
eS :

“xe
on
 120-121

120
In a burst of brilliant blue-white light, lightning is
channelled through the various conducting rods and
wires to the table, on which lies the scientist’s ungodly
creation. The part-flesh, part-machine construct jolts
violently with the unbridled elemental power of the
storm coursing through it. And then the violence of
the tempest passes, its echo rumbling over the distant
mountain peaks. For a moment all is still, the air
around you hot with the smell of burnt ozone, but the
calm is short-lived. With a hiss of steaming pistons
and the clank of mechanical joints, the monstrous
creation staggers to its feet. Its jaw drops open, letting
out a terrible moaning wail. ‘It’s alive!’ the scientist
shouts with unbridled glee. ‘Never again will they
accuse Professor Arcanum of being a madman!’ and
then he bursts into a fit of hysterical laughter. ‘And to
think, you have had the honour of witnessing my
golem’s birth.’ The hulking construct turns to face you
and with lumbering, clanking steps advances on
you, arms outstretched. You know you must at least
attempt to stop this thing, which should never have
been given life at all. The only suitable weapon you
might have at your disposal is an Iron Rod. If you
have such an object, turn to 77. If not, you are going to
have to rely on cold steel once again (turn to 152).

12%
With all your weight hanging from one hand, as you
search for your next foothold, the brick you are
holding comes loose. Instinctively you let go and

Eg [
122

reach for another, but in your haste your clutching

fingers slip on the wet mould and finds no purchase.
Unbalanced, you lose your footing and plunge into
the pit. You hit the bottom with a splash, landing in a
foot of foul water, among heaps of tumbled stone,
jarring your shoulder and twisting your knee. (Lose 3
STAMINA points and 1 SKILL point.) Painfully, you pull
yourself to your feet. Turn to 221.

122
You find yourself following a slope downwards into a
cave, which is little more than a wide tunnel, with two
further tunnels leading off it. Gold gleams in the dark-
ness, a seam of the glittering yellow metal coursing
through one wall where it comes to the surface. Lying
face down on the ground, beneath the seam of gold, is
the body of a Dwarf. From the melted candle fixed to
his helmet and the pickaxe lying at his side, as well as
the pack still on his back, you take the Dwarf to be a
prospector. You cautiously crouch down next to the
body and feel for a pulse. The. Dwarf is dead, but what
killed him? Then you see the two puncture holes in
his neck. They look like those that might have been
made by a vampire — or a very large spider. If you
want to search the Dwarf’s body, turn to 266. If not,
you will have to leave this dividing of the ways: but
which way will you go?
Along the narrow crawl-space of an exit? Turn to 97
Along a wide circular tunnel? Turn to 14
Along a stalactite-hung passageway? Turn to 442
 123-124
123
You notice that the man wears various charms on
chains around his neck. One of these starts to pulse
with a warm yellow light and he grabs hold of it, as if
for reassurance. ‘Just as I suspected,’ he says darkly,
‘the Were is upon you, night creature!’ Your feel that a
battle is inevitable, and draw your sword in readiness.
Turn to 465. 7

124
Bidding Grandmother Zekova a hasty farewell, you
head into the night once more, Ulrich at your side.
You are determined to run the insane lunatic to
ground and put an end to this living nightmare. It is
not hard to mark the wolves’ passing. You soon find
yourselves descending a path at a stumbling run, the
trail strewn with exposed roots. You become aware of
distant yelps and howls. Behind you comes a sudden,
snarling roar: you turn to see the Black Wolf launch
itself from the deep darkness between the trees. But
this time it is Ulrich who is the target — the creature
has revenge on its mind. You hear a sickening crunch
and Ulrich howls in pain as the wolf sinks its teeth
into his throat. Then the woodsman lies still. You
watch, frozen for a moment in disbelieving horror, as
the wolf rises from Ulrich’s prone form and you
realise that it is now standing on its hind legs. Only
the creature is a wolf no longer. Its body is shaped
more like that of a man, although it is still covered in
coarse black fur and has the unmistakeable snout and
arrow-tip ears of a wolf. It has become something

[fe
125-126
more than beast and less than human. Lips curling
back from bloodied fangs, the Black Werewolf growls
menacingly and turns towards you. You have no
choice but to fight.
BLACK WEREWOLF SKILL7 STAMINA 7
The beast will not run from this fight and you will not
let it. One way or another, this will be a fight to the
death. If you prevail, turn to 229.

125
The instant the exposed flame of your lantern touches
the hanging cobwebs, the silken strands burst into
flame. The fire spreads rapidly throughout the cham-
ber, with the monster trapped at its centre. With the
Spider-Queen’s blood-chilling screams echoing in
your ears, you flee the bejewelled cave. The cavern
consumed by flames, thick black smoke pours into the
network of underground tunnels: you will not be able
to re-enter the cave now. If you are going to continue
searching the caves beneath Sundered Peak, make a
note that if you are ever given the option of visiting
paragraph 442 you may not choose that path. There
are only two exits from this place. Will you follow the
tunnel of stalactites (turn to 122) or the stalagmite
tunnel (turn to 405), or will you quit the spider-
infested caves altogether (turn to 331)?

126
The footprint of the Tower of Maun is larger than you
had at first thought. The main tower keep obviously
rises above the more extensive layout of the ground

Ey
 127
floor. You find kitchens and storage rooms (and man-
age to find enough dry goods to make up 3 Meals
worth of Provisions) but the most impressive room is
a large banqueting hall. The table, which is set for 30
dinner guests, has been laid for supper — but how long
ago? The plates, candlesticks and empty goblets are
all covered in the fine gossamer veils of spider-webs.
You may take a pair of Silver Candlesticks from the
table but there is really nothing else of use to you here.
Turn to 7.

127
‘Mirror, mirror, hear me speak. The Silver Dagger is
what I seek.’ As soon as you have spoken, the glass in
front of you appears to ripple and your reflection
fades. It is replaced by the image of a finely crafted
Silver Dagger, its hilt towards you. (Regain 1 LUCK
point.)
Add the Silver Dagger to the Equipment List on your
Adventure Sheet. You may use the dagger in combat, if
you wish, but because it is not balanced in the same
way as your sword, you must fight with your Attack
Strength reduced by 1 point. However, injuries you
cause any creature with the word ‘Were’ in its name
128

will suffer increased damage (3 STAMINA points rather

than the usual 2) as the pure metal is inimical to their
kind. The Silver Dagger will also harm Undead and
Demons but in this case will cause the usual 2 STAMINA
points of damage.
Certain that you are one step closer to defeating the
evil that holds all of Lupravia in its taloned grip, and
freeing yourself from the Curse of the Werewolf, you
leave the turret room, return to the Map Room, and
pass through the other door. Turn to 321.

128
Fingertips brush against the fibrous root and then,
with a lurch, you manage to grasp hold as you sink
another few inches into the peaty morass. It is a slow
and tiring process but in the end you manage to pull
yourself out of the swamp, until you lie panting for
breath on the grassy mound. As you lie there, feeling
strength return to your aching limbs, you become
aware of a pulsating light close by. Looking up you
can see flickering marshlights hovering over the boggy
ground, glowing with a scintillating green lumines-
cence. The movement of the bobbing balls of light is
hypnotic and you are entranced by the strange darting
movements of one in particular. The glowing marsh-
light is surging towards you, and is now pulsing a
malevolent crimson. You barely have time to get to
your feet and unsheathe your sword before the Will-
o’-the-Wisp is upon you, intent on feeding off your
life-force.
WILL-O’-THE-WISP SKILL10 STAMINA 6

ETE]
 129-130
The magical creature can be harmed by the cold steel
of the blade you wield but it fights back with sizzling
bolts of energy. Every time it makes a successful hit
against you, the malevolent marshlight will cause
you 3 STAMINA points of damage. If you kill the Will-
o’-the-Wisp, the unknown forces holding its form
together dissipate into the air, leaving behind the
sharp smell of ozone, as the creature fizzes away to
nothing. Turn to 342.
129
The monk admits you to the Abbey, leading you
through the complex of stone buildings to the dormi-
tory reserved for wandering pilgrims. The monk
shows you to a simple pallet bed and then departs. A
little later another monk — his face hidden by the cowl
of his robe like the first — brings you a bowl of
stemming broth and a cup of clear water. Do you want
to eat the food the monk has brought you (turn to 145),
or would you rather eat your own provisions (or
nothing at all) before settling down for the night (turn
to 164).
130
On tiptoe you reach up and run your fingers over the
image of Castle Wulfen, as the old witch advised. The
castle gates feel slightly raised and, confident that this
is the opening mechanism for the secret door, you
apply pressure at this point. With a click, a door
hidden within the painting of the map of Lupravia —
that you would never have been able to find otherwise
— swings open. Beyond is a narrow stone staircase. Do
you want to climb this new staircase (turn to 512) or

[-]4]
131-133
would you rather leave the Map Room through the
door in the far wall (turn to 321)?

131
Taking a deep breath you approach the bar and
enquire as to the cost of a room for the night. ‘Three
gold pieces, half board,’ he says, ‘one gold piece for
just the room.’ If you are willing to pay the 3 Gold
Pieces, you find that half board includes a tankard of
ale and a cold, spit-roast chicken, which restores up to
4 STAMINA points. If you only pay for the room you
will have to eat one meal’s worth of Provisions to
restore any energy. Whatever you decide, you may
now either retire to your room (turn to 258), or stay in
the bar and try speaking to the landlord (turn to 155),
the barmaid (turn to 188) or the intense young man
(turn to 220).

132
‘Balci lies to the north and further east of here is Maun,
but that’s a good day’s journey away. And on the other
side of the forest you'll find the town of Vargenhof,
although word has it that that place too has fallen on
hard times.’ Now turn to 395.

133
If you killed the Arch-Lycanthrope with the Wulfen
Sword, turn to 464. If not, you do not have the means
to stop the demon from resurrecting Count Varcolac,
and there is no way you will be able to prevail against
the Werewarg Prince of Lupravia. Your adventure will
end here, at the dread claws of the first of the Wulfen
Werewolf line.

eae
 134-135
134
‘Step this way,’ the sinister Carnivale Master says with
a twinkle in his eyes. You toss him 2 Gold Pieces, which
he catches in his top hat. ‘Stay an hour or stay all day,’
he chirrups, “but enjoy your stay, come what may.’
Passing beneath the ‘Carnivale’ banner you explore
the fair beyond. There are six different spectacles that
capture your interest. The first is a midnight-blue tent
embellished with silver moons and stars, bearing the
banner: ‘Madame Zelda — Mistress of Mystery’. The
second is a gaudily painted wagon with the legend
‘Hall of Mirrors’ painted on the side. Next comes the
ominous sounding ‘Cage’ and after that a stall called
‘Archer’s Arrows’. Then there is a one-man puppet
show, ‘Master of Marionettes’, which is attracting
quite a crowd. Last of all there is a large tent at the
centre of the Carnivale, which has a threatening pair
of glowering eyes and fang-filled open mouth painted
on the thick canvas. Outside the drawn back entrance
flap is the sign ‘Crookshanks’ Cabinet of Curiosities’.
Which of these exhibits would you like to visit first?
Madame Zelda, Mistress of Mystery? Turn to 149
The Hall of Mirrors Turn to 63
The Cage? Turn to 445
Archer’s Arrows? Turn to 104
The puppet show? Turn to 430
Crookshanks’ Cabinet of Curiosities? Turn to 41

135
‘Lost, you say?’ The man’s steely eye never wavers as
he considers your story. In an effort to convince him

Eo]Ey
A
soos
LA
8
NY

N +)

XW
syd
AL SEE
 136-137

you begin to babble, embellishing your tale with

pertinent details. You are not lying exactly; you are
just being a little economical with the truth. Test your
Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 268. If you are Unlucky,
turn to 57.

136
The passageway eventually ends at a small, circular
chamber, really no more than an extended alcove. The
floor of the space has been hollowed out to form a
stone bowl, and inside this is a writhing mass of
glistening black Leechworms. You are about to turn
and go back the way you have come when you notice
what looks like the handle of a dagger protruding
from the repulsive, rippling mass. You could almost
believe someone was breeding vermin down in these
dungeons. Do you want to reach into the pit to take
hold of the hilt and pull it out (turn to 482) or would
you rather return to the junction (turn to 181)?

137
Once the farmer and his wife are out of the way you
make your move against the Changeling. The creature
hisses and spits at you, baring claws and needle-sharp
teeth. You, in turn, trust in cold steel, folk-lore having
it that iron is inimical to such as the Changeling.
CHANGELING SKILL6 STAMINA 5
If the Changeling wounds you more than once, add 1
to your CHANGE score. As soon as you defeat the imp,
turn to 493.
138-140
138
The candlelit cellar houses an extensive wine collec-
tion, racks and bottles thick with dust. Many of the
bottles stored here are centuries old — completely
undrinkable and yet worth a fortune to the right
collector. But you are not here as a connoisseur. On a
table, however, you find a number of dusty bottles of
red wine and some of a clear spirit, a number of them
already uncorked. Do you want to drink some of the
red wine (turn to 153), some of the clear spirit (turn to
171) or would you rather leave the wine cellar and
look elsewhere (turn to 7)?

139
Taking the hand in your own, by the flickering amber
light of the fire you examine it. The hand is now
almost completely human, except that it still sports
particularly long and hardened claw-like nails. But
there is something else. On the middle finger there is a
large gold signet ring bearing a remarkable crest on
its circular face. The crest shows a howling wolf’s
head against a full moon. If you want to keep this
morbid curiosity, add the Signet Ring to the
Equipment list on your Adventure Sheet. Turn to 290.

140
And so you come at last to Wulfenstein. Its buildings
are dusted with snow and cling to the edge of the
Garou Gorge, a great rift that drops hundreds of feet
from these mountainous highlands to the Raging
River that lies in thundering spray and darkness far
below. The rundown village is watched over by a
 141-143
brooding castle that stands at the lip of the cliff, high
above Wulfenstein, its broken battlements forming a
jagged line against the sky. Dusk is spreading its
purple-grey mantle over the snow-capped mountains
to the north, which in turn cast their shadows across
the roofs of the village. Your first impression is that it
is a feral place, more home to animals than humans.
Mangy curs pick over detritus in the streets and there
is no one to check your progress. If you have the
codeword Aytak recorded on your Adventure Sheet,
turn to 196. If not, turn to 19.

141
If you are able to fight with a Silver Dagger, turn to
192. If you do not have such a weapon, turn to 173.

142
Creeping along the passageway you enter a section
that is the size of a small room, where several tunnels
meet within the heart of Sundered Peak. Test your Skill.
If you succeed, turn to 292. If you fail, turn to 383.
(If you have been here before, turn to 236 straight
away.)

143
Still feeling uneasy, trying to shake the paranoid
feelings of malicious intent,’ you return to the road.
Aware that twilight is rapidly giving way to night,
will you now make for the sanctuary among the peaks
to the east (turn to 11) or press on north towards
Vargenhof, knowing that you will have to make camp
under the stars (turn to 98)?

zie
144-146

144
Determined to complete your search for the Arch-
Lycanthrope and free yourself from its cursed legacy,
you press east along the road until well after sunset.
The moon rises, almost full now, the scudding
silhouettes of clouds whipped across it by the rising
wind. Shadows move on the road in the strobing
moonlight. You cannot help but stare at the glowing
disc of the moon, and as the moonlight is reflected in
your eyes, you feel a change occurring within every
fibre of your being. Make a note of the number 176 on
your Adventure Sheet and turn to 20.

145
You tuck into the hearty broth with great gusto and in
a matter of minutes you have emptied the bowl.
(Regain up to 4 STAMINA points.) You suddenly feel
very tired and lie down on the pallet bed. You are
asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow. Turn to 16.

146
Passing through the doors at the top of the staircase,
you find yourself in a much smaller, walnut-panelled
antechamber. Before you are two more walnut-
panelled doors. A brass plaque on the one to the left is

ETC
 147-149
etched with the words ‘Map Room’. A similar metal
plate on the door to the right reads ‘Music Room’. As
you can see no other way on, will you enter the Map
Room (turn to 180) or the Music Room (105)?

147
Drawing on all your reserves of desperate, adrenalin-
fuelled courage, with your sword raised above your
head, you charge the wolf even as it launches itself at
you. But having seized the initiative, it is you who
lands the first blow. The wolf squeals in pain, and
then, its pain turned to anger, it is upon you.
BLACK WOLF SKILL7 STAMINA 8
After two further Attack Rounds, or if you reduce the
Black Wolf’s STAMINA to 7 or less, whichever happens
first, turn at once to 271.

148
You turn from the maggot in horrified fear, intending
to run from the Abbey. But as you do so, the repellent
monstrosity convulses, vomiting copious amounts of
slime over you, which is of a highly acidic nature. Roll
one dice, divide the total by 2 (rounding halves up)
and add 3 to the number (giving you a total of between
4 and 6); reduce your STAMINA score by this many
points. If you are still alive, you are going to have to
fight the monster. Turn to 426.

149
Pulling aside the curtain hung across the entrance,
you step into the tent of moons and stars. A fug of

EJES)
150-151
incense smoke assails you. Sitting behind a circular
table draped with a blue velvet cloth is a middle-aged
woman, overly made-up and wearing layer upon
layer of coloured veils and shawls. On her head is a
crimson turban, held together by a sapphire pin. A
crystal ball rests in its carved ebony cradle in front of
her. ‘Welcome, stranger,), Madame Zelda says, her
accent strong and probably overdone for effect. “Cross
my palm with gold and I will reveal to you all that the
future has in store.’ If you want to pay for this
privilege, deduct the gold from your Adventure Sheet
and turn to 224. If you do not want to spend any
longer here, turn to 167.

150
A vicious barking snarl escaping from between the
Werewolf’s slavering jaws, the terribly changed Count
attacks.
ARCH-LYCANTHROPE SKILL12 STAMINA 16

If the Werewolf wounds you at all, add 1 to your

CHANGE score. If you reduce’ the Arch-Lycanthrope’s
STAMINA score to 6 points or less, or after seven Attack
Rounds — if you last that long — turn immediately to
503.

151
The hunting party makes it back to the town without
further ado, only to discover that the Beast has struck
again, this time to the south of Vargenhof, breaking
into a mill, slaughtering the miller and his family.
Without pausing to rest, you and the rest of the hunt

CE
 152-153
set off to the scene of the crime, but by the time you
get there the Beast is long gone. (Lose 1 LUCK point
and add 1 to your CHANGE score.) Returning once
more to the town meeting hall, you spend the rest of
the night camped inside the building, along with the
other hunters, When you wake it is well past noon
and time you were on your way. Turn to 507.

152
The hulking man-made monster advances on you
with heavy, lumbering steps, tiny blue sparks -
mirroring the storm raging across the heavens —
bursting in its eyes. The creature’s mouth opens in a
baleful moan as its fat, decaying fingers reach for your
neck.
GOLEM HULK | SKILLQ STAMINA 11
Every time the Golem wins an Attack Round, roll one
dice. On a roll of 5 or 6, the construct grabs you with
both hands and delivers a shocking burst of residual
electrical energy, for 3 STAMINA points of damage. If
you manage to defeat the shambling behemoth, turn
to 169.

153
You take a swig from one of the bottles and as you feel
the thick liquid trickle down your throat, you realise
your horrific mistake. Red wine in a supposed
Vampire’s castle! What were you thinking? It is not
wine that fills these bottles but human blood! You
recoil aghast, spitting to clear the foul taste from your
mouth, but the damage has already been done. The

[-]fe
 154
wolf inside you luxuriates at the taste of the blood and
takes a stronger hold on your body. (Add 1 to your
CHANGE score and lose 1 LUCK point.) Hurling the
bottle of blood to the floor, you cannot leave the cellar
fast enough. Turn to 7.

204
Your ascent of the pit shaft, although tiring, does not
come with any more nasty surprises and you haul
yourself into the subterranean chamber without suffer-
ing any unpleasant accidents. Still uncertain as to
what happened here, you know that there is nothing
else for you here and so make your way back through
the disorientating ruins.
An unholy ritual was carried out here years ago, a rite
so blasphemous that it has left its mark on the world.
The feeling of a lingering malignance is its legacy and
the longer you have spent in the ruins, the more that
insidious presence has fed on your own fears, until it
has become strong enough to manifest in physical
form. It appears before you now, a leering demonic
face coalescing out of the air in front of you. It is a
thing of nightmares, an amalgam of everything you
have ever feared. Vile writhing bodies and hairy
spider legs break through tears in the leathery skin of
the grotesque gargoyle face. And then the thing grows
wrongly jointed limbs of its own. The black hollows
of its eyes dripping with maggots, the Malice scuttles
towards you like a spider on legs that might be arms
and grabs for you with hands that might be feet, all
the time hissing like a susurration of cockroaches.

Ee Eo
155-156
THE MALICE SKILL8 STAMINAQ
If you defeat the Malice, the evil entity seems to melt
like wax and its pure black essence runs away into the
night-deepened shadows. Your heart pounding in
your chest, you run the rest of the way to the road.
Turn to 143.

155
‘Quiet night,’ you say conversationally, desperately
trying to improve the pervading mood of the bar and
yet not wishing to make mention of your recent,
unsettling experience on the road.
‘What do you expect?’ the man says. gruffly. ‘First that
wretched cur of a highwayman kept the customers
away thanks to his one-man crime wave, and now
he’s dead his ghost is scaring people off. I’m thinking
of selling up and taking my daughter to try our luck
in Bathoria, not that anyone would want to buy this
place.’
Embarrassed, you make your excuses and decide to
speak to the barmaid, whom you take to be the land-
lord’s daughter (turn to 188), or the young man (turn
to 220), or you can retire to your room (turn to 258).

156
You find yourself in a colonnaded nave. A pungent,
sickly sweet smell fills the mote-shot air, thick with
incense smoke, illuminated by smouldering charcoal
braziers. The murmur of plainsong echoes from the
barrel-vault of the choir. Drawn by the echoing chant,

Ee ES
 157-159
keeping to the shadows between the pillars, you creep
along the nave towards the incense-shrouded sanc-
tuary. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 80. If you
are Unlucky, turn to 439.

157
‘The Shuck is a terrible beast, a phantom hound, sent
to vex Father Corran, the priest who tends the shrine
of Saint Crucius and the healing well that lies there.
The shrine lies north and west of here across the
treacherous Fenmoor. The Shuck is said to have only
one eye, which is as cold and white as the moon, and
fangs like knives. Although how anyone can know
such things, I know not, for it is also said that those
who look upon the face of the beast die of fright.’ Add
the codeword Enirhs and turn to 395.

158
Further on along the passageway you to come to a
junction. Three short corridors lead away to the left,
to the right and straight ahead, all ending at doors
which, you presume, lead to other rooms. There are
no indicators as to what lies behind these doors so will
you choose the door:
To your left? Turn to 428
Straight ahead of you? Turn to 496
To you right? — Turn to 310

159
You have to crouch low to keep from cracking your
head on the rough rock of the ceiling only a matter of

Cs}Ee
160-162

inches above you. Emerging from this tunnel you find

yourself ina cold cave that is little more than a parting,
or converging, of the ways. Which way will you go
now?
Along a winding corkscrew tunnel? Turn to 31
Down a pebble-strewn passageway? Turn to 142
Follow a yellow quartz shaft? Turn to 70

160
You walk mile after mile along the road north, through
bleak grey hills, without seeing another soul abroad
on this late autumn day. The road rises out of the
desolate valley onto a stretch of windswept moorland.
You continue your way under a leaden sky as the sun
sinks towards the horizon. If you have the codeword
Enirhs recorded on your Adventure nee turn to 511; if
not, turn to 190.

161
The sorrowful voice continues its song and you feel
that it is speaking directly to you, even though no
clear words are ever uttered. Entranced by the mes-
merising voice, you find your feet turning from the
path towards the water’s edge. Test your Skill. If you
succeed, turn to 46. If you fail, turn to 64.

162
The spider-woman lets out a piercing scream and, all
eight legs moving simultaneously, gallops towards
you. In the battle to come, if you choose to defend
yourself with the Silver Dagger you recovered from

PIE
 163
the Goblin, any wounds you cause the monstrous
Black Widow will cause her 3 sTAMINA points of
damage, as the weapon has power over her, but you
will have to fight with your Attack Strength reduced
by 1 point. Now turn to 252 and face your fate.

163
Putting a hand to the equally unsteady banister you
begin to climb the stairs. You are almost at the top
when a thickset, hunched figure appears above
you on the next floor up. The man’s face is horribly
deformed, his hair long and lank. You realise that
he is hunched because he is, in fact, hunchbacked.
‘Mathter!’ the wretched creature shouts over his
shoulder. ‘We have been dithturbed!’
Another voice, this one free of impediments, calls
back, ‘Deal with it, Igor. The moment is close now, the
experiment cannot be interrupted. So deal with it!’
At his master’s command, the Hunchback creeps
down the staircase towards you, a heavy cosh raised
above his head.
HUNCHBACK SKILL6 STAMINA7
For the duration of this fight you must reduce your
Attack Strength by 1 point because of the precarious
position you are in halfway up the staircase with your
opponent above you. If the Hunchback wins two
consecutive Attack Rounds, turn to 393. If he does not,
and you manage to reduce his STAMINA to 5 points or
less, turn at once to 422.
164
164
Despite feeling fatigued by your travels you find, as
you lie tossing and turning on the hard pallet bed,
sleep does not readily come. There is something not
quite right about this place, no matter how warm the
monks’ welcome has been, and the wolf inside you
feels threatened too. Unable to sleep, you have to find
out more. Creeping through the darkness of the
complex — sword at your side, pack on your back —
you make your way out of the dormitory. At the top of
the monks’ night-stairs you pause, hearing voices. It
is the two monks from earlier and they are talking
about you! Then you hear one of them say, “The Abbot
will enjoy his audience with our pilgrim.’ There is a
sinister chuckle underlying the monk’s words.
‘Come,’ says the other, ‘let us not keep his bloated
eminence waiting any longer. The sleeping draught
will not last for much longer.’
There is no time to lose — the Black Monks are coming
for you and you cannot be certain how many there
are. You decide to use the fact that the monks probably
think you are asleep to your advantage, and hurry
 165-166
through the benighted Abbey hoping to make your
way back to the entrance and out again, before the
monks even realise you are gone. Your getaway seems
to be going to plan until, halfway along a flag-stoned
cloister a stone slab tilts beneath you and hinges
downwards, dropping you into a steeply sloping
chute. Unable‘to arrest your descent, you slide down
the pipe into a foetid darkness below. Turn to 194.

165
Explaining precisely how you came to acquire the
Silver Dagger you show Vereticus the exquisite blade.
His reaction is to pull down a scroll from a high shelf
and unroll it on his book-cluttered desk. On the scroll
a picture of a dagger has been drawn and it looks
exactly like the one you have in your possession.
‘Incredible!’ he exclaims. ‘And you say that this
dagger was in the possession of a snakewoman? Then
she must have been Serena the Sorceress of Saarven. I
believe it was she who led the actual Summoning
Ceremony. A sideshow freak, you say? Serpensa the
Snakewoman? Oh how the mighty have fallen. Well,
they do say that absolute power corrupts absolutely,
and never has it been more true.’ Now return to 260.

166
As the coach races along the road to Wulfenstein, the
wolves close in, snapping at the hooves of the
whinnying horses and snarling as they struggle to
gain the courage to make a leap for the carriage itself.
Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 239. If you are
Unlucky, turn to 223.

EE
167-169
167
Choosing a location you haven't been to already, will
you visit Madame Zelda, Mistress of Mystery (turn to
149), the Hall of Mirrors (turn to 63), the Cage (turn to
445), Archer’s Arrows (turn to 104), the puppet show
(turn to 430), Crookshanks’ Cabinet of Curiosities
(turn to 41), or alternatively, will you now leave the
Carnivale (turn to 186)?

168
‘Shiversprite!’ you shout. The creature’s reaction is to
practically jump out of its hoary skin. There is power
in knowing the true names of things, and to name of
an elemental creature such as this is to be able to
command it to do your bidding. Without a moment's
hesitation you declare that the sprite should ‘Begone!’
and with an ear-piercing shriek Shiversprite evapor-
ates into thin air. Regain 1 LUCK point and turn to 314.

169
The storm is wild as a ferocious beast. Lightning strikes
the top of the tower again. Who said that lightning
never strikes in the same place twice? Elemental
energy from the lightning storm ignites several fires
throughout the scientist’s lab. ‘My creature! My
beautiful creation!’ the deranged Professor Arcanum
howls and falls to his knees beside the smoking ruin
of his golem. And then, screeching like a wildcat, his
hunchbacked servant is upon you. (If you have fought
him already, reduce his STAMINA score listed below
accordingly.)
HUNCHBACK SKILL6 STAMINA 7

J]ES]
 170
If you win this fight with Igor in five Attack Rounds
or less, turn to 197. If it takes longer than five Attack
Rounds, turn to 184.

170
At various stalls around the square you find the sorts
of things you might be looking for.
Item Cost
Sword 10 Gold Pieces
Dagger 6 Gold Pieces
Rope and grapple 3 Gold Pieces
Crossbow and six quarrels 12 Gold Pieces
Breastplate 8 Gold Pieces
Lantern and tinderbox 3 Gold Pieces
Provisions 1 Gold Piece per Meal
The majority of the items listed do not need any
explanation. There are a few things you should be
aware of, however. The dagger is lighter and less
expensive than the sword, but if you fight with this
you must reduce your Attack Strength by 1 point. You
may use the crossbow once in each battle you fight
before having to engage in hand-to-hand combat (as
long as you still have quarrels to shoot); Test your Skill
and if you succeed your crossbow bolt costs your
opponent 2 STAMINA points. On a roll of 1-3 the
Breastplate will reduce any damage done against you
by 1 point. You may buy as many Meals’ worth of
Provisions as you can afford; each Meal will restore
up to 4 lost STAMINA points.
Make whatever purchases you desire (as long as you

[J]Le]
 171-172
have enough money, of course) and then decide what
you would like to do next. Will you:
Visit the alchemist-cum-metallurgist’s
stand? Turn to 54
Join the hunting party before the town
hall? Turn to 201
Leave Vargenhof altogether? Turn to 507

171
The vodka burns your mouth and throat as you take a
swig, but it is soon filling your whole body with a
radiant glow. You may restore up to 3 STAMINA points
for drinking the spirit, but the next time you are
instructed to Test your Skill you must reduce your
SKILL by 1 point. That said, the vodka also fills you
with renewed courage: for the duration of the next
battle increase your Attack Strength by 1 point. Do
you now want to drink some of the red wine (turn to
153) or will you now leave the cellar (turn to 7)?

172
Snarling and snapping at each other, two hideous
wolfish forms appear from around the end of the
street. At first you take them to be wolfmen. It is only
as they pass from the deeper shadows into a pool of
failing daylight that you make out rips in their
scabrous hides, through which can be seen bare bone,
green-grey internal organs and exposed ribs. Some-
times they move on their hind legs like men, some-
times on all fours — and they have your scent. Their
eyes burning balefires, the Werewargs — undead

[-) LE]
173-174
werewolves trapped in a decaying semi-lupine form —
attack! Fight these savage monsters together.
SKIEE STAMINA
First WEREWARG 7 8
Second WEREWARG 8 7
If you are wounded more than twice, add 1 to your
CHANGE score. If you survive your battle, turn to 390.
173
As the Vampiress slashes at you with the talons of her
bare hands, you fight back with cold steel. Although
the wounds you lay against the undead Countess
appear to injure her, they close bloodlessly moments
later. Conventional weapons cannot harm this creature
of the night and in the end her seemingly limitless,
iron stamina triumphs as your battle-fatigued body
eventually gives in. Without a blessed weapon to use
against her, the Vampiress tears your body to shreds.
Your adventure ends here.
174
At your killing blow, the monstrous creature sinks
back under the water. With the horror slain, you turn
your attention back to the Silver Sword. You feel drawn
to the weapon, your skin goose-pimpling in excited
anticipation. But something in these ruins is the cause
of the oppressive, almost overwhelming, atmosphere
of evil that pervades the place like a festering canker.
Do you want to reach into the water and take the blade
(turn to 267) or will you spend no longer in the dark
and damp, and climb out of the well-pit once more
(turn to 154)?
 175
175
The voices of the spectral creatures steadily over-
whelm your senses until it is the only sound you can
hear. It is as if the ghostly howling is speaking to the
wolf inside you. It strains to take control of your body
and as you try to fight the effect your muscles go into
spasm. (Add 1 CHANGE point.) Caught in a fit, you
pole-axe onto the ground, frothing at the mouth. And
there you remain while the Strigoivans do all they
can to rid themselves of the spectral pack, but to no
avail...
You wake next day, lying on the cold hard ground
outside Strigoiva where the villagers dumped you
after their traumatic night fighting the ghostly Howl-
ing. From the position of the white disc of the sun in
the leaden sky above you, you judge that you have
slept well into the following afternoon, although you
feel no better for it. Beyond the eastern boundary of
the village you are confronted by a parting of the
ways. Will you follow the road as it divides to the
north (turn to 160) or the east (turn to 478), or will you
take the less well-used track into the forest that lies a
mile or so to the north-east of Strigoiva (turn to 8)?
176-178
176
Distant thunder rolls across the sky and lightning
flashes over the mountains far to the north. A storm is
coming and you would do well to find somewhere to
sit it out. It is then that you catch sight of the
dilapidated windmill standing on a hill not 200 yards
up a track off the road. The ragged sails spin, turned
by the rising wind, and you can see the fitful flicker of
a light at a high window. Will you seek shelter within
the derelict windmill (turn to 235) or will you brave
the elements out in the open (turn to 198)?

177
Engaging the priest in conversation you soon turn to
the topic of the derelict state of the village. ‘It’s the
Lady of Maun,’ he confides. ‘I once thought she had
our best interests at heart but now I’m not so sure. It’s
why I’m still here; I want to do all I can to help. If
there’s evil at work in this place, its source lies within
Maun Tower. What we need is a brave adventurer to
challenge the cruel Countess in her lair. Will you take
up that quest?’ If you will, you must keep track of how
much advance warning the Countess has that you are
coming by means of an ALARM rating. Write down
on your Adventure Sheet that your ALARM rating is
currently o and then turn to 56. If you do not want to
take up the quest, you decide it is time to quit the
village altogether (turn to 350).

178
You gulp down the mixture and immediately feel sick
to the pit of your stomach. However, the potion has

[Ee
 179-180
had the desired effect and, although it has not actually
cured you of your lycanthropy, it has significantly
reduced its effects. Reduce your CHANGE score by 4
points (but note it cannot drop below 1) and regain 1
LUCK point. Vereticus tells you that, much as he would
like to offer you a bed for the night, he feels that you
should press ‘on in your search for the Arch-
Lycanthrope as, with the approach of the next full
moon, time really is of the essence. Thanking the
scholar for all his help, you leave the tumbledown
estate — but not before Vereticus has given you 3 Meals
of Provisions. Turn to 46.

179
‘In life he went by the name of Lord “Filthy” Lucre,’
Konrad explains. ‘His crimes were many — from
extortion and armed robbery, to horse-stealing and
cold-blooded murder — and his reputation spread far
and wide throughout this country and beyond. That
is until the roadwardens ran him to ground at The
Gibbet Tree inn. He met his end there and then, the
roadwarden’s captain beheaded the highwayman
with his own sabre in the stable yard of the inn. But it
was not long before people reported seeing Lord
Lucre abroad again. Then the disappearances began,
and it was said that Lucre was no longer after people’s
gold and riches, but was stealing away their souls in
revenge for his own untimely end.’ Now turn to 395.

180
The Map Room takes your breath away. There are no
scroll maps or atlases here. Instead, each wall, and

Ee]Eg
even the ceiling, has been painted with intricately
detailed maps. There is a map of all the provinces and
principalities of Mauristatia and one that shows the
entirety of the Old World. There is even a huge globe
standing in one corner, as tallas a man,a representation
of the whole of Titan. Covering the broad expanse of
the wall to your left is a decorative map of the land of
Lupravia, from Strigoiva in the south-west to the
town of Vargenhof, Wulfenstein shown balanced
precariously on the lip of the Garou Gorge to the
north-east. An exaggerated picture of Castle Wulfen
has been painted above the representation of the
village it watches over like some forbidding sentinel.
Although the room itself is a wonder, there is nothing
here of practical use to you and so you pass through a
door in the far wall, and into the corridor beyond.
Turn to 321.
 181-182

181
The passageway ends at another wooden door. You
pass through into an abandoned inquisitorial torture
chamber, thick with cobwebs. From there you pass
through a second door and climb a flight of stone
steps until you arrive at another. This plain wooden
door is also unlocked so, turning the handle, you step
through. Turn to 356.

182
Van Richten, the man you killed, might have been a
paranoid borderline psychotic, but ultimately he
fought on the side of Good, intent on saving the
people of Lupravia from their wretched fate. Although
you only put an end to him in self-defence, you have
helped Old Night tighten its grip on this world. (Lose
1 LUCK point.) A hasty search of the Vampire Hunter’s
body uncovers a purse containing 10 Gold Pieces and
a Silver Charm Necklace. Of course, there are also the
holy weapons of his righteous calling: his rapier blade
and the Flintlock Pistol, along with a pouch containing
six Silver Bullets. The rapier is lighter and easier to
wield than your own sword. If you choose to exchange
your weapon for this you may add 1 to your Attack
Strength in battles. Record any items you take on your
Adventure Sheet. (If you want to find out more about
how to use the Flintlock Pistol, you may turn to
paragraph 400 at any time, making a note of the
paragraph you are on at the time first.) You spend the
rest of the night with Van Richten’s corpse for
company, and in the misty grey haze of morning are
only too keen to be on your way again. Turn to 250.

[ E
183
183
‘Tell me what you know,’ you demand, your voice
barely more than a growl.
‘Count Varcolac was not always as he is now,’ the
crone explains. ‘Once he was an ordinary mortal man
but now he is something much greater, and much less.
For all his strength and invulnerability there is one
thing he fears, the touch of silver, and one weapon in
particular — a consecrated Silver Dagger. So much so,
in fact, that he has gone to great lengths to hide it
within the castle, while also keeping it near him, for
fear of anyone else chancing upon it and using its
power against him.’
‘Where can I find this dagger?’ you demand.
‘Not far from here,’ the witch stammers, fearful before
your bestial anger. ‘Return to the main hall where you
doubtless entered the castle and climb the stairs.
Beyond the double doors you want the Map Room. In
this room there is a secret door; the means of opening
it is hidden within the picture of Castle Wulfen itself.
 184
Beyond this door lies the dagger’s resting-place. It is
bound to be guarded but by what I do not know.’ This
is valuable information indeed. (Regain 1 LUCK point.)
If you ever find yourself in the Map Room, to look for
this secret door, deduct 50 from the paragraph you are
on at the time and turn to this new reference. ‘Now,
leave me in peace!’ the old crone snarls. Will you
leave, as she demands (turn to 467), or finish her first,
just to be sure (turn to 50)?

184
As the hunchback falls to the floor dead, flames lick-
ing at the banks of equipment around you, through a
flickering heat-haze you see the professor pull a bottle
of lurid green liquid from a shelf and down its
contents in only a few gasping gulps. He turns to face
you with fury in his eyes. As you watch, his body
begins to expand. His lab-coat rips along the seams as
his shoulders swell, his arms bulging with cords of
muscle. The man’s face and hands quickly become
covered with thick hair. Snorting like an enraged
185-187
bull, the transformed professor lumbers towards you,
knuckles dragging on the ground. You are no longer
facing the deranged genius Professor Arcanum, but
must now take on the raging animal side of his
personality - Arcanum Unbound!
ARCANUM UNBOUND SKILL10 STAMINA Q
If you overcome the changed professor, with your
killing blow you deliver him an almighty clout that
sends him reeling (turn to 197).

185
As you thought, the dark water of the pool is ice cold
and, as a result, wonderfully refreshing. In fact it is
better than that: there are minerals dissolved in the
water that revitalise your body, re-energising you.
(Regain 3 STAMINA points.) Return us 31 and choose a
way to proceed.

186
If you have the codeword Retsis or Egnarts recorded
on your Adventure Sheet turn-to 209. If not, turn to go.

187
On the first floor you come upon a candlelit corridor
lined with archaic suits of armour. Various weapons —
swords and maces mainly — are mounted on the walls
as well as shields bearing various heraldic designs.
Do you want to take a mace, seeing as how you
already have a sword (turn to 278), one of the shields
(turn to 203) or will you continue to explore the tower
(turn to 7)?

E23)
 188-189
188
‘Good evening,’ you say, flashing the barmaid your
most winning smile. ‘How’s trade?’
The barmaid continues to stare at the fire and says
nothing. The landlord is watching you edgily from
the other end of the bar. Then the girl speaks, her voice
having a faraway quality. ‘He still comes to me, you
know? They say he’s gone, but he’s not. A love like
ours can never be broken. Not even death can keep us
apatsnc
‘Meg!’ snaps the landlord, silencing the girl. “That’s
enough, daughter. Get back to the kitchen. There are
dishes to wash and the floor needs scrubbing!’
Meg turns to go and then glances back over her
shoulder, fixing you with her stony amethyst gaze
for the first time. ‘Not even death,’ she repeats and
then she is gone. The girl’s look unnerves you. You
suddenly feel that you would prefer just your own
company for the rest of the evening and so you retire
to your room. Turn to 258.

| 189
The Arch-Lycanthrope hollers in bestial delight as the
moonlight continues to work its magic on him. Add 4
points to the Werewolf’s STAMINA score and continue
your battle with the moon-changed monster. If you
manage to defeat Count Varcolac, turn to 300.
 190
190
Preoccupied with thoughts of how long you have left
until the next full moon, you barely realise that the
sun has set and that the last splashes of colour
underlighting the clouds is fading to dusky amethyst.
The moon is rising and, with no shelter in sight, it
looks like you are going to have to camp in the open
on these dark moors. Just then you come in sight of a
coaching inn. A light flickers in a window, like a
beacon beckoning you on. Eagerly you quicken your
pace, determined not to be caught out on these
desolate moors after what you have heard about the
ghosts that stalk the land of Lupravia.
Slowly, over the unsettling keening of the wind, you
become aware of the jangle of harness behind you.
Hearing hooves pounding the road you turn to see
who is following you, but there is no one there; no
horse, no rider, nothing. But you can still hear the
drumming beat of the hooves pounding the road. You
peer through the darkness, back the way you have
come. And then you do see something. Materialising
out of the gloom, in a haze of greeny-yellow lumin-
escence twenty paces from you is the figure of a phan-
tom rider on horseback. A cape streams out behind
the rider and you see he is wearing finely worked,
knee-length black leather boots. He lashes the reins of
his horse as it tears along the road towards you,
foaming at the mouth, its eyes burning witch-lights.
As if that were not horrifying enough, the rider has no
head, and yet from somewhere you can hear the cry
of, ‘Yaah! Yaah! On, Barushka. On till morning!’

[I a
191-192
The phantom rider and its steed are closing on you
fast. Will you turn tail and run, trying to reach the
safety of the inn before the rider catches you (turn to
60), or will you stand and face the rider (turn to 462)?

191
You throw yourself out of the way as the wolf lands
hunched on the spot where you were standing only a
moment before. But you are still surrounded by the
rest of the pack. You abruptly find yourself face-to-
face with two particularly mangy-looking, slavering
specimens that try to rake you with their ragged claws
while their fellows howl encouragement. Fight the
wolves both at the same time.
SKILL STAMINA
First WOLF 7 6
Second WOLF ee 5
After you have fought two Attack Rounds against
the wolves the monstrous Black Wolf - tiring of
waiting for its fellows to finish you —joins the battle.
BLACK WOLF SKILL 8 STAMINA9Q
You now find yourself fighting all three wolves at the
same time. After two further Attack Rounds, or if you
reduce the Black Wolf’s sTAMINA to 7 or less, which-
ever is sooner, turn at once to 271.

192
Shrieking with inhuman fury, the vampiric Lady of
Maun flies at you, her cloak spreading out behind her
like hideous, oversized bat wings.

Ed EJ
 193-194
VAMPIRESS SKILL10 STAMINA 13
If the Vampiress scores two consecutive hits against
you, turn to 228. If you reduce the Vampiress’ STAMINA
score to 4 points or less, turn immediately to 245.

193
‘If you will not accept my help, given freely and with-
out expectation of reciprocation, I think you had better
leave.’ You now see how inconsiderate and ungrateful
you have been, but it is too late for apologies. Thank-
ing Vereticus for the use of his library, you leave his
home and the poorly maintained estate, returning to
the forest path as the sun sinks ever lower. Turn to 46.

194
You drop from the end of the pipe onto a pile of rotting
waste and stinking detritus. You are in what appears
to be little more than a natural cavern that has been
absorbed into an underground dungeon complex.
The cave-chamber is lit by a dull green luminescence
that comes from patches of moss covering the rugged
roof. By this bilious green glow you see that the floor
of the chamber is flooded with sludgy water. Hearing
a splash you see a tell-tale ripple at the edge of the
pool. You cannot imagine that there is anything that
you could possibly want or need down here so your
mind turns to finding a way out. Two pipe-like
passages lead out of the chamber, one directly ahead
of you (turn to 227) and another to your left (turn to
242). But if you want to explore this cave further first,
turn to 211.
195-196
195
Wasting no time, you strap on your sword-belt and
heave your pack onto your back, both of which had
been lying beside the bed. Lighting your lantern, you
step out of the hut and back into the chill night. Ulrich
follows you, putting on a thick wolfskin cloak but
carrying only his axe for protection. Soon you are
swallowed up between the black trees once more and,
by a combination of lantern-light and moonlight, you
scour the benighted forest glades for the elusive herb.
Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 12. If you are
Unlucky, turn to 233.

196
Accompanied by Katya, you ride through the village
unhindered, without seeing another human soul. The
inhabitants of Wulfenstein have locked and barred
their doors and windows, no doubt to hide from
whatever it is that is making the dreadful growling
that can now be heard, echoing along the filthy, empty
streets. Your travelling companion turns to you. ‘I
don’t like the look of this place,’ she says, her eyes
narrowed by dark suspicions. ‘It is too wild to be some-
where that humans should call home. There is too
much of the “Were” about it.’ She is right; this is the
place where you will find the head of the were-
bloodline you have been hunting, you know it! ‘The
Straub-Werebeast was trying to escape to here,’ Katya
continues, ‘and I could well believe that this place
holds a veritable werewolf’s lair. We have much work
to do here. But where to start?’

Ee]LE]
You can answer her that. ‘The castle,’ you say. ‘A lord
who would let his demesne become a place fit only for
strays and wild animals must at least have an inkling
as to what is happening here.’ Katya agrees and so the
two of you steer your weary mounts towards the
forbidding edifice of Castle Wulfen. You neglect to tell
her that your heightened animal senses can smell the
reek of the Were emanating from the direction of the
towering fortress. It is as if something is calling to the
wolf in you. Calling it home.
The gates of the Castle are wide open and so, the scent
of wolf hot in your nostrils, you pass beneath the
barbican. And then your lupine senses are screaming
a warning. You draw your weapon as what looks like
a wolfman leaps at you from out of the shadows of the
gatehouse, batting away the creature’s initial attack.
Katya receives no such warning and is pulled from
her horse by another wolfman. It is only as the creature
that attacked you comes at you again that you take
in its matted scabrous hide and glimpse exposed
bone, green-grey internal organs, and hollow ribs. The
Werewargs are unholy creatures, undead werewolves,
trapped ina decaying semi-lupine form and possessed
of an insane hunger for living flesh. You engage in
battle with one of the monsters as Katya struggles to
defend herself against the other.
WEREWARG SKILL7 STAMINA 8

If the Werewarg wounds you more than twice, add 1

to your CHANGE score. If you kill the undead horror,
turn to 387.

Cd Ee
197-198

197
With his own pained howl of rage and frustration,
the mad professor. stumbles out of the lab, smashes
through a wooden balustrade and plunges to his
death on the ground at the foot of the windmill. You
too will have to make your own hasty exit if you are
not to be trapped in the burning building and suffer
the consequences. However, as you look for a way
out, you spy a shelf, as yet untouched by the flames,
on which stand what look like various bottled potions.
If you want to take a closer look at these bottles before
fleeing, turn to 212, otherwise, turn to 291.

198
Getting off the road, you hunker down in a ditch,
using your travelling cloak like a tarpaulin. Exhausted,
you soon fall asleep, despite the inclement weather.
You are woken some time later when the full fury of
the storm breaks overhead. The cacophonous roar of
thunder shakes the landscape, loud enough, it seems,
to shatter the sky. With explosive force, a bolt of retina-
searing lightning streaks down from the sundered
heavens and strikes the top of the derelict windmill.
There is a secondary flash from inside the building
and in the silence that follows the thunderclap, you
fancy you hear an insane voice cry, ‘It’s alive!’ But
whatever may be going on inside the abandoned mill
you have your own safety to worry about. Lightning
strikes the windmill again setting the structure alight
and sending secondary bolts sparking down to the
ground. Two of these bolts hit the ground nearby but
rather than earth themselves harmlessly in the soil,

PIE]
 199
they take on the fizzling form of two tiny, and vaguely
humanoid creatures. Fizzing and sparking, the
Lightning Sprites — true children of the storm — leap
jerkily towards you, attracted by the metal objects you
have in your possession. Fight the elementals both at
the same time.
SKILL STAMINA
First LIGHTNING SPRITE 7 4
Second LIGHTNING SPRITE 6 4
If you choose to fight the sprites with a sword or
dagger, every time you make a successful strike
against one of them you receive a sharp electric shock
in return, causing you to lose 2 STAMINA points.
However, if you fight these elemental beings unarmed
you will not suffer this damage, although you will
have to reduce your Attack Strength by 1 point for the
duration of the battle. If you manage to defeat the
curious and capricious creatures, you spend the rest
of the night battered by howling winds and lashed by
torrential rain. When morning does eventually come,
you go on your way, sodden and weary (turn to 500).

199
Your blade cuts into the Hound Master’s leg and he
howls in pain. At once his loyal mastiff is on you,
sinking its teeth into your sword-hand before you can
kick it away from you. Lose 2 STAMINA points, 1 SKILL
point and 1 LUCK point. The mastiff suddenly becomes
a quaking cur as a dreadful howl cuts through the
tense atmosphere of the hall. The true Werebeast is
revealing itself. Turn to 62.

[ee]Eg]
200

200
With a sorrowful heart you gaze down at the dying
Ulrich, who has regained his human form. ‘Do not
blame yourself, my friend,’ he manages. ‘We all have
our secrets. I should thank you for releasing me from
my own dreaded curse.’ Then he is gone. After every-
thing that the kind-hearted woodsman did for you
in the short time that you knew him, at the end all
you could offer in return was death by cold steel. But
there is still one more thing you can do for him now.
No longer troubled by wolves, you spend the rest of
the night digging Ulrich’s grave. As the sun finally
rises over the forests, drawing a ground mist from
the hollows of the trees, you lay the woodsman to
rest, placing his axe on the earthen mound that
marks his final resting-place. You leave the spot with
a heavy heart and not only because you have had to
bury a good man, whatever dark secrets might have
troubled his soul. Despite having slain the werewolf
that infected you, it is clear the affliction still has a
hold of you.
Exhausted, you lie down to sleep as a watery sun
drags itself into the sky behind a veil of grey cloud. It
has been a harrowing night, and in spite of all the
worries running through your mind, you still sleep,
although your dreams are beset by visions of Ulrich
changing into a savage bear, roaring in bone-
wrenching agony.
When you wake, stiff and sore from sleeping on the
root-knotted forest floor, the sun is again sinking in

ETE]
the sky. Your search for the head of the werewolf
bloodline cannot wait any longer. The next full moon
can only be a matter of days away. Something in your
blood tells you that the resolution to your quest lies
somewhere within the land of Lupravia.
Walking east you descend out of the chill forest and
emerge on the westernmost boundary of the princi-
pality. There is a noticeable absence of birdsong,
which unnerves you. Crossing gorse-covered heath-
land, in the far distance you can see the hazy purple
peaks of the mountain wall that holds the ancient
principality of Lupravia within its rocky embrace.
Ahead of you lies a land of menacing forests, boggy
moorland and abyssal river gorges.
Nestled at the base of the narrow valley you are
descending is a village of grey, steeply pitch-roofed
buildings, clustered together as if for mutual pro-
tection from the bleak wilderness all around them.
Stony, cropless fields surround the settlement making
201

the whole place appear truly uninviting. As you get

nearer still, a weathered road sign informs you that
you are approaching the village of Strigoiva. Beyond
the huddle of houses, you make out a road that leads
away from Strigoiva before forking in three directions.
If you want to enter the village, turn to 116. Alter-
natively, if you would prefer to press on and avoid an
encounter with the native populace of Lupravia, you
may skirt around Strigoiva and take the road heading
north (turn to 160), the one heading east (turn to 478)
or the one less well-travelled that leads north-east into
the forest, the scrubby boundaries of which lie a mile
or so from the village (turn to 8).

201
Coming within earshot of the Burgomaster, you listen
intently to what he has to say. Filling in the gaps for
yourself it soon becomes apparent that the lands
surrounding the town are being terrorised by a mon-
ster that folk have named the Beast of Vargenhof. This
creature is supposedly responsible for the slaughter
of various sheep and cattle and also for the disappear-
ance of a shepherdess, an aging woodsman, and even
a child. The Beast is said to be twice a big as a man,
and walks on its hind legs, but has characteristics
more befitting a bear or wolf. Perhaps the Beast of
Vargenhof is the Arch-Lycanthrope you are search-
ing for.
Burgomaster Straub has declared that whoever cap-
tures or kills the Beast will be presented with a reward
from the town’s coffers. Talk of a bounty has drawn
all manner of hunters and trappers from the surround-
ing hills and forests and it is among these hard-bitten
men that you find yourself now. Despite their outward
bravado, the hunters are organising themselves into
a band, thereby to run the Beast to ground — they
obviously believe there is safety in numbers. If you
want to join this Beast Hunt you may either do so
alone (turn to 456) or as part of the larger party (turn
to 259). Alternatively you may, if you wish to and you
haven't already done so, explore the market square
(turn to 82) or, if you are done here, leave the town
altogether (turn to 507).
202-205
202
Beyond the limits of Strigoiva once more, will you
follow the road as it splits to the north (turn to 160),
to the east (turn to 478), or will you take the less
well-used track, into the forest, to the north-east (turn
to 8)?

203
Reaching up, you lift one of the shields down from its
place on the wall. Nothing untoward happens either,
which is a relief. There are several different designs
but all of the shields carry the same benefits. For as
long as you are carrying the shield in battle you may
reduce an enemy’s Attack Strength by 1 point. Record
the shield on your Adventure Sheet. Will you now take
one of the maces down from the wall (turn to 278) or
leave this floor and look elsewhere (turn to 7)?

204
Ducking into the deeper shadows of a sunken door-
way, feeling your heart pounding in your chest, you
try to calm your accelerated breathing. You pray that
whatever it is that is approaching will pass by, without
even knowing you are there. Roll two dice. If the total
is less than or equal to your CHANGE score, turn to 172;
if it is greater, turn to 345.

205
Meg shrieks as you burst into the stable and jumps to
her feet. But what will you do now? Will you:

PIE
 206-207
Attack the witch? Turn to 274
Wipe out the markings on the floor? Turn to 241
Grab the skull? ~ Turn to 295

206
Releasing the reins you arm yourself. The creature’s
powers of transformation have restored its strength
so that it is as deadly a foe as the first time you fought
the Beast of Vargenhof.
WEREBEAST SKILL 8 STAMINA 11

If you do not have the Quickening special ability, you

must reduce your Attack Strength by 1 point for the
duration of your battle with the Werebeast atop the
jolting stagecoach. If the Beast wounds you, roll one
dice and if you roll a 6, turn to 351. If you survive six
Attack Rounds or reduce the Werebeast’s STAMINA to
4 points or less, turn to 480 at once.

207
You reach another junction in the never-ending tun-
nels. Will you follow:
A passageway with puddles of water
collected on the floor? Turn to 368
A passageway with rough, broken stones
covering its rocky floor? Turn to 97
Asandy-floored passageway? Turn to 433

Ee][
 208

208
Once you are past the axe-blade, you hear a grind-
ing of gears and the pendulum stops swinging.
Opening the door at the end of the corridor you enter
a circular turret room. The chamber has no windows
but is lit by hundreds of candles, some fixed to
wrought-iron candelabra, many stuck on top of the
melted remains of others. The guttering candlelight
is also reflected from a circular black mirror on the
opposite side of the room. However, as soon as you
enter the room, something takes a step forwards that
stops you in your tracks. A great mass of wax, roughly
humanoid in shape, heaves itself towards you, wicks
still burning all over it, liquid tallow fat running from
its inconstant surface. If you are quick, you will be
able to escape the room and its guardian, slamming
the door behind you and returning to the Map Room
without having to fight (turn to 321). If you want to
stay, however, you are going to have to fight as the
magically animated creature reaches for you with
burning, taper-fingers.
WAX GOLEM SKILL8 STAMINA 10

If you win an Attack Round against the Golem and

you are fighting it using a bladed weapon, such as a
sword or a dagger, roll one dice. On a roll of 6 your
blade sticks in the waxy body of the creature and you
must fight the next round of combat with your Attack
Strength reduced by 2 points as you try to free your
blade. If you defeat the room’s curious guardian, turn
to 264.

[+]Ei
209-210
209
There is something strange going on within the
Carnivale, of that you are sure, but what exactly? You
feel that the only way you are going to be able to find
out more is if you sneak back this evening under the
cover of darkness to investigate further. If you want to
do this, turn to 238. If not, turn to go.

210
‘The Cadre Infernal? Why yes, Ican tell you something
of the cult’s resurgence. I investigated them when I
was a member of another secret society, that went
under the name of the Order of the Black Rose.’
Vereticus’ tone is both conspiratorial and excited at
having someone with whom to share his carefully
gleaned knowledge. “Twenty years ago, the members
of the newly reformed Cadre sought to increase their
temporal power in this world through magical means.
I have learned that there were five of them altogether,
but I have not yet been able to discover the identities
of them all. I do know that one of them was the Lady
Aranaea, who had been married and widowed five
times by the time she joined the group. All of her
husbands has died under mysterious circumstances,
earning her the nickname ‘Black Widow’. But I
digress. The group somehow managed to carry out a
Summoning Ceremony, calling up a fell demon from
the Infernal Pit to grant them all their selfish wishes. I
have also found out that the ritual involved the use of
five specially consecrated silver daggers. At first all
the Cadre’s members became more powerful but they
steadily began to change, corrupted by the evil power

Pdf]
 211-212

they had unleashed, until at least two of them had lost

more than they had ever gained by taking part in the
ceremony. More than that I do not know.’ If you have
a Silver Dagger, turn to 165. If not, you should now
turn back to 269 and continue reading the paragraph.

: 211
Your initial assumption was correct; there is nothing
of value at all in this effluent sump. But all the while
you have been wading around in the foul pool the
heat of your body has lured something ever closer. As
you are considering how to leave the chamber, the
stinking sludge erupts in front of you and a snaking
pallid white form rises from the pool. An eyeless,
worm-like head sways from side to side in front of
you, its leech-like mouth opening and closing mena-
cingly. Sudden as a striking cobra, the overgrown
parasite attacks.
GIANT TAPEWORM SKILL7 STAMINA6
If you slay the vile tapeworm, you are free to leave the
detritus chamber. Will you take the tunnel directly
ahead of you (turn to 227) or the one to your left (turn
to 242)?

212
The intense heat of the roaring.flames already scorch-
ing your eyebrows, you pick out three potions that
particularly capture your interest. Will you drink a
potion that is a deep red in colour and smoking (turn
to 231), one that is a lurid green, syrupy liquid (turn to
253) or down the bubbling contents of a bottle that

Ee Le]
213-215
continually changes its hue (turn to 277)? Alternatively,
you could leave all of them and flee the burning
building (turn to 291).

213
Unable to resist the call of the Daughters you join the
wretched maidens in their spiralling dance, their
enchantment tightening about you until you forget
even the need to breathe. And so it is that you are
saved from the curse of lycanthropy as you are lured
to a watery grave. Your bones will be picked clean by
the creature that calls the depths of the Drowning Pool
its domain. Your adventure is over.

214
The silence of the vault is swept away by a susurrating
wind, which brings with it a disquieting feeling of
impending doom. At the edge of hearing you can
almost believe that the wind is whispering to you.
In fact, the half-heard murmur seems to come from
inside the pit. You edge closer and peer into the
depthless dark. With a lull in the wind you hear the
distant splash and slurp of something moving within
watery depths. Do you want to climb down into the
pit to find out what is lurking at the bottom (turn to
24) or would you rather leave these malign ruins (turn
to 83)?

215
Heaving open the unbarred barn door you are
immediately assailed by the musty smell of animals
and damp straw. It is dark inside the barn and, as your

CdES
 216

eyes adjust to the gloom, something large canters out

of the shadows beneath the hayloft, ready to trample
you into the ground. You get the impression of bony
protrusions and a whipping, scaly tail. With an evil
snarling whinny, the mad-eyed horse-mutant attacks.
HAVOC HORSE SKILLQ STAMINAQ

If you manage to kill the crazed stallion, you stumble

out of the barn and either into the farmhouse (turn to
324) or away from this freakish farm (turn to 244).

216
Before the demon possessing the Count can resurrect
his werewolf body you take out the five Silver Daggers,
that belonged to the five members of the damned
Cadre Infernal. You plunge them into Varcolac’s body,
marking out the five points a pentacle. One final,
unearthly howl breaks from the Arch-Lycanthrope’s
throat as something like black smoke pours from its
mouth, only to dissipate into the chill air of the
chamber. If you have the codeword Deliugeb recorded
on your Adventure Sheet, turn to 21. If not, turn to 515.
217-218
217
On the second floor you come to an ornately decorated
chamber that is filled with all manner of stone statues.
They range from sculptures of knights in armour and
weeping angels to funereal effigies and the busts of
notable individuals from Lupravia’s past. One of the
finest examples of the stone-carver’s art is the statue
of a griffin standing next to a wall-length mirror hung
on the far side of the room. Light from a flickering
crystal chandelier casts disconcerting shadows
around the chamber so that you could almost believe
that the statues are moving. You cannot help thinking
that this is a strange place to have a mirror. Do you
want to examine the mirror more closely (turn to 232)
or will you leave the room and the second floor
altogether (turn to 7)?

218
You have barely unsheathed your weapon when the
elemental creature screeches like a wildcat and leaps
at you, teeth and claws bared. You have forced the
situation to this point and now you have no choice but
to defend yourself against your capricious opponent.
ICE SPRITE SKILL11 STAMINA 6

If Old Man Winter’s minion wounds you roll one dice;

ona roll of 5 or 6 the elemental’s freezing touch numbs
you to the bone, dulling your senses (reduce your
Attack Strength by 1 point). If you are able to reduce
the sprite’s STAMINA to 2 points or less, turn at once
to 237.

PdES]
 219-220
219
You have no idea what the crazed spider-woman is
talking about. ‘No? Then why are you here? Have you
come to steal my pretties, is that it? You would take
my treasures from me? How dare you?’ she screams.
With a speed and agility you would not have expected
from a monster as large and bloated as she, the Spider-
Queen leaps from her web, ready to punish you for
entering her lair. But how are you going to fight back?
If you want to defend yourself using your sword, turn
to 252. If you want to try using your lantern to set fire
to her webs (if you have a lantern and it can put it to
use here), turn to 304. If you would rather run for it,
turn to 498.

220
As you sit down opposite the serious young man he
shakes himself from his reverie and appears to lighten.
He too, it would seem, is glad of the company in this
strange staging post. It turns out he is not a native of
221

these lands but comes from far off Scarton in Analand.

His name is Hans and, witha mutual bond discovered,
the two of you make idle conversation. While you
steer clear of revealing the true reason for coming to
Lupravia, he develops the urgent need to open his
heart. ‘It’s my sister,’ he says, worry ringing his eyes,
‘my little Leisel. She had had enough of life in Scarton,
especially as my parents tried to force her to marry the
son of the local burgomaster. When the Carnivale
came to town she saw a chance to escape her fate. A
weird, grotesque and macabre travelling circus it was,
but the morning after the Carnivale had packed up
and moved on, Leisel was gone. I followed on foot,
but the Carnivale — travelling as a caravan of wagons
— always remained a day or so ahead of me. I hope to
catch up with it soon, find my sister, and persuade her
to come home.’ His story finished, a great weariness
comes over Hans. He apologises for his rudeness but
says that he must retire and get some sleep, so you bid
him good night, wishing him well with his search.
(Add the codeword Retsis to your Adventure Sheet.)
Will you follow Hans’ lead-and make for your own
bed (turn to 258), or would you rather engage the
landlord in conversation, if you haven’t done so
already (turn to 155), or the barmaid (turn to 188)?

221
Holding your lantern aloft, you take in the sub-
terranean chamber in which you are standing. It
opens up away from you like a cave, all murky gloom
and a regular echoing drip. The only other sound is
the splash and ripple as you move through a foot of

EE
foul-smelling water. And then you see it: the glitter of
something silvery beneath the surface of the water,
caught in the arhbient light of your lantern. It is a
sword that shines with a silvery gleam, even through
the stirred up filth. As you reach out a hand towards
the submerged blade, something reaches for you. A
thick, rubbery tentacle bursts from the water, causing
you to jump back as something pale-fleshed and
monstrous heaves its massive bulk towards you from
out of its shadowy lair. You get the impression of
grabbing tentacles and pseudopods, huge watery
eyes, a cavernous mouth packed with teeth, a mucus-
oozing blowhole, and white albino-flesh. This lurking
horror has been lying in wait for its usual prey — rats,
small crustaceans and the like — but sensing the hot
blood pumping in your veins has excited its unholy
appetite. You cannot hope to escape without a fight,
so fight you must.
LURKING HORROR SKILLQ STAMINA 10
If you manage to slay this foul fiend, turn to 174.
222-224
222
And then the devils are gone again, their bodies
dissolving back into the mist. You breathe a sigh of
relief at having overcome your grotesque assailants.
But any sense of a reprieve from the horrors of
Fenmoor are short lived as yet another horrible howl
resonates through the cloying mists. This is no wolf
but something else, yet unmistakeably canine -—
something demonic. Roll two dice. If the total rolled is
less than or equal to your CHANGE score, turn to 251. If
it is greater, turn to 342.

223
And then one of the wolves does indeed find the
brazen bravado it needs to assault the stagecoach. The
lithe, grey-pelted creature manages a gravity-defying
leap onto the roof of the coach and, having found
purchase with its unsheathed claws; goes for you.
GREY WOLF SKILL7 STAMINA 6
Unless you have the Quickening special ability, due to
your precarious position on.the roof of the carriage,
you must conduct combat with the wolf with your
Attack Strength reduced by 1 point. If you triumph in
this battle, turn to 239.

224
You place the Gold Piece in Madame Zelda’s out-
stretched hand and she makes it vanish with a sleight
of hand flourish. She begins making exaggerated
hand movements over the crystal ball and you fancy
you can see swirling clouds forming within its depths.

Ey]
 225
‘Ah yes,’ the fortune-teller begins theatrically, ‘I see
many perils ahead, but also great courage and a goal
achieved.’ This sounds like the sort of rubbish she
probably tells all her punters. But suddenly Madame
Zelda’s voice: changes dramatically, dropping by
several octaves, and her eyes roll up into her head,
~ revealing the whites.

‘Beware the storm-made monster and shun the

eastern hills. Nothing but death awaits you there,’ she
moans. ‘Heed the words of a mourning father and
seek out the rock of wolves. And once you are within
the belly of the beast, wake not the man of brass but
seek out the infernal cadre.’

Madame Zelda shakes her head as if stirring from a

waking dream. ‘Er, yes, the, um, stars have spoken,’
she says, sounding as if she can’t quite remember
what has just happened. “Yes, the future is an
undiscovered country, um, but your path is clear. Go
now, be on your way!’ The fortune-teller is clearly
distressed and, feeling a little shaken yourself, you
decide not to hang around any longer. Add the
codeword Dloterof to oe Adventure Sheet and turn
to 167.

225
The unnatural cacophony continues, setting your
teeth on edge and working in an even more sinister
way upon your lycanthropy-riddled body. The wolf
within howls in discomfort and struggles to be free of
the tormenting music. You fight to keep the beast

Ee [4
 226

contained but feel that the animal inside is steadily

taking control. (Add 1 to your CHANGE score and lose
1 LUCK point.) Howling in anger, fear and frustration,
you flee the cursed Music Room. Turn to 321.

226
You make your way along the passageway, down the
stairs and into the empty, darkened bar room. A half-
open door leads you outside into the coaching inn’s
stabling yard. The moon hangs over the bleak moors,
casting everything in its cold, monochrome light.
Your gaze is drawn to the silvery disc and something
deep inside you howls in joy at the touch of the
moonbeams.
But across the yard another light beckons, spilling
from the crack between the stable doors. Stealthily
you sneak over to the stable and put an eye to the gap.
Inside, the straw has been cleared from the middle of
the floor and a curious, and disturbing, symbol has
been drawn on the floor, surrounded by esoteric runes
and zodiac symbols. The space is lit by candles stuck
to barrels and crates positioned around the esoteric
circle. At the centre, Meg, the landlord’s daughter, is
conducting some kind of ritual. In front of her, on the
cold, stone floor of the stable, is a human skull. You
watch transfixed as the witch chants under her breath,
in some unintelligible language, making mystical
gestures with her hands.
As you watch her conducting her unholy rite, you feel
the wind at your back and your hackles rise. Dark
powers are being drawn to this place and who knows

Cl fe
227-228
what might happen if Meg is allowed to finish her
spell. Will you wait for her to complete the ritual (turn
to 308), or burst into the stable without further hesi-
tation (turn to 205)?

227
Crouching low in the waterlogged tunnel you wend
your way towards a barred circle of light in the
distance — it must be a way out! The tunnel widens
and you see that it ends at a circular grille: beyond
that lies a torch-lit stone-walled corridor. You are
aware of a sinister scuttling sound and look up at the
curve of the tunnel roof above you. Antennae rippling
repugnantly, the huge centipede moves towards you
on its myriad, jointed legs. As you prepare to defend
yourself, a second overgrown centipede raises its
head from the channel ahead of you and writhes
towards you, its body covered in tough, chitinous
armour. In the confines of the tunnel-pipe, fight the
centipedes one at a time.
SKILL STAMINA
First GIANT CENTIPEDE 8 7
Second GIANT CENTIPEDE 9 ”
If you manage to defeat both the carnivorous creatures
you make it to the grille without meeting further
resistance. Turn to 341.

228
The Countess batters through your defence with her
bare hands and pounces on you, sinking her long
fangs into your throat. Penetrating your jugular, she

EL]
 229-230
sucks noisily at the hot blood gushing from the wound.
Lose 3 STAMINA points. Suddenly the Vampiress
recoils from you, gagging horribly and retching blood.
“Your blood is tainted!’ she gasps. ‘Another already
has a claim on your cursed soul!’ Hearing this you feel
that you must be truly damned if even one of the
aristocracy of the night will not feed on your life-force.
Add 1 to your CHANGE score. However, if you have
the Cursed Bloodline affliction, you may also subtract 3
points from the Vampiress’ STAMINA. Finish your fight
with the Lady of Maun and if you reduce her STAMINA
score to 4 points or less, turn immediately to 245.

229
With a final thrust, your sword enters the Werewolf’s
chest, sinks up to the hilt, piercing the creature’s heart,
until the tip emerges from its back. The beast dies,
issuing one last howl as its limp body slides off
your blade. Your attention immediately turns to the
wretched woodsman, who lies some feet from you,
where he was felled. You are about to rush to your
friend’s aid when you suddenly stop yourself. You
have faced the beast lying at your feet more than once
this night; can you be certain that the fiend is really
dead at last? Will you make a closer inspection of the
werewolf’s corpse (turn to 35) or go straight to Ulrich’s
aid (turn to 107)?

230
If you are fighting with a sword which has been
engraved with a particular name, turn that name into
a number, using the code A=1, B=2, C=3... Z=26, and

min
231-232
then turn to the paragraph with the same number. If
you do not have such a weapon, turn to 150.

gi
As luck would have it you have consumed a potion
that, among its other healing properties, is intended
to reverse the effects of lycanthropy. Restore up to 6
STAMINA points, regain 1 LUCK point and reduce your
CHANGE score by 4 (although it cannot drop below 1).
Will you now try one of the other potions (turn to 337)
or tarry no longer and escape the blazing structure
(turn to 291)?

piptp:
Crouching in front of the mirror, you examine where
the glass meets the frame. The sound of stone grinding
on stone sends a shiver down your spine. You react
instantly, jumping back from the mirror as the stone
griffin comes to life and steps down from its plinth.
With a granite growl, the statue swipes at you with a
marble paw. Once again you are fighting for your life.
STONE GRIFFIN SKILL8 STAMINAQ
If you are using a bladed weapon, such as a sword
or a dagger, a successful strike against the animated
statue will only cause 1 STAMINA point of damage. If
you are using a mace, a hit will cause 2 STAMINA points
damage. If you manage to destroy the statue, add 1 to
your ALARM score.
With the stone guardian defeated, you resume your
inspection of the mirror. Test your Skill. If you are
 233-234
successful, turn to 269. If you fail you are unable to
find anything unusual and so have to leave this floor
(turn to 7).

. 233
After an hour of searching you still have not found
the belladonna plant you so desperately need. Even
with Ulrich’s woodsman’s skills, hampered by the
smothering darkness he finds nothing. You are feeling
worse than ever. The fever is eating you up and
you feel nauseous to the pit of your stomach. (Add 1
more CHANGE point to your total.) Ulrich suggests
that it would be foolish to waste anymore time look-
ing for the herb, considering your worsening con-
dition, so will you now set off after the wolf pack (turn
to 473) or go in search of Grandmother Zekova (turn
to 302)?

234
In time the pain passes again and you continue your
journey, determined to press on further before finding
somewhere to pass the night. It is then that the sound
of music drifts to you through the forest — voices
raised in song’ accompanied by a lilting accordion
accompaniment. A little further along the path you
catch glimpses of firelight flickering behind the
silhouettes of midnight black-trees. Do you want to
leave the road and travel towards the music and the
light of the campfire (turn to 288), or would you rather
keep on along your current path and look for a place
to stop well away from any other encampments (turn
to 275)?

[]
235-236

235
Despite being in an obvious state of neglect, with the
door in the base of the tower shut behind you, the
stone building proves to be weather-tight, sheltering
you from the worst of the storm raging outside, the
wind soughing through the shredded sails of the
windmill. Free of the torment of the tempest you take
a more measured look around you. The base of the
tower is cluttered with boxes, crates, barrels and,
curiously, pieces of metal machinery. In fact there is
nothing here to suggest the true purpose of a working
mill, certainly no bags of flour or grindstones. A
rickety wooden staircase leads up to the floor above
and, gazing up into the gloom, you can see another
level beyond that. As you gaze upwards you fancy
you see the shadowy suggestion of movement in a
flickering flash of lightning. Was there really some-
thing moving up there, or was it simply your over-
wrought imagination playing tricks on you? Will you:
Investigate this level of the windmill-tower
more carefully before settling down to
sleep? Turn to 256
Climb the unsteady staircase to the next
floor? Turn to 163
Settle down to sleep straightaway, ignoring
what you think you might have seen? Turn to 279

236
Three alternative exits present themselves but which
way will you choose?
The triangular tunnel? Turn to 31
 237
The tunnel with walls covered with
green algae? Turn to 405
The passage strewn with pebbles? Turn to 159

237
The creature suddenly dances away from you in a
flurry of snowflakes. ‘Winter’s pall and first snowfall,
warm hearts grow cold, we claim them all,’ it sings in
its squeaky voice. You suddenly find yourself at the
centre of a freezing whirlwind. You can feel ice crack-
ling across your skin but can do nothing to stop its
freezing effects. You find yourself paralysed by cold,
your body as immovable as a block of ice. By the
time morning comes, you have thawed out and are
able to move again, but the winter sprite’s chilling
enchantment has had a detrimental effect upon your
body. (Lose an additional 3 STAMINA points and 1
SKILL point.) If you are still alive after this ordeal, turn
to 314.
238
238
You while away the rest of the day in the village of
Balci itself. There is nothing particularly special about
the place: it has a mill, tavern and forge, and its people
spend their days tending the land or labouring in the
forest to the south-east. A basic meal of meat and
potatoes, along with a flagon of ale at the village
tavern, will cost you 2 Gold Pieces and restore up to 4
STAMINA points. As dusk falls you make your way
back to the area of the Carnivale. The circus is now
closed to the public for another day and most of the
place is in darkness. You skirt the perimeter awning
the circus people have set up until you are ina position
where you are sure no one can see what you are doing.
Loosening a sheeted panel you slip inside and make
your way stealthily between the tents, stalls and
standing wagons. You are just trying to decide where
 239
to explore first when you hear a noise. It is the sound
of urgent voices. ‘I tell you, someone’s broken in,’ one
says. ‘They won't get far,’ says another. The voices are
getting closer: you are going to come face-to-face with
their owners any moment. If you run you will
definitely be spotted, but there might be another way
out of this. If you want to stand your ground and face
whoever is approaching, turn to 257. Alternatively
you can try to hide. If so, will you hide in the large tent
to your left (turn to 370) or the painted caravan to your
right (turn to 316)?

239
The coach sweeps around a bend in the road and it is
then that you see the chasm before you. Katya urges
the horses towards the wooden, lamp-lit bridge, which
spans the gaping gorge. With the stagecoach picking
up speed, it is only when you are too close to even
attempt to stop the horses that you realise someone —
or something — has tampered with the bridge. The
middle span is missing entirely, broken spars
stretching out into the precipitous void that yawns
beneath it. Trying to contain her rising sense of panic,
Katya whips the horses into a frenzy, urging them at
the last possible moment to jump. If you did not take
an earlier diversion through the forest, turn to 502. If
you did take this diversion roll one dice and add
twelve, giving you a total of between 13 and 18: this is
the horses’ combined sTAMINA score. Then roll four
dice. If the total of these four dice is less than or equal
to the horses’ STAMINA score, turn to 502. If it is greater,
turn to 380.

[-]
240-241
240
Without looking back you flee the Tower, nothing
standing between you and freedom. You are back on
the blasted escarpment, thinking you have made it
away Safely, when a terrible screeching cry resounds
across the hilltop. Sweeping down out of the night
sky is a foul, winged creature, roughly humanoid
in shape, with an ugly, oversized head and a thin,
stunted body. Stretched between its arms and legs are
vast leathery wings and it reaches for you with bird-
like claws. You have no choice but to fight the Harpy.
HARPY SKILL7 STAMINA6
If you survive the encounter, you finally take shelter
for the night in the lea of a huge, mossy boulder. The
next day you set off again, circumnavigating the
village of Maun this time and jae the road that
leads north. Turn to 350.

241
You scuff away part of the chalk-drawn sigil with the
heel of your boot, drawing your sword ready to
defend yourself at the same time. A sudden gust of
wind whirls around the stable, like a trapped tornado,
and the candles are snuffed out. At the same moment
the landlord’s daughter lets out a terrible cry of
anguish. Suddenly the Headless Highwayman is there
again, on the back of his phantom steed. ‘And now,
my love, we shall be together forever!’ he declares
over the howling, gale-force wind. With that he
gathers the young witch in his arms and swings her
onto the saddle in front of him. The symbol was a

fe [ed
 242-243
Summoning Sigil, a witch-mark of ill-omen, used to
draw restless spirits to a place. Having destroyed it,
you have broker‘the girl’s power over the ghost of the
Headless Highwayman. Turn to 76.

242
You progress along the tunnel in a half-crouch, until it
becomes more like a proper passageway and you can
stand upright again. The luminescent moss does not
let your eyesight penetrate very far through the
gloom; your ears pick up the approaching drone long
before you see the two huge flies. They are grotesquely
overgrown insects, their bloated bodies black with
stiff hairs. The buzzing of the Giant Flies intensifies as
they home in on you, darting forwards as they try to
puncture your flesh with their long, needle-sharp,
proboscises.
SKILL STAMINA
First GIANT FLY 6 5
Second GIANT FLY 5 6
If you kill both of the insects, turn to 261.

243
Lying in a hollow between patchy gorse bushes is the
body of an adventurer, much like yourself. Only this
poor wretch is obviously dead, his body lacerated by
terrible claw marks. His backpack lies at his side and,
seeing as he has no use for it now, you rummage
through it. You find a total of 8 Gold Pieces and
enough food for 2 Meals. But while you have been
investigating this scene, the crows have been circling

Ee
 244
closer and closer. Squawking loudly, the birds sud-
denly drop out of the sky, beaks snapping and talons
clawing. :
MURDER OF CROWS SKILL6 STAMINA 12

If you defeat the crows, thereby driving the flock

away, you set off east again, before the birds become
emboldened and return. Turn to 69.

244
Your search for the Beast has been frustratingly futile
and has brought its own dangers. In the end you have
no choice but to return to the relative safety of the
town before the moon rises. The sun has set, the walls
of Vargenhof a solid black shadow against the purp-
ling skyline, still some way off, as you make your way
back through the forests bordering the town. Sud-
denly, a savage and yet mournful cry cuts through the
night: it came from somewhere nearby. Running hell-
for-leather, you burst into a clearing between the dark
trees and a monstrous sight greets you. Lying on the
floor of the clearing is a young woman, wearing a
hooded cloak, close-fitting bodice and trews, her
discharged crossbow fallen at her side. Looming over
her is a monstrous creature, seemingly part wolf, part
bear, and yet with some semblance of a human.
Lupine senses flaring, there is no doubt in your mind
that this is the Werebeast of Vargenhof! Sensing your
presence, the creature gives voice to a bellowing
roar and turns from the defenceless woman to face
you. It is then that you see the crossbow bolt pro-
truding from the flesh of its right arm. You have little
245-246
time to prepare yourself before the monster is upon
you.
WEREBEAST SKILL 8 STAMINA 11

If the monster wounds you more than twice, add 1 to

your CHANGE score. If you survive five rounds of
battle against the monstrous creature, or you manage
to reduce its STAMINA score to 5 points or less, turn at
once to 334.

245
The Countess shrieks and whirls away from you,
wrapping her cloak around her. ‘You will never leave
my domain alive!’ she wails and, with that, her
corporeal form dissolves into black mist. Have you
destroyed two coffins while exploring the tower? If
so, turn to 263. If you have only Soc e one, or
none at all, turn to 286.

246
‘Begone, night creature!’ the man starts yelling. ‘Get
away from here and leave us in peace!’ At this, the
assembled villagers shuffle towards you too, waving
their pitchforks and billhooks in the air. These people
have obviously been unnerved by something and are
preparing to vent their fears and frustrations on you.
With a sudden shout of, ‘Kill the night creature!’ from
their middle-aged leader, the angry mob rushes you.
If you are going to get out of Strigoiva alive you are
going to have to fight your way out.
ANGRY MOB SKILL 7

zie
 247

Fight the agitated villagers as if they were one

opponent. However this is not a conventional combat.
You are not trying to injure these hapless peasant folk,
although they are most definitely trying to kill you! If
the mob wins an Attack Round, deduct sTAMINA
points from your total as normal. If you win an Attack
Round, however, you do not deduct STAMINA points
as you would against a conventional enemy. Instead,
if you win two Attack Rounds in a row or, failing that,
after six Attack Rounds (if you are still alive), you
manage to break free of the angry mob and escape
from Strigoiva (turn to 202).

247
You give voice to a terrible baying cry and watch as
the huge wolves quail and quake, whimpering at your
animalistic howl, before finally turning tail and
running from you. Turn to 513.

fe] [Ee]
248-249
248
Red in Tooth and Claw — As part of your slow but steady
transformation into a Werewolf, your fingernails have
hardened into talons and your canine teeth have
lengthened. This means that you are now just as
effective and deadly in battle unarmed as you are
armed. If you ever have to fight unarmed you may
ignore the penalties placed upon you. Record this new
special ability on your Adventure Sheet and then turn
to the paragraph with the same number as the one
you were last instructed to write down.

249
Moving steadily towards the heart of the dusk-
shrouded ruins, you find yourself at the top of a flight
of worn stone steps leading down into a dome-roofed
underground chamber. Drawn as you are towards
this darker gloom, you will need to be able to light
your lantern to progress further. If you have a lantern
or, if not, the Night Creature special ability, turn to 101.
If not, you will have to retrace your steps and leave
the ruins (turn to 38).
 250-251
250
Before you even come in sight of Maun you see the
tower that looms over it, looking like a black clutching
claw against the blank canvas of the sky. Keeping a
wary eye on the tower, and the tiny ragged shadows
flitting about its turrets, you follow the road down
into an enclosed valley, which holds the crumbling
buildings of Maun. The pale-faced peasants you see
struggling to till the land appear possessed of a
morbid lethargy. Their homes are in a state of
disrepair, the thatched roofs saggy and green with
moss. The whole place seems to lie under a shadowy
pall, even though dusk is still some hours away. If you
have the codewordNethcir recorded on your Adventure
Sheet, turn to 391. If not, turn to 413.

251
Inexplicably, you find yourself drawn towards the
demonic howling. Following the wailing lure, you
stumble over swampy ground, unmindful of what is
happening underfoot. You take another step and
abruptly sink to your thigh in the peaty mud.
Momentum carries you forward and soon you are up
to your waist in a stinking bog. As the reality of your
perilous situation hits home, the power the eerie
howling had over you is broken. You twist and turn,
trying to get yourself out of the bog before you sink
any further. You are already up to your chest when
you spy a trailing root protruding from a mound, on
which a gnarled bush grows. Trying to free yourself
from the clutches of the bog, you lean forward,
straining every muscle as you try to reach the root.

CIE
252
Roll three dice. If the total rolled is less than or equal
to your STAMINA score, turn to 128. If the total is
greater, turn to 84.

252
And then the monstrous spider-creature is on top
of you and you have no choice but to fight back.
‘Trespasser!’ she shrieks. ‘Step into my parlour, would
you? Well now you never leave!’ Arming yourself,
you prepare to repel the Spider-Queen’s assault.
ARANAEA THE
SPIDER-QUEEN SKILL 10 STAMINA 12
The Spider-Queen has several different methods of
attack. Each time Aranaea wins an Attack Round, roll
one dice and consult the table below to see which
attack she uses and the damage it causes.
Dice
Roll Attack and Damage
1-2 Barbed talons — lose 2 STAMINA points.
3 Leaping attack — you are knocked to the ground
(lose 2 STAMINA points) and spend the next
Attack Round trapped under the monster,
fighting with your Attack Strength reduced by
1 point.
4 Web-spit — you suffer no wounds but cannot
defend yourself during the next Attack Round
as you struggle to free yourself from the sticky
silken strands.
Venomous bite — lose 4 STAMINA points.
NVI Spider-swarm — tiny, red-bodied spiders burst
from blisters on her abdomen. Roll one dice and

EF EJ
 253-254
lose that many STAMINA points as the swarming
spiders sink their fangs into your flesh. (How-
ever, this attack also costs the Spider-Queen
2 STAMINA points.) If you manage to slay the
Spider-Queen, turn to 364.

253
You gulp down the thick, green liquid, which leaves a
bitter aftertaste in your mouth — but there is worse to
come. You can feel your body swelling and changing,
as the flesh-warping effects of the lycanthropy are
exacerbated. (Add 2 points to your CHANGE score.)
Perhaps there is another potion on the shelf that can
reverse these devastating effects. Do you want to try
another of the bottled potions (turn to 337) or will you
choose not to put your faith in any more of the mad
scientist’s concoctions and flee the building (turn 291)?

254
Even as you turn to run you sense the monstrous wolf
launch itself into the air behind you. There is a
moment of terrible stillness and then the full weight
of the creature lands on top of you, sending you
sprawling on the ground. You gasp in pain, the breath
knocked out of you, as the wolf sinks its cruel teeth
into your shoulder and rakes your back with its steel-
sharp claws. (Lose 4 STAMINA points.)
You suddenly hear a gruff voice bellowing at the beast
to release you. You feel the wolf on top of you tense.
The pressure of the steel gin-trap of its jaws around
your shoulder abruptly eases, as your would-be

EE]
255

killer’s attention is drawn to the new arrival. The wolf

gives voice to its blood-curdling growl and you feel it
rumbling through your body as the weight of the
beast still pins you to the cold, damp floor of the forest.
There is another shout and then an agonised yelping.
The weight on top of you is released. Hearing another
howl of pain you manage to roll onto your side. But
something is wrong; you feel woozy and your head
starts to spin. Your vision greying, you see a tall,
thickset figure standing over the Black Wolf, a sturdy
woodsman’s axe in his hand. The axe descends again
and the wolf gives a strangled yowl. The axeman
swings his makeshift weapon again, landing another
blow, and the wolf flees yelping, the rest of the pack
skulking after their leader. Then the hulking figure is
looming over you. Overcome by pain and blood loss,
your body cannot take any more and you black out.
Turn to 111.

255
The Tower of Maun, home of the Countess Isolde,
stands on a blasted escarpment overlooking the
village. The sun has already set by the time your reach
the tower and you are surprised to find the gatehouse
unmanned. Crossing the bridge that spans a chasm in

PE]
front of the tower, you enter a high-walled courtyard.
Climbing a broad flight of steps up to a grand
entrance, you knock on the large double doors. The
doors are opened by a gaunt-faced man, dressed in
the apparel of.a servant. You tell him that you are here
to seek the help of the Countess and are ushered into
a large, circular entrance hall. From there the man-
servant takes you up a polished stone staircase to the
top of the tower. Finally he leads you into a grand,
high-ceilinged chamber, ornately decorated with
heavy velvet window drapes of black and red, the
dome of its ceiling painted with a zodiacal map of the
heavens. At your abrupt arrival, a striking, platinum-
haired woman dressed in crimson and black, her skin
as white as ivory, rises from a high-backed wooden
chair. Her scrawny servant tells her you are here
seeking her help. ‘Is that right?’ the Countess says,
approaching you. “And how can I help you?’ You are
captivated by her beauty and find yourself transfixed
256-257

by her cold, piercing stare. Roll two dice. If the number

rolled is less than, or equal to, your CHANGE score,
turn to 10; if itis greater, turn to 52.

256
Among the clutter and detritus that has been dumped
at the base of the windmill, now lying under a thick
covering of dust, you find a gleaming Iron Rod,
polished to a blue-black finish, with a sphere of metal
at one end and a gleaming spike atop that. It is a
curious piece and you may add it to your Equipment
List if you wish. There is nothing else of value so will
you settle down to sleep (turn to 279) or climb the
wooden staircase to the next level (turn to 163)?

257
Three figures appear, picking their. way among the
guy ropes of the tents. They are taken by surprise
when suddenly confronted by you. But you don’t
know who is more shocked, you or they, for you are
faced by three surly circus folk. There is the Carnivale
fire-eater (his naked torso covered with a tattoo of a
serpentine dragon) and the bald-headed, moustach-
ioed strongman, who is leading a hulking, green-
skinned ogre by a length of chain attached to a spiked
collar. ‘We’ve found them!’ the fire-eater gasps.
“You should think about giving yourself up,’ the gruff-
voiced strongman says, tugging meaningfully on the
lumbering ogre’s chain, making the barrel-chested
brute grunt with annoyance. As he does so, the fire-
eater moves round behind you, blocking off your
 258
escape route. Will you give up, as the strongman
suggests (turn to 281), or prepare to take on all three
Carnivale characters together (turn to 294)?

258
Stifling a yawn you make for the stairs that lead out of
the bar and up to the guest-rooms. As you leave, you
hear the landlord making his demands of the barmaid,
finishing with, ‘And lay a new fire in the grate,
daughter.’ To which she mutters something undoubt-
edly disrespectful in return. Leaving the miserable
pair to their bickering, you head upstairs for bed. The
room is sparsely furnished — a small table, a chair and
a pallet bed — but you do not care. You feel shattered
after your meeting with the phantom Highwayman,
not to mention the wearying march. You are asleep
from almost the moment your head hits the pillow.
You wake from a dream (in which you are chasing
through the woods barefoot after a stag) due to your
bed being shaken. You open your eyes blearily. You
cannot see anyone else in the chamber with you,
by the thin shaft of moonlight entering your room
between the shutters, but there is the sound of wood
scraping on wood, as if the furniture is being moved
across the bare floorboards. Cautiously, you ease
yourself out of the bed, which has stopped shaking,
and pull your sword from its scabbard. You watch
dumbfounded as the table and chair rise into the air in
front of you. They hover there for a moment, three feet
off the ground, and then suddenly hurl themselves at
you. Incredibly, you find yourself fighting for your

[]Ea
259
life against a table and a chair! Fight the two pieces of
furniture at the same time.
SKILL STAMINA

TABLE 5 6
CHAIR 6 4
If you win, turn to 72.

259
With the day wearing on, the hunting party sets off in
search of the Beast. The men who make up the band
are used to the hardships of life in an even harder
land. They are men of few words, who value action
over rhetoric. Their hounds strain at their chains,
snarling and slavering, eager to be after their prey.
A number of veteran trappers guide the party into
the forests north of Vargenhof, beyond the scraggy
pastures where the Beast took its most recent victim.
You enter the pinewoods under a glowering, overcast
sky, and once beneath the overarching branches it is
as dark as if dusk has fallen. The path the party takes
wends this way and that through the forest, wolf-
hounds and mastiffs being loosed to sniff out the
quarry. Others among the group assure you that you
are following signs left by the Beast of its passing. You,
with your own heightened lupine senses, however,
cannot pick up any scent or sign of such a monster
anywhere nearby. As dusk really does begin to fall, in
desperation the hunters split up and spread out in an
attempt to find their quarry. Suddenly alone, you
stumble on through the encroaching darkness. If you
have the Night Creature special ability, turn to 410. If

Ey]
 260-261

not, Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 410; if you
are Unlucky, turn to 489.
260
‘Here,’ says the scholar, proffering a steaming flask,
‘drink this.’ You take the flask and sniff at the steam
clouding at the brim. You instinctively recoil in
disgust. You ask Vereticus what the elixir is made
from. ‘There’s a little wolfsbane in there,’ he offers,
‘tincture of silver and oil of mistletoe.’ You are going
to have to hold your nose as you drink, if you are ever
to stomach this curious potion: but are you even
certain you want to drink it? If you do, turn to 178. If
you politely decline, turn to 193.
261
Further on, the passageway bends to the right and
opens into a large, low-roofed cavern. On the other
side of the cave, another tunnel, similar to the one you
have just left, continues into the darkness that lies
beneath the Abbey rock. But between you and the
onward tunnel the floor of the cave is lost beneath a
pool of foetid slime, writhing with the bloated white
bodies of Giant Maggots. This explains the aggressive
attitude of the Giant Flies towards you: the insects
were protecting their brood. The stench here is even
worse than that of the effluent pipe and you can see
nubs of bone picked clean by the hungry maggots. Do
you want to risk crossing the maggot-pool to get to
the tunnel on the other side (turn to 293), or would
you rather retrace your steps to where you entered
this stinking underworld and take the other path (turn
to 227)?

CIE
 262-263
262
The monks dead, you stumble into the sanctuary and
come upon the heart of the corruption in this place.
Sloshing about in a pit cut from between lifted
flagstones, and filled with cloying green slime, is a
maggot of a magnitude you would never have imag-
ined. The thing must be 20 feet long from snout to tail
and as you watch it shudders, its tiny blind-head end
swaying around, sniffing you out, the maggot’s moist
white body rippling repulsively. Glutinous slime
dribbles from the abomination’s incessantly working
mouthparts. The sickly sweet smell is at its strongest
here and makes you gag. It is then that you realise
why it is so familiar to you: it is the stench of decay.
Surely evil such as this cannot be permitted to live. If
you have the word Stoggam written on your Adventure
Sheet, turn to 365. If not, you could deal with the
grotesque Abbot-Maggot with cold steel (turn to 426),
or, if you know of another means of fighting the
maggot, you will also know a particular name. Turn
this name into a number using the code A=1, B=2, C=3
... Z=26, add the numbers together and turn to the
paragraph with the same number as the total.
Alternatively, you could just run from the monstrous
maggot’s presence and the Abbey (turn to 148).

. 263 .
The cloud of black mist moves across the palatial
chamber at speed, until it disappears under a tapestry
on the far wall. Hurrying after it, you pull aside the
wall-hanging and find a hidden door. Beyond it, in a
cramped turret chamber, you find the last of the
264
Vampiress’ coffins. Throwing back the lid you see the
re-forming body of the undead dominatrix. Without
hesitation you plunge your blade into the creature’s
chest, penetrating her shrivelled black heart. The
Countess’ eyelids flick open and an unholy scream
escapes from her gaping mouth as she expires. Before
your eyes her flesh dissolves into slime and her black-
ened skeleton crumbles to dust. You have destroyed
the vampiric Countess Isolde and freed the people of
Maun from her tyranny. Regain 2 LucK points! With
the undead Lady of Maun truly dead at last, do you
want to spend time searching her chambers for
treasures (turn to 325), or do you want to quit this
place of evil as without further delay (turn to 346)?

264.
With the Golem nothing more than a puddle of
melting fat, waxy white chunks and‘cut candlewicks,
you cross the room and examine the ornate looking-
glass hanging on the far wall. Close to, you realise that
the mirror has been fashioned from black volcanic
glass, its ornately wrought frame, burnished gold. As
you stare into the black glass, your own shadow-eyed
face stares back at you. An inscription has been etched
into the frame. It reads:
Ifyou would my secrets know,
And take all I can bestow,
Take courage now, step forth and speak
And tell me what it is you seek.
If you know what it is you should ask for, turn the
name into a number using the code A=1, B=2, C=3...

CIE]
 265-267
Z=26, and turn to the paragraph which is the same
as the total you come up with. If the paragraph makes
no sense the mirror will not give up its secrets to
you which leaves you only two options. Will you
smash the mirror (turn to 34), or leave the turret room,
return to the Map Room and proceed from there (turn
to 321)?

265
As the curious being darts over the sparkling ground
you desperately try to wrack your brains for any way
you can possibly think of to rid yourself of the icy
sprite. You now need to test one of your abilities,
either by Testing your Skill or Testing your Luck. If you
Test your Skill and are successful, turn to 287. If your
Test your Luck and are Lucky, turn to 299. If you fail,
no matter which ability you test, in desperation you
pull your sword from its scabbard (turn to 218).

266
Apart from the pick, the dead Dwarf has few posses-
sions about his person, which is probably why he
risked prospecting in such a perilous place. However,
in the miner’s pack you find a still-stoppered potion
bottle labelled ‘Fortune’. The bottle has one tot left in
it. Drinking the potion will return your LUCK score to
its Initial level. This is a lucky. find indeed! Now you
must return to 122 to decide which way to go.

267
Out of the foetid pool, the blade appears to shine. It is
a magnificent weapon and has not suffered any

E] [
268

tarnishing, despite its resting-place. Turning the blade

over you see engraved gothic lettering flash in the
lantern light. They spell out a name: ‘Wulfen’. You
have found a powerful magical weapon. Restore 1
LUCK point and, for as long as it is your weapon of
choice, increase your Attack Strength in battles by 1
point. As well as counting as a magical weapon, which
will harm the undead, demons and magical creatures,
the Wulfen Sword has a charm bound into it, which
works against the moon-wrought powers of were-
creatures. Injuries you lay against any creature with
the word ‘Were’ in its name, while wielding the
Wulfen Sword will cause 3 STAMINA points damage
rather than the usual 2. Add the Wulfen Sword to your
Possessions. Still marvelling at the magnificent
weapon you hold in your hands, you begin to wonder
what else might be lying beneath the surface of the
pool. Do you want to extend the search for artefacts
(turn to 432) or will you climb out of the pit with your
wondrous new find (turn to 154)?

268 .
‘... And so I find myself here, a mercenary seeking a
job that will pay for a comfortable bed at a warm inn
for the night,’ you say, concluding your story.
‘A sell-sword, you say?’ The man never once takes his
eyes from you. ‘Then you have come to the right place.
But let’s not talk here. You must be hungry after your
travels and The Suckling Pig has a roaring fire that will
take the chill from your bones.’
You allow the man — who is Konrad, headman of

EY ES]
Strigoiva — to lead you to the village’s only tavern,
where at his insistence, a bowl of steaming mutton
stew is placed before you. You devour the meal
hungrily as you listen to what he has to tell you.
(Regain up to 4 STAMINA points.)

‘We live in cursed times, my friend, and Strigoiva feels

this curse more strongly than other places. On a
nightly basis we suffer the attacks of a veritable army
of ghosts.’

Ghosts? Konrad has captured your attention. ‘What

ghosts?’ you ask.

‘Terrible spectres all,’ he goes on. ‘First there is the

Shuck, which preys upon travellers on the western
moors and keeps Father Corran a virtual prisoner
within the holy shrine to the goddess of the healing
spring. Then there is the Headless Highwayman, who
preys on folk who travel the road north to Balci, just
as he did in his ungodly lifetime. And last, but most
terrible of all, there is the Howling, which assails us in
our homes each and every night. We have had enough.
When you arrived, you found us preparing to meet
the ghostly pack and send it on its way back to Hell,
or die trying. Will you help rid us of our spectral
tormentors? We would reward you in our own modest
Way. J

If you want to stay and help the villagers in their battle

with the Howling — whatever that might be — turn to
40. If not, turn to 434.

[J
269
269
There is a definite gap between the edge of the mirror
and the frame. Tapping the wall around the edge of
the frame you finally find what you are looking for.
You apply just the right amount of pressure at the
right spot and the reflecting glass swings back.
Beyond the mirror lies a small chamber draped with
black velvet and lit by a single red lantern. Standing
on trestles is a grand black coffin with gleaming gold
handles. If you ever had any doubts that Maun Tower
is the lair of a Vampire they vanish now. You know
that a Vampire’s coffin is its last refuge and as long as
the undead creature has such a retreat to return to it
can never truly be vanquished. You send the coffin
crashing to the floor and smash it to smithereens.
(Make a note of the fact that you have destroyed the
coffin on your Adventure Sheet and add 1 to your
ALARM score.) Feeling more confident about the out-
come of your mission you leave the second floor to
explore elsewhere (turn to 7).
 270
270
There being no time like the present, you seize your
moment and leap at the thing, sword drawn. Seeing
what you are planning, the Changeling hisses and
leaps into the.rafters above your head. In the same
instant, as if compelled by the will of another, Farmer
Bauer and his wife march towards you, arming
themselves with a stout log from the woodpile and a
rolling-pin, ready to defend their unnatural ‘child’.
The Changeling giggles as the old couple try to batter
you with their improvised cudgels. You have no wish
to harm the elderly pair and so fight only to disarm
them. Farmer Bauer has a SKILL score of 6 and Mistress
Bauer a SKILL of 5. Roll for Attack Rounds as normal,
but reducing your Attack Strength by 1 point. You
need to win two Attack Rounds to disarm each
opponent, and have to fight them both at the same
time. If the farmer or his wife win an Attack Round
you will suffer damage as normal. Keep a track of how
many Attack Rounds it takes to disarm the pair (you
will need to fight a minimum of four). When you have
disarmed both Farmer and Mistress Bauer, you are at
last able to tackle the Changeling. But while you have
been distracted the imp has been steadily transforming
itself. It is now much larger, and more vicious than it
was in its infant form. When you come to fight the
monstrous imp you must increase its STAMINA score
by the number of Attack Rounds it took you to disarm
the old couple. You must also increase it SKILL score
by the same number divided by two (rounding
fractions up). Now turn to 137 to resolve this battle.

EC]
271-272
271
As you battle the Black Wolf you become increasingly
aware of the rest of the wolf pack continuing to close
in around you, and that momentary distraction is all
it takes. You stumble on an exposed root and lose your
footing. The huge wolf seizes the opportunity with
unnerving animal cunning. Your sword-arm flailing
as you try to maintain your balance, the wolf smashes
through your compromised defence and hurls you
bodily to the ground. You feel its great weight on top
of you, the breath knocked out of you. You can smell
its foetid, carnivore’s breath, hear its snarl in your ear.
And then, with a savage cry of animal satisfaction, the
wolf sinks its fangs into the flesh of your shoulder.
(Lose 2 STAMINA points.) Your agonised cry is
suddenly joined by a how] of pain as the wolf releases
its grip. Your vision greying, you see a tall, thickset
figure standing over the Black Wolf; a sturdy woods-
man’s axe raised above his head. The axe descends
again and the wolf gives a strangled yowl and leaps
off you. The woodsman swings his axe again and the
wolf flees yelping, the rest of the pack skulking after
their leader. Then the great figure is looming over you.
Defeated by pain and blood loss, your body cannot
take any more and you black out. Turn to 111.

272
You trudge on across Fenmoor, following the narrow
paths of firmer ground zigzagging between the
marshes that have given these moors their name. The
fog that continues to thicken around you adds to your
sense of disorientation until you have no idea where

ETL
you are going. A shrill sound suddenly cuts through
the smothering mist, something like the screaming of
demented wolves. All sorts of terrible premonitions
assail your overwrought mind and you begin to feel
that your fate is inescapable. (Add 1 to your CHANGE
score.) And then you see movement ahead. Smoky
tendrils dance before your eyes, their twisting course
seemingly directed by some gestalt intelligence. As
you watch, transfixed, you fancy that you can see
monstrous faces appearing through the fog. As you
are wondering whether your own eyes are playing
tricks on you, a nightmarish visage coalesces from the
vapour around you. It has burning eyes and a hideous,
fang-filled slash of a mouth. Beneath the misshapen
head and neck, two muscular arms emerge from the
swirls of mist, ending in savage, rending claws. From
the torso down, the creature’s body trails away into
nothingness as it merges back into the mist. The
grotesque creature darts forward, spiralling around
you in an effort to confuse, but you do not fail to spot
the appearance of a second creature. You have heard
tell of these monsters before but had thought them the
stuff of fairy tales. Unfortunately for you these Fog
Devils are all too real. You have no choice but to fight
the creatures together as they close in for the kill, their
cries setting your teeth on edge.
| SKILL STAMINA
First FOG DEVIL ! 8 6
Second FOG DEVIL 7 6
If you win, turn to 222.

PE
273-274
273
At the very top of the spiral staircase you pass through
a door and emerge onto the battlements of the tower.
Dark rags of cloud scud across the moon, which hangs
near full over the landscape. Staring up at the moon
you can feel its lunar energy working its way into
every fibre of your being, calling to the wolf within.
(Add 1 to your CHANGE score.) Momentarily ensnared
by the moon’s gaze you become aware of a high-
pitched squeaking sound that you would never have
been able to hear at all before your transformation
into a wolf began. Looking up, you see the flapping
flock of bats descending from the tempestuous sky.
Before you can reach the door that leads back down
into the tower, the bats are upon you, all slashing
wing-claws and needle-sharp fangs. You are going to
have to fight these servants of the oe creature who
rules here.
FLOCK OF BATS SKILL5 STAMINA 10
Deduct your SKILL score from 15; this is the total
number of Attack Rounds you will have to fight before
you can escape the flock of bats, if you do not defeat
them in fewer rounds. If you do manage to drive the
bats off and return to the relative safety of the interior
of the tower, turn to 7 to explore elsewhere.

274
Drawing your sword, you leap at the landlord’s
daughter, but before you can land a blow against her
the doors of the stable are thrown open by a gale-force

EG
 275
wind and you hear the shrill whinny of a horse in the
yard behind you. ‘He comes,’ Meg says, looking past
you, ‘my fine gentleman, my brave Lord Lucre.’ You
turn and come face-to-face, as it were, with the
Headless Highwayman once again. The spectre enters
the stable on foot, drawn sabre in one hand and his
own severed head under the other. “You would lay a
hand on my Meg?’ the ghost declares its face contorted
in rage. ‘Then you will pay with your life!’ And with
that Lord Lucre attacks.
HEADLESS HIGHWAYMAN _ skILL8 = STAMINA 8
If you defeat your ghostly opponent, turn to 115.

275
Another half an hour further down the path and you
make camp beneath the outstretched branches of a
lightning-sundered elm tree. You may eat 1 Meal’s
worth of Provisions if you wish, before settling to
sleep, but as soon as your close your eyes sleep is not
long incoming...
You are woken from a dream (in which you are baying
at the moon with the rest of your pack) by some ever-
watchful sixth sense. You hear a leathery flapping
sound coming from the branches of the dead elm and
catch the shimmer of shadowy movement. There is
the glimmer of moonlight on glistening, elongated
fangs and the Vampire Bats, which have scented you
out by the corrupted blood pulsing in your veins, fly
down to feed. You are going to have to fight the
bloodthirsty creatures all together.

[] Ee
276-277

SKILL STAMINA
First VAMPIRE BAT 5 4
Second VAMPIRE BAT 6 5
Lupravian Vampire Bats are even more to be feared
than those of other lands. They are horribly overlarge
creatures with savage, fanged faces, giving them an
undead appearance. To add to their unpleasant form,
this particular pair are also riddled with rabies. If they
manage to bite you — even just once — you must add 1
point to your CHANGE score. If you dispatch both of
the cruel creatures you spend the rest of the night
wide awake, listening out for more of their kind. You
are glad when dawn breaks at last and you are able to
go on your way. Turn to 500.

276
When you plunged your sword into the bow] of water
outside the onion-domed building, you were in fact
anointing the blade with holy water from the village
shrine. As a result, thankfully, you are now able to
cause the spectral wolf harm (regain 1 LUCK point),
but it is still going to be a battle that will test your
mettle.
SPECTRAL WOLFE SKILL 7 STAMINA 8
If you destroy the wolf-ghost, turn to 443.

277
The effects of the potion you have chosen to drink are
not constant, changing from one minute to the next.
Roll one dice and consult the table below to see what
effect the elixir has on you.

[Ee
 278
Dice Roll Effect
1-2 Restore your current SKILL score to its Initial
level. ©
3-4 Restore your current STAMINA score to its
Initial level.
5-6 Restore your current LUCK score to its Initial
level.
Will you now drink one of the other potions (turn to
337) or would you prefer to leave the burning building
(turn to 291)?

278
You lift the mace down from its mountings and test its
weight in your hand. It is heavy enough to break bone
and stone with equal ease, causing conventional
opponents 3 STAMINA points of damage. But because
of its weight, if you wish to use the mace in battle,
rather than a bladed weapon you might have, you
must reduce your Attack Strength by 1 point. As you
are getting used to the feel of the mace you hear an
ominous grating sound behind you. You turn to see
one of the suits of armour climb down from its
pedestal, the iron plate clattering noisily as it does so.
It too pulls a mace down from the wall and advances
on you with slow clanking steps. (Add 1 to your
ALARM Score.)
ANIMATED ARMOUR ~ SKILL8 STAMINA8
As with your mace, every time the suit of armour wins
an Attack Round you will suffer 3 points of STAMINA
damage. You may escape after two Attack Rounds by
turning to 7. If you stay the fight and destroy the metal

Ee Es]
 279-280
menace, it collapses on the carpeted floor of the
corridor, now just so many pieces of battered armour.
Will you now take down one of the shields from the
wall (turn to 203) or will you leave to explore else-
where (turn to 7)?

279
Pulling an old, moth-eaten blanket over you for extra
warmth, you make yourself a make-do bed for the
night, using your backpack as a pillow. You are fast
asleep and snoring soundly when somebody creeps
up on you and knocks you over the head with a heavy
cosh. Lose 2 STAMINA points and, if you are still alive,
turn to 476.

280
The old woman gives a startled cry and spins round.
On seeing you her beady black eyes narrow and an
ugly grimace contorts her already unattractive fea-
tures. She quickly flicks to another page in her book
and, chanting the incantation she finds there, points
her wand at the creatures at her feet. Realising the
crone’s evil intentions you prepare to defend yourself.
Then the spell takes effect: one of the toads at her feet
starts to swell, rapidly increasing in size. Having
started off as big as a man’s fist, it is soon the size of a
dog but keeps on growing. The transformation does
not stop until the bloated toad is as large as a pony.
Pushing itself forward on its huge webbed feet, the
witch’s familiar moves to attack, the tip of its tongue
darting in and out of its mouth.
GIANT TOAD SKILL6 STAMINA 7

3}
281

If the toad wins an Attack Round, it lashes you with

its poisonous sticky tongue; on a roll of 5 or 6 you lose
4 STAMINA points instead of the usual 2. If you kill the
toad, you must now deal with the witch. Turn to 65.

281
Suddenly surrounded by Carnivale folk, you are
seized and your weapon taken from you. You are
taken inside the larger, grinning maw tent at the centre
of the encampment. You find yourself standing at the
centre of a circle of the strange Carnivale players.
Many of them bear some kind of mutation. You see
one man with gills in his neck like a fish, and a woman
joined at the hip to her twin. The diminutive Carnivale
Master pushes his way through the crowd and peers
up at you from beneath the shadowing brim of his
top hat.
‘People are suspicious of us Carnivale folk, with our
unfamiliar Carnivale ways, but we do not mean any
harm. We are just trying to make our way in the world
like everybody else. We offer sanctuary to the dis-
possessed, the unwanted and the outcast. Most are
happy to leave us be, paying for the privilege of
glimpsing a world they are fortunate enough not to be
part of. But then some people like you,’ he says,
stabbing an accusing finger at your chest, ‘never let us
be and force us to move on from town to town, village
to village, never able to rest for fear of the false
accusations that follow us. And what kind of person
are you anyway, to think the worst of us?’ If you have
the codeword Rellik written on your Adventure Sheet,

EIEJ
 282

turn to 418. If not, roll two dice and add 2 to the total.
If the total is equal to or less than your current CHANGE
score, turn to 3; ifit is greater, turn to 509.

; 282
The dressed stone walls soon give way to hard packed
earth, within which have been cut long, low recesses,
each large enough to hold a coffin. These must be the
catacombs of the Abbey, in which the predecessors of
the present-day brethren are interred. The catacomb
tunnels wind through the ground beneath the Abbey
complex, lit by flickering tallow-tapers. Turning a
corner you hear a sudden skittering sound, which is
then joined by a shrill squeaking. You can see that a
number of the coffin-alcoves have been disturbed, the
shroud-bound remains being gnawed at by the
creatures your arrival has interrupted. At first glance
you take them to be rats but as you begin to see more
clearly through the gloom, you glimpse patches of
bare skin, suppurating sores and oozing buboes,
exposed ribs, jaundice-yellow eyes and bony, fleshless
tails. These are no mere rats, they are contaminated
carriers of the lethal Yellow Death, and would much
rather feast on warm fresh meat than old, dry bones.
Fight the undead rodents as if they were one entity.
GHOUL RATS SKILL6 STAMINA 10

If the rats bite you more than twice, you become

infected with the vile plague they carry. Lose 1 SKILL
point in addition to any STAMINA you may lose, and
add 1 to your CHANGE score. If you survive this
pestilential encounter, turn to 362.

[-] [4
283-284
283
‘Why, everyone knows the name of Wulfen. And, aye,
I’ve heard tell of the Mad Prince, not to mention his
brother, Count Varcolac, who is head of the family
now. Although how much is fiction and how much is
truth I wouldn’t like to say,’ Konrad warns you. ‘What
I’ve heard is that this Garoul was locked up in a tower
of Castle Wulfen and was driven mad by his incar-
ceration. Now it is said that he will eat only raw meat
and howls at the full moon, when it appears in the
heavens.” Now turn to 395.

284
Higher up the tower, on the fourth floor, you come to
a long corridor lined with large portraits in heavy
frames. They depict various members of the same
aristocratic family, their shared likeness being a
hungry, hawkish look. Some of the paintings must be
several hundred years old. They range from gaunt-
looking old men in ill-fitting suits of ceremonial
armour to full-length portraits of a striking, platinum-
haired young woman. In fact, there are more paintings
of her than any other person on display. One repre-
sentation of the noblewoman in particular grabs your
attention. Realised in earth-toned oils and broad
brushstrokes, it shows the subject standing before
crenelated battlements, a stormy night’s sky behind
her and the silhouettes of bats and carrion birds
flitting across the glowing orb of the moon. You feel as
if the woman is staring from the canvas directly into
your eyes, and are suddenly overwhelmed by the
feeling that you are being watched. (Add 1 to your
 285-287
ALARM score and make sure the codeword Dehctaw is
recorded on your Adventure Sheet.) Unable to shake
the feeling of unease this has left you with you hasten
away from the gallery and try another floor of the
tower. Turn to 7.

285
Somehow you manage to master the beast struggling
to free itself from inside the fleshy cage of your body
for just a few more precious moments. You might still
get out of this alive, and still human! Regain 1 LUCK
point and turn to 189.

286
The black mist rushes out of the chamber with
inhuman speed, leaving you alone in the palatial
domed room. The vampiric Countess has retreated to
one of her hidden coffin-sanctuaries to recuperate.
Although you have won a victory over her, it is only
temporary. The vampiric Lady of Maun will return, of
that you can be assured! (Lose 1 LUCK point and add
the codeword Daednu to your Adventure Sheet.) Alone
at the top of the tower, will you spend some time
searching the Countess’ chambers for valuables or
artefacts of power (turn to 325), or will you quit this
place of evil as quickly as you can (turn to 346)?

287
Of course, it seems so obvious to you now. The
elemental is a creature of ice and cold, so heat would
be a natural defence against it. Quickly, you pull your
tinderbox from your backpack. Using the kindling

Pd}Ee]
288

you carry with you, you light a small fire and are able
to get a dry tree branch to burn. Waving your burning
brand in front of you, you force the sprite back and
out of your way. ‘Frost and snow and chill winds
blow, the warming comes away we go!’ the creature
shrieks and then seems to evaporate into thin air.
Regain 1 LUCK point and turn to 314.

288
Changing course you pick your way through the
undergrowth towards the lilting music and flickering
firelight. It does not take long to reach the encamp-
ment, which has been made in a sheltered clearing. A
number of brightly painted wagons have been drawn
up ina rough circle, the horses and mules that brought
them here now freed of their traces and grazing
nearby. At the centre of the ring of wagons a large fire
is burning furiously, and dancing barefoot before the
flames is a beautiful young woman. She lifts her skirts
as she dances, as her legs kick and leap, bracelets
around her wrists and ankles jangling, providing a
percussive accompaniment .to the accordion. There
are other people present too, sitting around the fire,
clapping in time to the music. They are dressed in
brightly coloured skirts and trews, waistcoats and
shawls. All of them are olive of skin and dark of hair,
and all of them show their wealth about their person
in an ostentatious fashion, gold-hoop earrings,
necklaces of semi-precious stones and large rings.
These are the Mortani gypsies, native people of the
cursed land of Lupravia, descendants of the original
nomadic tribespeople who first settled the mountain-

EES]
 289
shaded valleys of Mauristatia. A few of them give you
sideways glances as you approach, but none try to
stop you. And all the time the music drums its way
through you. Roll two dice and add 2 to the number
rolled. If the total is less than or equal to your CHANGE
score, turn to 336; if it is greater, turn to 323.

289
Thankfully, despite her terrible ordeal, the old woman
is still alive, although badly injured. The kind-hearted
woodsman takes Grandmother Zekova up in his arms
and carries her to her bed, where he does his best to
make her comfortable. Her eyes flickering, between
ragged gasps, she says, “Ulrich, is that you?’
‘It is, Grandmother,’ he replies, his voice low and
gentle.
‘So what brings you to my cottage, so fortuitously, at
this late hour?’ she wheezes.
You listen anxiously as Ulrich relates the events that
have led you both to this point. The old woman takes
in all he has to say with remarkable calmness. When
he is done she turns her head to look at you. ‘So you
have been bitten by a lycanthrope and now carry the
same dread disease?’ You nod wearily. ‘Lycanthropy
is a terrible and crippling curse indeed, but you are
fortunate to have met Ulrich this night, and that he
had the foresight to bring you to me. But if Iam to help
you now, you must tell me again about the creature
that attacked you.’ If you have a Signet Ring, turn to
369. If not, turn to 326.

Py i
290
290
Picking up the transformed hand you hurl it into the
fire with a scream of rage and then watch as the fingers
blacken and burn, the flesh crisping and crackling in
the hungry flames.
‘Then Iam doomed,’ you say, in utter despair as you
gaze into the fire. ‘Doomed to become a creature of
bloodthirsty appetites I shall be unable to control
when the moon waxes full. I shall be an outcast, an
animal, a murderous beast.’ (Add.3 points to your
CHANGE score.)
‘Maybe not,’ Ulrich says, fixing you with an unnerving
stare. There is something old and forbidding about
the dark pits of his eyes, as if there is something else
looking out of Ulrich at you. ‘There may still be hope
—for you.’
There is? Then what is to be done? You press the
woodsman to tell you more. What does he know that
you do not?

ANS Vf
‘I know of two cures for lycanthropy, but we will have
to act quickly.’ Ulrich will help you? But why? ‘Let us
just say that we all have our secrets.’ So what are the
cures? “The surest way, is to find the werewolf that
infected you with its bite, and kill it. You could also
eat a sprig of the herb belladonna, if you could find
some. And there is one other course of action we could
take. We could seek the assistance of Grandmother
Zekova, the wisest person I know, who lives further
into these woods, over the border in Lupravia. But it
is up to you. What do you want to do?’ Will you
choose to:
Pursue the wolves in the hope of hunting
down the animal that bit you? Turn to 473
Search the woods for the herb
belladonna? Turn to 195
Go in search of the wisewoman Grand-
mother Zekova? Turn to 302
291-292
291
The staircase leading to the windmill’s lower levels is
on fire so, in a feat of courageous derring-do, you
throw yourself out of the top of the building, landing
on one of the ragged, broken-battened sails, and allow
the sails’ rotation to carry you down to the ground.
Dropping the last six feet, you run hell-for-leather
away from the blazing structure as its dilapidated
framework finally gives in to the ravages of the raging
conflagration and the storm, and collapses in on itself.
You spend the rest of the night being battered by the
unrelenting storm and when morning comes you go
on your way, weary with sleep-deprivation and
soaked to the skin, but nonetheless grateful to be alive.
Turn to 500.

292
You spot the large, flat, circular boulder almost flush
with the floor of the cave just in time to escape the
attempt on your life that follows. The stone flips up,
like an opening hatch, and a huge, hairy brown spider
— over ten feet in diameter — leaps out of the hole now
revealed in the cavern floor. The arachnid’s powerful,
grasping front limbs hit the rocky floor barely a foot
from you but, realising that its surprise attack has
failed, the Giant Trapdoor Spider retreats into its hole,
pulling the boulder back into place over the top of its
tunnel to protect itself. Do you want to heave the stone
out of the way and take the fight to the spider (turn to
514) or would you rather get away from here as
quickly as possible (turn to 236)?

Lsjdey
 293-294
293
As soon as you wade into the slimy pool the maggots’
blind heads turn towards you, drawn to your body-
heat. Unperturbed, with one hand on the pommel of
your sword, you take one determined step after
another across the lake of ooze. The slime sucks at
your feet; it feels just like walking through a clinging
swamp. A bloated maggot rolls over and bumps into
your leg, making you jump, but the fly larvae do not
attack. They are only interested in consuming dead
flesh. You are halfway across the disgusting cavern
when your foot knocks against something under the
surface of the slime. Do you want to reach into the
slime to pick up whatever it is you have inadvertently
found (turn to 307), or will you keep going without
stopping, just in case (turn to 322)?

294
‘Grendel, kill!’ the strongman shouts, releasing his
hold on the beast’s chain. With a bellow the hulking
beast bounds towards you, the knuckles of its massive
fists dragging on the ground, as the strongman and
fire-eater arm themselves with long knives and
advance towards you. You must always fight two of
your opponents at the same time (in whatever combi-
nation you choose), until there is only one left alive.
SKILL STAMINA
GRENDEL 8 10
STRONGMAN 9 8
FIRE-EATER 7 6
If the Grendel-beast scores a hit against you roll one

[Ee
295
dice; on a roll of 6 the creature’s massive club fists
cause you 3 points of STAMINA damage. If you lose
two Attack Rounds ina row (to any of your opponents)
the Fire-Eater breathes a gout of flame at you, causing
you an additional 2 STAMINA points’ damage. If you
overcome all three opponents, you can either flee the
Carnivale straight away (turn to 29), or risk continuing
your search of the camp (turn to 281), but whatever
you choose to do, add the codeword Rellik to your
Adventure Sheet first.

295
You snatch up the skull and then, there in front of you,
is the headless ghost once again. You have no choice
but to fight as the Headless Highwayman tries to
reclaim his skull.

HEADLESS HIGHWAYMAN _ sKILL8 STAMINA 8

If you win, you hurl the skull onto the cobbles of the
stable yard where it smashes into bony shards. Turn
to 76.
 296-297

296
Talking to the cheerful smith does not tell you any-
thing about the malaise affecting the people of Maun
but you do get on to the subject of your own quest.
Without revealing any of the pertinent -— and
potentially contentious — details, you do tell him that
you could do with some help. ‘Then you should try
Countess Isolde, the Lady of Maun Tower. She is a
sorceress. I’m sure she would be willing and able to
help you. And then there are the Black Monks, they
might be able to help too. You'll find them at their
abbey, north of here.’ Do you want to take the smith
up on his advice and seek an audience with the Lady
of Maun (turn to 255), or will you press on and quit
the village (turn to 350)?

- 297
As you descend the staircase the shadows deepen, as
the wall-mounted torches peter out. The crypt itself is
pitch black and you will need a lantern if you are
to progress any further. If you have a lantern, the
Night Creature special ability or the codeword Nethcir
written on your Adventure Sheet, you can enter the
crypt safely (turn to 320). If you don’t have any of the
above, but still want to risk entering the crypt, turn to
309. If you don’t want to enter the crypt after all, turn
to 7 to choose another floor of the tower to explore.
 298-299
298
The mist thickens in front of you, coalescing into the
shape of a grotesque, phantasmal creature. Everything
about it is a macabre exaggeration of what a wolf
would be in, life; horrific dagger-length fangs, ©
shredding scythe-hook claws, blazing coal-eyes and
that incessant wailing howl. You have no choice but to
defend yourself against the leader of the spectral pack.
If you dipped your sword in water earlier, turn to 276.
If not, turn to 96.

299
Rising from the depths of your subconscious comes a
rhyme that you remember being taught as a child.
‘Beware the Shiversprite, my dear, when the moon
is fat.
Sharp of claw and spindle-limbed he is, and cunning.
With icy breath and freezing touch he brings the
snowfall chill.
But Winter hungers and has teeth, my love, and
sharpened ones at that.
So beware the Shiversprite, my dear, when the moon
is fat.”
The cautionary rhyme was more than just a child’s
bedtime tale, it was a warning for those who might
find themselves at the mercy of one of Grandfather
Winter’s minions. The ditty even tells you the ele-
mental creature’s name and to know such a being’s
true name is to have power over it. ‘Shiversprite!’
you shout. Hearing you utter its name, the creature
almost jumps out of its icy skin. Without a moment's

EE
300
hesitation you declare the sprite to ‘Begone!’ With an
ear-piercing shriek the elemental appears to evaporate
and is gone. Turn to 314.

300
Count Varcolac, Prince of Lupravia, Were-Lord of
Wulfen Castle and first of his cursed werewolf blood-
line lies dead at your feet. You have exacted your
revenge on this monstrous tyrant, this begetter of
wolf-spawn. But what is this? Even as you are looking
down at Varcolac’s corpse in triumph you see the
many wounds you inflicted on him knit and heal
bloodlessly. The werewolf’s eyes flick open but now
they burn like the fiery pits of hell itself. Your hackles
rise and suddenly a series of vision-memories that are
not your own assail your conscious mind...
You see five gathered within shadow-haunted ruins —
a monk, a sorceress, a black-shrouded widow, a
noblewoman and a younger Count Varcolac — as they
embark upon some unholy ritual. In your mind’s eye
you see them cast treasures, valuable to each, into a
pit of darkness. You hear the chanted invocation, see
 301
the silver-wrought daggers they have consecrated for
their dark rite, feel the gathered Cadre’s fear and
excited anticipation. And then you briefly glimpse the
thing they summon forth from the Infernal Pit, a
wolfish demon, its insubstantial flesh black as an evil
man’s dreams, snarling like a caged beast. You see the
demon possess the astounded Count and witness his
transformation into a wolf for the first time...
You understand now what is happening under your
appalled gaze. The demon the Cadre summoned,
which possessed the rakish young prince and wrought
its changes so dramatically upon him, is resurrecting
Count Varcolac’s werewolf body from the dead. But
what can you do to stop this demonic resurrection? If
you have the codeword Degnahc recorded on your
Adventure Sheet, turn to 399 immediately. If not, have
you collected any Silver Daggers during your
adventure? If you have collected no daggers at all,
turn to 133. If you have collected five daggers and
know what to do with them, turn to the relevant page
number you noted down earlier. If you have less than
five daggers, or you do not know what to do with
them, turn to 464.

301
There are various chapters within Grymm’s Folk-lore
and the pages of wooden-block print are accompanied
by woodcut illustrations of subjects such as a man
extracting the stone from a toad’s head and a hag
being put to the ducking-stool. Much of Grymm is
knowledge that any peasant child would know. But in

zie
302
a chapter entitled ‘Of Myths Concerning the Cycles of
the Year’, the author writes about beliefs surrounding
the changing of the seasons, stating that such times
of transition are when elemental forces, tied to the
different times of the year, have most influence in the
world. The seasons themselves are given the per-
sonifications of Mistress Springtime, the Summer
Lord, Dame Autumn and Grandfather Winter by the
peasant folk of Lupravia, whose lives and livelihoods
are closely bound to the seasonal cycles. The chapter
describes one of these elementals, a minion of Old
Man Winter, called the Shiversprite, who heralds
winter’s return, bringing hard frosts and sudden
blizzards. You reach the end of the chapter just as
Vereticus returns to the library. Turn to 260.

302
Ulrich sets off through the night at such a pace that, in
your current condition, you find it exhausting to keep
up. Your panting breath mists before you in the cold
night air, but Ulrich shows no sign of slowing: your
predicament is just too dire. And so you continue, half
running to keep up with the woodsman as he hurries
through the brooding forest, leading you deeper and
deeper into this dark domain.
You have been travelling in this way for almost an
hour when you come in sight of a stone cottage, com-
plete with sagging thatched roof. Without breaking
his stride, Ulrich marches up to the sturdy, iron-bound
oak door and beats on it with the haft of his axe. From
inside the cottage comes the sound of shuffling steps,

EES]
followed by a cracked, irritable voice: ‘Who’s there?
And what do you want?’
‘Grandmother!’ the woodsman calls. ‘It is Ulrich with
a friend in need of your help.’ A tiny hatch in the
middle of the door slides open and two cataract-
blurred eyes peer out before the opening closes again.
There is the grate of bolts being pulled back until at
last the door opens. A hunched figure ushers you both
into the warm glow before the door is slammed shut
and rebolted.
Wrapped in a woollen shawl, the wizened old crone
looks you up and down, suspiciously. She has a
hooked nose and chin, and looks every part the witch,
with a chain of silver charms hanging round her neck.
‘So it’s you who needs my help, is it?’ Grandmother
Zekova says. You listen in nervous anticipation, as
Ulrich tells the old wisewoman of the fate that has
befallen you. The old woman appears to take in what
Ulrich says with dispassionate interest. When he is
done she turns to you. Without saying a word she
starts to prod and poke you, looking in your eyes and
getting you to stick out your tongue. She also takes a
look at the wolf-bite on your shoulder.
‘Lycanthropy is a terrible and crippling curse indeed,’
she says at last, ‘but you are fortunate to have met
trustworthy Ulrich here, who has had the foresight to
bring you to me. For I can help you, although I cannot
cure you. The disease is still just taking hold and if we
act fast we might yet be able to counteract the effects
of the werewolf’s saliva-venom. | can prepare a potion

EJ L]
3°3=304
brewed from the belladonna weed, which will help,
but with your consent, I would like to bleed you first,
so that the concoction might have a faster, more
potent, effect.’
Will you let the wisewoman bleed you before admin-
istering her potion (turn to 335), or will you refuse and
simply ask her to prepare the belladonna concoction
(turn to 358)?

299
Lightning courses through your body in an outburst
of primal fury. (Lose 4 STAMINA points and, for as long
as you remain in the windmill, reduce your SKILL by 1
point as well.) However, fortuitously, the force of the
explosion also melts the manacles securing you to the
equipment bank and hurls you across the room to
land before the now-electrified table. The man-made
monster laid out on the slab shudders as the force of
the storm animates it with unnatural life. ‘It’s alive!’
the scientist shouts with unbridled glee. ‘Never again
will they dare to accuse Professor Arcanum of infamy.
Now they will have to declare me a genius rather
than insane!’ The hulking construct turns to face you
and with lumbering, clanking steps advances on you,
arms outstretched. Turn to 152.

304
Lantern in hand, you run towards the monster’s web,
while trying to avoid the ravening monster at the
same time. Test your Skill. If you are successful, turn to
125. If you fail, you cannot avoid the stalking Black
Widow (turn to 252).

[+]
 305-306
395
Night Creature - Werewolves are creatures of the night,
their powers influenced by the lunar cycle. You now
have a closer affinity to the darkness and your night
vision has improved considerably. You no longer need
a lantern to see by when it is dark, whether it is in the
depths of a moonless night or you are exploring
subterranean tunnels. If you are told that you must
have a lantern to follow a particular route you may
ignore this instruction. Make a note of this new special
ability on your Adventure Sheet and turn to the para-
graph with the same number as the one you were last
instructed to write down.

306
‘Ah, good,’ says the second as you draw your blade,
‘something to sharpen my claws on!’
‘Like a lamb to the slaughter,’ says the third.
‘No,’ the first barks, sniffing the air again, her muzzle-
nose wrinkling, ‘more like a wolf in sheep’s clothing!’
Screaming, Count Varcolac’s Wolf Brides attack,
clawed hands ready to tear your flesh. Their path to
you is obstructed by the dining table and chairs. You
are able to manoeuvre yourself so that you can fight
them one ata time.
SKILL STAMINA
First WOLF BRIDE 7 7
Second WOLF BRIDE 6 7
Third WOLF BRIDE 7 8

[ [
397
A silver weapon will harm the brides just as it would
other were-creatures. If you are wounded more
than three times, add 1 to your CHANGE score. If you
manage to kill all three of the savage brides, turn
to 352.

307
Blind white heads nudge at your hands as you fumble
about in the slime, making you shudder in disgust.
Your hand closes around what feels like the hilt of a
weapon. Withdrawing it you wipe the clinging slime
from the object now in your hands and are amazed to
discover that you are holding a beautifully crafted
Silver Dagger.
If you want to take the Silver Dagger, add this item to
your Adventure Sheet and add the codeword Stoggam
to your Adventure Sheet. You may use the dagger in
combat but if you do so you will have to fight with
your Attack Strength reduced by 1 point. Injuries you
cause any creature with the word ‘Were’ in its name
will suffer increased damage (3 STAMINA points rather
than the usual 2) as the pure metal is inimical to their
kind. The Silver Dagger will also harm Undead and
demons but only causes the usual 2 STAMINA points
damage.
It takes a few moments for you to realise that there has
been a cost to putting your hand into the slime, for it
is mildly acidic. Your hand begins to burn and the skin
reddens, just as if you had been burned. In time the
pain will pass but you still suffer 1 STAMINA point of
damage caused by the acid burn. Turn to 322.

Pd
 308-309
308
The barmaid utters the last line of her spell with a final
flourish of her hands staring towards the stable door.
You realise that she can see you, but seems unper-
turbed by your presence. ‘He comes,’ she says, looking
past you, ‘my brave Lord Lucre.’

Hearing the jangle of harness behind you, and the

impatient snort of a horse, you turn around and come
face-to-face, as it were, with the Headless Highway-
man once again. The ghost of Lord Lucre enters the
stable on foot, drawn sabre in one hand and his own
severed head under the other. Without uttering a
single word, the spectre attacks.
HEADLESS HIGHWAYMAN _ sKILL8 = STAMINA 8
If you defeat your ghostly opponent, turn to 115.

399
With cautious steps, keeping one hand on the wall
to your left, you enter the crypt. The silent darkness
swallows you up, but it does not remain silent for
long. A ghastly hissing sound alerts you to the dire
nature of your situation. Then you feel the first of half
a dozen pairs of filthy talons seize hold of you and, as
you struggle to ready your weapon, the first decaying
teeth sink into your flesh. You end your adventure as
the main course in a ghoulish feast for the undead.
310-312
310
Passing through the door you enter what appears to
be an artificer’s workshop. The mechanical guts of all
manner of clockwork contraptions cover shelves and
workbenches, along with the tools used to construct
them. However, one object stands out beyond all
others. Itis a life-size, brass replica of aman. The metal
mannequin, an exquisite work of art more delicate
than any suit of armour, stands immobile, like nothing
so much as an artist’s poseable maquette. Right over
where the figure’s heart would be is'a large keyhole. If
you have a Brass Key and want to turn it in the
keyhole, turn to 452. If not, there is nothing else for
you in the artificer’s room and so you will have to
return to the junction and take the door that is now
ahead of you (turn to 428), or the one that is to your
right (turn to 459).

311
‘Then I pity you your predicament,’ the man says
darkly, ‘but I cannot permit a cursed creature of the
night to live, and risk the contagion spreading.’ With
that, he raises his pistol again and in response,
realising that combat is inevitable, you unsheathe
your sword. Turn to 465.

312
‘Pretty things indeed,’ agrees the second.
‘Wondrous, my sweeting, wondrous!’ warbles the
first, snatching the item from you. (Cross it off from
your Possessions.) ‘Now, be on your way.’
 313-314
Will you now depart, as instructed (turn to 352), or
will you turn on the brides when they are least
expecting it (turnto 306)?

313
Lycanthropy: The Curse of the Werewolf surprises you
because it has been copied out by hand, each new
page of information beginning with a sinisterly
illuminated capital letter. Much of the book is filled
with incorrect and downright ridiculous rumours,
half-truths and utter lies about the nature of Were-
creatures, lycanthropy, and how to contract the condi-
tion. Of what is left you feel that you know most of it
already — that silver is harmful to lycanthropes and
that they are forced to transform once every lunar
cycle when the moon is full. However, there is other
information here that you know will help you manage
the transformation from man to wolf. (Lose 1 CHANGE
point.) In time Vereticus re-enters the library. Turn
to 260.

, 314
With the rising of the sun, the ice melts again and the
forest is free once more of the attentions of Winter’s
minion. The trees begin to thin until you emerge from
the woods and cross a tussocky heath, dotted with the
standing stone markers of some ancient and long-
forgotten tribe. Your path descends through this pur-
ple and green landscape of heather-thick heathland
until you come in sight of another village. Turn to 250.

EE
fiU
fRE fh
 315-316
315
The werewolf snaps as you thrust the Silver Cross of
Saint Crucius into its face. A brutal clawed hand lashes
out, smacking the cross from your hand and raking
the flesh of your arm. Lose 2 STAMINA points and turn
to 150.

316
Ducking inside the wagon you shut the door carefully
behind you. You hold your breath as whomever you
heard walks right past the caravan and around the
Carnivale camp. It is only after their voices have faded
into the distance that you dare to breathe again and
take in your surroundings. Puppets appear to cover
every available surface inside the wagon. Glove
puppets lie in piles on the bed, while painstakingly
painted and varnished marionettes hang from the
roof beams. Other incomplete puppets, some operated
by wires, lie on a workbench to your right. You walk
the length of the caravan amazed at the detail and
craftsmanship on display. The first inkling you have
that something is wrong is the tap-tap-tap as of a
wooden leg on the boarded floor behind you. You
turn, expecting to see the caravan’s owner returning,
but instead you see a gaggle of marionettes moving
jerkily towards you — and no one is pulling their
strings! What malign magic is at work here? And then
the puppets are on you, wooden-jointed knights and
sock-puppet dragons fighting alongside grinning
papier maché skeletons and hook-nosed jester-
clowns, trying to swamp you with their multitudinous
numbers. And all the while chiselled wooden jaws
317-318
clack-clack-clack as they try to bite you. You have
invaded the Puppetmaster’s innermost sanctum and
now you must pay the price.
PUPPETS SKILL6 STAMINA 12

Where one puppet falls to your hacking blows, it

seems that another takes its place in an instant. If you
have not defeated the puppets within ten Attack
Rounds, and you are still alive, turn to 344. If you win
this battle within ten Attack Rounds, all it means is
that you have managed to fight your way back to the
door and so can escape from the caravan (turn to 329).

317
With a deft move you cut in under the automaton’s
guard and succeed in knocking the key out again.
Straightaway, just as you hoped, with a grinding of
gears the attacking automaton becomes still again.
(Regain 1 LUCK point.) There is nothing else of interest
to you in the artificer’s room so you return to the
junction and take the door which is now ahead of you
(turn to 428), or the one to your right (turn to 496).

318
‘Why, that’s a dark place. No one goes there any more.
It’s more home to wild animals now. Of course it
wasn’t always like that but I wouldn’t even think
about going there if I were you. The only thing that
awaits anyone there is madness and a slow, lingering
death, if you’re unlucky. A quick, brutal death if
you're more fortunate. No, I’d steer well clear of that
accursed place.’ Now turn to 395.

EE]
 319-320
319
The corridor leads you down a flight of steps into the
smoky heat of the castle kitchens, but the gods alone
know what foul meal is being prepared within. A
crone stands at a large cauldron, bubbling and steam-
ing over a roaring fire blazing in the grate, muttering
to herself. At: her feet hop, scuttle and slither all
manner of toads, newts, cockroaches, snakes, spiders
and rats. She consults a book open on a stand next to
her, bends down, picks up a wriggling salamander
and tosses it into the pot, stirring it in with a gnarled
length of wood that looks like it could be a wand. A
vile, acrid smell fills the kitchen. Will you:
Call out to the crone, to attract her
attention? Turn to 280
Enter and attack her? Turn to 65
Leave the kitchens and take the other
passageway leading from the
entrance hall? Turn to 340
Leave the kitchens and ascend the grand
staircase and pass through the double
doors at the top? Turn to 146

320
The crypt extends beneath the foundations of the
tower, the vaulted roof supported by a series of stone
arches. Between the columns stand numerous stone
sarcophagi. Moving towards you between the tombs
are four shambling corpses, their rotting flesh covered
by filthy grave-shrouds. You will be able to escape
from the crypt before the zombies ever reach you, if

rded
B21
you leave immediately (turn to 7). However, if you
would rather face the undead in battle, in the confines
of the crypt you can fight them one at a time.
SKILL STAMINA
First ZOMBIE 5 6
Second ZOMBIE 6 5
Third ZOMBIE 5 5
Fourth ZOMBIE 6 6
If you defeat the undead crypt stalkers, add 1 to your
ALARM Score and turn to 333.

321
You enter a mahogany-panelled corridor festooned
with black velvet drapes, the spaces between hung
with the portraits of the ruling house of Lupravia.
Above them are the plaque-mounted heads of deer,
wild boar and more exotic animals, including a uni-
corn among them, hunting trophies of the Wulfen
family. The members of the Wulfen line all bear an
uncanny resemblance to one another, with lean, gaunt
faces and hungry, wolfish expressions. Passing along
the corridor you come to the portraits of the two
current princes of this dark land. First there is Prince
Garoul, the werewolf you first killed. His portrait
seems to stare at you with its piercing, red-gleaming
eyes, right out of the canvas. His untidy black hair
hangs down around his shoulders like a mane, a
streak of grey running through it from a widow’s
peak. Then there is the mad prince’s brother, Count
Varcolac. He is a forbidding man indeed. Where his
brother is dark, he is grey, although he has the same
 322-323
untamed look about him but tempered with a lordly
air. He is ruggedly handsome and has pronounced
canine teeth. The eyes of the painting seem to bore
into yours, and suddenly instinct tells you that this is
the creature you have come to kill. Roll two dice. If the
total rolled is less than or equal to your CHANGE score,
turn to 485. If it is greater, turn to 158.

322
Eventually you reach the other side of the cave and
breathe a sigh of relief. You duck down the new stretch
of tunnel, the stony floor becoming steadily drier
underfoot until itjoins another tunnel running perpen-
dicular to it. To your right, the passageway dissolves
into darkness whereas, to the left, the tunnel soon
ends at a circular grille. In turn, beyond that, lies a
torch-lit, stone-walled corridor. It seems the logical
choice. Turn to 341.

323
The gypsies readily welcome you into their gathering
and soon you are tucking into roasted rabbit and cask-
brewed fiery vodka. (Restore up to 4 STAMINA points.)
Caught up in the fervour of good feeling — watching
the Mortani dance the night away, your soul soothed
by the music — the evening seems to pass like a dream
and eventually; exhausted after your long trek through
the woods, sleep takes you.
You wake refreshed from a dreamless sleep to find the
grass glistening with dew, the ground cold beneath
you, and the Mortani gone: only the blackened embers

ze
324
of their campfire remain. Mystified by the strange
behaviour of the capricious gypsies, you prepare to
set of again when something about the weight of your
backpack makes you stop and check inside it. Roll one
dice. On a roll of 1-2, turn to 353; on a roll of 3-4, turn
to 366; and ona roll of 5-6, turn to 378.

324
You burst through the farmhouse door and into a fire-
lit kitchen. Cowering in the corner are an elderly
couple and next to them — you note with some surprise
— a cradle. Seeing their anxious expressions you
bluster an apology and something about wanting to
shelter from the storm. Once they are reassured you
are not here to murder and rob them, the aging farmer
and his wife make you welcome, offering you a seat
by the fire and a bowl of turnip soup, warming you
inside and out. Bearing in mind what you have seen
so far, you converse with the couple cautiously and
taste the soup with some trepidation. You are pleased
to find that there are no unpleasant ingredients inclu-
ded (restore up to 3 STAMINA points). Your preter-
natural senses tell you that there is nothing malevolent
about the couple but that some evil enchantment has
the farm under its spell. Your questions inevitably
turn to the disturbing nature of the farm. ‘A holding
like this must take some work to maintain,’ you say.
‘Is there anyone else working for you here?’

‘No, says Farmer Bauer, ‘just meself, the wife,

Mistress Bauer and our little one.’ Little one? Surely

BRRHA
the couple are far too old to have a new baby! But
Farmer Bauer points to the cradle. ‘That’s right, our
baby boy, our pride and joy, long wished for and now
here with us. A foundling he was, not these two
months past. One day our house and home was as
quiet and cheerless as it ever had been, since we lost
our Tomas these twenty summers past, the next there
he was on our doorstep, and suddenly hearth and
home knew joy and laughter once again.’
‘Have a look, why don’t you,’ says Mistress Bauer.
‘Pick him up if you like.’
Your animal senses snarling at you from your
subconscious, you lean over the cradle and pull back
the covers. It is all you can do not to cry out in shock
and recoil from the cot. Lying there wrapped in a
woollen blanket is no baby — at least no human child.
The thing looks more like a malevolent imp, a wolfish
sprite covered in thick fur, with pointed ears, fangs
and claws, and a grotesque gargoyle’s smile splitting
its warty face. The Changeling fixes you with darkly
burning eyes and its sinister smile widens, a guttural
growl rising from its throat.
‘Isn’t he a bonny boy?’ Mistress Bauer says. This sprite
has enchanted the farmer and his wife into believing
that it is what they want it to be, but its evil influence
has also spread to the rest of the farm. How long
before it increases in power and its influence spreads
to the lands beyond? Your own changing state has
prevented the Changeling’s spell from working on
you, and only you can do anything about it. But how

Co)Es
325-326
are you going to resolve this situation? Will you
challenge the Changeling outright (turn to 270) or will
you attempt to use cunning to achieve the same goal
(turn to 468)?

325
Among the Vampiress’ possessions are a number of
items that may be of value to you, including a Gilt
Mirror, a brass telescope, a lodestone and gold and
jewels to a value of 20 Gold Pieces. You also find a
small, teak chest. Inside, lying on a bed of black velvet
is an ornate Silver Dagger.
If you want to take the Silver Dagger, add it to your
Adventure Sheet. You may use the:dagger in combat
but, if you do so, you will have to fight with your
Attack Strength reduced by 1 point. Injuries you cause
any creature with the word ‘Were’ in its name will
suffer increased damage (3 STAMINA points rather
than the usual 2) as the pure metal is inimical to their
kind. The Silver Dagger will also harm the Undead
but will only cause the usual 2 STAMINA points of
damage.
There is nothing else for you here so you run back
down the long winding staircase. Turn to 346.

326
Having heard you out, Grandmother Zekova gives
you her considered opinion. “There is only one other
course of action left open to you now. If you are to rid
yourself of this terrible curse, you must find and kill
the first of the werewolf bloodline before the next full

EIEJ
 327
moon, or become a werewolf yourself.’ The first of the
bloodline, but that could be the black-furred werewolf
that infected you in the first place.
Ulrich has obviously made the same connection. ‘We
must hurry my friend, if we are to catch your killer
and save your soul.’ Turn to 124.

327
You hold the mirror out in front of you, reflecting
Varcolac’s transformed visage back at him. At first the
Werewolf appears to recoil, yellow. eyes widening in
surprise. Then the creature lashes out with a tautly
muscled arm, smashing the silvered glass from your
hands. It smashes on the floor of the chamber as the
claws gouge your arm. Lose 2 STAMINA points and
turn to 150.
328
328
Despite its sensationalist title, the History of the Cadre
Infernal is a rather dry tome regarding the debauched
activities of a group of ambitious aristocrats from the
principalities of Mauristatia. Their main aims being
social advancement and control of lands at the centre
of the Old World, the Cadre was something like a cult
for the idle rich. Through connections with the Cadre,
its members were able to arrange politically advan-
tageous marriages, burgeoning business alliances and
partake of every illicit substance, pastime and magical
practice they could think of. It was at its height a
hundred years ago, drawing its members from the
noble families of Mortvania and Bathoria, as well as
Lupravia, but lost popularity in the years after the
War of the Four Kingdoms. However, the author
concludes by stating that there are rumours of the
Cadre Infernal being revived two:decades ago by a
band of Lupravian aristocrats. Perhaps Vereticus’
 329-330
investigations have uncovered something about this
group. (If you want to ask him about the Cadre
Infernal, the next paragraph in which you encounter
the scholar, subtract 50 and turn to that new para-
graph.) As Vereticus has still not returned, you decide
to skim through one of the shorter reads you have
found. Will you look at Lycanthropy: The Curse of the
Werewolf (turn to 313) or Grymm’s Folk-lore of Lupravia
(turn to 301)?

329
Out in the open, under the blind white gaze of the
moon again, will you flee the strange Carnivale (turn
to 29), or persist in your investigation (turn to 281)?

330
To reach the crags north of Vargenhof, you pass
through a spur of dense pine forest. As you progress
through the undergrowth you notice that the trees are
becoming festooned with thick drapes of webs that
cover the branches like a shroud. The close-packed
pines thin out again and you find yourself at the foot
of a sundered peak, standing before the dark slash of
a slanting cave-mouth. The woods are eerily still
within the vicinity of the cave. Perhaps this is a sign
that the Werebeast has its lair here? Not taking any
chances, you approach the entrance weapon in hand.
The washed-out grey light penetrates only a little
way into the cavern beyond. You listen intently and
hear only the occasional drip of water and the sound
of your own heart thumping in your ears. If you are
going to explore whatever lies beyond this cave

[} LJ
334-332
mouth, you are going to need your lantern. If you
want to turn back from the gaping darkness (or if you
cannot use your lantern), turn to 244. However, if you
do want to enter the cave in search of the Beast, you
can either do so immediately (turn to 70), or wait until
nightfall to surprise the creature in its lair (turn to 45).

331
Retracing your steps through the claustrophobic
caves, you find your way back to the chamber by
which you entered the caves beneath Sundered Peak.
From there you make your way out, emerging into the
clearing before the cave mouth by which you first
entered the underworld. Turn to 244.

332
‘I seek to rid the land of the dark forces that would
claim dominion over it, for Itoo have sworn myself to
a quest such as yours,’ the man says grandly. ‘Let us
sit and talk awhile, for 1am always on the lookout for
allies in the eternal fight against Evil.’ The man
holsters his pistol and sits down on a sundered roof
beam opposite you. “But I am forgetting myself,’ he
goes on, proffering his hand in comradeship, ‘my
name is Van Richten and Iam a Vampire Hunter.’ The
two of you get to talking about all the evils that
threaten the security and sanctity of the world. ‘The
Were has its filthy claws well and truly sunk into the
principality of Lupravia,’ he tells you, his voice
suddenly hushed and conspiratorial. ‘I fear that the
corruption has even infected the ruling House of
Wulfen and there are precious few of us left to counter

BRTHA
 333
the threat of Old Night, men such as myself, Doktor
Kafka and the hermit priest Corran. Even that grief-
stricken scholar Vereticus has become a recluse and
turned his back on old acquaintances. Myself, the
Doktor and the priest are in fact all who remain of the
secret Order of the Black Rose, and I have not had
word from Corran for many months now. But it is not
only the power of the Were that threatens the mortal
souls of this land. There are others among the aristo-
cracy of the night who would see the people of
Lupravia subjugated beneath the yoke of their blas-
phemous oppression. My current mission concerns
the ungodly creature that threatens the people of
Maun, not half a day’s journey east of here. I could
make use of one such as yourself. Will you join me in
my quest?’ If you agree to help Van Richten, turn to
379. If you decline his request, turn to 419.

333
With the zombies dead you are able to explore the
crypt without fear of further hindrance. Among the
broken tombs and mouldering sarcophagi, you find a
blackwood coffin, finished with brass fittings, resting
on a polished granite plinth. It is open and empty,
lined with red velvet, but it must be here for a reason.
If you want to destroy the coffin make a note of the
fact that you have done so on your Adventure Sheet.
There is nothing of any use to you that you can take
away from the crypt, so you head back to the spiral
staircase and set about climbing the worn steps once
again (turn to 7).

a
 oo4

Over the roars of the enraged Beast you hear the

twang of a crossbow firing, and another bolt buries
itself in the monster’s shoulder. The young woman
has recovered herself and her weapon. Side-by-side
the two of you prepare to finish the brutish Beast. And
then, howling ‘like a beaten dog, it is gone, away
through the woods to escape its end.
‘IT must thank you, stranger,’ the young woman says,
turning large, limpid eyes on you. Her striking beauty
takes your breath away but it is tempered by a hard,
unsmiling mouth and eyes that tell of many dark
things seen and overcome. ‘I fear that were it not for
your intervention, the Beast would have been the end
of me.’ It is nothing, you tell her, and introduce
yourself. ‘It was anything but nothing,’ the woman
chides, ‘and I, Katya of the Crimson Cloak should
know, being a hunter of were-creatures myself. But
we must be away; our quarry eludes us even now. We
cannot let it get away!’ (Add the codeword Aytak to
your Adventure Sheet.)
The injured Werebeast leaves a trail that even one
unskilled in the ways of the tracker could follow. The
trail of blood spots and gouging paw-prints leads you
back to the town and right up to the steps of the
meeting hall! You burst in, expecting a scene of
carnage and chaos to greet you but there is no sign of
any monster and everything seems calm. What is
going on? The Werebeast must have resumed human
form! Gathered before you in the hall are five men.
Your lupine senses flaring, you know that one of them

AREA
335
is the creature you now seek, but which one? You and
Katya scan their surprised faces, as you try to discern
which is the savage, murdering monster you seek.
Will you strike at:
Veteran hunter Johannes? Turn to 453
Gregor the blacksmith? Turn to 377
Trapper Sorn? Turn to 504
Burgomaster Straub? Turn to 62
Piotr, Master of the Hounds? Turn to 199

555
Grandmother Zekova sits you down on a chair and
then, without making any great show of what she is
doing, pulls up the sleeve of yourjerkin and puts a
knife to an exposed vein. Your blood starts to flow hot
and dark, and she collects it in a shallow wooden
bowl. The wisewoman keeps the wound open for
several minutes until you start to feel light-headed
and woozy. (Lose 3 STAMINA points.) Just as you think
you are going to pass out she staunches the blood-
flow with a poultice of herbs and then quickly binds
the wound with a strip of cloth bandage.
As you take a moment to recover from the bleeding,
Grandmother Zekova takes a stoppered gourd-bottle
froma shelf and warms its contents ina small cauldron
over the fire. She adds a bundle of dried herbs and
then leaves the concoction to simmer. The close air
inside the cottage is filled with an acrid aroma.
Another half an hour and the potion is ready. ‘Drink
this,’ Grandmother Zekova commands, shoving a
ladleful of viscous grey-green liquid in front of your

[Ee
 336-337
lips. Holding your nose you swallow the potion in a
single gulp, hoping not to taste it. Although you feel
no obvious effects, the potion begins to act immedi-
ately, slowing the transformation that the lycanthropy
is working upon your physical form. (Subtract 2
points from your CHANGE score.) Now turn to 382.

336
Unable to help yourself, you push through the ring of
observers and join the gypsy girl in her dance. Rather
than push you away she takes your hands in hers and
whirls you away in a spinning dance around the fire.
Faster and faster you spin, and all the time her smiling
brown eyes are locked on yours. It feels as if you are
drowning in those limpid pools, and then suddenly...
You are elsewhere, a grim market town where a band of
hunters is gathering, but you spurn their company and set
off on the hunt alone... You find yourself in front of a
gaping cave mouth, lighting your lantern you brave the
darkness .. . You are entering a forbidding castle... A
moment later you are at the top of a staircase, standing
before two doors. You turn the handle of the door to your left
and enter the room beyond...
And then you are back at the gypsy camp, staring into
the fire, the images you thought you just saw fading
amid the flickering flames. Turn to 323.

SEys
You have tarried too long here. As you reach for
another potion, the floor of the lab burns through
beneath you, plunging you into the burning heart of
338
the building. No one could survive such a fall and the
roasting effects of the fire combined. Your adventure
is cruelly and abruptly over.

338
The crone’s Cook Book is in fact a book of spells. Most
of the charms recorded on the crinkled parchment
pages in a spidery hand are curses or simple hedge
wizard’s love spells. However, there is one that
catches your eye, a Transfiguration Spell on page 79,
a potent charm against skin-changers. Taking the
crone’s Cook Book with you, will you:
Sample some of the concoction she was
busy brewing? Turn to 119
Leave the kitchen and take the other
passageway leading from the
entrance hall? Turn to 340
Leave and ascend the grand staircase to
the double doors? Turn to 146
 339-341
339
‘Werewolves?’ Konrad says, his voice suddenly a
harsh whisper. ‘Why yes, there are plenty of stories
concerning werewolves in these parts, and other skin-
changers besides. But why do you ask? What interest
do you have in such malevolent matters?’ Test your
Luck. If you are Lucky, you manage to fob Konrad off
with a convincing excuse you make up on the spot,
turn to 395. However, if you are Unlucky, turn to 355.

340
You follow the passageway past and through aban-
doned rooms and empty spaces that appear to have
all the characteristics of an animal’s den rather than a
nobleman’s family seat. At last you come to another
set of stone steps that descend into the bedrock of the
cliff, on which the castle is built. Do you want to:
Continue down these steps? Turn to 74
Return to the entrance hall and take the
left-hand passage? Turn to 319
Return to the hall and climb the staircase
to the double doors beyond? Turn to 146

341
A few firm tugs on the grate frees it from the mouth of
the tunnel. Clambering through, you set off along the
larger, illuminated passageway. A few yards further
on you come to a junction, of sorts. To your left is a
locked cell door, and you do not have a key. To your
right another passageway leads away into darkness,
while directly ahead the torch-lit tunnel continues.

EyEd
342
There are only two viable ways onward. Will you
follow the passageway to the right (turn to 282) or
continue straight ahead (turn to 421)?

342
The mists part and you find yourself in sight of an
unassuming stone-built chapel, the slates of the roof
bathed in the silvery light of the gibbous moon. This
must be the shrine to Saint Crucius, the location of the
healing well you so desperately seek. The shrine
stands at the edge of a wind-blown spur of land, the
worn path that leads to it, following the precipitous
lip of a rocky escarpment that drops away 100 feet to
the undulating expanses of moorland beyond.
A hideous howl cuts through the night, chilling you to
the core and sending a thrill of ‘adrenalin rushing
through your body. You turn to face the spot where
the sound originated and see something big and black
moving towards you. It is a dog, but as big as a pony,
its fur bristling like a wildcat’s. And yet it is the
creature’s muzzle-face that horrifies you most. One
eye burns red, while the other is white and blind, like
the orb of the moon. The dog’s slavering jaws are lined
with savage, dagger-like fangs and from its heavy
paws sprout claws that might gut a man with one
powerful swipe. You unsheathe your sword. The
monstrous midnight-black hound growls, measuring
you up with its one good eye. Roll two dice. If the total
rolled is less than or equal to your CHANGE score, turn
to 389. If itis greater, turn to 18.
 343-344
Ee
According to the author of The Fall of the House of
Wulfen, the ruling family of Lupravia has a long
history of madness and strange inbred behaviour.
One chapter recounts a great battle between the
Wulfens, who are descended from a berserker barbar-
ian tribe, and a-vampire bloodline, fought for control
of the principality. In those days the Wulfen family
were seen as champions of Good, but the head of the
vampire cult cursed the family with his dying breath.
The frontispiece of the book is decorated with the
Wulfen family tree, which shows the line of descent
from Dragomir, the first lord of Lupravia, through to
the current Count Varcolac and his brother, Prince
Garoul. And then Vereticus re-enters the library. Turn
to 260.

344
As you struggle against the possessed puppets, the
animated marionettes hanging from your arms and
jerkin by their chisel-sharp teeth, the door of the
caravan opens and a stooped old man enters. He is
stick-thin, with an overly large head — not unlike a
marionette in his proportions — and he glares at you
from behind a pair of pince-nez spectacles. ‘So, you
would like to know more about my precious pets,
would you?’ he hisses. “Then so be it.” With a
surprisingly sudden movement the old man hurls a
handful of sparkling red powder at you. There is a
flash and a puff of lurid crimson smoke. As the smoke
clears you find yourself looking up at the now
towering Puppetmaster. In fact everything appears to
have grown in size around you. The old man bends
down and picks you up in one hand. You are unable
to move, your limbs feeling stiff — almost wooden...

When the Carnivale moves on to its next destination,

people will marvel at the intricate detail of the carved
wooden figures in the puppet show, particularly with
regard to the character of a sword-wielding — yet
tragically doomed — hero. Your adventure is over.
 345-347
Two hideous wolfish forms round the corner at the
end of the street. You feel that they are loping straight
towards you, heads swaying from side to side, sniffing
the air. Then they pass your hiding place, without
reacting to your presence, and you see that in places
their scabrous ‘hides are holed and pulled back to
reveal bare bone, green-grey internal organs, and flesh-
less ribs. The Werewargs — grotesque undead were-
wolves, trapped in a semi-lupine form — disappear
again. You let out your breath in a shuddering sigh of
relief. With the immediate danger passed, you proceed
on your way. Turn to 390.

346
Back in the entrance hall of the tower, you discover
that the doors are now open again and you are able to
flee this house of horrors. There is only the moonlit
courtyard to cross and then you will be beyond the
bounds of the dark tower’s power. If you have the
codeword Daednu written on your Adventure Sheet,
turn to 360. If not, turn to 373.

347
The aquatic creature’s blood staining the water
purple, its corpse sinks back into the depths from
which it arose. Lungs straining fit to burst, it is then
that you catch sight of white nubs of bone between the
entangled weeds and the glint of gold. You surface
gasping for oxygen, taking in heaving lungfuls of air.
Having recovered your breath, do you want to dive
back down into the pool to see what treasures you can

EFC
348-349
retrieve (turn to 414), or will you drag yourself out of
the clinging, slimy water and continue your way
through the woods (turn to 499)?

348
The third floor of the tower is spartanly furnished and
decorated in contrast to the rest of the tower. You pass
what seem to be a number of cell doors leading off a
corridor that follows the outside wall of the tower.
Reaching a door, from under which blows a chill night
breeze, you stop to listen and can hear a scritch-scratch
sound coming from the other side. Trying the handle
you discover that the door is not locked. If you want
to open the door and enter the room beyond, turn to
361. If you would rather leave well alone, turn to 7.

349
‘Ooh, pretty things,’ chuckles the last of the wolf-
women as you carefully extract an artefact from your
backpack. But what can you offer them? If you offer
the brides a Garnet Ring, a Gilt Mirror, a Bloodstone
Amulet, or a Moonstone Amulet, turn to 312. If you
offer them a Silver Mirror, a Charm Necklace, a Silver
 350-351
Locket, a Silver Crown, or a Silver Dagger, turn to 381.
If you have none of the above, snarling, their patience
used up, the bridés stalk towards you (turn to 306).

350
You are several miles from Maun, passing through a
range of low hills with the day wearing on, when you
come in sight of two dark silhouettes jutting up from
the landscape. To the west you can see an uniden-
tifiable crumbling ruin. Away to the east the hills rise
towards jagged peaks that look like the teeth of some
sleeping Earth Dragon. But the outline of one of these
peaks is obscured by a solid citadel-like structure still
some miles away. The road splits at this juncture. The
main road continues north through the hills, while a
less well-travelled track winds away into the higher
hills to the east. There is no longer any clearly defined
path leading to the ruins to the west. Mindful of the
approach of nightfall, will you seek shelter at the
citadel away to the east (turn to 11), investigate the
ruins to the west (turn to 5) or simply keep on along
the road you are following towards Vargenhof (turn
to 98)?

Leis
Under the hulking Beast’s relentless attack, you
flounder and stumble backwards — over the edge of
the roof of the carriage. And then you are falling,
plummeting to your death at the bottom of Garou
Gorge, the stagecoach, with the Werebeast roaring in
triumph atop it, racing away into the night. Your
adventure is over.
 352
352
There is nothing more for you here. At the far end of
the banqueting hall, a magnificently carved wooden
staircase, covered with a rich claret carpet, leads up to
yet another set of double doors. Taking a deep breath
in an attempt to steady your nerves and keep the beast
within at bay, you ascend the staircase. At the top you
pause before the double doors. The family crest of the
House of Wulfen has been carved across them both.
(Now is your chance to make any final preparations
you may wish to before entering the highest chamber
of Castle Wulfen.) You throw open the doors and
stride boldly through.
The chamber beyond is an example of opulent
splendour. Fine tapestries bedeck the walls, antique
Arantian rugs cover the floor, all lit by light-splitting
crystal chandeliers. However, everything has an air of
neglect about it. The tapestries are faded and dusty,
the rugs scratched and frayed, the chandeliers dulled
by grime. Framed by a tall window directly in front of
you is an ornately carved chair, throne-like in its
magnificence. Sitting slouched, one leg swinging over
the chair arm, is someone you recognise from the
portrait gallery you passed through. A tousled mane
of grey hair hangs down to his shoulders, shot through
with a single streak of lustrous black. He is wearing
an unbuttoned jacket, exposing a ruffled shirt beneath,
and fine black trews with knee-length boots. The man
is darkly handsome, the visible skin of his chest, arms
and hands covered with coarse black hair. He is toying
with a pewter goblet in one hand, and on his middle

EL]
finger you notice a gold signet ring, as it catches the
light. In front of the chair lie two huge wolves. They
watch you intently with cold, unblinking yellow eyes.
For his part, the lord of Castle Wulfen watches you
with languid interest as you stride slowly, yet
confidently, towards him.

‘Let me introduce myself,’ the nobleman says. ‘I am

Count Varcolac. Don’t worry about introducing your-
self. 1know who you are.’ He sniffs the air sharply.
‘You are my brother’s killer. But let that not stand
between us and friendship. More importantly, you
were remade by my brother. That practically makes
you family! Your wolfish abilities have served you
well, for you to get this far. [have high hopes for you.
Bow before me. Swear fealty to me, and I will show
you all that your gift has to offer you.’
Inwardly, every wolfish fibre of your being howls that
this is the Arch-Lycanthrope, the first of the Werewolf
bloodline, the one whom you seek and whose demise
will free you from your vile curse. But you cannot
help being taken aback. The creature whose death you
have desired from the outset is offering you the chance
to join with him. And his arrogance may have given
you the perfect opportunity to rid the world of his
malign, cunning evil. Will you bow before the Count,
in the hope that you will be able to strike when his
guard is down (turn to 441), or will you simply draw
your weapon with no such pretence (turn to 47)?
—
 oo
ae fo)
353
In the bottom of your pack you find a bottle of the
gypsies’ vodka as well as flatbreads and cheese
enough for 2 Meals. (Add these items to your
Adventure Sheet, and regain 1 LUCK point.) You may
drink the vodka whenever you want, but there are
only three tots'in the bottle (make a note of this as
well). The vodka is sterling stuff: each tot restores 3
STAMINA points. But the next time you are instructed
to Test your Skill after drinking it, you must reduce
your SKILL by 1 point. However, the drink also fortifies
your courage so, for the duration of the next battle
you fight after drinking, you may increase your Attack
Strength by 1 point. Then it is time to be on your way
again. Turn to 500.

J 354
Cursed Bloodline — The disease coursing through your
blood is potent and potentially fatal. As your body
slowly transforms into that of a wolf you are wracked
by crippling pains. Lose 4 STAMINA points and add 1
more point to your CHANGE score. If you survive this
bone-wrenching transformation, turn to the para-
graph with the same number as the one you were last
instructed to write down on your Adventure Sheet.

cies
You ‘umm’ and ‘err’ as you try to think up a con-
vincing excuse on the spot. ‘What’s wrong with your
shoulder?’ Konrad suddenly blurts out. You were not
even aware of the fact that you were scratching your
shoulder while talking to the village leader. Suddenly,

Eo] Eg
356-357
without even a by-your-leave, Konrad rips open your
tunic and sees your wolf-bite for himself. He gasps in
horror and takes a step back. Surprised by his reaction,
you glance sideways at the shoulder wound yourself.
You cannot contain your own appalled cry of disgust
as you see that the skin surrounding the injury is now
bristling with thick black hair. (Add 1 CHANGE point.)
Before you know what is going on, you are grabbed
and bundled out of the inn. You find yourself out in
the village square again, surrounded by a mob of
villagers, who are spoiling for a fight. Turn to 246.

356
You find yourself in a cramped room packed to over-
flowing with bookcases, the shelves crammed with
dusty tomes, large leather-bound volumes and rolled
scrolls. The dusty air smells strongly of mouldering
parchment and rotting leather. There is another door
in an adjacent wall between the teetering bookcases.
Do you want to leave the room by this door, without
delaying (turn to 88), or would you rather linger a
while in the Abbey’s archive to see what you might
glean from its dusty records (turn to 401)?

357
There are four tomes which have particularly caught
your attention, but which one would you like to spend
your time studying?
The Fall of the House of Wulfen? Turn to 343
Evil and Excess: A History of the Cadre
Infernal? Turn to 328
 358-360

Lycanthropy: The Curse of the Werewolf? Turn to 313

Grymm’'s Folk-lore of Lupravia? Turn to 301

358
“Have it your own way,’ the old woman says testily.
Taking a stoppered bottle from a shelf, she warms its
contents in a small cauldron over the fire. She adds a
bundle of dried herbs and then leaves the concoction
to simmer. The close air inside the cottage is filled
with an acrid aroma. Another half an hour and the
potion is ready. ‘Drink this,’ Grandmother Zekova
commands, shoving a ladleful of viscous grey-green
liquid in front of your lips. Holding your nose you
swallow the potion in a single gulp, hoping not to
taste it. Although you feel no immediate effects, the
potion will slow the transformation that the lycan-
thropy is working upon your physical form. (Subtract
1 from your CHANGE score.) Now turn to 382.

359
The old woman suddenly drops to her knees crying,
‘Spare me and I can help you defeat the lord of Castle
Wulfen, the ultimate evil power in all of Lupravia.
That is why you’re here isn’t it?’ Will you let the witch
live, in the hope that she will prove true to her word
(turn to 183) or will you finish her now, while you
have the chance (turn to 50)?

360
You are halfway across the courtyard when a shadowy
spectral form materialises in front of you. You
recognise the twisted, bat-like features of the shade.

AGRA
361
The undying spectre of the Countess Isolde has come
to stop you ever leaving her domain of darkness and
to visit unholy vengeance upon you. You will have to
triumph in one final battle to escape the Lady of
Maun’s clutches.
VAMPIRE-WRAITH SKILL8 STAMINA6

If you win but the Wraith wounded you, turn to 397. If

you overcome the Countess’ spectral form without
sustaining any injury, regain 1 LUCK point and turn
to 373.

361
Opening the door you are assaulted by the stench of
guano and a startled beating of wings as the birds
making their home in the chamber are disturbed by
your sudden arrival. The room is open to the night
through a large arched opening. Monochrome moon-
light enters the filthy roost, gleaming dully from the
sharp black beaks and obsidian talons of the throng of
huge ravens that have made.the chamber their home.
 562-363
Their cracked croaking caws are deafening and the
birds are certainly not happy at your intrusion. How-
ever, you can also see something else glinting in the
moonlight among the feathers and muck covering the
floor. Do you want to risk entering the ravens’ roost to
claim this ‘treasure’ (turn to 375) or will you leave and
quit the third floor too (turn to 7)?

362
Pressing on through the winding tunnels, you finally
come to a stone staircase that leads up and out of the
Abbey catacombs. It is obvious that some malign
power had infested the Abbey of the Black Monks and
that the place is now rotten to the core. At the top of
the steps a new passageway leads away left (turn to
44) and right (turn to 406).

363
Without knowing how, you seem to have developed
an unerring sense of direction, which is not hampered
by the presence of the clinging fog and ever-present
gloom. It is almost as if you can smell your way
through this trackless wilderness. As you make your
way along spits of dry ground, managing to steer
clear of the ensnaring swamps all around you, the
eerie sound of a canine wail reaches your ears. One
hand on the hilt of your sword you press on, hoping
to reach the shrine before you meet whatever it is that
is making that mournful noise. Turn to 342.

Pd
364-365
364
With the metamorphosed Black Widow dead, you
search her chamber. Roll two dice and add 12. This is
the total number of Gold Pieces you glean from the
floor of the cave. You also find a string of pearls, worth
6 Gold Pieces, a Silver Crown, worth 10 Gold Pieces,
and gemstones worth 12 Gold Pieces. Regain 1 LUCK
point. Having fought the Spider-Queen in her lair and
won for yourself a king’s ransom, where will you go
from here? To leave the spider-infested cave network
altogether now, turn to 331. If you would rather keep
exploring the caves, will you leave the chamber via
the stalactite-hung tunnel (turn to 122) or the stalag-
mite tunnel (turn to 405)?

365
Taking out the Silver Dagger you found in the maggot
pit, you sense the disgusting, overgrown monstrosity
recoil from it. This blade of pure silver has power
over the maggot-monster. If you choose to fight the
monster, you must do so with your Attack Strength
reduced by 1 point, but any wound you cause the
creature will cause it 3 STAMINA points damage, rather
than the usual 2. Bearing this information in mind,
return to 262 and make another choice.
 366-367
366
You cannot believe it: your purse is missing! One of
the gypsies has robbed you. Cross off all your
remaining Gold Pieces and lose 1 LUCK point. You
have no idea where the gypsies have gone, there is no
sign of any tracks leaving the clearing, and so it would
bea futile waste of time to try to pursue them. Cursing
the capricious Mortani, you set off again through the
forest, feeling thoroughly miserable and dejected.
Turn to 500.

367
“You look like you could do with somewhere to rest
and recover,’ the wild-looking priest says, ushering
you into the shrine and barring the door behind him.
He leads you past an altar to Saint Crucius, placing
the silver cross upon it as he does so, and on into a
warming room. You sit down at a stall next to the fire
blazing in the hearth there, while the priest ladles out
a bowl of steaming broth from the cauldron bubbling
over it. You gulp down the soup and finish it in no
time (add 3 STAMINA points). ‘So,’ the priest says once
you have eaten, ‘what has brought you to the shrine
of Saint Crucius and an encounter with the demon
Shuck?’ What will you tell the priest?
That you have been cursed with
lycanthropy and seek a cure? Turn to 386
That you are on a quest to rid the land
of evil and seek holy aid? Turn to 404

[}Ee]
308-309
368
You are in a small chamber, its walls plastered with
the dust-covered shrouds of spiders’ webs. Whatever
made these webs must have been very large indeed,
or there were a great number of them. As you move
cautiously across the chamber, you notice two web-
bound bundles. From the look of it, the two bundles
each contain a small, humanoid body and you get the
impression of green skin and pointed ears. If you want
to linger a while longer and search the bound bodies,
turn to 85. If you would rather leave with delaying,
which exit will you take out of the cave?
A tunnel from which a damp breeze
blows? Turn to 97
A tunnel with an obvious seam of
black stone? f Turn to 433
A puddle-floored passageway? Turn to 207

369
You tell Grandmother Zekova how Ulrich hacked off
the werewolf’s paw when you were first attacked,
how it turned into a human hand afterwards, and of
the Signet Ring you found on the middle finger. ‘Let
me see it,’ the old woman demands, so you take it out
and show it to her. She cannot suppress her gasp of
dread. ‘This is the crest of the House of Wulfen, the
ruling house of Lupravia,’ she explains, her voice
quavering. ‘Lupravia is a cursed land and theirs is a
cursed bloodline. The stories surrounding the Wulfen
curse are many and terrible, tales of nightmarish
monsters, people being taken from their homes,
murder and madness. Castle Wulfen lies at the
furthest point of Lupravia, in the foothills of the Orsov
Mountains. It is said to be a sinister shadow of what it
was in more prosperous times. There are stories of
monsters roaming the streets of Wulfenstein, the
village that lies beneath the castle, where people live
in constant fear, as the howling of wolves and worse
haunts their nights. The wretched people of that
damned place rarely venture far from home. The tales
of Mad Prince Garoul of the Wulfen family have
reached even as far as these woods. It is said that he
prefers the company of wild beasts to that of human
beings and from what we have witnessed this night I
believe that the curse on the Wulfen line is the curse of
the werewolf. It was Garoul who infected you with
lycanthropy. If you are to escape that curse you must
hunt him down and finish what you started here. You
must destroy the head of the Were-bloodline before
the next full moon.’
Grandmother Zekova has given you information that
can do nothing but help you in your quest to rid
yourself of the cursed disease you have contracted.
(Write the codeword Avokez on your Adventure Sheet
and turn to 124).

[-]Ei
A NARANS
 ore
B79
Tugging back a piece of canvas, you duck inside. You
wait, your heart racing, listening as the owners of the
voices pass by and then disappear, as they check
another part of the camp. It is then that you hear a dry,
rapid rattle behind you and the scraping of scales.on
the floor. Before you can even turn round and pull
your sword from its scabbard, you feel something
thick and muscular slide around your legs and trap
you within its constricting coils. You are bodily pulled
round to face your assailant. A lamp is burning
somewhere so you can make out the hideous features
of the creature that has ensnared you. It is a grotesque
amalgam of snake and woman. The upper half of her
body is human, although totally hairless, her finger-
nails long talons and her face misshapen by ophidian
features. From the waist down she is entirely serpen-
tine, and her whole body is covered with mottled
brown and green scales. The monster fixes you with
its orange-yellow eyes and a forked tongue darts out
between her lips, her cry of disgust at your intrusion a
spitting hiss. The furious snakewoman opens her
mouth, her jaw stretching horribly wide and exposing
long, cobra’s fangs. You gasp as the coils tighten about
you with bone-crushing force. You are going to have
to fight your way free, and fast.
SERPENSA THE
SNAKEWOMAN SKILLQ STAMINAQ
Before you can tackle your adversary in the usual way,
you are going to have to free yourself from her crush-
ing coils. Fight this battle with your Attack Strength

Pyes
371
reduced by 1 point, until you manage to win two
Attack Rounds; after that you can consider that you
have managed to free yourself and will no longer
suffer this penalty. However, Serpensa has several
different methods of attack, depending on which
Attack Round it is. If you lose an Attack Round check
on the table below to discover what damage you
suffer.
Attack Round Attack and Damage
2 Constricting coils — lose 3 STAMINA
points.
3 Cobra’s kiss — her fangs deliver a
poisonous bite. Lose 4 STAMINA
points and 1 SKILL point.
4 Tail-lash — a swipe from her tail knocks
you off your feet. Lose 2 STAMINA
points and reduce your Attack
Strength by 1 for the next Attack
Round as you struggle to stand
again.
5 onwards Tearing talons — lose 2 STAMINA points.
If you manage to slay the Snakewoman, turn to 385.

371
Of the three books listed below, which would you like
to spend some more time perusing?
Evil and Excess: A History of the Cadre
Infernal? Turn to 328
Lycanthropy: The Curse of the Werewolf? Turn to 313
Grymm’s Folk-lore of Lupravia? Turn to 301

EL]
 372-373
372
As with any other battle, you have time to use the
crossbow once before Varcolac is on you. Test your
Skill. If you succeed, your crossbow bolt causes the
werewolf 2 STAMINA points of damage, unless it is
tipped with silver, in which case it will cause 3 points
of damage. When you come to fight the Arch-
Lycanthrope, adjust the monster’s STAMINA score
accordingly, if you wound him with a crossbow bolt.
Turn to 150.

a73
As you pass beneath the gatehouse and leave the
environs of the Tower of Maun you immediately feel
the oppressive atmosphere lift. You shelter for the
night in the lea of ahuge, mossy boulder and the next
day you set off again, circumnavigating the village
before joining the road leading north. Turn to 350.
374-375
Se
There is a loud Crack! as the pistol fires. A split second
later you gasp in pain as the bullet hits you (lose 2
STAMINA points)! How can ghostly bullets injure a
living being, you wonder, looking down at the splash
of ectoplasm on your leather tunic where the bullet
struck, feeling a numbing, ice-cold sensation in your
chest. You are dragged back from your musings by a
shout of, ‘Have at you!’ from the phantom Highway-
man. Turn to 501.

375
You are not halfway across the room when the birds
lift off from their perches and swoop at you, trying to
peck out your eyes and scratch your face with their
hard black talons. You are forced to defend yourself.
UNKINDNESS OF RAVENS SKILL7 STAMINA8
If you defeat the birds you can take it that those ravens
still alive return to their perches but continue to caw
harshly at you as you rummage through the filth
covering the floor (add 1 to your ALARM score).
Among the detritus you find a total of 10 Gold Pieces,
a closed Silver Locket on a chain, and most discon-
certingly of all, the skeleton of a man picked clean by
the murderous birds. If you want to open the locket,
turn to 394. If not, you may take the locket and Gold
Pieces with you (adding them to the Equipment List
on your Adventure Sheet) before leaving the foul aviary.
Turn to 7.

EY Cd
 376-378
376
The force of thé bullet striking you feels like being
clubbed with a sledgehammer and you reel back-
wards. Pain burns through your shoulder like molten
quicksilver. You have never known a sensation like it
and howl in agony in response. The bullet now lodged
in your shoulder was fashioned from silver, a metal
which is inimical to your lycanthropy-cursed kind,
and will have a permanent debilitating effect on your
body. (Lose 4 STAMINA points, 1 SKILL point and 1
LUCK point.) Driven by pain-induced rage and a
furious need for vengeance against your aggressive
assailant you meet the man in combat. Turn to 398.

S 377
The blacksmith howls as you strike him, clutching his
right forearm where you have wounded him (lose 1
LUCK point). Then you hear another dreadful howl
from beside you and something claws at you with
rapidly extending talons. Lose 2 STAMINA points and
turn to 62.

378
One of the gypsies has left, you a present. Inside
your pack you find a Moonstone Amulet. If you want
to keep the treasure, you put it on around your
neck. Bewildered by the whimsical behaviour of the
mysterious Mortani, you go on your way again
through the forest. Turn to 500.

Cd Ey
379-380
679
‘To hear you say that fills me with renewed hope,’ Van
Richten declares. (Add 1 Luck point.) ‘There is some-
thing else I must yet do, so for now our paths must
part, but look for me again tomorrow night at the
house of Doktor Kafka the surgeon, in Maun. We must
go about our work as our enemies do, under cover of
darkness, but at our next meeting I shall reveal all
concerning our mutual quest. As a sign of my faith in
you I give you this,’ the Vampire Hunter says, handing
you his Flintlock Pistol and a leather pouch containing
six round Silver Bullets. Add these items to your
Adventure Sheet, along with the codeword Nethcir. (If
you want to find out more about how to use the
Flintlock Pistol, you may turn to paragraph 400 at any
time, making a note of the paragraph you are on at the
time first.) ‘Until tomorrow night,’ Van Richten says,
by way of farewell, and then he is gone. You spend the
rest of the night in fitful sleep. When you wake in the
morning to a dull grey misty dawn, you set off without
further delay. Turn to 250.

380
With whinnying shrieks of terror, the horses attempt
to leap the gap in the broken bridge. But they are
fatigued after their frantic chase through the forest.
Their hooves clatter against the opposite edge of the
bridge but cannot find purchase, and pulled down by
the weight of the coach behind them, the horses
plunge after it into the gaping chasm. You and Katya
follow, plummeting to your deaths on the jagged
rocks far below. Your adventure ends here.

CIE
 381-382
381
‘What do you think you are doing?’ screams the first,
as you offer the bride the silver object. Then, with a
snarl, she leaps at you, biting your wrist and making
you drop your proffered gift. Lose 2 STAMINA points
and 1 SKILL point and turn to 306.

382
‘So, am I cured?’ you ask the wizened wisewoman.
‘Have you rid me of the curse of the werewolf?’ Before
Grandmother Zekova can answer, a chilling howl cuts
through the night: it came from outside the cottage.
‘Spirits preserve us!’ she gasps, clutching the necklace
of charms around her throat. “They’re back!’ Ulrich
hurries to double-check that the iron-bound oak door
is secure.
The howl is joined by other lupine voices, coming
from all around the cottage. The wolves have
Grandmother Zekova’s cottage surrounded. There is
a sudden, and totally unexpected rap at the door,
which makes the old woman start and Ulrich tighten
his grip on the axe. And then comes the voice that you
will never forget as long as you live: ‘Little pigs, little
pigs, let me come in.’
‘Begone, night creature!’ Grandmother Zekova
screams. For a moment the only sound is the snuffling
of creatures prowling the perimeter of the cottage. The
relative peace is violently broken. by furious fists
beating on the door.
‘Let me in, you wretched swine!’ the malevolent — yet
refined — masculine voice continues. ‘My brothers and
I wish to dine with you. And if you won't let us inj iat
huff and I’ll puff and I'll break my way in!’ The unseen
man’s scream of rage seems to transform into an
unearthly howl. The wolf pack take up the cry, and
deep inside you, something strains to answer their
call. Roll two dice and if the total rolled is less than, or
 383-385
equal to, your current CHANGE score, turn to 416. If it
is greater, turn to 37.

383
Before you know what's going on, a large flat stone in
the centre of the cave floor — which you hadn’t noticed
before — flips back like a trapdoor and a huge, arachnid
with filthy, matted brown fur leaps out of the hole and
grabs hold of you with powerful limbs. Before you
can fight your way free, the giant spider scratches
your skin with the tips of its venomous fangs (lose 2
STAMINA points). And then you are free, sword drawn,
ready to fight back.
GIANT TRAPDOOR SPIDER SKILLZ =STAMINA 8
If you slay the spider, you look for a way out (turn to
236).

384
Which of the following books from Vereticus’ library
would you like to spend some time over?
The Fall of the House of Wulfen? Turn to 343
Lycanthropy: The Curse of the Werewolf? Turn to 313
Grymm’s Folk-lore of Lupravia? Turn to 301

385
Serpensa the Snakewoman lies dead at your feet, her
reptilian blood soaking into the packed earth of the
floor. (Regain 1 LUCK point for prevailing in such a
challenging fight and add the codeword Rellik to your
Adventure Sheet.) You are certain that one of the circus

[] [4]
386
folk must have heard you struggling with the snake-
woman so, whatever you decide to do next, you must
act quickly. Will you leave the tent and flee the
Carnivale immediately (turn to 29), or do you want to
search the tent first (turn to 402).

386
The wild priest jumps up from his seat. ‘Begone,
creature of evil!’ he exclaims, rushing back to the altar
and taking up the silver cross oncé more! ‘So that is
how you could dominate the Shuck. You and the devil
dog are kindred spirits!’ He spits the words out as if
they are poison. ‘Begone, and never darken my door
again!’ With that he thrusts the cross at you, which
starts to glow with holy light. You feel its power as
you would a naked flame against your skin; it burns
and you feel repelled by it! You cannot bear to stay
here any longer. Giving voice to your own howl of
agony you run from the chapel. The priest’s banishing
curse has taken a physical toll on you as well. Lose 2
STAMINA points and 1 LUCK.point, adding 1 to your
CHANGE score.
 387
' You spend the rest of the night under the stars and
come the morning, by dawn’s wan light, you descend
from the rolling moors to the valley-lying settlements
to the east. As you do so you catch sight of a flock of
blackbirds circling in the sky over a spot some half a
mile away to the north. Such behaviour suggests the
birds have found something in this wild place. Do you
want to take a diversion north, to see what you might
be found there (turn to 243), or will you continue east,
back to the road (turn to 69)?

387
The Werewarg dies on the end of your sword with a
grisly moan. You leap down from your horse to
Katya’s aid — but you are too late. The were-hunter’s
opponent lies dead in the dirt, Katya of the Crimson
Cloak lying next to its stinking carcass. Blood pours
from terrible lacerations all over her body and as her
eyelids flicker open you already know that she is not
going survive her wounds. ‘I know I’m not much
longer for this world,’ she splutters, gargling on her
own blood, ‘but don’t let my death be in vain. There is
an insidious evil rooted in this place, one that has
spread its malicious influence throughout all
Lupravia. Root it out, put an end to it — free Lupravia
from the curse of the Were.’.And then she is gone.
Before you continue with your quest alone, you may
take Katya’s crossbow, if you wish. She also still has
six silver-tipped quarrels to use with it. Having cast
up a brief prayer for Katya’s departed soul, to
whatever gods might still be listening to one as tainted
as yourself, you enter Castle Wulfen. Turn to 510.

Ce)Ee
 388
388
Although your conscious mind tells you there is
nothing to fear, and that only you can free the
Daughters from their direful predicament, as they
surround you with their spiralling dance your sub-
conscious screams that something is deeply wrong.
The warnings of your subconscious mind are too
strong to resist and you unsheathe your sword, deep
below the surface of the pool. You lash out at the
mysterious maidens, who break off their singing and
shriek like banshees, darting away into the even
darker depths of the pool. As awareness returns you
realise that your lungs are burning, desperate for you
to take a breath of fresh air. Instinctively you kick out,
in an effort to reach the surface, as a cold, scaly hand
closes around your ankle. You look down and from
the green gloom of the depthless pool a horrific visage
rises. It appears to be semi-humanoid and female and
yet at the same time it reminds you of a sinister,
snaggle-toothed water-dweller. The woman’s bulging,
glassy eyes are those of a trout while her gaping maw
is filled with needle-sharp pike’s teeth. You have come
face-to-face with the true elemental power of the
Drowning Pool, the Water-Wyrd. With your sword
already free of its scabbard you fight to free yourself
from the fish-woman’s clutches.
WATER-WYRD SKILL7 STAMINA7
If you defeat your opponent in fewer Attack Rounds
than your current SKILL score, turn to 347. If not, you
will drown before you can ever escape the cold
embrace of the predatory Water-Wyrd.

i
389-391
389
Unaware that you are doing it, you find yourself
growling back at the creature. Although you shock
yourself, you shock the demonic dog even more. The
beast cowers before you, realising that it has come
face-to-face with a creature more terrible than itself.
Seizing the initiative you strike the hell-hound with
your sword before it can regain its composure. Now
turn to 18 where you will fight the cruel canine but
before doing so you may reduce its SKILL score by 1
point and its STAMINA by 2 points.

390
And then, at last, you find yourself at the gates
of Castle Wulfen, ancestral home of the lords of
Lupravia. Your heightened animal ‘senses can smell
the reek of the Were about the place, and you realise
that you have found the lair of the lycanthrope you
have been hunting, ever since the Black Wolf infected
you with its unholy affliction. It is as if something is
calling to the wolf inside you, summoning it home.
You pass beneath the barbican, through the open
castle gates, and into the lair of the beast. Turn to 510.

391
‘Look for me again tomorrow night at the house of
Doktor Kafka,’ were Van Richten’s words to you, and
now that you have reached Maun, you have the
opportunity to meet with the Vampire Hunter again
and find out more about the clandestine quest he

EE]
 392
spoke of in hushed whispers at your last meeting. Do
you want to look for the house of this Doktor Kafka,
with the intention of meeting with Van Richten again
(turn to 412), or, if you consider your own undertaking
to be of the utmost importance, do you want to pass
on through Maun and continue your way (turn to
350)?

392
Clambering over a fence, you begin to cross the
quagmire that the rain-sodden pasture has become.
Through the heavy rain, and under an overcast sky
that spreads its pall across the barren landscape like
the dusky mantle of night itself, you find it hard to
discern distant shapes on the other side of the field.
The going is hard, the thick mud sucking at your
boots. You are halfway across when you hear a gruff
snorting, and the clanking of an iron bell, and turn in
time to see a monstrous bovine creature galloping
across the field towards you, splashing through the
mud. You would have said it was a cow, were it not
for the branching, antler-like horns, claw-split hooves
and savage tusks protruding from between ulcerated
lips. But whatever it is, you have to fight it.
BOVINE BEAST ' SKILL8 STAMINAQ
As you fight the cow-creature you find the sucking
mud hampers your movements. Unless you have the
Quickening special ability or Unnatural Vigour, you
must reduce your Attack Strength by 1 point for the
duration of this battle. If you win, turn to 420.
393-395
393
Igor’s second blow unbalances you and you topple
backwards down the stairs to land in an unconscious
heap at the bottom. Lose an additional 2 STAMINA
points and turn to 476.

394
Popping open the locket you find yourself gazing
upon the miniature portrait of a striking, platinum-
haired young woman. It is so realistic you have to
admire the skill of the artist who painted it. In fact,
unable to tear your eyes away from the haunting
beauty portrayed there, you begin to feel as if the
woman is looking back at you. (Add 1 to your ALARM
score and make a note of the codeword Dehctaw on
your Adventure Sheet.) Unnerved, you hurl the locket
out through the arched window and run from the
ravens’ roost. Turn to 7.

395
As dusk falls, you leave the inn with Konrad and
return to the village square, where a group of villagers
has gathered. They are armed with everything from
bows and arrows to axes and short swords, even
pitchforks — anything they could lay their hands on.
The people of Strigoiva have been terrorised by their
spectral assailants for long enough. Tonight they are
going to fight back and lay their demons to rest once
and for all.
When all are ready Konrad leads the brave Strigoivans
towards the southern edge of the village. As the
hunters file out of the square they dip their weapons

Ee Eo
 396
into the water that has collected in a stone bowl
outside a shingle-clad building with a tarnished gold
onion dome for a roof. The people mutter to them-
selves and make curious gestures with their hands as
they do so. Some even splash themselves with the
water. Soon it:is you who is passing the bowl. As you
do so, do you want to mimic the villagers by dipping
the tip of your sword in the water (turn to 407), by
splashing some of the water on your face (turn to 437),
or will you do neither and simply follow the others
out of the village (turn to 497)?

396
A loud crack from above you spurs you on along the
tunnel and then, with a sharp snap, a rocky spear
breaks free of the tunnel ceiling. The heavy stalactite
drops as the monstrous spider-woman squeezes her-
self underneath. The stone spear crushes the monster’s
distorted skull, killing it instantly. (Regain 1 LUCK
point.) If you want to return to the cave to search the
chamber, turn to 364. If not, turn to 122.
397-399
397
Roll one dice. If you roll 1-4, the chilling, ghostly
touch of the Vampiress’ wraith has also drained 1
SKILL point from you. If you roll a 5 or 6, you have
fortunately avoided this extra damage. Turn to 373.

398
‘Those who would dare challenge Van Richten,
Vampire Hunter extraordinaire and champion of the
light, will meet their end in righteous battle. So do I
decree!’ As is so often the way, cold steel will settle
your disagreement with the paranoid Vampire Hunter
once and for all.
VAMPIRE HUNTER SKILL10 STAMINA Q
If you triumph in your struggle piesa the Vampire
Hunter, turn to 182.

399
Count Varcolac’s werewolf corpse twitches, as you
stand there panting for breath, your human awareness
rapidly being taken over by the feral instincts now
controlling your changed body. The corpse spasms
and falls limp again, as choking black smoke begins to
pour out of the Arch-Lycanthrope’s slack maw. The
smoke takes on the form of a savage wolf-creature,
eyes glowing red. The insubstantial demonic form
rushes into your own gaping mouth. The last thought
that passes through your barely dissolving conscious-
ness is the realisation that the demon has found a new,
stronger host, through which to maintain its cruel
grasp on this cursed land. As the new lord of Wulfen
 400

Castle, you will continue to suppress the populace of

Lupravia beneath the yoke of oppression, as mon-
strous as the last. Your adventure is over.

400
To use your Flintlock Pistol against an opponent
before engaging in conventional combat you first
have to work out whether you have the initiative to
use the following rules.
1. If your opponent has a higher SKILL score than you,
they are too quick for you and you cannot use your
pistol in time. Conduct the battle as normal. If your
SKILL scores are the same you are able to get off one
shot. If your SKILL score is greater, go to 2.
2. Subtract your opponent’s SKILL score from your
SKILL score. This is how many shots you have time
to fire before your opponent is on you, as long as
you have enough bullets.

[-.}[Ee]
401
3. For each shot Test your Skill. If you are successful
you wound your opponent, go to 4. If you fail, your
shot misses, go to 5.
4. Roll one dice. If you roll a 6, go to 7. If you roll 1-5,
go to 5.
5. Conventional bullets will cause 2 STAMINA points
of damage. Silver Bullets will cause Were-creatures
3 STAMINA points of damage and all other oppo-
nents 2 STAMINA points. However, Silver Bullets
will also injure Undead and Demons.
6. If you still have more shots to fire (and you want
to) go to 3. If not you must engage your opponent
in hand-to-hand combat.
7. You have made a kill shot. Your opponent is dead!
Continue as you would if you won the battle hand-
to-hand.
Now return to where you have just come from.

401
Among all the others, you find one scroll that tells of
the life of one Saint Crucius. In centuries past he
carried out his holy work throughout the provinces of
Mauristatia, putting right countless wrongs and
banishing the servants of Evil. The scroll claims that
such was his righteous influence that calling upon his
name, even to this day, can physically harm corrupt
creatures.

Your perusal of the archive is interrupted by a curious

munching sound and suddenly one bookcase collap-
ses under the weight of the creatures feasting on the

[-]Ee
 402
parchments stored there. Unpleasant, grey, s1x-foot-
long bodies rippling repulsively, the giant bbokworms
sniff you out and move hungrily towards you. Fight
them one at a time.
SKILL STAMINA
First VERMIS LIBRIS 9) a
Second VERMIS LIBRIS 8 6

If you kill the bookworms, you are able to leave the

archive through the other door. Turn to 88.

402
Close by is the snakewoman’s cage, the barred gate
hanging open. Someone has been careless. Inside the
cage you are surprised to find, among the mouldering
straw, a bundle of oilskins. Unwrapping it you are
even more surprised to find a gleaming Silver Dagger
with a razor-sharp edge. What would a freakshow
mutant be doing with such a finely crafted item?
If you want to take the Silver Dagger, add it to your
Equipment List. You may also use the dagger in
combat if you wish but because it is not as long as
your sword, nor balanced in the same way, if you do
so you must fight with your Attack Strength reduced
by 1 point. However, injuries you cause any creature
with the word ‘Were’ in its name will suffer increased
damage (3 STAMINA points rather than the usual 2) as
the pure metal is inimical to their cursed kind. The
Silver Dagger will also harm Undead creatures but in
this case will only cause the usual 2 STAMINA points of
damage.

Cd CJ
403
There is nothing else among the Snakewoman’s
possessions that is of interest to you so you leave the
tent. Will you also leave the Carnivale at this juncture
(turn to 29), or will you explore further (turn to 281)?

403
With humbling honesty you relate your own wretched
story to Vereticus who listens with growing intensity.
When you have finished, it is the scholar’s turn to
speak, and his response surprises you. ‘I can help you,
and I want to help you, even though I cannot help my
own son,’ he says earnestly, scratching the Wolf-Were
behind the ears as he might a pet hunting dog. You
look at the Wolf-Were again with new eyes. Can this
transformed creature really be the man’s son? ‘Come
with me and I will explain everything,’ Vereticus says,
as if reading your mind, and leads you inside his
house. ‘I have made the study of lycanthropy my life’s
work,’ Vereticus explains as he ushers you into his
extensive private library, ‘along with that of the myths
and legends of Lupravia, in an attempt to find a cure
 for this terrible affliction.’ The mahogany-panelled
room is filled with books. ‘I have learned much, but
equally, I have begun to realise how much more there
is yet to discover about this malign condition. For
one thing, the most common strain of the disease in
existence, in Lupravia, cannot be cured by the usual
means: eating sprigs of poisonous belladonna and
suchlike. But then I suspect you have found that much
out for yourself already.’ You nod, confirming the
scholar’s assumption. The two of you then get to
talking about your own experiences of the disease and
he tells you the sorry tale of how his son came to be
infected.
‘He was thirteen years old. I had sent him out into the
forest to collect toadstools and other fungi for me to
catalogue, but he went much deeper into the
heartwoods than I had anticipated and was still out
after dark. He was on his way home when he was
attacked. I had set out to look for him, when he did
not return at sunset, and heard his cries, along with
the savage snarls of a wolf. I drove the creature off
with compound of silver nitrate and carried the boy
home. I cleaned and dressed his wounds with all the
care a father could give his child but, although he
appeared to recover from the attack, at the next full
moon the truth was revealedto me when he trans-
formed into the creature you see here for yourself. He
is neither one thing nor the other, trapped in this Wolf-
Were form. I have been searching for a cure ever
since.’
‘How long ago was that?’ you ask.

[-]fe
404
‘Ten years,’ the scholar replies, a sorrowful faraway
look in his eyes. ‘But this is not helping you. There is
an elixir I can prepare for you, but it will take a little
while. While you are waiting, why don’t you avail
yourself of the information contained within my
library? Knowledge is power after all.’
Vereticus bustles out of the room to prepare his elixir,
leaving you to your own devices. The wealth of know-
ledge stored in this room is phenomenal and would
rival that of some temples of Hamaskis. Perusing the
spines of the books on the shelves several attract your
attention in particular. If you have written down the
codeword Avokez, turn to 384. If you have written
down the codeword Dioterof, turn to 371. If you have
both of the codewords recorded, turn to 357. If you
neither, which of the following tomes would you like
to spend time reading?
Lycanthropy: The Curse of the Werewolf? Turn to 313
Grymm’s Folk-lore of Lupravia? Turn to 301

404
‘Is that right?’ the priest says, his tone almost chal-
lenging. ‘But what kind of warrior would willingly
brave the perils of Fenmoor and then prevail?’ He
reaches out a hand towards you and closes his eyes, as
if trying to sense the aura of power around you. The
priest’s eyebrows knit in consternation. ‘I sense some-
thing of the darkness about you,’ he says. ‘Is it from
consorting with the evil ones you fight against, or is it
something else?’ Roll two dice. If the total rolled is less

[Ce
 405
than your CHANGE score, turn to 386. If the total is
equal to or greater than your CHANGE score, turn
to 425.

495
You find yourself in a web-draped passageway. You
cannot hope to proceed without breaking many of
their sticky strands. The huge webs are home to a
multitude of blood-red spiders, each no bigger than a
man’s fist. The arachnids immediately home in on
you, drawn to the heat of your body in the cold cave.
As you fight your way through the hangings webs,
the spiders swarm all over you, seeking out bare flesh
into which they can sink their bloodsucking fangs.
The vampiric spiders are too small to fight with your
weapon. All you can do is hurry through the web-
strung passageway, desperately trying to brush them
from you and crush their blood-bloated bodies
beneath you heels. Roll one dice and add 1: this is the
total number of STAMINA points you have to lose. (If
five or more spiders bite you, add 1 point to your
CHANGE score as well.) If you survive this vampiric
encounter, you find yourself at another junction in the
claustrophobic spider tunnels. Will you now follow:
The stalagmite filled tunnel? — Turn to 442
The tunnel covered with green algae? Turn to 142
A tunnel with its walls running with
water? Turn to 14
A subterranean tunnel leading under
one wall? Turn to 433
 406-407
406
The passageway leads to an open archway which, in
turn, leads into a charnel house. Human skulls fill row
upon row of niches in the walls, while skeletal angels
of death gaze down from chiselled roof bosses. Several
raised stone slabs in the centre of the chamber bear the
decomposing bodies of black-robed monks. But there
is one of the living among the dead. With a cockroach
hiss, a monk rises, turning from the corpse over which
it was hunched — and that you can see now see that it
was eating! The monk’s heavy cowl falls back to reveal
a head misshapen by savage, beetle-like mandibles and
grotesquely bulging compound fly’s eyes. Appalled
by the horrific appearance of the abomination you
stare aghast as two extra pairs of black, chitin-
armoured legs unfold from beneath the mutated
monk’s habit. Jaws and limbs clicking repulsively, the
hybrid scampers towards you, closing in for the kill.
COCKROACH MONK SKILL8 STAMINA8

If you manage to slay this grotesque abomination, you

flee the morbid charnel house. Your mind awhirl with
questions that you wonder if you would dare to know
the answers to, you go back the way you came along
the passage. Turn to 44.

407
You plunge the blade of your weapon into the icy
water but are unaware of any effect it might have had.
Will you now splash some of the water on your face
(turn to 437) or will you just follow Konrad and the
other villagers (turn to 497)?

[fs]
408-409
408
A short corridor leads off from the staircase on this
level, ending at a narrow wooden door which bears
the image of a chalice. Opening the door you find
yourself inside a large, torch-lit chapel. A pillared
nave leads up to a cloth-draped altar on which stands
a golden chalice set with glittering precious stones.
The flickering flames of rush-lights reflect from a
number of exquisitely painted stained-glass windows.
The most magnificent of these is Set in an alcoved
recess above the altar and shows a knight in full
armour kneeling in penance before a white-robed
priest. The knight holds his sword out before him like
a cross. The chapel appears to be a place of peace and
you can see no obvious dangers. You approach the
altar and take a look at the contents of the chalice: it
appears to contain nothing more than water. If you
want to drink from the chalice, turn to 424. If not you
must leave the chapel and ascend, or descend, the
staircase to another part of the tower (turn to 7).

499
And then, with a hollering cry, the crazed man barges
past you and out into the night. Before you can follow
him Ulrich is suddenly there beside you, slamming
the door to the cottage shut again and bolting it
securely from the inside. You both immediately turn
your attention to the old woman lying motionless on
the floor. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 289.
If you are Unlucky, turn to 32.

Ee]Ee
 410-411
410
You narrowly avoid falling into one of the many wolf-
traps that riddle these woods but as you start to make
your way back to join the main party again, you come
face-to-face with one of the hunters’ dogs. The wolf-
hound is as big as the wolves it has been bred to hunt
and its canine senses tells it that there is something of
the wolf about you. Snarling, it bares its teeth and
leaps at you, ready to tear out your throat. If you have
the Call of the Wild special ability you are able to terrify
the dog so much that it runs yelping back to its master,
its tail between its legs (turn to 151). If not, you are
going to have to fight it.
WOLFHOUND SKILL7 STAMINA 6
If you kill the dog, you are able to return to the safety
of the rest of the hunting party as they are preparing
to return to Vargenhof before moonrise (turn to 151).

411
You plunge your sword into the rogue’s chest, right
up to the hilt. The Highwayman’s head lets out a shrill
death-cry, its eyes rolling up into its head. Pulling
your sword free, you stagger back from the rider as
the horse snorts and stamps the ground with its
glowing hooves. But the horseman’s wailing cry does
not stop but turns into a grotesque, gurgling cackle
once more. His dead eyes fix on you again and you
feel the blood in your veins turn to ice-water. ‘Oh dear,
what a shame,’ he says with mock regret, ‘it would
appear that I am already dead, and you cannot kill
that which is not alive!’ (Lose 1 LucK point.) ‘I would

fe
412
suggest you run. I'll give you a head start,’ the
Highwayman laughs. Without a moment’s hesitation,
you sprint for the safety of the inn. You hear the
phantom horse’s hooves on the road behind you again
but then you are at the door to the stone-built coaching
inn and suddenly both rider and steed are gone, like
mist on the night-breeze. The echo of maniacal
laughter lingers for a moment and then that too is
gone. Turn to 6.

412
Maun is nota large place and it does not take you long
to find what you are looking for. Down a narrow side
street off the village square is a stone building bearing
a brass plaque, on which has been etched ‘Doktor
Kafka — Surgeon’. Having knocked at the door, you
have to wait so long that you are about to turn away
when it suddenly opens a crack. You find yourself
looking down at the bespectacled and heavily lined
face of a stooped old man. His pate is bald, what little
hair he has left white, wispy. and wild. “What do you
want?’ he asks in a gruff, curmudgeonly tone. ‘If
you've cut yourself with that sword of yours, I’m not
interested.’ Being careful to keep your voice down,
you mutter that you have come to meet with Van
Richten. At mention of the Vampire Hunter’s name,
the surgeon’s eyes narrow suspiciously. ‘Is that right?’
he challenges. ‘But how do I know if you are truly a
friend or simply an agent of Old Night? If you really
have arranged to meet with such a man, at this place
and this hour, tell me, which Order was he a member
of?’ If you think you know the answer to Doktor

EL]
 413-414
Kafka’s question, convert the words you are looking
for into a number using the code A=1, B=2, C=3...
Z=26, totalling the individual numbers of the letters,
and then turn to the paragraph which is the same as
that total. If the paragraph you turn to makes no sense,
or if you have no idea what the answer is, nothing you
can say will persuade the old man of your good
intentions and so you have no choice other than to
pass on through Maun without meeting the Vampire
Hunter again (turn to 350).

413
Walking through the village, seeing the zombie-slack
sad expressions of its populace, your honourable
adventurer’s nature wishes there was something you
could do to help. But what is the problem? You can
see a blacksmith working at his forge and a priest
doing his rounds. Do you want to talk to the black-
smith (turn to 296), the priest (turn to 177), or would
you rather press on and leave Maun (turn to 350)?

414
Taking a deep breath you submerge again and swim
back down to the treasure-strewn depths. Beneath
you, ensnared by the pernicious water-weed, are the
skeletal remains of the Water-Wyrd’s previous
victims. Churning up the silty bed of the pool you
recover what you can. Roll one dice and add 6. This is
the total number of Gold Pieces you manage to collect.
Your lungs aching, you realise that it is time to return
to the surface. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to
499. If you are Unlucky, turn to 431.

[] EEE
415
#t5
Clambering over the spurs of broken stalagmites, you
emerge from the cave tunnel into a wider cavern, the
sight of which takes your breath away. Stalactites and
stalagmites formed over thousands of years fill the
cave like a forest. In places they even join to form
natural columns of glistening stone. The mineral
deposits in the rock formations have coloured
Nature’s sculptures a myriad of colours, from coppery
green and acid yellow, through bronzy oranges and
burnt umbers, to vermillion, crimson and black. There
are even shades of cyan and purple, and to think that,
until now, such beauty has been hidden in total
darkness. As you gaze in wonder at the forest of stone,
at the periphery of your vision you glimpse move-
ment. There above you, perched between natural
limestone buttresses and spires, is‘a gigantic spider
with a bulbous black body and long, spindly legs.
Held by the talons at the end of its legs is a finely spun
web. You realise what the spider intends to do when,
with a flick of its feet, the arachnid releases its silk net.
Test your Skill. If you succeed, you evade the Tangleweb
Spider’s trap and draw your sword, ready to defend
yourself. If you fail, you become ensnared by the
resilient web-net. In the battle to come it will take you
two Attack Rounds to cut yourself free from the
spider’s cast web, during which time you will not be
able to injure the Tangleweb, although the spider will
be able to injure you.
TANGLEWEB SPIDER SKILLQ STAMINA 7
If you manage to kill the web-spinner you continue

ES]Le]
 416
your way across the cavern of wonder and choose a
way out. Will you take:
The narrow twisting tunnel? Turn to 14
The heavily cobwebbed passageway? Turn to 9
The wide cleft in the rock with an
obvious seam of blue crystal? Turn to 70

416
Something in the tone of the man’s voice speaks to the
primal creature that is awakening within you. Unable
to stop yourself, and before Ulrich or the old woman
realise what you are doing, as if in a trance you walk
over to the threshold, draw back the bolts, and fling
open the door. Standing in the doorway is a wild-
looking man dressed in only a shirt and torn britches.
His black, tousled hair hangs down around his
shoulders like a mane. Behind him you see the wolves
circling in the moonlight. The man fixes you with a
piercing red-eyed stare and a hungry smile spreads
across his bloodstained lips, revealing protruding
canine teeth. Then you catch sight of the stump where
the man’s left hand should be. The shock of realisation
snaps you out of your trance-like state and you just
manage to draw your sword before the lunatic leaps
at you, trying to claw you with the dirt-encrusted,
talon-like fingernails of his remaining right hand.
LUNATIC SKILL7 STAMINAQ
As you fight the crazed lunatic on the threshold to the
cottage, neither Ulrich nor the old woman can do
anything to help, so you have to face the madman

[+] fe
417-418
alone. After three Attack Rounds, or if you reduce the
madman’s STAMINA to 6 or less, whichever comes
first, turn at once to 457.

417
Just for a second — just the briefest moment — the wolf
inside gets the better of you. You only regain control
of your body again once the scholar is lying dead at
your feet. What have you done? And what is becoming
of you? You begin to wonder if it is inevitable that you
will succumb to the curse of the werewolf. (Lose 1
more LUCK point.) Howling in tortured anguish you
flee from the scene of your brutal crime and do not
stop running until you are deep in the embrace of the
darkening forest again. Turn to 46.

418
‘T'll tell you what you are,’ the diminutive Carnivale
Master spits, his voice dripping with venom. ‘You’re a
killer! You murdered one of our own and Carnivale
justice demands retribution.’ You are dragged to
 419-421
another part of the tent where rotating board that
forms part of a knife-thrower’s act stands. You
struggle vainly as the Master’s assistants manacle you
to the board. Then someone sets it spinning and the
knife-thrower steps up. He is a dead-shot and during
his act can miss his assistant by only a hair’s breadth.
Tonight, however, he chooses not to miss. Carnivale
justice decrees it! Your adventure is over.

419
‘Then I feel that this is where our paths must part
again,’ Van Richten says, obviously annoyed and
disappointed, and stalks off again into the night. You
feel that perhaps you have made an error of judgement
in letting the Vampire Hunter down, giving in to the
darker side of your personality, which is becoming
stronger all the time. (Lose 1 LUCK point and add 1 to
your CHANGE score.) You spend the rest of the night in
fitful sleep, and in the grey haze of morning are on
your way again. Turn to 250.

420
Eventually you make it to the main compound and
enter the farmyard. Two buildings of note stand here,
the farmhouse itself and a large, shingle-roofed barn.
Where will you shelter from the downpour: the
farmhouse (turn to 324) or the barn (turn to 215)?

: 421
The corridor ends at a door of mouldering green
planks, which opens into a square room reeking of
damp. Strings of fibrous plant growths hang from the

PIG
422
ceiling. The floor of the dank chamber is covered with
all manner of fungi. Large yellow puffballs grow
against broad-capped white toadstools and bulbous
grey mushrooms. There is not a square inch of floor
that is not covered. On the other side of the room is
another door. To get to it you are going to have to cross
across the carpet of fungi. Will you:
Run across the chamber? Turn to 446
Creep carefully across the fungus room? Turn to 461
Return to the last junction and go the
other way? Turn to 282

422
With cries of, ‘Mathter! Mathter!’ the Hunchback
lopes away up a second flight of stairs to the top of the
tower. You know now that there is something sinister
afoot here and so you waste no time in pursuing Igor.
You arrive out of breath in what can only be described
as a mad scientist’s laboratory. The space at the top of
the tower is crammed full of all manner of curious
pieces of equipment and mechanical contraptions.
There are spinning globes that crackle with the static
charge of the storm raging outside and glass-cased
gauges, the needles within them quivering around the
danger line. Thick bundles of copper wire descend
from the topmost part of the windmill and connect all
the various pieces of equipment to a tilted metal table,
on which rests one of the most bizarre and monstrous
things you have ever seen. It is at least half the height
again of aman and almost as broad across. It appears
to be made from slabs of dead grey flesh crudely sewn

EE
 423
together and yet, in places, missing organic parts have
been replaced with mechanical apparatus. Around its
ugly head is a band of metal secured with a number of
unsubtle bolts, Standing next to a bank of steel levers
is a tall man wearing a long, once-white lab-coat, his
eyes hidden behind thick-lensed goggles. Cowering
behind him is the hunchback. ‘Welcome,’ the tall man
says, the excited tone of his voice suggesting to you
that he is totally unhinged. ‘You are here just in time
to witness the creation of a new form of life!” Thunder
rolls ominously across the sky and lightning flashes
around the top of the windmill, as if having waited
for the most dramatic moment to do so. Before you
can do anything to stop him, the crazed scientist
throws a lever just as lightning strikes the top of the
tower itself. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to
120. If you are Unlucky, turn to 454.

| 425
In the presence of the Arch-Lycanthrope himself, you
are unable to contain the beast within you any longer.
You give voice to an agonising howl as your body
contorts — bones reshaping, muscles and internal
organs realigning, the furry hide of the wolf ripping
through your skin — until you are no longer human
but instead utterly animal. Count Varcolac offers his
hand and, rather than bite it, you lick it with your
rough wolf’s tongue paying your new master homage.
‘That’s right,’ he purrs, ‘you are mine now, my pet.’
Totally under the Count’s control you will join his
pack and run with the other wolves, when the moon
is full, preying on the weak. Your adventure is over.

BATES
 424
424
You sniff the liquid but can still find nothing to suggest
that it is anything other than water and so you
swallow a large mouthful. Starting in your stomach, a
warm prickling sensation spreads throughout your
body. You can feel it revitalising you as it spreads to
the tips of your fingers and the very roots of the hair
on your head. You have just drunk an Elixir of Life.
Restore your STAMINA, SKILL and LUCK scores to their
Initial levels! The elixir also does something to combat
your steadily worsening lycanthropy; reduce your
CHANGE score by 2 points. Feeling reinvigorated and
ready to face anything, you turn from the altar and
start walking down the aisle. But rewards such as
those that you have just received come at a price in the
lair of one of the aristocracy of the night.
The first warning you have that anything is wrong is
when a shuddering vibration fills the chapel, which
puts painful pressure on your eardrums. The panes of
the stained-glass windows rattling behind you, you
turn to see the knight’s window coming apart at its
leaded seams — only now it shows the warrior, stand-
ing over the body of the slain priest, sword bloodied.
You watch as the painted segments making up the
knight pull free of the window and descend in front of
you, maintaining the shape of the priest’s murderer in
the air in front of you. The corruption that has taken
root within the Tower of Maun has desecrated even
this once sanctified refuge. The knight’s glass sword
looks painfully sharp, as the chapel’s guardian swings
it about threateningly, determined not to let you
escape alive.
425
GLASS KNIGHT SKILLQ STAMINA7
If you are fighting the knight with a mace, when you
win an Attack Round roll one dice. If you roll a 6, the
entirety of the knight’s glass body shatters under your
blow, destroying it in one fell swoop. If you win
the battle you are able to exit the chapel without
further obstructions. Add 1 to your ALARM score and
turn to 7.

425
The priest’s expression relaxes and he opens his eyes
again. ‘I sense only goodness and a true heart,’ he
says, smiling. He introduces himself as Corran, the
guardian of the spring that was first brought forth
from the ground by the blessed saint. ‘And you are
worthy to partake of its holy healing gift,’ he says.
Corran leads you out of the warming room to a spiral
stone staircase that winds down into the earth, leading
you beneath Fenmoor. At the bottom, in a circular
stone-walled chamber lit by smoking wall sconces,
stands the well of Saint Crucius. Corran draws a
bucket of clear water from the well and decants some
into a golden chalice that stands at its lip. ‘Here,’ he
says, offering you the cup, ‘drink, and may the saint’s
blessings pour down upon you.’ Reverently you
accept the chalice and gulp down its contents.
As soon as the liquid reaches your stomach, you grip
your belly in agony, teeth clenched and tears stream-
ing from your eyes. The water that comes from
Crucius’ well has been blessed by the saint, which

ai
 426
makes it holy water, and holy water is inimical to your
kind. There is no escaping the fact that you are now
well on your way to becoming a creature of the night.
(Lose 2 STAMINA points.) Thankfully the knot of agony
eases and, as the overwhelming pain passes, you
become aware. of another feeling inside you. The
waters of the healing well have slowed the spread of
the lycanthropic infection riddling your body. Roll
one dice, divide by 2 (rounding fractions up) and then
add 1; this is how many points you should reduce
your CHANGE score by (but make a note that it cannot
drop below 1). Regain 1 LUCK point too. Corran fixes
you with a suspicious look. ‘I have never seen the
blessed waters affect anyone in that way before,’
he says. If you have the codeword Nomed written
down on your Adventure Sheet, turn to 455. If not, turn
to 484.

426
Despite its massive size and ungainly bulk, the
maggot is able to move surprisingly quickly. The
creature is a truly horrific corruption of nature. How-
ever, more horrifying than its grisly nature is the fact
that the creature you are fighting was once the Abbot
of the Black Monks, now changed beyond all recog-
nition. That said, it is not the most cunning of killers
and so shouldn’t prove too much of a challenge to an
accomplished warrior such as yourself.
MAGGOT SKILL6 STAMINA 16
The maggot will attempt to bite you with its perpet-
ually mashing mandibles. If it wounds you, roll one

[+]
427-429
dice. On a roll of 6, rather than bite you, the maggot
will spit acidic slime at you, causing 3 STAMINA points
damage. If you kill the Abbot-abomination, turn to
114.

427
‘Friend,’ you say, but the man’s aim does not waver,
his eyes narrowing, in case you should try anything.
Roll two dice. If the total is less than or equal to your
CHANGE score, turn to 123. If the total rolled is greater,
turn to 506.

428
Opening the door, you enter Castle Wulfen’s extensive
library. Row after row of bookcases groan under the
weight of innumerable dusty tomes. Within this great
repository of knowledge, one book has been given
pride of place, lying on a lectern carved to resemble a
dragon. The book is bound in black leather and bears
the title On the Conjuration and Banishment of Demons.
The air around the book seems suffused with a grim
malfeasance and you are sure it is colder at this spot.
If you dare to open this forbidding book to see what
aid it can offer you, turn to 100. If you would rather
leave well enough alone, you vacate the library and
take either the door that is now to your left (turn to
496), or the one directly ahead of you (turn to 310).

429
Peering around the door jamb, and seeing no one
outside in the corridor, you set off towards the stairs.
As you creep along the darkened corridor you pass

EL]
 430
another door which stands slightly ajar, the room
beyond lit by the soft yellow light of a guttering
candle. Perhaps this is the room that the mystery
midnight wanderer vacated. Glancing through the
open door you see an empty unmade bed, a rickety
bedside table, on which stands the dripping candle,
and a large wooden chest against one wall. The room
appears to be empty so will you enter and explore fur-
ther (turn to 449) or will you continue after whoever it
was who just left this chamber (turn to 226)?

430
You while away a quarter of an hour watching the
Puppetmaster at work. On the small stage of his booth
a brave knight battles a despicable wizard, conquering
his monstrous dragon to rescue a beautiful princess
and free the kingdom from an evil enchantment. It is
a traditional tale that has been told a thousand times
over but you find this particular performance capti-
vating, almost as if you were under a spell yourself.
This is in part due to the lifelike qualities of the tiny
marionettes and their naturalistic movements. You
have been amazed by the puppet show, but you have
also been slightly unnerved by it. (Make sure that the
codeword Egnarts is written down on your Adventure
Sheet.) Leaving an equally engrossed crowd still enjoy-
ing the show, you move on through the fayre. Turn
to 167.
431-432
+o"
You kick out with you feet to return to the languidly
rippling surface but go nowhere. You can feel a vice-
like grip around your ankle. Looking down through
the murky water you see that your foot has become
caught in the trap of a human ribcage lying among the
tethering weeds. You kick out again, lungs fit to burst,
but still cannot free yourself. You then take your
sword to the skeletal snare but the more you hack at
the ribcage, twisting and turning in the soupy green
water, the more you become entangled in the perni-
cious water-weed yourself. Eventually you can hold
your breath no longer and, involuntarily gasping for
air, you suck in great lungfuls of foetid water. The
Water-Wyrd may not have claimed you for its supper,
but the Drowning Pool has won itself another victim
nonetheless. Your adventure is over.

452
Keeping a watchful eye on the ichor-clouded water
where the horror’s body sank — just in case — you wade
through the pool looking for anything else of value
that might be lying forgotten beneath the surface.
And, incredibly, you do find several other treasures.
There is a Silver Mirror, an Ebon Wand, a Bloodstone
Amulet and a Garnet Ring. (If you decide to take any
of these objects, add them to your Adventure Sheet.)
Now you are ready to leave, but the abomination
lurking in this place is not prepared to let you. All the
while you have been searching its waterlogged lair,
the horror’s unnatural physiology has begun to
regenerate. You are about to start climbing the stone

E [
 453
shaft when a slime-slick, regenerating tentacle coils
out of the murky water and wraps itself around your
ankle, pulling you back towards the centre of the pool.
Sword in hand, you hack at the suckered pseudopod
to free yourself.
REGENERATING TENTACLE sKILL7 STAMINA 4
If you defeat the tentacle, you recommence scaling
the pit-shaft before any more of the monster can
regenerate. Turn to 154.

433
The passageway opens out into a much larger, caver-
nous space. A distinctive mammalian smell hangs in
the still, moist air of the cave. Lying against a congre-
gation of limestone stalagmites is the body of a wolf,
only now it is little more than a husk of skin and
bones. Surely this can’t be the Beast you are hunting.
It looks, and smells, like it has been lying hear for
some time, all fluid having been drained from the
carcass. Then you hear the skittering, scratching
sound of something moving across the cave towards
you. Creeping down the vertical wall of the cave is a
huge spider. Its body alone is at least five feet in
length, the spread of its legs more than double that.
As if the size of the monstrous arachnid were not
horrendous enough, its head is some grotesque
amalgam of wolf and spider, a long muzzle forced out
of shape by huge mandibles. Making a sound that is
halfway between a hiss and a growl, the mutated
Giant Wolf Spider launches its attack.
GIANT WOLE SPIDER SKILL8 STAMINA 7

Cy fe
434
If you slay the lupine arachnid, there is nothing for
you here so you have no other choice than to leave the
rocky chamber. Will you take:
A tunnel with an obvious seam of black
stone? Turn to 368
Asandy-floored tunnel? Turn to 207
A subterranean tunnel leading under
one wall? Turn to 405
A musky-smelling tunnel? Turn to 9

434
Konrad is unable to hide his disappointment at your
refusal. ‘Well if that’s how you feel,’ he says obviously
disgruntled, ‘then you won’t mind paying for that
meal.’ He rises abruptly and points at the bowl in
front of you, before storming out of the inn. You feel
obliged to pay for the meal you have just consumed
and, as dusk is already falling outside The Suckling
Pig, you decide to pay for a room for the night as well.
(Deduct a total of 3 Gold Pieces from your Adventure
Sheet.)
You spend a fitful night sleeping on a lumpy, lice-
ridden mattress in a cold room, kept awake by an eerie
howling that echoes from somewhere beyond the
edge of the village, seemingly calling to something in
your blood. (Add 1 CHANGE point.) You eventually fall
asleep as dawn is breaking. When you wake you
discover it is already past noon, and you feel no better
for having paid for what you had hoped would be a
decent rest. Leaving Strigoiva, will you follow the
road to the north (turn to 160) or the east (turn to 478),

EJ Ee]
 435-436
or will you take the less well-travelled track into the
forest, the scrubby outskirts of which lie a mile or so
to the north-east of the village (turn to 8)?

435
In a small ante-room off the main staircase you come
to a set of black-lacquered double doors. Above them
is the same crest you saw on the floor of the entrance
hall — a skull surmounted by a bat with wings
outstretched. Your unfailing sixth sense tells you that
you have found the lair of the Lady of Maun. Boldly,
you push open the doors, and find yourself at one end
of a gloomy corridor, a second set of double doors
stands at the other end. Roll one dice. If the number
rolled is less than or equal to your ALARM score, turn
to 448. If the number rolled is greater than your ALARM
score, turn to 477.

436
You spring forward and plunge your blade into the
creature. The tip of your sword pierces its heart and
the Wolf-Were dies with a piteous howl. With appar-
ently no regard for his own safety, the man runs over
to the dead creature and, falling to his knees, cradles
its misshapen head in his hands. ‘What have you
done?’ the man screams, tears glistening in his eyes.
‘He was no threat to you! He did not know what he
was doing. He was only acting on instinct, and now
you have murdered him — my son!’ The man fixes you
with a look of burning hatred and says quite clearly, ‘I
curse you in the name of Almor, Lord of Wolves, for

[+]Ee
437-438
the life you have taken.’ Your skin suddenly feels like
it’s on fire and you claw at your clothes to try to stop
the pain as something bestial claws at you from the
inside — the wolf in you hungers for freedom. (Add 2
to your CHANGE score and lose 2 STAMINA points, as
well as 1 LUCK point.) Roll two dice. If the total is
greater your CHANGE score, you turn tail and run from
this tragic scene, not stopping until you are well away
from the estate (turn to 46). If the total is less than or
equal to your CHANGE score, turn to 417.

437
You plunge a hand into the icy water but even as you
splash your face with it you can feel it burning. You
stifle a cry of pain but the burning sensation continues.
(Lose 2 STAMINA points.) You look at your hand and
see that the skin is twisted as if it-has been plunged
into boiling water. You imagine that your face must
look the same. None of the other villagers suffered in
this way, but then you aren’t like other people any
more. The stone bowl contains blessed holy water
and, like it or not, you are slowly but surely becoming
a creature of the night. Holy water is anathema to you!
(Lose 1 LUCK point.) The burning pain eventually
passes but you have been permanently scarred. There
is nothing you can do but hurry after the hunting
party. Turn to 497.

438
As you make your way along the barely perceptible
track, spindly branched trees encroach further onto
the path, until you are picking your way between

Ee ES]
 439
distended knotty boles and half-protruding roots. The
sun sinks, veiled behind heavy grey clouds and the
dark silhouettes of trees. A carrion bird croaks
hoarsely into the dusk and then is ominously silent.
You wonder where you should make camp for the
night, as the air is getting noticeably colder around
you. In fact the chill feels more like what you would
expect of a midwinter night. You take another step
forward, your booted heel crunching on a thick layer
of ground frost. Hearing a perceptible crackling in the
air around you, you watch as feathery tendrils of ice
spread across the trunks and naked skeletal branches
of the gnarled trees, covering everything in a hoar
frost. Icicles form on the ice-heavy boughs and your
breath mists in clouds before your face. This sub-zero
scene sparkles, glitters and glows under the ghostly
luminescence of a moon near full. Some battle of the
seasons is taking place at this spot but that is not the
only change that is occurring at this moment. Write
the number 103 on your Adventure Sheet and then turn
to 20.

439
You are unaware of the presence of the two Black
Monks lying in wait for you beyond the archway until
it is too late. The two holy men leap out of the shadows
with preternatural speed and seize you, holding you
in a grip of iron that surprises you. Leaving you in the
hands of his brother, one of the monks produces a
chalice from somewhere and brings it to you. “You
have been truly blessed,’ he says. Oozing slime hangs
in strings from the lip of the chalice. ‘The Abbot has

oe
440
deemed you worthy of an audience and offers you
this sacrament. Take the cup, and drink.’ There is
nothing you can do as, between the two of them, the
Black Monks force your mouth open and empty the
nauseous contents of the chalice into your mouth.
Spluttering and gasping for air you cannot help but
swallow a mouthful of the revolting stuff. Roll two
dice. If the total rolled is less than or equal to you
current CHANGE score, turn to 491. If it is greater, turn
to 474.

440
As the last of the wolves turns tail and flees, you
follow Ulrich as he strides up to the iron-bound oak
door of the cottage, the wood gouged to splinters by
savage claw marks. ‘Grandmother!’ he calls. ‘Tt is
Ulrich with a friend in need of your help.’ A tiny hatch
in the middle of the door slides open and two cataract-
blurred eyes peer out before the hatch is shut fast
again. There is the grate of bolts being pulled back and
then finally the door opens. ‘A hunched figure ushers
you both into the warm glow, muttering something
about ‘Damned wolves’ before slamming the door
shut again and throwing back the bolts.
Peering out from under a woollen shawl, the old crone
looks you up and down, blinking myopically. She has
a hooked nose and chin, and looks every part the
witch, with a chain of silver charms hanging round
her neck. ‘So, it’s you who needs my help, is it?’
Grandmother Zekova asks. You listen in nervous
anticipation as Ulrich tells the old wisewoman what
 441
has happened. You expect her to cry out in horror and
run screaming from the cottage at any moment, but
the old woman appears to take in what Ulrich is
telling her with earnest concentration. When he is
done she turns to you. Without saying a word she
starts to prod and poke, looking in your eyes and
getting you to stick out your tongue. She also takes a
look at your wolf-bite.
‘Lycanthropy is a terrible and crippling curse,’ she
says at last, ‘but you are fortunate to have met
trustworthy Ulrich this night, and that he had the
foresight to bring you to me. The disease will still just
be taking hold, so if we act fast we might yet be able to
counteract the effects of the werewolf’s saliva-venom.
I can give you a potion brewed from the belladonna
plant, which will help, but, with your consent, Iwould
like to bleed you first so that the potion might have a
faster, more potent, effect.’
Will you let the wisewoman bleed you before
administering her potion (turn to 335), or will you
refuse and simply take the potion without being bled
first (turn to 358)?

441
Approaching Count Varcolac’s throne you kneel
before him, keeping a watchful eye on the huge
wolves that, in turn, keep a wary, jaundiced eye on
you. The Count extends his signet ring so that you
might kiss it and, maintaining the pretence for as long
as you dare, you touch your lips to the warm gold.
‘That’s right, my pet,’ Varcolac growls. ‘Now, reveal

Cy
 442
your true form to me!’ At his command, agonising
pains seize every muscle of your body. Roll three dice.
If the total rolled is less than or equal to your CHANGE
score, turn to 423. If it is greater, turn to 247.

442.
Before you reach the end of the twisting tunnel you
make out sparkling light coming from the chamber
that lies at its end. You emerge from the passageway
behind a large stalagmite and enter a cave lit by
glittering crystals set into the dark limestone walls.
This strange luminescence sparkles from myriad
webs strung across the chamber — almost like curtains
and drapes — making the webs look like they have
been spun from pure silver. The light also reflects from
genuine treasures. Gold pieces lie scattered on the
floor of the chamber, along with other, less valuable
objects: battered helmets, rusty swords and axes,
rotten backpacks and gnawed pieces of leather armour.
Then you hear the voice: it is that of a woman, but
strained with anxiety and with a hissing impediment.
‘Where is it?’ the voice is saying. ‘Who’s taken it?
Where’s my fine sharpness, my glittering silverness?
Who has it? Where is it?’ the woman repeats over
and over. .
Rounding the edge of the stalagmite you gasp in
amazement and horror at what you see before you.
Covering the far end of the crystal-lit cave is the
most intricate, most beautifully woven, and largest
web you have ever seen. It is decorated with strings

Ee] Ee]
of pearls and precious stones, but amid all this
ostentatious wealth squats one of the most hideous
things you have ever seen. At first glance it appears to
have all the proportions of a spider only on a colossal
scale. At second glance, however, you see that it is
much worse than that. The monstrous arachnid body
appears to have grown from that of a human woman.
From the waist down the abdomen of the monster is a
swollen, hairy black pulsating sac ending in silk-
oozing spinnerets. From the waist up, however, the
creature looks more human except that she has a total
of six arms and two legs which, although they begin
as human, become the long, bony black limbs of the
spider, ending in cruelly barbed chitinous claws. Her
matted hair is short and spiked, like spider fur, and
her possibly once beautiful face has been warped by
yet more arachnid attributes. An additional six eyes
have formed on her forehead above her human eyes,
looking like ripe black blisters, and her mouth has
been stretched impossibly wide by the protrusion of
huge spider fangs, each as long as your sword arm.
Lying on the sandy floor of the cavern are the
desiccated bodies of adventurers — dwarfs as well as
humans — sucked dry of all bodily fluids. And then
the grossly mutated spider-woman sees you.
‘Ah, the thief returns to the scene of the crime!’ she
hisses. “Was it you? Did you take it, my precious sharp-
ness?’ If you have the codeword Snilbog recorded on
your Adventure Sheet, turn to 2. If not, turn to 219.

PIE]
 443
443
At your final, killing stroke, the body of the spectral
creature unravels, dissolving back into mist with one
final, soul-rending howl. But as their pack leader
departs the Earthly Plane, so too do the other phantom
creatures of the Howling. The last of the wolf-ghosts
nothing but tendrils of night-mist, the dreadful
wailing ceases. For a moment the villagers look
around in stupefied silence and then, as they realise
what you have done for them, a cheer goes up from
the hunters. You have banished the Howling and
saved the people of Strigoiva from their torment.
(Regain 1 LUCK point.)
You spend the rest of the night making merry with the
elated villagers back at The Suckling Pig. Eventually, as
dawn is breaking; you stumble off to bed in one of the
inn’s guest-rooms, the use of which you have been
given for free with the Strigoivians’ thanks. When you
wake again, from a thankfully nightmare-free sleep,
you discover that it is already well past noon. You feel
much better for the rest and tuck into a brace of wood
pigeon cooked for you by the landlord’s wife. (Regain
4 STAMINA points.) But a great feeling of unease still
hangs over you. Your personal quest demands that
you move on from Strigoiva again. Leaving the village
and its grateful populace, you can either follow the
road where it divides, to the north (turn to 160) or the
east (turn to 478), or you take the less well-travelled
track into the forest that lies a mile or so to the north-
east of Strigoiva (turn to 8)?

[Eo]Eg
444-445
444
At first you think you are winning, then you misjudge
the best route to take to avoid a boulder on the road in
front of you. One of the carriage wheels hits the rock,
sending the stagecoach veering off the road. With
whinnying shrieks of terror, the horses are pulled over
the edge of the gorge as the coach topples past the
point of no return, and down the side of the cliff, taking
you and Katya with them. Your adventure ends here,
your bodies smashed on the jagged tocks far below.

445
‘Who will face the challenge of the Cage?’ a bald-
headed strongman dressed in a leopard-skin leotard
and sporting a fine moustache calls to the crowd from
a roughly erected stage. ‘Tame the savage Grendel
and 10 Gold Pieces could be yours!‘ Standing behind
him, before a painted backdrop, is a large cage. Inside
it is the beast he speaks of. It is at least a head taller
than the strongman and as broad across the shoulders
as a gorilla. Its arms are as thick as ship’s cables,
corded with muscle, and end in club-like fists. The
creature’s skin is green and pitted, its face suggestive
of a primitive ogre bloodline. As you are considering
taking up the challenge you see that a thickset,
bearded man — whom you take for a blacksmith — is
being led away from the stage holding a hand to his
bloodied and broken nose. The aim of the game is to
enter the Cage unarmed and subdue this Grendel. If
you want to take up the challenge it will cost you 2
Gold Pieces (turn to 458). If you would rather leave it
to some other mug to tame the beast, turn to 167.

LIC
 446-448
446
You inevitably crush any number of puffballs and
mushrooms beneath your feet, the fungi releasing
clouds of spores into the damp air. As you could have
predicted, the spores irritate your airways and lungs.
You burst through the door on the other side and
collapse in the corridor beyond, your body convulsed
by hacking coughs. (Lose 3 STAMINA points and add 1
to your CHANGE score.) Turn to 492.

a47
You misjudge your timings and suffer the consequen-
ces as the heavy swinging blade slices into you. Roll
one dice and add 2: this is the total number of STAMINA
points you must lose. If you survive such a terrible
injury, you collapse on the floor of the corridor on the
other side of the pendulum blade (turn to 208).

448
As soon as you enter the corridor, the doors slam shut
behind you and something begins to manifest. Some
unholy phantasm is clothing itself in shadows, taking
on a threatening form. Your actions within the Tower
of Maun have alerted the Lady to your presence and
your arrival has been anticipated. The necromancer
that is the power in this place has brought forth
entities that normally dwell on the Spirit Plane, until a
practitioner of the Dark Arts summons them to the
earthly realm.. Trailing smoky tendrils, the faceless
shadow-born creatures circle you, ready to rake your
flesh with claws formed of impenetrable darkness. If
you have the codeword Nethcir recorded on your

[ed
449
Adventure Sheet, turn to 463. If not, you have no choice
but to take up your weapon and defend yourself. In
the narrow confines of the corridor, fight the shadow-
born one at a time.
SKILL STAMINA
First TENEBRAE 7 2
Second TENEBRAE 7 6
Third TENEBRAE 8 7
Fortunately cold steel is just as effective against the
Tenebrae as silver or magic. If you manage to defeat
these creatures of darkness, turn to 477.

449
A floorboard creaks ominously under your foot as you
enter the room and you step swiftly inside. Shutting
the door, you make your search undisturbed. There is
nothing unusual about the bed or the small table next
to it, but the chest is another matter altogether. Inside
you find a number of folded dresses, which leads you
to believe that you are actually inside the bedchamber
of the landlord’s daughter. Underneath the dresses
you find a strange collection of objects that includes
bundles of herbs, dried powders in small glass bottles
 450
and a book covered in unsettling symbols. You decide
to leave these well alone, as their connection to the
practice of witchcraft is obvious. However, you also
find a bundle of letters, tied up with pink ribbon. A
quick glance at these reveals that they are love letters,
written and signed by ‘Meg’ to someone simply
referred to as ‘My love’ or ‘My fine gentleman’. This is
a curious mix of possessions to find in a barmaid’s
bedroom. Right at the bottom of the chest you find an
ornately carved wooden box secured with a brass
lock. There is no key but you think you could force the
box open with your sword. Do you want to force the
lock (turn to 481), or will you leave the room and
continue in your pursuit of the person who you now
suspect is in fact Meg the landlord’s daughter (turn
to 226)?

450
Pistol in hand you take aim and fire. Divide your SKILL
score by 4, rounding fractions down: this is the num-
ber of times you may fire the pistol before the Varcolac
Werewolf will be on top of you, providing you have
enough bullets loaded in the pistol. There is no time to
reload now, given your dire predicament! Test your
Skill as you would normally to resolve whether your
shots hit the werewolf. Conventional lead bullets
causes the creature 2 points of STAMINA damage each.
Silver bullets, however, will each cause 3 STAMINA
points of damage. When you come to fight the Arch-
Lycanthrope in hand-to-hand combat, alter the Were-
wolf’s STAMINA score according to how many times
you wound him with your pistol shots. Turn to 150.

Cy
451-452
451
‘Then you have heard of my studies concerning the
powers of darkness and want my help,’ the man says
in a musing tone. ‘Well, Iam sorry to disappoint you
but the services of Vereticus the Scholar are no longer
for hire; I have my own work now that takes up all
my time. I suggest you leave by the same way that
you entered my estate.’ Will you leave as Vereticus
requests (turn to 46) or will you make the most of the
opportunity and do away with the vicious Wolf-Were
and (turn to 436)?

452
Inserting the key in the hole, you turn it until you hear
a ratchetting click. With a sudden lurch the automaton
takes a step towards you, and without hesitation tries
to strike you with its crushing gauntlet-hard hands.
You have no choice but to take up your own weapon
to defend yourself.
CLOCKWORK AUTOMATON SKILL9 STAMINAQ
As it was the key that activated the Automaton, per-
haps removing it would shut down your clockwork
attacker again. If you want to try to knock out the key
you must fight with your Attack Strength reduced
by 2 points. However, if you win two consecutive
Attack Rounds, fighting in this way, turn to 317. If you
defeat the automaton, leaving its exquisite bodywork
battered and broken on the floor of the workroom you
quit and return to the junction, from there you take
the door which is now ahead of you (turn to 428), or,
alternatively, the one that is now to your right (turn
to 496).
 453-455
455
The veteran hunter curses as you strike at him and
ducks out of your way. Cries go up from the others in
the hall and you hear a terrible sound which makes
your blood curdle — something like a cross between
the roar of a bear and the how! of a wolf. You turn in
horror to see what is happening to Burgomaster
Straub. Turn to 62.

454
Lightning streaks down inside the building via the
network of wires and cables, stray sparks flying in all
directions, lighting the space with their wild, electric-
blue brilliance. One of these jagged bolts strikes you
and hurls you backwards into a bank of humming
machinery. (Lose 4 STAMINA points. For as long as you
remain in the windmill you must reduce your SKILL
by 1 point as well.) Something is moving with jerky
spasms at the centre of the chamber amid the blaze of
white storm-light. Picking yourself up you prepare to
face the worst you can imagine, made brutally real.
Turn to 120.

455
‘I sense that your mission to rid the land of evil is a
personal quest for retribution or an act of repentance,’
the priest says. ‘And having seen you put an end to
the Shuck where others, including myself could not, I
can tell that you are a hero on whom the gods are
smiling. For that reason I wish to bequeath you some-
thing to aid you in your quest.’ Corran leads you back
up through the shrine to the altar to Saint Crucius. He

Ce}Ee]
456-457
takes up the cross that stands there and places it into
your hands. ‘Take this,’ he says, ‘and may it guard you
as well in your quest as it has protected this shrine
these many years.’ Add the Silver Cross to your
Equipment List and turn to 484.

456
You decide that you can work more effectively with-
out others around you — making a lot of noise and
scaring your would-be prey away - and set off alone
without further delay. Once outside the town you
scout the surrounding landscape, trying to work out
where a monster like the Beast of Vargenhof would
have its lair. Directly beyond the perimeter of the
town lie the pastures, paddocks and pine forests
where the monster’s attacks have been centred, but
to your mind these places are its hunting grounds
and not its home. South of Vargenhof lie the blasted
heaths, where you doubt any creature would look for
shelter. That leaves the wooded hills to the east of the
town and the craggy peaks that form the foothills of
the Orsov Mountains to the north. Where will you
look for the Beast?
In the eastern hills? Turn to 28
In the crags to the north? Turn to 330

457
You manage to drive the lunatic back out of the cottage
and Ulrich slams the door shut again, bolting it
securely once more. The wolves howl mournfully at
the moon, the sound retreating as the lunatic leads

[3]3]
 458-459
them back into the forest. The woodsman and wise-
woman stare at you grimly. “The lycanthropy is still
within you,’ Grandmother Zekova says. ‘You are not
cured. Tell me again about the creature that attacked
you.’ If you have a Signet Ring, turn to 369. If not, turn
to 326. ;

458
A young woman takes your backpack and sword-belt
from you, once you have handed over your 2 Gold
Pieces, and then, taking a deep breath to steady your
nerves, you enter the Cage. The Grendel-ogre goes for
you immediately. You are not trying to kill your
opponent in this contest: your aim is merely to subdue
the beast. To do this you need to win two Attack
Rounds in a row. Roll for Attack Strengths as normal
(reducing yours by 1 as you are not using your sword)
but do not remove STAMINA points for damage sus-
tained, merely keep track of who has won the round.
GRENDEL SKILL 8

If you win two consecutive Attack Rounds first, turn

to 470. If Grendel wins two consecutive Attack Rounds
before you, turn to 488. .

Ado: >
At your killing blow, the demon dissolves into a sul-
phurous black cloud again, leaving you free to study
the book to which it had been bound. On page 216 you
find a ritual to banish demons. It involves marking
out a pentacle —a five-pointed star — using consecrated
artefacts. Who knows when such information might

[i]
 460
come in useful? With this knowledge safely stored
away, you leave the library before it suffers any further
demonic visitations. Returning to the junction, will
you take the door now to your left (turn to 496), or pass
through the one directly ahead of you (turn to 310)?

460
Two forlorn-looking scarecrows watch over the failed
crop, strung up on poles like condemned men on the
gallows. Wading your way between the rotten stalks
of wheat, you see how badly the corruption has set in
here. The whole crop is blighted. You are not far from
the perimeter of the farmyard when you hear a
swishing sound in the sodden stems around you and
glimpse shadowy movement. Something has changed
— the two scarecrows are missing from their posts.
With a shrill banshee-wail the two straw men burst
out of the mouldering crop in front of you. With claws
made from sharp splinters, the Scarecrows attack you,
leaping and capering with jerky, insect-like move-
ments. Fight them both at the same time.
SKILL STAMINA
First SCARECROW 7 5
Second SCARECROW 6 5
Their bodies stuffed with hay, your bizarre assailants
shouldn’t cause you too much trouble. Once you have
hacked their cobbled- pgp bodies to pieces, turn
to 420. re
461-463
461
Watching where you put your feet, you take your first
steps into the fungus-filled room. Test your Skill three
times. If you fail any of the tests, turn to 446. If you
pass every single one, turn to 475.

462
Standing your ground you unsheathe your sword,
ready to face the approaching rider. The phantom
reins in his wild steed with a shout of, “Whoa there,
Barushka!’ The greenly glowing apparition trots the
last few paces before coming to a halt directly in front
of you. The headless rider drops the reins and reaches
under its cloak with both gloved hands. When it
withdraws the right one again you see that it is now
holding a cocked flintlock pistol. In its left hand it is
holding a man’s head by the hair. The eyes in the head
fix you with a needling stare, while a cruel smile
spreads across its lips. ‘Stand and deliver!’ the head
declares. ‘Your money and your life!’ And with that
the ghostly highwayman pulls the trigger. Test the Skill
of the Headless Highwayman, who has a SKILL of 8. If
he passes the test, turn to 374. If he fails, his shot
misses you; turn to 501.

463
‘The Tenebrae are creatures born of darkness and so
their greatest weakness is light. Quickly, light your
lantern!’ If you have a lantern, and can use it (the Night
Creature special ability will not work as a substitute
here), you must spend one Attack Round lighting it,
during which time you will be vulnerable to attack.

CIE
 464-465
However, if you accomplish the task, when you do
come to fight the Tenebrae they will be repulsed and
weakened by the light. (Reduce all of the creatures’
SKILL scores by 1 point and their STAMINA scores by 2
points.) Now.return to 448 and face your foes.

464
The werewolf’s flesh sizzles and burns at the touch of
the silver, cruel wounds opening all over its corpse —
but it is not enough. Under the influence of the demon
possessing it, the Arch-Lycanthrope rises again. Snar-
ling with unrestrained infernal rage the Wolf Demon
attacks. (For every Silver Dagger you have been able
to use, you may reduce the demon’s STAMINA score by
2 points before resolving this battle.)
WOLF DEMON SKILL 10 STAMINA 14
If you manage to overcome the Varcolac-demon, and
you have the codeword Deliugeb recorded on your
Adventure Sheet, turn to 21. If not, turn to 515.

465
The whetted edge of your blade rings as it slides from
its scabbard. It only takes a split second for your
midnight-black challenger to react. There is another
sharp Crack! as the man fires the pistol held in his
outstretched hand. Test the Skill of the Vampire Hunter,
who has a SKILL score of 1o. If he passes the test
successfully, turn to 376. If he fails, he misses you, turn
to 398.

C] Ed
466-467
466
The cold earth is your bed, the chill night air your
blanket. Despite such unpleasant conditions, weari-
ness forces sleep upon you. You wake feeling some-
thing tugging at your leg and come to with a start.
Kicking free, you provoke whatever it is that was
pawing at you to snarl in defiance. You find yourself
staring into the cold yellow eyes of a mangy cur, a
hunting dog, but one that is barely more than skin and
bone, and rotting flesh. The Ghoul Hound should be
dead, but these moors refuse to let sleeping dogs lie.
You pull your sword from its scabbard as the snarling
undead dog bounds towards you.
GHOUL HOUND SKILL7 STAMINA 6
If the hound wounds you more than 3 times, add 1 to
your CHANGE score. If you defeat the dog, as far as you
are concerned morning cannot come soon enough.
And when it does you are eager to be on your way
again. Turn to 69.

467
As soon as you turn your back on the old woman, and
hear her muttering the words of another incantation,
you realise that you should never have trusted a
witch. Before you can do anything else to defend
yourself, you feel the change you have been dreading
come over you, freeing the wolf inside you from its
fleshy prison. Howling in pain and frustration, your
clothes and possessions falling from your new lupine
form, you run from the witch’s kitchen on all fours,
out of the castle and into the night, in search of a pack
to call your own. Your adventure is over.

EEL]
 468-470

468
Somehow you find the words to compliment Mistress
Bauer on her ‘handsome’ son. You tolerate the pair’s
anecdotes about their babe-in-arms and bide your
time beside the fire, you and the Changeling eyeing
each other warily. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn
to 137. If you are Unlucky, turn to 270.

469
The Quickening — Your reflexes have become sharper,
your reaction times faster, and you are now as agile as
a wolf. Add 1 more point to your Initial as well as your
current SKILL score. Record the Quickening on your
Adventure Sheet and turn to the paragraph with the
same number as the one you were last instructed to
write down. | |

47°
To the uproarious cheers of the crowd you force the
beast into a headlock and, with the ring of a bell are
declared the winner. Reluctantly the strongman hands
47472
over your winnings (a bag containing 10 Gold Pieces)
and his assistant returns your other possessions. As
you leave the stage the strongman tells the crowd that
the Cage is closed for business for the rest of the day
to a chorus of light-hearted boos. Turn to 167.

471
Watching the rhythmically swinging blade, you step
into the corridor. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn
to 42. If you are Unlucky, turn to 110.

472
The door to the house is suddenly flung open, a
middle-aged man standing in the doorway, wearing
scholarly robes and with a neatly trimmed goatee
beard. He commands the creature to be still and, to
your amazement, the Wolf-Were breaks off its attack
and takes a slouching step away from you. ‘What do
you think you are doing here, trespassing on my
land?’ the man demands. How will you answer him?
Will you:
Say that you are on a quest to rid the
land of evil? Turn to 451
Tell him the truth that you are seeking a
cure for your lycanthropy? Turn to 403
Or will you seize the moment and finish
the Wolf-Were? Turn to 436
 473
473
Ulrich leads you back to the spot where you were first
attacked. From there it is not hard to pick up the trail
left by the wolves as they made their flight. By the
flickering yellow light of your lantern — and thanks to
Ulrich’s knowledge of these oppressive woods — the
two of you follow the animals’ tracks deeper and
deeper into the forest. The trail you find yourself
following leads you a merry dance indeed, and on
more than one occasion you find yourselves doubling
back along paths you have already taken. And then
the eerie howling reaches your ears again, deadened
by a mist that is rising from the darkened hollows
between the trees. You quicken your pace, determined
to catch up with the Black Wolf and its kin before they
can escape you again.
You crest a rise and suddenly find yourselves looking
down on a stone-built thatch-roofed cottage nestled
between the looming trees at the bottom of a slope.
By the cold, silver moonlight you can see the wolves
circling the cottage, but from the snarling of the
animals, and the scraping of claws on wood, it sounds
very much like the creatures are trying to force their
way into the cottage. ‘By the spirits!’ Ulrich suddenly
exclaims. ‘Grandmother! Grandmother Zekova!’ And
then he is rushing down the slope ready to meet the
wolf pack with his axe. You cannot let him fight this
battle alone and so, despite your weariness, you sprint
after him, sword drawn. You will fight the Wolf Pack
as if it were one creature. Every Attack Round, as well
as rolling for your Attack Strength, also roll for
Ulrich’s (he has a SKILL score of 8). During an Attack
Round, if his Attack Strength is higher than that of
the wolves, then he also delivers wounds totalling 2
STAMINA points to their total score.
WOLFE PACK SKILL7 STAMINA 14
Keep a careful note of how many Attack Rounds the
battle lasts. If you reduce the pack’s STAMINA score to
zero, it means that you have driven them off. If you
and Ulrich manage this in seven Attack Rounds or
less, turn to 440. If it takes you eight Attack Rounds or
more to win the battle, turn to 486.
 474-475
474
Your entire physical being riles at the presence of the
putrescent slime in your stomach and you vomit
violently (lose 2 STAMINA points and add 1 CHANGE
point), the monks releasing their steely grip on you.
Drained as you might be, there is no time to rest and
recuperate. Without a moment’s respite, the monks
are on you again. As they leap to attack, the monks’
robes fall open to reveal monstrous insectoid muta-
tions. With a sharp intake of breath you see that the
head of the first is halfway between that of a cockroach
and a man. As the mandibled monk hisses at you,
malformed jaws snapping, the second reaches for you
from within the voluminous sleeves of his habit. The
sleeves fall back to reveal mantis-like claws where the
monk’s arms should be. You have no choice but to
fight the Black Monks at the same time.
SKILL STAMINA
MANDIBLED MONK Wi G7
MANTIS MONK 8 6
If you manage to defeat both the mutated monks, turn
to 262.

475
Unbelievably, you make your way between the
bloated, bruise-coloured fungi without causing any of
them to release their spores. Regain 1 LUCK point.
Opening the second door you enter another stone-
walled corridor. Turn to 492.

[][ed
476
476
Your head thumping as if your skull is fit to burst,
you regain groggy consciousness to find yourself
manacled to a bank of arcane, mechanical equipment
within what can only be described as a mad scientist’s
laboratory, which you judge to be located at the top of
the windmill. Bundles of copper cabling descend from
the criss-crossed rafters above you, connecting all the
pieces of equipment in the lab to a tilted metal table
on which rests one of the most bizarre and monstrous
things you have ever seen. It is at least half the height
again of aman and almost as broad across, made from
slabs of dead grey flesh as well as gleaming mechanical
components. Around its ugly head is a band of metal
secured in place with a number of unsubtle bolts.
Standing next to a bank of steel levers is a tall man
wearing a long, once-white lab coat, his eyes hidden
behind thick-lensed goggles. And cowering behind
him is the hunchbacked Igor. ‘Welcome,’ the tall man
says, his excited tone of voice suggesting to you that
he is mentally unhinged. ‘You are here just in time to
witness the creation of a new form of life!’ Thunder
rolls ominously across the sky and lightning hits the
top of the tower, as if it had been waiting for the most
dramatic moment to strike. Test your Luck. If you are
Lucky, turn to 303. If you are Unlucky, turn to 495.
 477
477
You know that you cannot risk tarrying here any
longer. Running to the other end of the corridor, you
fling open the doors there and burst into the room
beyond. You find yourself in a grand, high-ceilinged
chamber, ornately decorated with heavy velvet drapes
of black and red, its ceiling painted with a zodiacal
map of the heavens. The windows of the chamber are
covered by the heavy hanging drapes. At your abrupt
arrival, a striking, platinum-haired woman, dressed
in crimson and black, her skin as white as ivory, rises
from a high-backed wooden chair. At her side stands
a gaunt-faced man, dressed in the apparel of a servant,
and with a feral look about him. For a fleeting moment
the noblewoman looks startled but this expression is
soon replaced by a look of arrogant superiority, and a
sinister smile forms on her rose-red lips. ‘Ah, look,
Gustav, we have company,’ she says, addressing her
servant. She rises and moves gracefully across the
room towards you, her movements so fluid that you
could almost believe she were gliding across the floor
a few inches above it, her feet never actually touching
the polished marble tiles. You are captivated by her
beauty and find yourself transfixed by her piercing
cold-eyed stare. If you have the codeword Nethcir
recorded on your Adventure Sheet, turn to 494 immedi-
ately. If not, roll two dice, subtracting 2 from the total
if you have the codeword Dehctaw written down on
your Adventure Sheet. If the final total is less than or
equal to your CHANGE score, turn to 10; if it is greater,
turn to 52.

WARRA
 478
478
Taking the well-trodden road east out of Strigoiva,
you continue under a leaden sky, wary of any potential
dangers on the road in this mysterious and sinister
land. As the sun sinks towards the horizon behind the
steadily darkening cloud cover, you start to think
about finding somewhere to sleep for the night. To the
north, some miles from the road, you can see the for-
bidding silhouetted tree line of an expanse of forest,
but just off the road to the south, beyond untended
fields running riot with gorse and thistle, stands the
remains of a gamekeeper’s cottage. All that is left now
is the tumbledown ruin of the chimney and fireplace
and one sheltering wall. You decide that this would
make an ideal place to camp for the night. On reaching
the ruined cottage you set a fire in the smoke-
blackened hearth-to keep the chill of the night at bay.
Having eaten (cross off 1 Meal of Provisions) you
settle down to sleep, pulling your travelling cloak
tight about you.
You are just drifting off to sleep, the night breeze
sighing through the leafless boughs of a copse, when
you hear the sharp Crack! of a dry twig snapping
underfoot. You are on your feet in a moment. A
shadow detaches itself from the enveloping darkness
and takes a step closer towards you. By the dull red
glow of the dying embers of your fire you study the
imposing figure standing at the threshold to the
cottage. It is a man dressed from head to foot in black.
His coat is long, the leather durable, he wears heavy
leather gloves and sturdy leather boots, and on his

[:.]Eg]
479-480
head is a tall, wide-brimmed hat, on which shines a
silver buckle that holds a scarlet ribbon in place. Only
the steely orbs of his eyes are visible beneath the brim
of the hat, the rest of his face being covered by a red
scarf. Ember-glow reflects from the polished barrel of
a flintlock pistol that the man has aimed at you. From
a sword-belt at his waist hangs a gleaming rapier
blade. ‘Do not move!’ he commands, his voice as cold
as steel. ‘Are you friend or foe?’ How will you react
to this challenge? Will you unsheathe your own
sword (turn to 465) or will you hold your hands up
above your head in a gesture of non-aggression (turn
to 427)?

479
While using the Silver Dagger in your battle with the
Arch-Lycanthrope you must reduce your Attack
Strength by 1 point, as usual, but wounds delivered
with it will cause the Werewolf 3 STAMINA points of
damage. Also, if you are using a Silver Dagger that
you found hidden somewhere within Castle Wulfen,
you may reduce Varcolac’s SKILL score by 1 point for
the duration of the battle. Now turn to 150.

480
And then a brief window of opportunity presents
itself and you seize it with both hands. Plunging your
blade downwards, you slice through the tethers
securing the horses to their traces. Leaping onto the
back of the horse next to Katya’s, with a ‘Yaah!’ you
set the untethered steeds galloping free of the carriage.

Ey]
 481
Glancing back over your shoulder, as the horses pull
away, you watch with deep satisfaction as the stage-
coach veers off the edge of the road, the Werebeast
raging in vain atop it. Down, down, down it plunges
into the gaping void of Garou Gorge. You have put an
end to the Beast of Vargenhof at last: regain 2 LUCK
points. Unfortunately, you feel no different within
yourself. The Werebeast could not have been the Arch-
Lycanthrope you seek. Free of the threat of the mon-
ster at last, you and Katya ride on, further into the
mountains towards Wulfenstein, in hope of finding
your true quarry at last. Make a note of the number
140 on your Adventure Sheet and then turn to 20.

481
You manage to prise the box open and find that it is
lined with red velvet. Lying within a shaped hollow is
a Flintlock Pistol. It is an exquisite piece but it is
unloaded, and you cannot find any bullets for it in its
case. (If you want to find out more about how to use
the Flintlock Pistol, make a note of the paragraph you
are on at the time and turn to paragraph 400.)
You are about to leave the room when you notice
something marked out in red chalk underneath the
bed. Moving the bed aside you see an esoteric star and
circle symbol drawn on the floorboards, with other,
smaller runic marks at the apex of each star-point. You
are not sure whether it is a warding sign, to guard
against the evil eye, or a witch-mark intended to
attract evil. Feeling increasingly uneasy you leave the
room. Turn to 226.

ERS
482-483
482
As you reach into the pit several Leechworms latch
onto your exposed skin, cutting your flesh open with
rings of razor-sharp teeth, before engorging them-
selves on your blood. Roll one dice and lose that many
STAMINA points. If you survive the attentions of the
hungry Leechworms, when they have eaten their fill
they release their grip and drop back into the pit. It is
only then that you realise the hilt you risked your
health to recover is attached to a worthless, rusted
blade. Casting the corroded dagger back into the pit
you storm back down the corridor nursing your
wounds. Turn to 181.

483
Turning from the derelict farm, you set off for the
town again through the rain. You have not gone far
when you hear a sloshing and a splashing behind you.
Turning, you see three large creatures galloping down
the mud-slick track towards you. At first, from their
proportions and their vicious, sabre-like tusks, you
would have taken them for wild boar. But their warty
 484
hides, although covered with bristly hair, are not as
thickly furred as boars’. These are some kind of mon-
strous mutation.It is just as you had thought, there is
some rotten magic at work at the farm. The monstrous
pigs have caught up with you so you have to defend
yourself against their slicing tusks, and belligerent
porcine temperaments.
SKILL STAMINA
First SAVAGE SWINE 6 5
Second SAVAGE SWINE 5 4
Third SAVAGE SWINE 5 5
Fight the animals two at a time on the farm track. If
you defeat the three, bloodthirsty animals, do you
want to return to the farm to investigate further (turn
to 420) or will you stick to your original plan and
return to Vargenhof (turn to 244)?

484
You spend the rest of the night at the shrine and in the
morning, with the sun struggling into a cloud-hazed
grey sky, you bid Corran farewell. As you leave the
security of the shrine, its guardian watches your
progress long after you have left, the orange glow of
the warming room emanating from the open portal
behind him.
By dawn’s wan light, as you descend from the rolling
moors to the valley-lying settlements to the east, you
catch sight of a flock of blackbirds circling in the sky
over a spot some half a mile away to the north. Such
behaviour suggests that there is something there, out
in the cold of this wild place. Do you want to take a

[-] [4
485
diversion north, to see what might be found there
(turn to 243), or will you continue east, back to the
road (turn to 69)?

485
Even as you are studying at the Count’s portrait, it
feels as if Varcolac is looking through you to the
animal within, and you feel the wolf trying to break
free again. The creature howls, using your throat and
vocal cords, straining to be free. To your tortured
psyche it seems as though you can hear the trophy
heads braying and hooting in response to the presence
of the Were inside you. Add 1 to your CHANGE score.
Desperate to escape your fate and bring on the final
confrontation that you know must be coming, you
race on along the corridor, past the smiling lords of
Lupravia and the howling heads. Turn to 158.
 486
486
As the last wolf falls you look up to see Ulrich running
towards the now open door of the cottage, the sturdy
iron-bound oak gouged by what are, unmistakeably,
claw marks. Something has got in. You follow the
woodsman as he runs inside. In the single room
beyond you find a wild-haired man standing over the
crumpled body of a white-haired old woman. ‘Grand-
mother!’ Ulrich cries and on hearing his voice, the
stranger turns to look at you. He has a horrid leering
grin on his face and the manic look in his staring eyes
tells you that he is quite mad. But there is one other
thing you cannot help noticing that sends a chill of
horror shivering down your spine: he is missing his
left hand. Ulrich simply stands there dumbfounded
and in that moment’s hesitation, the lunatic leaps past
him, trying to make for the door, where you bar his
way to freedom. Snarling like an animal he tries to
claw you with the talon-like fingernails of his
remaining right hand, seemingly unconcerned as to
the harm your sword could cause his unprotected
flesh.
LUNATIC . SKILL7 STAMINA 9Q
After three Attack Rounds, or if you reduce the mad-
man’s STAMINA to 6 or less, whichever comes first,
turn at once to 409.
487
487
Dropping down from the broken-mortared top of the
wall you land in a pile of russet leaves and, shooting
darting glances all around, you creep towards the
house. You freeze once on hearing a cry, but it is only
the croaking cry of a woodcock and nothing to be
afraid of. You are only ten yards from the door when
you hear the furious scraping of paws clawing the
ground to get at you, the rattling of a long chain and
then a snarling bark that sounds like it must belong to
some monstrous dog. Running around the side of the
house is a creature that at first you take to be a wolf. A
moment's consideration later and you see that, despite
rushing towards you on all fours, the wolf actually
has the physical proportions of a man. It is not unlike
the Werewolf you fell foul of and yet looks like it has
been trapped mid-transformation — and night has still
not yet fallen.
WOLF-WERE SKILL8 STAMINA 8

If the Wolf-Were wounds you more than twice, add 1

point to your CHANGE score. You may escape after
three Attack Rounds, if you wish, running back to the
entrance to the estate and climbing back over the wall,
as the Wolf-Were will be held at bay by its chain (turn
 488-489
to 46). However, if you choose to fight and reduce the
Wolf-Were’s STAMINA to 4 points or less, turn to 472.

488
The Grendel grabs you with both of its huge hands
and lifts you bodily off the ground. With a grunt of
delight the ogre hurls you against the bars of the Cage
and you fall to the ground, cradling bruised ribs (lose
4 STAMINA points). If you are still alive, you stagger
from the Cage to reclaim your possessions before
disappearing into the crowds to hide your embarrass-
ment (turn to 167).

489
The people of these parts have been protecting their
flocks, herds and homes from the predations of wild
animals for far longer than they have had to worry
about a Werebeast, so the forest paths are riddled with
wolf traps — which are just as effective against unwary
humans. Walking along a seemingly little-used track
alone you succumb to one such trap, as what you had
taken to be fallen branches strewing the path give way
under your weight, dropping you into a deep pit lined
with sharpened stakes. You cannot stop yourself from
falling in and being speared by the cruel pit-stakes.
Roll one dice, add one and lose this many STAMINA
points. (If you have The Quickening special ability you
may divide this damage by 2, rounding fractions up.)
If you are still alive, you eventually struggle out of the
pit-trap and do what you can to bind your wounds
before rejoining the rest of the party as they are
preparing to return to Vargenhof. Turn to 151.
190549"
490
The way through the woods that you have chosen
widens as it passes between drifts of fallen leaves
between the trees. The pale disc of the sun sinks lower
in a featureless grey sky, the monotonous skyscape
broken only by the flapping specks of birds returning
to their roosts. Their hoarse croaking cries echo across
the leafless canopy. Your mind turns to thoughts of
where you should camp for the night as the moon
appears like a luminescent lantern above you. Without
any warning you are seized by crippling pains that
force you to your knees, gasping for breath. Something
is happening to the very fibre of your being. Write the
number 234 on your Adventure Sheet and turn to 20.

491
Even as you are gagging on the putrescent slime
you feel its metamorphosing power take hold of you.
The effects of the mutagenic slime, combined with
the lycanthropy riddling every fibre of your being,
forces you to undergo a catastrophic transformation.
Muscles contract and twist, bones melt and reform,
skin become chitin, hair becomes rank fur, until what
is left resembles an unholy cross between a cockroach
and a wolf. Your rapid transformation, exacerbated
by the lycanthropy, shocks even the monks. But you
no longer care about such things or even remember
your life before this moment as all the humanity you
once had is gone. Your adventure ends here, as you
scuttle down into the dark sanctuary of the dungeons
beneath the Abbey, where you begin your new life
among the vermin, as one of them.

PlEL
 492-493
492
You follow the corridor to another junction, where the
stench of death hangs heavy in the musky air of the
subterranean passageway. The carcass of a huge rat —
six feet long from nose to tail — lies against one wall.
Crawling over it, picking at the dead creature with
massive, bone-crushing mandibles, are four large
carrion feeders, each one over three feet in length. The
insects’ heads look just like horned human skulls. The
Death’s Head Beetles pause in their consumption of
the rat corpse, hideous skull-heads turning in your
direction, mandibles clicking. You sense that they
could attack at any moment. Will you take the new
right-hand turn at the junction (turn to 181) or will
you continue straight ahead, past the feeding beetles
(turn to 505)?

493
The Changeling lies dead at your feet. The elderly
couple gasp in horror but not at the thought that you
have killed their baby. It is as if a veil has been lifted
from their eyes, for now they can see the Changeling
in its true guise at last. They apologise to you profusely
as the imp dissolves into bubbling slime and soaks
into the floor. They have nothing to offer you by way
of a material reward but they do force you to take an
earthenware jug of cider and a cured cheese with you.
(Add 2 Meals to your Provisions and regain 1 LUCK
point for freeing the couple from the Curse of the
Changeling.) There is nothing more for you to do here.
Bidding Farmer Bauer and his wife farewell you leave
their farm to find that the rainstorm has passed as

[+]4
494
well. Disconsolate that you have not managed to track
down the Beast of Vargenhof but satisfied that you
have done good at Bauer Farm, you retrace your steps
through the hills, negotiating the wooded slopes as
dusk falls and the town comes in sight again. Turn
to 244.

494
‘Do not meet her gaze!’ you hear Van Richten shout,
although his voice comes to you as in a dream. ‘Do
not look into her eyes!’ you hear him cry, louder this
time. You somehow manage to break free of her
beguiling power, tearing your eyes away from hers.
There is no doubt in your mind that this is the
Countess Isolde, Lady of Maun, vampiress and necro-
mancer. And you know what must be done. But before
you can act, the Countess’ servant gives a piercing,
high-pitched cry and throws himself at the Vampire
Hunter, even as Van Richten is taking aim with his
pistol. Time seems to slow as the gaunt-faced man’s
body warps, changing shape dramatically. His arm
bones appear to contract even as his finger bones leng-
then, membranes of leathery skin unfurling between
 495
them. The man’s ears become even more pointed as
his nose becomes an ugly snout, his fur-covered body
bursting free of the torn remnants of his clothes. No
longer a man but now a bat of unbelievable propor-
tions, with a. wingspan approaching 12 feet, the
Vampiress’ servant swoops on Van Richten. The
Werebat snatches hold of him with clawed feet and,
with two strong wing-beats, drags him up into the
vault of the dome. You catch a glint of steel and hear
the Werebat screech in pain, as it is sent tumbling
towards one of the velvet-draped windows. With a
splintering crash, the Vampire Hunter and the Were-
bat smash through the glass and plunge to their
deaths trapped in a mutual murderous embrace.
It suddenly dawns on you that you are alone again,
and the Vampiress has realised that fact too. With a
banshee scream of her own she throws herself at you,
claws and fangs revealed, the deceptive glamour of
her alluring beauty replaced by her true bat-like
undead form. If you have a Silver Cross and want to
use it, or a Pair of Silver Candlesticks with which you
can improvise, turn to 17. If not, turn to 141.

495
Secured by iron manacles to what is effectively a large
block of metal, you become the unfortunate focus for
the elemental fury of the electrical storm. With several
hundred thousand volts of raw electricity passing
through your body, you are cooked to a frazzle until
all that is left is a human-shaped lump of charcoal.
Your adventure is over.

EL]
 496
496
You open the door and step through into a vast
banqueting chamber. What was obviously once a
luxuriously laid table — with finest bone china, gleam-
ing gilt cutlery and magnificent glittering crystal
centrepieces — is now nothing better than a dog’s
dinner. Platters of rotting food, white with solidified
grease, litter the soiled tablecloth, while the carcasses
and bones of many passed meals lie strewn across the
table and over the floor. Hearing a chomping, slaver-
ing sound you look towards the far end of the hall.
Sitting at the other end of the table are three veiled
women wearing gowns that were once no doubt
fabulous examples of the dressmaker’s art, but which
are now torn and dishevelled. The noise is the sound
of their disgusting table manners, as they pick at the
remains of chicken carcasses. One of the women stops
abruptly, even as she is sucking the marrow froma leg
bone, and sniffs the air sharply. ‘We have company,
sisters,’ she snarls. The other two women both cease
their messy eating then and sniff the air, turning your
way, their faces hidden behind their veils. Moving as
stealthily as cats, the three woman glide towards. you
across the banqueting chamber.
‘What's this,’ asks another, her tone imperious and
mocking, ‘another guest for dinner?’
‘Or another course?’ says the third, gleefully. ‘I do
hope so. I’m still hungry.’
“What have you brought us, fresh meat?’ the first asks,
addressing you directly. ‘Are you the next course or
497
do you have something else to delight us with?’ At
that she pulls aside her veil and you gasp in unex-
pected horror as you catch sight of the face beneath. It
is a hideous amalgam of human being and animal,
somewhere between that of a woman and a she-wolf.
The wolf-woman licks a long pink tongue across
canine fangs and something like a smile splits her
horrible visage. How will you react to this revelation?
Will you ready your weapon and prepare to fight
(turn to 306) or will you offer the wolf-woman some-
thing from among your Possessions (turn to 349)?

497
The battle-ready Strigoivans stop at the edge of the
fields beyond the southern perimeter of their village.
Fires have been lit in iron-wrought braziers, the smoke
from the fires drifting away over the blighted fields.
Some 30 yards away you make out the dark shape of a
wooden watchtower, positioned in front of a line of
stragely trees. ‘They always come this way,’ Konrad
states ominously. And then you wait.
Several bone-numbing hours later you hear the
muffled tolling of a bell, marking midnight. And then
you hear the Howling for the first time: the sound
sends a chill of ice-water running through your veins.
A voice screams from up in the watchtower, ‘They’re
coming!’ |
Your eyes straining, you peer into the darkness.
Twisting between the scraggy trees you can see what
appear to be writhing tendrils of mist. As the tendrils
come closer, they take on the form of insubstantial

Ee]ES
 498-499
wolf-like creatures, with savage dagger-length fangs
and elongated tearing claws. And all the while, the
dread howling continues. Roll two dice. If the total is
less than or equal to your CHANGE score, turn to 175; if
it is greater, turn to 298.

498
‘Don’t go!’ the spider-woman shrieks as you turn tail
and run. ‘Stay with me and my husbands,’ she cries as
she scuttles after you over the desiccated husks of
men and dwarfs that litter the floor of her chamber.
You can hear the monster closing on you as you reach
a tunnel, the roof of which is thick with the spear-like
points of heavy stone stalactites. Your footfalls ringing
from the bedrock, you launch yourself down the
tunnel. Seconds later the Spider-Queen squeezes her
great bulk into the passageway after you. She is not
going to let you get away that easily. Test your Luck. If
you are Lucky, turn to 396. If you are Unlucky, the
monster catches up with you; turn to 252.

499
Your clothes dripping with the foul-smelling stagnant
water of the pool, you haul yourself out onto the bank.
Before going on your way you stop to check over your
equipment and the contents of your backpack. Your
sword and leather armour, apart from being wet, are
fine, as are most of the things stowed inside your oil-
skin backpack. However, a certain number of your
Provisions have been spoiled by contact with the
water. (Roll one dice and remove up to this number of
Meals from your Provisions.) Your lantern is still intact

EyLJ
500-501
too, but the dry powder and kindling you keep inside
your tinderbox has got wet and will take a while to
dry out. The next time you are told you may only do
something if you light your lantern, you may not
choose that option. The subsequent time you are given
such an option the tinder will be dry and you may
make that selection from then on. Now turn to 46.

500
As soon as you atrive at the small market town of
Vargenhof you sense that something is wrong. A pall
of fear and uncertainty hangs over the place like
a smothering shroud. A group of men with spike-
collared hunting dogs are gathered in front of
Vargenhof’s meeting hall. A portly man — the town’s
burgomaster — is addressing the party. Over the
general hubbub of the town square, where traders ply
their trade, your heightened hearing catches odd
snatches of the burgomaster’s rousing speech, phrases
such as ‘plaguing our lands’, ‘Werebeast’ and ‘some-
thing must be done’.
If you want to avail yourself of the services Vargenhof
has to offer, turn to 82. If not, you can either join the
party of hunters gathered before the meeting hall
(turn to 201) or quit the town without dallying here at
all (turn to 507).

501
Stuffing the discharged pistol into the leather belt
looped around his torso, the Headless Highwayman
unsheathes a basket-hilted sabre, ready to face you in

Ee]ES]
 502
hand-to-hand combat. Ready with your own blade,
you prepare to defend yourself.
HEADLESS HIGHWAYMAN - skILL8 STAMINA8

While you are fighting, the Highwayman maintains

a grip on the head in his other hand, which shouts
encouraging comments to its body as it fights, which
you find most off-putting! You must also reduce your
Attack Strength by 1 point because your opponent is
still in the saddle and so has an advantage over you. If
you defeat the phantom felon, turn to 411.

502
Defying death, and gravity, the horses make the jump,
dragging the stagecoach over the brink of the broken
bridge behind them. As the coach crashes down onto
the road on the other side of the chasm, Katya is
thrown from her seat at the front of the carriage onto
the back of one of the horses. At the same time the
road veers to the right again and emerges from the
dense-packed pines to follow an equally precarious
course along the edge of another precipitous gorge to
the left. The carriage slides sideways, sending a cas-
cade of pebbles from the road into the void. If you
don’t seize control of the careering carriage — and
soon! — your pursuit of the Werebeast could still end
in all your deaths. Vaulting into the driver’s seat you
grab hold of the slackened reins. Test your Skill. If you
succeed, turn to 112; however, if you fail, turn to 444.

[-}Ed
503-506

593
At the height of your battle with the Werewolf, the full
moon comes into view beyond the tall window at the
end of the chamber, bathing the Count’s chambers in
its mystical luminescence. Moonlight washes over
you and it feels as if the cold, white beams are soaking
into every pore. You were so close to completing your
quest. If only you can keep the beast contained a little
longer maybe you still can. Roll three dice. If you are
wearing a Moonstone Amulet, subtract 3 from the
dice roll. If the new total is less than or equal to your
CHANGE score, turn to 25. If it is greater, turn to 285.

5o4
Trapper Sorn dies on the end of your sword with a
curse on his lips (lose 2 LUCK points). And then the
figure standing next to him is transforming into a
terrifying monster. The thing that was once the
Burgomaster slashes at you with lengthening claws,
dealing you a savage wound. Lose 3 STAMINA points
and turn to 62.

505
The Death’s Heads make a sinister hollow knocking
sound that intensifies as you draw nearer. Test your
Luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 136. If you are Unlucky,
turn to 95.

506
Slowly the man lowers his pistol. ‘So, what brings
a lone traveller like you out on a night such as this,
in these accursed lands?’ he asks. Will you tell the
stranger the truth, that you are seeking a cure for the

Ee]Eo
 507-508
curse of a werewolf’s bite (turn to 311), or will you tell
him that you are on a personal quest to rid the land of
Lupravia of the many evils that mar its reputation
among the principalities of Mauristatia (turn to 332)?

507
You journey for a night and a day, taking the road
north through the pinewoods, crossing a bridge
spanning a dark chasm, and onwards along the edge
of the precipitous Garou Gorge, following signs to
Wulfenstein. Make a note of the number 140 on your
Adventure Sheet and then turn to 20:

508
As the day wears on and the shadows lengthen you
pass the boundary that marks the point where scrubby
heathland becomes forest. The paths are thick with
fallen leaves, the skeletal forms of the trees sinister as
their shifting shadows reach for you with black
clawing fingers. You have not travelled far into the
forest when you come upon a high stone wall that cuts
across between the trees, marking the perimeter of
what must be the demesne of a hunting lodge or some
secluded manor house. A little further on you come to
a pair of large, rusted iron gates that are firmly locked.
The track that leads up to these gates is even less
regularly used and more overgrown than the path
you are following. A weather-faded sign on one of the
gates reads, ‘Beware of the Dog’. Through the rust-
flaking bars you can see the rundown mansion that
the wall and the gates enclose. You cannot tell how
occupied or otherwise the estate may be — it could be

Ee] [4]
2°99
entirely empty for all you know — but you are aware
that the day is drawing on and that you may well have
to spend another night under the stars. There is no
obvious way to attract the attention of anyone inside
the mansion, so do you want to scramble over the wall
to investigate further (turn to 487) or will you go on
your way without trespassing (turn to 46)?

| 599
‘Your place is not with us,’ the Master says, his face a
grim mask of indifference. ‘So you are not welcome
here.’ Before you can speak, the little man tosses a
handful of sparkling powder in your face and you
collapse unconscious in an instant. ..
When you come to again it is still dark and something
tells you that you are a long way from where you
started. You are lying at a crossroads surrounded by
dense woodland and you are utterly alone — there is
no sign of the Carnivale. A quick check of your
backpack reveals the theft of all your Gold Pieces and
any Silver items you may have had with you. (Lose 2
LUCK points.) Cursing your misfortune, although
doubtless you brought it on yourself, you decide what
to do next. A signpost marked with four place names
stands at the crossroads: Balci to the north-west,
Strigoiva to the south-west, Vargenhof to the north-
east and Maun to the south-east. Having travelled
from the west already, and sensing that your onward
path lies to the east, you are left with two choices. Will
you head in the direction of Vargenhof (turn to 490),
or follow the less well-trodden path to Maun (turn
to 438)?
[e] [J
 510-512
510
Standing in the courtyard beyond the unguarded
gatehouse, you look towards the main doors to the
castle at the top of a grand set of stone steps. Above
the entrance to. the castle is emblazoned the crest of
the ruling family of Lupravia — a howling wolf’s head
against a full waxing moon. Rousing your courage,
you climb the steps and push open the main doors.
You find yourself in a dusty, dimly lit entrance hall.
The place seems deserted. Broad passageways lead
away, further into the castle, to left and right while
directly in front of you, a grand, macabrely carved
stone staircase rises to a balcony and another set of
closed double doors. How do you want to progress
through Castle Wulfen?
Along the passageway to the left? Turn to 319
Down the corridor to the right? Turn to 340
Up the grand staircase and through the
double doors beyond? Turn to 146

511
Konrad said that the Healing Well of Saint Crucius
lies across the moors north and west of Strigoiva. If
you want to set off in search of the shrine, turn to 87. If
not, you will have to camp out under the stars for the
night (turn to 466).

512
You climb some way higher into what you guess must
be one of the castle’s turrets. The steps end at last at a
dark corridor. At its far end you can make out another

zie
 513
door, but before you can reach this you must avoid the
huge axe blade that swings at the end of an iron
pendulum pole back and forth across the passageway.
If you want to proceed, trying to dodge the pendulum
blade to reach the door at the end of the corridor, turn
to 471. If you would rather not risk it, you will have to
descend the staircase again, return to the Map Room,
and leave through the alternative exit there (turn
1320):

DS
‘Very well,’ Varcolac growls with barely contained
fury, ‘I shall have to deal with you myself. Rising from
his chair, the Count throws back his head giving
an unadulterated howl of animal delight. With the
horrible cracking-crunching sound of bones warping
and re-forming, Varcolac’s body grows in stature, his
ribcage broadening, spine arching, arms becoming
longer, nails thrusting from the ends of his fingers,
turning to claws. Fangs push through bleeding gums
as the Count’s skull reshapes itself, becoming a lupine
muzzle, his ears stretching to hairy arrow points. His
feet lengthen and change shape, bursting free of his
boots, until standing before you is no longer the
mortal ruler of this cursed land but a terrifying cross
between wolf and man. It is the largest, most awe-
inspiring werewolf you have ever seen. You can feel
pure evil intent pouring off the transformed Varcolac
like musky scent, a mixture of savage animal cunning
and pure human malevolence.
Now is your moment to strike, while the Varcolac-
wolf is gathering its wits following its sudden, violent
5147515
transformation. If you know of a spell that might
work against the Arch-Lycanthrope, you can try to
use it now by turning to the paragraph which is the
same as the page number on which you found it. If
you do not know of such a spell, or would rather not
use it, what will you use against the werewolf (if you
have the relevant item)?
A Silver Cross? Turn to 315
A Silver Mirror? Turn to 327
A Crossbow? Turn to 372
A Flintlock Pistol? Turn to 450
A Silver Dagger? Turn to 479
Some other weapon? Turn to 230

514
The spider is lying in wait for you, venom-dripping
mandibles at the ready. As soon as you heave the stone
cover from the Trapdoor Spider’s lair, the monstrous
arachnid pounces again. This time it cannot miss. The
spider grabs you and pulls you down into its hole,
sinking its huge fangs deep into your neck. The trap-
door closes again and the spider begins to feast. Your
adventure ends here.

515
With the wolf-monster that has terrorised Lupravia
for so many years lying dead at your feet at last, you
feel a change come over you. Your hearing becomes
suddenly dulled, colours seem less vibrant, and the
myriad scents of the chamber are reduced to an indis-
tinct, muddled smell. Something has changed, the
beast within is gone. You are entirely human again.

PE
Moving to the window, you watch the full moon as it
continues its path across the heavens, no longer
fearing the chill fouch of its ethereal light. In fact you
luxuriate in its silvery glow, knowing that it can do
you no harm, knowing that it has no power over you.
By defeating the Arch-Lycanthrope, before succumb-
ing to the Were yourself, you have escaped a fate
worse than death. But that is not all you have achieved.
Thanks to you the land of Lupravia has been freed
from Count Varcolac’s cruel tyranny; its people need
live in fear of the how] of the werewolf no longer, and
neither need you.
 CHOOSE YOUR ADVENTURER
Here at your disposal are three adventurers to choose
from. Over the page are the rules for Fighting Fantasy
to help you on your way. However, if you wish to
begin your adventure immediately, study the char-
acters carefully, log your chosen attributes on the
Adventure Sheet and you can begin!

Johann Ironarm
Son of a blacksmith from Femphrey, Johann is built
more like a bear than a man. His prodigious strength
is legendary and he once managed to lift a carthorse
off the ground. He probably would have become
a metal-worker like his father, had a band of
Hobgoblins not attacked the forge one fateful day.
Johann had been sent to a local Dwarf mine to collect
ore. When he returned home it was to find his father’s
smithy in flames and his family dead.
From that moment on, Johann swore that he would
not rest until the creatures responsible for the attack
were dead. He tracked the Hobgoblins for several
weeks, eventually catching up with them in the fcot-
hills of the Witchtooth Line. He was utterly merciless
in his revenge.
Since that time he has earned himself a reputation as
a doughty warrior and a remorseless one at that.
Dogged by ill-luck, it would seem, Johann now
works as a lethal sword-for-hire. The Burgomasters,
merchants and sorcerers of Femphrey know that if

376
they do hire Johann for a job, then there won’t be any
survivors left atthe end of it.

Stamina
Luck es
Gold Pieces

Wolfrik of Pritzbad
No one knows who Wolfrick’s true parents really
were. He was found, as a babe of only a few days old,
in a basket left on the steps of The Slaughtered Lamb
coaching inn of Pritzbad following a ferocious storm.
He was taken in by the innkeeper and his wife and
raised as if he was their own. Only, as he grew older,
it became apparent that he was not. There was some-
thing almost otherworldly about him. His eyebrows
grew thickly and the tips of his ears seemed almost
pointed.
People became suspicious of the Wolf-boy of
Pritzbad, as he became known, until Wolfrick and his
parents could stand the taunts and abuse no longer.
The innkeeper and his wife packed up and left
Mauristatia for Analand, but Wolfrick chose a differ-
ent path. His natural agility and quick temper made
him a ferocious fighter and so he joined the caravans
traversing the Old World as a bodyguard. But no
matter how far he travelled he could never shake the
feeling that the mountains of Mauristatia were his
true home.

377
|
Skill 9
Stamina 20
Luck 10
Gold Pieces 14 |

Sabine Greypelt
The daughter of a renowned soothsayer, Sabine has
inherited her mother’s gift, although for her it is more
like a curse. For Sabine’s sleeping hours are tor-
mented by terrible dreams, dreams in which she can
sometimes scry the future. And the future they show
for her is savage, and claw-footed and bloody.
The dreams have become darker of late — nightmares
haunted by wolves and worse — and Sabine has found
herself drawn ever northwards, away from the plains
of Lendleland, always towards the forbidding peaks
of Mauristatia. Like everyone, she has heard the tales
of vampires and skin-changers but she is not afraid,
for the luck of the gods goes with her — and she’s
handy with a sword to boot! Besides, it’s time she
faced her destiny and laid her demons to rest once
and for all.
Skill 10
Stamina
Luck 5
Gold Pieces 8

378
 INTRODUCTION

Before embarking on your adventure, you must first

determine your own strengths and weaknesses.
You use dice to discover your initial scores. On pages
388-389 there is an Adventure Sheet, which you may
use to record the details of your adventure. On it you
will find boxes for recording the scores of your
attributes. You are advised either to record your
scores on the Adventure Sheet in pencil or to make
photocopies of the sheet for use in future adventures.

Skill, Stamina and Luck

Even if you have read a Fighting Fantasy gamebook
before, please read the following section carefully, as
you will see that your attributes are handled differ-
ently in this adventure to how they are in most other
gamebooks.
Roll one die. Divide the number rolled by 2, round-
ing fractions up. Add 7, giving you a total of
between 8 and 10. Enter this total in the skILL box
on the Adventure Sheet.
Roll two dice. Add 10 to the number rolled, giving
you a total of between 12 and 22. Enter this total in
the STAMINA box.
Roll one die. Add 6 to the number, giving you a
total of between 7 and 12. Enter this total in the
LUCK box.

879
For reasons that will be explained below, all your
scores will change constantly during the adventure to
come. You must keep an accurate record of these
scores, and for this reason you are advised to write
small in the boxes or to keep an eraser handy. But
never rub out your Initial scores. Although you may
be awarded additional SKILL, STAMINA and LUCK
points, their totals may never exceed their Initial
scores, except on those occasions when the text specif-
ically tells you so. '
Your SKILL reflects your expertise in combat, your
dexterity and agility. Your STAMINA score reflects
how healthy and physically fit you‘are. Your LUCK
score indicates how lucky you are.

Battles
During your adventure you will often encounter
hostile creatures that will attack you, and you your-
self may choose to draw your sword against an
enemy you chance across. In some such situations
you may be given special options allowing you to
deal with the encounter in an unusual manner, but in
most cases you will have to resolve battles as
described below.
Enter your opponent’s SKILL and STAMINA scores in
the first vacant Encounter Box on your Adventure
Sheet. You should also make a note of any special
abilities or instructions, which are unique to that
particular opponent. Then follow this sequence:

380
eS - Roll both dice for your opponent. Add its skILL
score to the total rolled, to find its Attack Strength.
. Roll both dice for yourself, then add your current
SKILL scoreto find your Attack Strength.
. If your Attack Strength is higher than your oppo-
nent’s, you have wounded it: proceed to step 4. If
your opponent’s Attack Strength is higher than
yours, it has wounded you: proceed to step 5. If
both Attack Strength totals are the same, you have
avoided or parried each other’s blows: start a new
Attack Round from step 1 above.
. You have wounded your opponent, so subtract 2
points from its STAMINA score. You may use LUCK
here to do additional damage (see LUCK section).
. Your opponent has wounded you, so subtract 2
points from your STAMINA score. You may use LUCK
to reduce the loss of STAMINA (see LUCK section).
Begin the next Attack Round, starting again at step
1. This sequence continues until the STAMINA score
of either you or your opponent reaches zero, which
means death. If your opponent dies, you are free
to continue with your adventure. If you die, your
adventure ends and you must start all over again
by creating a new character.

Fighting More Than One Opponent

In some situations you may find yourself facing more
than one person or creature in combat. Sometimes
you will treat them as a single opponent; sometimes
you will be able to fight each in turn; and at other

381
times you will have to fight them all at the same time!
If they are treated as a single opponent, the combat is
resolved normally. When you are instructed to fight
your opponents one at a time, the combat is resolved
normally — except that once you defeat an enemy, the
next steps forward to fight you! When you find your-
self under attack from more than one opponent at the
same time, each adversary will make a separate
attack on you in the course of each Attack Round, but
you can choose which one to fight. Attack your
chosen target as in a normal battle. Against any addi-
tional opponents you throw for your Attack Strength
in the normal way; if your Attack Strength is greater
than your opponent’s, in this instance you will not
inflict any damage; you can regard it as if you have
parried an incoming blow. If your Attack Strength is
lower than your adversary’s, however, you will be
wounded in the normal way. Of course, you will have
to settle the outcome against each additional adver-
sary separately.

Luck

At various times during your adventure, either in

battles or when you come across other situations in
which you could be either Lucky or Unlucky (details
of these are given in the relevant paragraphs), you
may use LUCK to make the outcome more favourable
to you. But beware! Using LUCK is a risky business and,
if you are Unlucky, the results could be disastrous.
The procedure for Testing your Luck works as follows:

382
roll two dice. If the number rolled is equal to or less
than your current LUCK score, you have been Lucky
and the outcome will be in your favour. If the number
rolled is higher than your current LUCK score, you
have been Unlucky and will be penalised.
Each time you Test your Luck, you must subtract 1
point from your current LUCK score. Thus you will
soon realise that, the more you rely on your LUCK, the
more risky this procedure will become.

Using Luck in Battles

In certain paragraphs you will be told to Test your
Luck, and you will then find out the consequences of
being Lucky or Unlucky. However, in battles, you
always have the option of using your LUCK, either to
inflict more serious damage on an opponent you have
just wounded, or to minimise the effects of a wound
you have just received.
If you have just wounded an opponent, you may Test
your Luck as described above. If you are Lucky you
have inflicted a severe wound; deduct an extra 2
points from your opponent’s STAMINA score. If you
are Unlucky, however, your blow only scratches
your opponent; and you deduct only 1 point from
your opponent’s STAMINA (i.e., instead of scoring the
normal 2 points of damage, you now score only 1).
Whenever you yourself are wounded in combat, you
may Test your Luck to try to minimise the wound.

383
If you are Lucky, your opponent’s blow only grazes
you; deduct 1 point from the damage you sustain.
If you are Unlucky, your wound is a serious one and
you must deduct 1 extra STAMINA point than you
would normally.
Remember: you must subtract 1 point from your
LUCK score each time you Test your Luck.

More About Your Attributes

Skill
Your SKILL score may change occasionally during
the course of your adventure. From time to time a
paragraph may give instructions to increase or
decrease your SKILL score, but it may not exceed its
Initial value unless you are specifically instructed to
the contrary.
At various times during your. adventure you will be
told to Test your Skill. The procedure for this is exactly
the same as that for Testing your Luck: roll two dice. If
the number rolled is equal to or less than your current
SKILL score, you have succeeded in your test and the
result will go in your favour. If the number rolled is
higher than your current SKILL score, you will have
failed the test and will have to suffer the conse-
quences. However, unlike Testing your Luck, do not
subtract 1 point from your SKILL each time you Test
your Skill.

384
 Stamina

Your STAMINA score will change a lot during your

adventure. It will drop as a result of wounds gained
through combat, or by falling foul of traps and pit-
falls, and it will also drop after you perform any
particularly arduous task. If your STAMINA score ever
falls to zero, you have been killed and should stop
reading the book immediately. Brave adventurers
who wish to pursue their quest must roll up a new
character and start all over again.
You can restore lost STAMINA by eating meals or
Provisions. You start the game with enough for 10
Meals, and during your adventure you will be able to
obtain more. You must keep track of how many
Provisions you have left by filling in the details in the
Provisions box of your Adventure Sheet. Each time
you eat a meal you may restore up to 4 points of
STAMINA, but you must remember to deduct 1 Meal
from your remaining Provisions. You may stop and
eat Provisions at any time except when you are
engaged in battle.

Luck

Additions to your LUCK score may be awarded in the

adventure when you have been particularly fortunate
or created your own luck by some action. Details are
given, where appropriate, in the paragraphs of the
book. Remember that, as with SKILL and STAMINA,
your LUCK score may never exceed its Initial value,

385
unless the text specifically instructs you to the
contrary.

Change Points
As you will soon discover, you are. about to undergo
something of a transformation as you undertake the
adventure ahead of you. Although it will not mean
anything to you just yet, the rate of this change is
monitored in terms of CHANGE points. You start your
adventure with a CHANGE score of zero. However,
during the adventure this total will inevitably
increase but it may also decrease occasionally. Keep a
careful note of your current number of CHANGE points
in the appropriate box on your Adventure Sheet. Once
the transformation begins, your CHANGE score cannot
drop below 1.

Equipment and Gold

You begin your adventure with some basic equip-
ment that you will need for the challenge ahead of
you. You are armed with a sword and are dressed in
leather armour. You have a backpack to hold your
Provisions, Gold Pieces and any treasures or other
items you may find along the way. You also carry a
lantern and tinderbox. To find out how many Gold
Pieces with which you begin your adventure, roll two
dice and add 6 to the number rolled. Note this total
down in the Gold Pieces box on your Adventure Sheet.
Your sword and lantern should be noted in the

386
Equipment box, as must any other useful items you
may acquire on your quest.

Alternative Dice

If you do not have a pair of dice handy, dice rolls are

printed throughout the book at the bottom of the
pages. Flicking rapidly through the book and stop-
ping on a page will give youa random dice roll. If you
need to roll only one die, read only the first printed
die; if two, total the two dice symbols.

387
Oe
388
Adventurer’s Name ..............ee00¢

e
e' PROVISIONS STAMINA =
REMAINING

© SKILL =
;ANCE STAMINA =

- = SKILL =
NOTES AND CLUES STAMINA =

SKILL =
STAMINA =
 1
al © Sl greg st) inate at ace aa
= a
TURN OVER IF YOU DARE

TRIAL y
meesgentens
OF CHAMPIONS
appeeeperncee omnes
i
at
 EXCLUSIVE EXTRACT FROM
TRIAL OF CHAMPIONS
A gladiatorial fight to the death.
A terrifyingly re-designed Deathtrap Dungeon.
Do YOU have what it takes to survive and
escape the bonds of slavery?

It is another fiercely hot day, and the temperature in

the sticky gloom below decks is unbearable. The air is
thick with the acrid smell of sweating bodies. Nobody
is allowed to speak, and the only noise to be heard
above the monotonous creaking of the ship is the
regular sharp crack of a whip and the agonized cry
which follows it. ‘Row harder, you dogs!’ shouts the
one-eyed overseer, as he cracks the whip once again.
‘Enjoy this pleasant voyage while you can, because
you'll wish you were back on board after a day or two
where you are going!’
Suddenly you hear a shout of ‘Land ahoy!’, and begin
to wonder what evil awaits you. An hour later, you
feel the ship bump against a jetty and there is much
shouting until the ship is finally moored. You are
dragged from the ship with the other slaves, and see
in the glaring sunlight that you are on a small island.
A sombre-looking castle sits on top of the island,
and next to it there is a semi-ruined amphitheatre. A
man wearing black chainmail armour hands Captain
Bartella a bag of coins and says, ‘You are now the
property of Lord Carnuss. It is your honour to die for
his pleasure in the Arena of Death here on Blood
Island. Only one of you will survive, and he or she
will represent Lord Carnuss in Fang for the next Trial
of Champions. Baron Sukumvit has modified his
deadly labyrinth and is now offering 20,000 Gold
Pieces to anybody who gets through it. Baron
Sukumvit’s reputation suffered greatly last year
when somebody succeeded in getting through the
labyrinth, but he now boasts that nobody can survive
his new dungeon. Lord Carnuss would like one of
you to make Sukumvit eat his words. You must
understand that he hates his brother’s fame. Now
follow me.’
You are led up the hill to the castle, where you are
locked in a cell in the depths of the lower chambers.
Forty-two slaves arrived by ship and only one will
survive. The dubious reward is entry to a deadly
dungeon.

Turn to paragraph 1.

393
 1
At dawn the following day, you are woken by the
sound of heavy footsteps approaching down the
corridor. A key turns in the lock of the cell door and
two guards wearing black chainmail enter, carrying
trays of food. ‘Eat well,’ says one of them, ‘as you will
need all your strength to survive the day. By the end
of it, you may all be dead.’ The guard then turns to
you and offers you some bread and a bowl of soup. If
you wish to take the food, turn to 3. If you would
rather try to overcome the guard and make an escape,
turn to 10.

2
You are in the middle of the procession of forty-two
slaves, which wends its way along various corridors,
until you reach the amphitheatre. The sun is already
beating down, making the sand in the arena uncom-
fortably hot to your bare feet. Seated high in the
stands is a dark, hooded figure surrounded by
guards. You watch him rise to his feet and lift his
arms into the air, commanding silence. ‘You know
why you are here,’ Lord Carnuss begins. ‘It is my
wish to be represented in the Trial of Champions.
Some of you will die today, some tomorrow and more
the following day, until only one of you is left. Those
about to die, I salute you.’ Lord Carnuss sits down
again and nods his head to signal the start of the pro-
ceedings. The slaves are split into seven groups of six,
and you find yourself in a group accompanied by an
elf, two northmen, a dwarf and an ogre. Your group is

294
chosen first and you are told that the first event is a
race to test strength and stamina. A crude sack, con-
taining several heavy rocks, is strapped to your
backs. You watch as burning coals are brought into
the arena and poured over a section of the makeshift
racetrack. The:six of you are then lined up at the start,
each carrying your burden, and are told to race round
the track until one of you is lapped or collapses. Then
you are off, and you jostle for position on the way to
jumping the first pile of burning coals. If you wish to
set the pace, turn to 11. If you would rather stay at the
back, turn to 6.

3
The soup is thick with chicken and vegetables and
tastes delicious. You devour it greedily and mop up
the last drops with the bread. You have not eaten well
for a fortnight and now feel fit and ready for the
coming ordeal. When you have all finished eating,
you are led away to begin your first day in the Arena
of Death. Turn to 2.

4
You see the ogre’s leg just in time and manage to
jump over it and race to the front. You slow down
again and dictate the pace of the race to suit yourself.
Round and round the arena you run, gritting your
teeth harder each time you jump over the burning
coals. After twenty minutes, nobody has been left
behind, so one of the northmen decides to spring
away. He runs past you and everybody accelerates to

395
keep up. Throw two dice, adding 3 to the total if you
were flogged by the guards. If the total is the same as
or less than your SKILL score, turn to 12. If the total is
higher than your SKILL score, turn to 9.

Your ankle is badly sprained, making it impossible to

run. The northman soon runs around the arena and
passes you, so ending the race. While the other five
runners up are led back to their cellS, you are quickly
put to death before the next race starts.

6
One of the northmen takes the lead, setting a fast
pace. Round and round the arena you run, gritting
your teeth harder each time you jump over the burn-
ing coals. After twenty minutes, nobody has been left
behind and the northman increases his stride. Throw
two dice, adding 3 to the total if you were flogged by
the guards. If the total is the same as or less than your
SKILL score, turn to 12. If the total is higher than your
SKILL score, turn to 9.

7
Your ankle is only twisted and not sprained, and you
force yourself to run hard, ignoring the pain. You
think you will never catch the others up, when
suddenly one of them drops to the floor. It is the
dwarf, and he never moves again. The race is halted
and you are all led back to your cells, while the dwarf
is carried away before the start of the next race.
 Congratulations, you have survived the first
gladiatorial ordeal! But do you have what it
takes to emerge the sole victor? Only then will
you have the chance to conquer Baron Sukumvit's
treacherously re-designed Deathtrap Dungeon
and somehow secure your freedom from slavery.
Play the full Trial of Champions to find out!

8
You do not see the ogre’s leg, and you trip over it and
fall headlong in the sand. You jump up quickly and
have to run as fast as you can to catch up with the
pack. Lose 2 STAMINA points. Round and round the
arena you run, gritting your teeth harder each time
you jump over the burning coals. After twenty
minutes, nobody has been left behind, so one of the
northmen decides to sprint away, forcing everyone to
accelerate. Throw two dice, adding 3 to the total if
you were flogged by the guards. If the total is the
same as or less than your SKILL score, turn to 12. If the
total is higher than your SKILL score, turn to 9.

“)
The weight of the rocks is steadily weakening you,
and when you next jump the burning coals, you twist
your ankle on landing and fall over into the sand. You
watch the others race ahead as you pick yourself up.
They are more than half a circuit ahead by the time
you limp after them, trying to catch them up. Roll one
die. If the number rolled is a 1-5, turn to 5. If the
number is 6, turn to 7.

97
 10
You dive at the legs of the guard and send him crash-
ing to the floor. The soup bowls clatter on the floor as
you wrestle with the guard. Before your cell-mates
have a chance to follow you example, the other guard
runs out of the cell and locks the door. You realize
that your struggle is futile. You release the guard
and stand up to await your punishment. You are led
away and flogged by the guard you attacked. Lose 4
STAMINA points and 1 SKILL point. Barely conscious,
you are dragged back to your cell and thrown inside.
Your cell-mates do what they can to dress your
wounds before you are all led away to begin your first
day in the Arena of Death. Turn to 2.

11
As you accelerate, the ogre sticks his leg out and tries
to trip you. Test your luck. If you are Lucky, turn to 4.
If you are Unlucky, turn to 8.

12
The northman increases his lead over the rest of you,
but you feel you still have a lot in reserve should be
come close to lapping the pack. When he gets within
ten metres of catching up, everybody decides to
sprint. There are only two runners ahead of you, but
you do not look back. Suddenly there is an agonized
cry followed by a shout which calls an end to the race.
The dwarf lies prostrate in the sand, having collapsed
just as the northman caught up with him. While you

398
are led back to your cells, the dwarf is quickly put to
death before the start of the next race.

Congratulations, you have survived the first

gladiatorial ordeal! But do you have what it
takes to emerge the sole victor? Only then will
you have the chance to conquer Baron Sukumvit's
treacherously re-designed Deathtrap Dungeon
and somehow secure your freedom from slavery.
Play the full Trial of Champions to find out!

399
 ONLINE

Stay in touch with the Fighting Fantasy community

at www.fightingfantasy.com. Sign up today and
receive exclusive access to:

Fresh Adventure Sheets

* Members’ forum

» Competitions
» Quizzes and polls
» Exclusive Fighting Fantasy news and updates

You can also send in your own Fighting Fantasy

material, the very best of which will make it onto the
website.

www.fightingfantasy.com

The website where YOU ARE THE HERO!

\
 The book you hold in your hands is a gateway to a world
in which YOU are:the HERO! YOU decide which route to
take, which dangers to risk and which creatures to fight.
But be warned - it will also be YOU who has to live or
die by the consequences of your actions.

Lupravia isa cursed land; a chill place of snow-capped mountains, brooding

forests and. mist-shrouded moors, haunted by the spirits of the restless dead.
Only the foolhardy. erinsane would enter that benighted realm of predators.
But enter you must, after avicious wolf attack sets WiOlUelam (acm oy-leam om anlelce
(els
and madness. Steadily succumbingto the beast within, YOU must seek out
a cure for your condition before the next fullmoon. But how long can you
survive in a land where all live in fear ofthe How! of the Werewolf?
x
SS

: www.fightingfantasy.com,

Wizard Books UK Sao chac ree seats

foes ||l\lll|
3. as. Canada $12.00. I

OM =IF-Tor lal-1-19) Bs
: Central illustration Q
le 947 fen e
COU ETadiamVoinnet) is