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Down in the dark, twisting labyrinth of Fang, unknown horrors await you. Devised by the devilish mind of Barron Sukumvit, the labyrinth is riddled with fiendish traps and bloodthirsty monsters, which will test your skills almost beyond the level of endurance. Countless adventurers before you have taken up the challenge of the Trial of Champions and walked through the carved mouth of the labyrinth, never to be seen again. Do YOU dare enter?\n\n There is only one true way through Deathtrap Dungeon and it will probably take you several attempts to find it. Make notes and draw a map as you explore - this map will be useful in future adventures and help you to identify unexplored sections of the dungeon. Not all areas contain treasure - many merely contain traps and creatures which you will no doubt fall foul of. There are many ‘wild-goose-chase’ passages and while you may indeed progress through to your ultimate destination, it is by no means certain that you will find what you are searching for. The ‘one true way’ involves a minimum of risk and any player, no matter how weak on initial dice rolls, should be able to get through fairly easily. May the luck of the gods go with you on the adventure ahead! \n\n You start the game with a sword, leather armour and a shield, a backpack containing Provisions for the trip, and a lantern to light your way. But you will find lots more items as the adventure unfolds. You may also take a magical potion which will aid you on your quest. Each potion can only be used once throughout an adventure. Each potion, when drunk, restores a chosen score (i.e. Skill, Stamina, Luck) to its Initial level. The Luck potion will also add one point to your Initial level. Which potion would you like?
Despite its name, Fang was an ordinary small town in the northern province of Chiang Mai. Situated on the banks of the River Kok it made a convenient stopover for river traders and passengers through-out most of the year. A few barges, rafts and sometimes even a large sailboat could usually be found moored at Fang. But all that was long ago, before the creation of the Trial of Champions. Now once a year the river is crammed with boats as people arrive from hundreds of miles around, hoping to witness the breaking of an ancient tradition in Fang and see a victor in the Trial of Champions.\n\n On 1 May each year, warriors and heroes come to Fang to face the test of their lives. Survival is unlikely, yet many take the risk, for the prize is great - a purse of 10,000 Gold Pieces and the freedom of Chiang Mai forever. However, to become Champion is no easy task. Some years ago, a powerful baron of Fang called Sukumvit decided to bring attention to his town by creating the ultimate contest. With the help of the townspeople, he constructed a labyrinth deep in the hillside behind Fang, from which there was only one exit. The labyrinth was filled with all kinds of deadly tricks and traps and loathsome monsters. Sukimvit had designed it in meticulous detail so that anybody hoping to face its challenge would have to use their wits as well as weaponskill. When he was finally satisfied that all was complete, he put his labyrinth to the test. He picked ten of his finest guards and, fully armed, they marched into the labyrinth. They were never seen again. The tale of the ill-fated guards soon spread throughout the land, and it was then that Sukumvit announced the finest Trial of Champions. Messengers and news-sheets carried his challenge - 10,000 Gold Pieces and the freedom of Chiang Mai forever to any person surviving the perils of the labyrinth of Fang. The first year, seven-teen brave warriors attempted ‘The Walk’, as it later came to be known. Not one reappeared. As the years passed and the Trial of Champions continued, it attracted more and more challengers and spectators. Fang prospered and would prepare itself months in advance for the spectacle it hosted each May. The town would be decorated, tents erected, dining-halls built, musicians, dancers, fire-eaters, illusionists and every sort of entertainer hired, and entries registered from hopeful individuals intent on making ‘The Walk’. The last week of April found the people of Fang and its visitors in wild celebration. Everybody sang, drank, danced and laughed until day broke on 1 May, when the town thronged to the gates of the labyrinth to watch the first challenger of the year step forward to face the Trial of Champions.\n\n Having seen one of Sukumvit’s challenges nailed to a tree, you decide that this year you will attempt ‘The Walk’. For the last five years you have been attracted to, not for the rewards, but for the simple fact that nobody has ever yet emerged victorious from the labyrinth. You intend to make this the year in which a champion is crowned! Gathering up a few belongings, you set off immediately. Two days’ walk takes you west to the coast, where you enter the cursed Port Blacksand. Wasting no time in that city of thieves, you buy your passage on a small boat sailing north to where the River Kok meets the sea, and from there you take a raft up-river for four days, until finally you arrive in Fang.\n\n The Trial begins in three days’ time, and the town is in an almost hysterical mood of excitement. You register your entry with the officials and are given a violet scarf to tie around your arm, informing everyone of your status. For three days you enjoy Fang’s greatest hospitality and are treated like a demigod. During the long merriment, you almost forget your purpose in Fang; but the evening before the Trial, the magnitude of the task ahead begins to dominate your thoughts. Later, you are taken to a special guest-house and shown to your room. There is a splendid four-poster bed with satin sheets to help you rest. But there is little time left for sleep.\n\n Just before dawn a trumpet call awakens you from vivid dreams of flaming pits and giant black spiders. Minutes later, there is a knock on your door, and a man’s voice rings out saying, ‘Your challenge begins soon. Please be ready to leave in ten minutes.’ You climb out of bed, walk over to the window and open the shutters. Already people are thronging the streets, moving quietly through the morning mist - spectators on their way to the labyrinth no doubt, hoping to find good vantage points from which to watch the competitors. You turn away and walk over to a wooden table on which your trusty sword lies. You pick it up and cut the air with a mighty sweep, wondering what beasts its sharp edge may soon have to meet. Then you open the door into the corridor.\n\n A small man with slanted eyes greets you with a low bow as you emerge from your bedroom. ‘Please follow me,’ he says. He turns to his left and walks quickly toward the stairs at the end of the corridor. Leaving your guest-house, he darts down narrow alleyways between houses, and you have to walk quickly to keep up with him. Soon you come into a wide dirt road lined with cheering crowds. When they see your violet scarf, they cheer even louder and start showering you with flowers. The long shadows cast by the people in front of you shrink as the bright yellow sun rises higher in the morning sky. Standing here in front of the noisy and vibrant crowd, you feel strangely alone, aware of your coming ordeal. Suddenly you feel a tug on your shirt and see your small guide eagerly beckoning you to follow him. Ahead you see the looming hillside and the dark mouth of a tunnel disappearing into its inner depths. As you get closer, you notice two great stone pillars on either side of the tunnel entrance. The pillars are covered with ornate carvings: writhing serpents, demons, deities, each seeming to scream a silent warning to those who would pass beyond them.\nYou see Baron Sukumvit himself standing by the entrance, waiting to greet the contenders in the Trial of Champions. You count five others standing proudly in line, their violet scarves displayed for all to see. There are two bare-chested Barbarians dressed in furs. They stand completely motionless, legs straight and slightly apart, arms thrust forward to rest on the hilts of their long, double-headed battleaxes. A sleek, elven woman with golden hair and feline green eyes is adjusting the cross-belt of daggers wrapped around her leather tunic. Of the two remaining men, one is covered from head to foot in iron-plate armour with a plumed helmet and a crested shield; the other is cloaked in black robes, only his dark eyes showing between the swathes of his black face-scarves. Long knives, a wire garrotte and other silent death-weapons hang from his belt. The five contenders acknowledge your arrival with almost imperceptible nods of the head, and you turn to face the exultant crowd for the last time. Suddenly a hush falls over the crowd as Baron Sukumvit steps forward holding six bamboo sticks. You draw one from his outstretched hand and read the word ‘Fifth’. Then the Trial begins.\n\n The Knight is first. He salutes the crowd before disappearing into the tunnel, and is followed half an hour later by the elf. Next goes a Barbarian and then the dark assassin. Now it is your turn to salute the crowd. Holding your violet scarf aloft, you take one final deep breath of cool fresh air before turning to pass between the stone-pillared gateway into Sukumvit’s corridors of power, to face unknown perils on ‘the Walk’ through the mighty baron’s Deathtrap Dungeon.
The clamour of the excited spectators gradually fades behind you as you venture deep into the gloom of the cavern tunnel. Large crystals hang from the tunnel roof at twenty-metre intervals, radiating a soft light, just enough for you to see your way. As your eyes gradually get accustomed to the near darkness, you begin to see movement all around. Spiders and beetles crawling up the chiselled walls disappear into cracks and crevices as they sense your approach; rats and mice scurry along the floor ahead of you. Droplets of water drip into small pools with an eerie plopping sound which echoes down the tunnel. The air is cold, moist and dank. After walking slowly along the tunnel for about five minutes, you arrive at a stone table standing against the wall to your left. On it are six boxes, one of which has your name painted on its lid.
The scorpion manages to hold you in its pincers long enough to flick its segmented tail forward over its head and sting you with its poisonous barb. The effect is fatal and you slump to the ground in the Arena of Death, wondering if Throm will win through.
The Gnome shakes his head and says, 'I am afraid you have failed the Trial of Champions. Baron Sukumvit's Deathtrap Dungeon will keep its secrets for another year, as you will not be allowed to leave here. You are appointed my servant for the rest of your days, to prepare and modify the dungeon for future contestants. Perhaps in another life you will succeed...'
In the total darkness you do not see the pipe's downward turn. You slip and, unable to get a grip on the slimy pipe, slide over the edge. Your screams echo down the pipe as you fall the fifty metres to the bottom. You have failed the Trial of Champions.
You crawl along the floor and find yourself in the lair of a tribe called TROGLODYTES. As you creep past them, your scabbard bangs against a rock on the floor.
Knowing that the Manticore will fire the spikes in its tail at you, you run for cover behind one of the pillars. Before you reach it, a volley of spikes flies through the air and one of them sinks into your arm.
You waste no time and attack the Manticore with your sword before it has time to unleash more of its deadly spikes.
Before you have time to reach a doorway, the boulder is upon you. You cry out in pain and terror as it crushes you to the floor. Your adventure ends here.
The Mirror Demon grabs you by the wrist. Immediately it starts to pull you towards the mirror. Its strength is incredible, and, despite all your efforts, you cannot prevent it from pulling you relentlessly towards the mirror. When it touches the mirror, it seems to disappear straight through it. With horror you see your own arm disappear, followed by the rest of your body. You are now in a mirror world of another dimension, from which you can never return.
The Hobgoblins have nothing of any use to you on them, so you decide to open the bag on the floor. Inside it you find a corked earthenware jug. You uncork it and sniff the liquid inside. It smells sharp and acrid.
Still running as fast as you can, you reach into your backpack and pull out the wooden tube. You plan to lie under the surface of the water, breathing through the tube. With luck, the Trologdytes will assume that you will be swept to your death down-river as the torrent disappears in the depths of the mountain. You seize the tube between your teeth and lower yourself into the water. Holding on to one of the underwater bridge pillars, you keep perfectly still for ten minutes. When you finally think the Trologdytes have gone, you rise to the surface and look around. There is nobody to be seen, so you climb out of the river and cross the bridge to the northern bank. Your Provisions are now sodden and inedible.
You continue to walk through the vast cavern until at last you see a tunnel in the far wall. You walk down it until you come to a heavy wooden door, which is locked.
You look down and see the crumpled bodies of the Flying Guardians lying motionless on the floor. You start to prise out the idol's emerald eye with the tip of your sword. At last it comes free, and you are surprised by its weight. Hoping it may be of use later, you put it in your backpack. What would you like to do now?
The door opens into a large, candle-lit room filled with the most extrordinarily life-like statues of knights and warriors. A white-haired old man dressed in tattered rags suddenly jumps out from behind one of the statues and starts to giggle. Though he looks like a fool, the sparkle in his eyes makes you think there is more to him than is apparent. In a high-pitched voice he says, 'Oh good, another stone for my garden. I'm glad you have come to join your friends. Now, I'm a fair man and so I'll ask you a question. If you answer correctly, I'll let you go free - but if your answer is wrong, I'll turn you to stone!' He starts to chuckle again, obviously pleased with your arrival. Will you:
The tunnel makes a sudden turn to the left and heads north for as far as you can see. The footprints you are following start to peter out as the tunnel becomes gradually drier. Soon you are beyond the dripping roof and the pools on the floor. You notice the air becoming hotter and you find yourself panting even though you are walking quite slowly. In a small recess on the left-hand wall you see a section of bamboo standing on its end. Lifting it down, you see it is filled with a clear liquid. Your throat is painfully dry and you feel a little dizzy from the heat in the tunnel.
The tunnel leads into a dark chamber covered in thick cobwebs. Clawing your way through them, you trip over a wooden casket.
A tickling sensation runs down your spine as you crawl carefully out of the room. Back in the tunnel you breathe a sigh of relief, throw the skull back into the room and slam the door shut. pleased with your good fortune, you set off west again.
You just have time to hear the Gnome say, 'Three skulls' before a white bolt of energy shoots out from the lock into your chest, knocking you unconscious.
You come to and are told by the Gnome to try again. You chose the wrong gems last time, so you won't try that combination again.
You are not strong enough to force open the heavy door. The water is now waist-high and you are exhausted from your efforts. The water level rises quickly and you find yourself floating ever upwards until your face is pressed against the ceiling. You are soon completely immersed and unable to hold your breath any longer.
Luckily for you, the cobra's fangs sink into your leather waistband. The snake recoils quickly, ready to strike again, as the Dwarf tells you to have another try.
You cannot resist the Medusa's beguiling gaze as she looks into your eyes. You feel your limbs begin to stiffen and you panic helplessly as you turn to stone.
Only your incredible strength could withstand the poisonous spider's bite. However, you are weakened and you notice your hand trembling as you pocket the gold piece.
You curse the person who dropped the backpack and set off north again.
The wound has no effect on the Bloodbeast, and it continues to attack you as furiously as before.
Although you are slightly uneasy in each other's company, knowing that there can only be one winner in the Trial of Champions, you are both content to share the benefits of a temporary alliance. You begin to tell each other of your exploits so far, of the monsters and traps encountered and the dangers overcome. Walking along, you soon come to the edge of a large pit. It is too deep and dark to see the bottom. The Barbarian offers to lower you to the bottom with his rope, saying he has a torch which he can light for you to use. What will you do?
The paper bears a simple warning written in dried blood: 'Beware the Trialmasters'. You replace the paper on its nail and run back down the tunnel to rejoin the Barbarian.
Set back in an arched alcove in the tunnel wall you see an ornate wooden chair carved in the shape of a demon-like bird of prey.
Although the temperature in the tunnel is higher than you could normally tolerate, the liquid in the bamboo keeps you alive.
The pill makes you feel dull and lethargic.
The Dwarf tells you that you can now progress to the second stage of the test. He reaches for a wicker basket and tells you that there is a snake inside it. He tips up the basket and the snake drops onto the floor; it is a cobra and it rears up into the air ready to strike. The Dwarf says he wants to test your reactions. You must grab the cobra bare-handed below its head, avoiding its deadly fangs. You crouch down on the floor, tensing yourself for the moment in which to seize it.
You step up to the frightened man and cleave the chains with your sword. He drops to his knees and bows, thanking you over and over again. He tells you that four years ago he entered the Trial of Champions but failed. He fell down a pit and had to be rescued by a Trialmaster, one of Baron Sukumvit's dungeon administrators. He was offered a choice between death or servitude in Deathtrap Dungeon as the Trialmaster's minion. Choosing the latter, he worked like a slave until he could stand it no longer and tried to escape. Alas, he was unsuccessful and was captured by the Trialmaster's wandering Orc guards. To teach him a lesson, they cut off his hand and condemned him to a year's imprisonment in this cell. You ask him whether he has any information that might be of use to you. 'Well, I haven't exactly done very well in here myself,' he says, 'but I do know you need to collect gems and precious stones if you hope to get out. I don't know why, but there it is.' Without another word, the ragged prisoner dashes out of the room, turning left into the tunnel. You decide to keep heading north and turn right into the tunnel.
The dwarf's chainmail coat is of finest-quality iron, obviously made by a master armourer. You strip it from his body and place it over your head.
There is nothing else of use to you in the chamber, so you decide to investigate the new tunnel.
The tunnel leads north for some distance before coming to a dead end. The mouth of a chute protrudes from the tunnel's eastern wall. It seems to be the only way out. You decide to risk it and climb into the chute. You slide gently down and come out in a room, landing on your back.
Taking a step forward, you leap towards the far edge of the pit.
The Gnome smiles and says, 'Good. Now, do you have a sapphire in your possession?'
You soon come to another junction in the tunnel. One branch leads east, but the wet footprints you have been following continue north and you decide to follow their trail.
It was a mistake to reach into the hole with your sword arm. It is covered with round sucker marks and feels like it has been crushed.
You peer into the hole and see the bleeding tentacle stump hanging limply. You carefully pull out the grappling iron and leather pouch, in which you find a tiny brass bell. You pack away your new possessions and head north.
You try to force the point of your sword under the emerald eye. Much to your surprise, the emerald shatters on contact, releasing a jet of poisonous gas straight into your face. The gas knocks you out and you release the rope, bounce down the idol and crash on to the stone floor.
The tunnel continues west for several hundred metres, finally ending at some steps leading up to a closed trapdoor. You climb the steps slowly, hearing muffled voices above you. In the dim light you can see the trapdoor is not locked.
You run faster than you have ever run in your life before, but still the boulder is catching up with you.
The passage opens out into a wide cavern which is darker but much drier. Ahead you see the footprints gradually fade, then disappear. There is a large idol in the centre of the cavern, standing approximately six metres high. It has jewelled eyes, each as big as your fist. There are two giant stuffed bird-like creatures standing on either side of the idol.
The man stands by silently while you gulp the water and wolf down the bread. A sharp pain grips your stomach and you fall to your knees.
The old man looks at you scornfully and says, 'Well, if you will eat poisoned food, what do you expect?' He shuffles off, leaving you writhing in pain on the floor.
You manage to evade the outstretched legs of the diving Giant Fly. Stepping back, you draw your sword and prepare to fight the hideous insect as it turns to attack you again.
You call out to the Dwarf that you are ready to fight the MINOTAUR. The wooden door rises slowly and you see the fearsome beast, half man, half bull, step into the arena. Steam blows from its nostrils as it works itself up into a rage, ready to attack. Suddenly it rushes forward, swinging its double-headed axe.
You walk slowly over to the alcove, carefully checking the floor for any more hidden traps. You see that the goblet contains a sparkling red liquid.
The cobra's fangs sink deep into your wrist and you feel its poison starting to creep through your body.
The Dwarf has no mercy but to tell you to try again.
The tunnel turns sharply to the right and continues north for as far as you can see. There is a door in the left-hand wall which is ajar. You hear someone cry for help from the other side of the door.
You are only a few metres from the doorway when you hear the old man utter some strange words. Instantly your muscles harden and you feel your skin becoming taut. You start to panic, but there is nothing you can do to stop the petrification of your body.
The razor-sharp disc thuds into your back with terrible effect.
You struggle to pull the disc from your back as the Ninja throws yet another one at you.
You lower yourself carefully down the idol and, wasting no more time in the cavern, run forward to the tunnel in the northern wall.
Only your immense strength and grim determination keep you from falling unconscious to the floor. You grit your teeth and press on resolutely.
You peep around the corner and see two small creatures running away from you. Both are dressed in baggy clothes and wear pointed floppy hats. They are mischievous LEPRECHAUNS.
You wake to find Throm pulling the ring off your finger. He puts it on the floor and crushes it with the head of his battleaxe. Then, grunting to show his disapproval of you, he strides off east. You stand up slowly and stagger off after him.
The Hobgoblins are unprepared for your attack, and you are able to kill the first one before he can draw his sword. You turn to face the remaining Hobgoblin, who snarls at you with hatred.
As you open the book, it starts to disintegrate and the pages turn to dust in your hands. You manage to keep a few fragments and read the handwritten script. The book appears to be about monsters, and from what you can make out it contains a full description of a monster called the Bloodbeast. It is a horrific bloated creature with tough, spiny skin and facial blisters which burst open to become mock eyes, evolved to hide the Bloodbeast's only weak spot - its real eyes. Bloodbeasts usually dwell in pools of fetid slime which give off a poisonous gas. This gas is so strong that it can easily knock people unconscious. The Bloodbeast, although to bulbous to haul itself out of its slime pool, has a long and vicious tongue which it wraps around its victims before it drags them into its pool. As the victim's flesh starts to decompose in the vile slime, the Bloodbeast will feed from it. You tell Throm about the grotesque Bloodbeast, but he merely shrugs his shoulders and tells you to get going.
The Bloodbeast is too bulbous to climb out of its pool, but its long tongue whips out and tries to wrap itself around your leg. Fortunately, you have fallen beyond its reach. The air at ground level does not contain any of the poisonous fumes, but you wake with a pain in your throat. You cover your mouth with your sleeve so that you can breathe through it, and decide what to do.
The lasso loosens itself and you are able to shake it free of the idol's neck. It falls to the floor with a loud clatter. You quickly coil the rope again and put it in your backpack. Wasting no more time in the cavern, you run forward to the tunnel in the northern wall.
With lightning speed, you thrust your hand out and grip the cobra just below its open mouth. You lift it up and, arm outstretched, dangle it in front of the Dwarf. He doesn't flinch but says in his calm expressionless way, 'Please put the cobra back in the basket and prepare for the final part of the test. Follow me.' You do what he says and follow him back into the chamber, where Throm is pacing up and down, obviously ill at ease. You wave to him while the Dwarf opens a second secret door and tells you to walk on through and wait for him. Again you comply, and you find yourself in another circular room, although this one resembles a small arena. Opposite the secret door by which you entered is an ominous-looking wooden door. Suddenly you hear a shout, and you look up to see the smiling Dwarf standing on the balcony. He throws two pieces of paper down to you. On one of them, the words NO CROP IS are written; on the other, RUIN MOAT. In his ever-calm voice he says, 'If you rearrange the letters of the words, you will find the names of 2 creatures. You may choose which one to fight in my Arena of Death.' Please identify a creature by rearranging the letters NO CROP IS or RUIN MOAT.
You see that the obstruction is a large, brown, boulder-like object. You touch it with your hand and are surprised to find that it is soft and spongy.
Although you check the chest carefully for any hidden devices, you are unable to see the trap inside it. As you lift the lid, an iron ball hanging on a cord swings back, shattering the glass capsule fixed inside the lid. A cloud of poisonous gas is instantly released into the air and you stagger back coughing and spluttering.
You step slowly between the poles, taking care not to touch any of them.
Ahead in the far distance you hear the sound of slow footsteps coming towards you. Unsure of what might be approaching, you look around for a place to hide. You find a large crack in the tunnel wall which lies in shadow.
The tunnel ends at a large oak door. Throm wastes no time in testing the handle and is somewhat surprised to find the door unlocked. He pushes it open and walks into a torch-lit chamber. Sitting alone on an ornate chair is a DWARF, who bids you enter the chamber. As you do so, the oak door swings shut behind you. 'Adventurers, you have done well to get this far,' says the Dwarf in a deep voice. 'However, as you both know, there can only be one winner in the Trial of Champions. As Trialmaster, it is my duty to Baron Sukumvit to let only the most able continue. Therefore, I must devise a test of wits and strength to eliminate one of you. Please do not attempt to dispose of me. It would be utterly pointless, for, as you can see, there is no obvious way out of this chamber and only I know where the hidden exit lies. Now if you would care to decide between you who will go first, I shall make the necessary preparations.' You look at Throm, suddenly angry that your effective partnership might come to an end. He leans over and whispers in your ear that you should try to kill the Dwarf and worry about the exitlater.
Despite the terrible ringing sound in your ears, you hear footsteps coming down the tunnel. Your loud screams have attracted a tunnel guardian. Standing over you is a HOBGOBLIN. His face bears a sickly smile as he presses the point of his sword against your neck. You are unable to defend yourself and prevent the Hobgoblin from running you through. Your adventure ends here.
The Gnome jumps in the air, yelling, 'Well done - nobody has ever managed to find all three gems before! Now get ready for the final test, which I will explain once and once only. As you can see, the lock on this door has three slots, labelled A, B, and C, each of which is built to accept a specific gem. You have to put one of your three gems in each of the slots in the correct order. If you manage this at the first attempt, fine. However, if you put the gems in the wrong slots, you will be blasted by a bolt of energy from the lock, causing you injury. Anyway, as I said, I am allowed to help you a little. If you place one gem in the correct slot but get the other two wrong, I shall shout, "One crown and two skulls." If you place all three gems incorrectly, I shall shout, "Three skulls." You will be allowed to try again and again until you either succeed or die. Are you ready?' You signal your readiness with a nod of the head, and walk forward to place the three gems in the slots.
You tie the rope around your waist and take hold of the lighted torch given to you by Throm, as your Barbarian ally calls himself. Taking hold of the slack rope, Throm lowers you slowly over the edge of the pit and down into the dark depths below. You can see by the light of the torch that the sides of the pit are extremely smooth. You drop about twenty metres before hitting the bottom of the pit. There you see another tunnel heading north and you call up to Throm and tell him of your discovery. He calls back, saying he is going to tie the rope around a protruding rock on the edge of the pit and will come down and join you. You hear him climbing down and soon you are together again. Throm retrieves his rope by shaking it off the rock, and you set off north along the new tunnel.
As soon as you put the ring on your finger, your whole body starts to shake.
After walking down the tunnel for a few minutes, you come to a junction. A white arrow painted on one wall points west. On the floor you can see wet footprints made by those who entered before you. It is hard to be sure, but it looks as though three of them decided to follow the direction of the arrow, while one decided to go east.
You grab onto one of the underwater bridge pillars and cling onto it, holding your breath. Meanwhile the Trologdytes reach the river bank and decide that you must have been swept to your death downriver as it disappears into the depths of the mountain. By now your lungs are bursting for air.
You walk down the passage and soon find yourself standing at the edge of a deep, dark pit. The passage continues east on the other side of the pit. You think you could probably jump over the pit, but you are not sure. There is a rope hanging down from the ceiling over the centre of the pit.
Ivy does not notice you opening the door. You slip out of her room, close the door quietly behind you and find yourself at the end of another tunnel.
You just manage to dive to the side before the boulder smashes into the tunnel floor, splitting the stone. As you dust yourself off, you suddenly notice daylight at the end of the tunnel. You run forward towards a beautiful sight of blue sky and green trees. Running out of the tunnel, you expect to be greeted by cheering crowds, but are horrified at what you do see. There is no hero's welcome from the people all around you. All are dead. You are in fact standing in a cold chamber littered with armoured skeletons and bodies - the exit to victory was just an illusion! Only the corpses of past adventures are real. You run back towards the tunnel, but hit an invisible barrier. You are trapped and destined to end your days in the chamber of the dead.
Once again you reach for the parchment, only this time it is lying amidst a pile of broken bones. Unfolding it, you see a map of a room with a drawing of a hideous creature inside it. Beneath the monster is a rhyme which reads: 'Should you meet the Manticore, \nOf its tail beware. \nShield yourself against the spikes \nFlying through the air.' You fold up the piece of parchment and put it in your backpack. Repeating the rhyme over and over to yourself, you walk across to the alcove.
The Mirror shatters, sending fragments of glass flying everywhere. The Mirror Demon's four faces cry out in agony, and cracks appear all over them. Then they too shatter and fall to the floor in a pile of broken glass. Unfortunately, you cut your sword arm badly while smashing the mirror. Although your strength is unaffected, your weapon skill is diminished.
The tunnel takes a sharp right turn and you find yourself in some sort of gallery lined with mirrors for some twenty metres. A human skeleton appears to be pulled halfway through the mirror along the right-hand wall. Suddenly a grotesque being with four arms and four screaming faces emerges from the mirror, barring your way ahead. It walks slowly towards you, each arm outstretched to grab you. It is a MIRROR DEMON from another dimensional plane, come to take your spirit.
You rub the liquid into your wounds, but they do not heal. Staring into the empty bottle, you wonder exactly what the liquid was.
You step round the great bulk of the dead Rock Grub and peer into the darkness of its borehole. You can only see a few metres, but are able to make out that it inclines slightly and is wet from the secreted slime of the Rock Grub.
You stagger through the open doorway into another tunnel, at the end of which is the welcome sight of daylight. Much to your surprise, you see the Gnome lying dead halfway down the tunnel. A crossbow bolt protrudes from the side of his head. The Gnome, in his bid for freedom, has fallen foul of Baron Sukumvit's final trap. You walk past him and out into brilliant sunshine.
There is an open pipe in the right-hand wall, about a metre in diameter. It is too dark to see far down it. You shout into it and hear your voice echoing down the iron pipe until eventually the sound fades away.
You grip the arms of the chair tightly, half expecting a surge of energy or pain to rush through your body.
You take your time and manage to step over the last pole without having touched any of them. You hurry on east, still following the two pairs of footprints.
The only furniture in the Goblin's room is a table, two chairs and a cupboard on the wall. There are two closed doors, one in the west wall and the other in the north wall.
As the Pit Fiend slams its body against the wall, you let go of the rope and drop safely to the floor. You run towards the double doors and are relieved to feel them swing open as you push on them. You let them swing shut behind you and head north along the tunnel.
The passage soon leads to a junction. You notice more footprints on the floor, possibly as many as three pairs, heading north from the south passage. You decide to follow them.
Before you are able to do anything else, the old man mumbles a few strange words into the air. You feel your muscles harden and your skin go taut. You start to panic, but there is nothing you can do to stop the petrification of your body. Your adventure ends here.
The key turns in the lock and the door opens into a four-way intersection of the tunnel. There is nothing to be seen east or west apart from the now familiar ceiling crystals giving off their dim light. Suddenly you hear a voice calling you, 'This way, this way. You are on the right track.' It seems to be coming from somewhere directly ahead of you. Your curiosity gets the better of you and you decide to walk towards the beckoning voice.
The door opens into a large room.
As soon as they see you, the TROLOGDYTES raise their bows and run to surround you. To your horror, their leader then steps forward and declares that you are their prisoner and must subject to trial by their ancient rite, the Run of the Arrow.
Back on solid ground once again on the cavern floor, you try to shake the rope off the idol's neck.
As soon as you stand up, you are confronted with the most repulsive sight you have ever laid eyes on. There, in front of you, is a bulbous creature too horrible to be believed. Its body is green and covered with fearsome-looking spikes. Its face is a mass of criminal blisters, one of which suddenly bursts to reveal yet another of its sinister, all-seeing eyes. A narrow path runs around the edge of the of the pool and leads into another tunnel in the far wall.
The Orc's morning star thuds into your arm, knocking your sword to the floor.
You must fight them bare-handed for the duration of the combat. Fortunately, the tunnel is too narrow for both Orcs to attack you at once. Fight them one at a time.
Summoning all your strength, you deal the Mirror Demon one final blow with your sword. With an ear-splitting sound, cracks begin to run across its face and limbs. Its many mouths cry out in the agony of its death throes before the Demon shatters completely and falls to the ground in a pile of tiny fragments. You heave a huge sigh of relief and then hurry on past.
The door opens into a small dark room, which is empty apart from a sturdy wooden chest lying on a shelf on the far wall. The floor is thick with dust, and you can clearly see fresh footprints leading from the door to the chest and back again. You wonder whether one of your rivals is still ahead of you on 'The Walk', or whether the chest has only recently been placed on the shelf by one of the Trialmasters.
Taking a deep breath, you lean over the pit and plunge your forearm into the mass of wriggling worms. They are cold and clammy and extremely nasty, but at least they are harmless and you are able to seize the dagger by the hilt. You give it a hard tug and it comes away from the crack in which the tip was embedded. Admiring its beauty, and wondering whether it might once have belonged to some luckless contestant, you put the opal-studded dagger firmly in your belt and leave the cavern.
The iron ring is attached to a small trapdoor. It lifts up easily, and inside a small compartment you find a finely crafted shield made of the purest iron. Marvelling at its splendour, you strap it onto your arm.
You walk towards the double doors and push them open.
Your second blow also fails to smash the mirror. The Mirror Demon reaches out, grabs your wrist and starts pulling you towards the mirror. Its strength is incredible, and, despite all your efforts, you cannot resist. With every second you come closer to the mirror. When the Mirror Demon touches the mirror, it seems to disappear straight through it. With horror you see your own body disappear through the mirror too, and the rest of your body soon follows. You are now in a mirror world of another dimension, from which you can never return.
Unknown to you, the Bloodbeast has only one weakness: its real eyes. More by chance than design, you plunge your blade deep into one of them, and the Blooodbeast immediately slumps back into its pool. After a few massive convulsions, it sinks beneath the oily surface of the pool. Not waiting to see whether it will recover, you run into the tunnel, anxious to get away from the Bloodbeast's toxic chamber as fast as possible.
Lifting the goblet releases a sprung catch, and a dart shoots out of the wooden table leg.
Smiling, you tell Ivy that you think she and Sourbelly look very alike. Then, while she stares admiringly at the painting, you pick up a broken stool, creep up behind her and smash her on the back of the head as hard as you can. To your immense relief, she slumps unconscious to the floor.
Only a few metres further down the passage, you see another closed door in the left-hand wall. The letter X is scratched into his centre panel. Putting your ear to the door, you listen intently but can hear nothing.
The river current is very strong and, encumbered by your armour and backpack, you are unable to swim against it. Within seconds you are swept under the bridge. Standing on the river bank, the Trologdytes look on laughing and jeering as you drift to your death down-river in the depths of the mountain.
You enter a room which is small and completely empty. As soon as you are inside, the door slams shut behind you. Suddenly a voice booms out of nowhere, shouting, 'Welcome to Deathtrap Dungeon, the ingenious killer labyrinth of my master. I trust you will pay your respects to my master by shouting out his name?'
You breathe in the poisonous gas and start to choke.
Reacting quickly, you manage to jump over the outstretched tongue and run into the tunnel, leaving the Bloodbeast wallowing in its pool to await another victim.
Your reflexes are sharp and you quickly jump aside. The dart whistles past, only just missing you, and thuds into the opposite wall. You see the goblet lying on the floor and the red liquid running away in rivulets over the grey stone. At least the goblet may be of use, so you put it in your backpack.
Squeezing the arm of the chair triggers a secret panel which springs into the air. You find a glass phial lying in a cavity. You pick up and read the label: 'Doppelganger Potion - one dose only. This liquid will make your body take on the shape of any nearby being.' You place the strange potion in your backpack and continue north.
You come to an arched doorway set in the right-hand wall of the tunnel. The heavy stone door is closed, but there is an iron latch and a round handle.
There is a large panel of glass in the left-hand wall of the tunnel. Through it you can see a bright, torch-lit room teeming with GIANT INSECTS of every possible description. Bees, wasps, beetles, ticks - even the mites are over six centimetres long. The noise is threatening. In the middle of the room, a jewelled crown lies on top of a small table. What looks like a large diamond is set in the middle of the crown.
You arrive at another junction in the tunnel.
The tunnel takes another sharp right turn. Following it east, you arrive at a strange obstruction: a line of twelve wooden poles across the tunnel. They are fixed to the walls about half a metre off the floor and spaced a metre apart.
You wipe the vile yellow slime from the blade of your sword and walk quickly to the door, back into the tunnel and head north.
Apart from two portions of your Provisions which were saturated and are now inedible, all your other possessions remain intact.
You repack them carefully inside your backpack and set off north again.
The wooden ball whistles past the skull, hitting the far wall with a loud 'crack'.
The Caveman is wearing a leather wristband with four small rats' skulls hanging from it.
Your body continues to vibrate intensely and you feel as if you are about to pass out. But your strength is great, and you manage to withstand the tremendous shock to your system. Finally you calm down and begin to feel the ring's beneficial powers working on you.
You see Throm looking at you anxiously, so you reassure him that you are fully recovered. He strides off east and you follow him eagerly.
You cannot believe that the Bloodbeast is unaffected by its new wound. You hesitate a moment too long and it lunges forward, cracking your skull with its jaws. Then it drags you into its pool, where you will be predigested and later consumed by the hideous creature.
After a long walk down the tunnel, you come to a dead end. A large mirror reaching from the ceiling to the floor hangs on the end wall, and in the dim light you can just about make out your own reflection.
Despite the stalactites crashing all around, you manage to dash through the archway without injury. You look around and see Throm thundering towards you, one arm held over his head for protection. He dashes into the tunnel and leans against the cold wall, panting heavily. He apologizes for starting the rock-fall and offers you his hand to shake. You tell Throm that maybe he should use sign language in future, even for laughing! You both smile and head east once more.
Although you can see a large obstruction on the tunnel floor, although it is too dark to make out exactly what it is. The wet footprints you have been following carry on towards the obstruction.
Lying in a hole about a metre deep, you see a grappling iron and a leather pouch.
The Dwarf looks at the dice. 'Not very good at playing the odds, are you?' he sneers. 'I regret you must suffer a penalty before you can continue.' From out of his pocket he produces two pills. One is stamped with the letter S and the other stamped with the letter L. He asks you to choose one and swallow it.
In front of you are two flights of stone steps separated by a banister of rats’ skulls.
The necklace is an amulet of strength.
You continue your quest north.
You throw the trapdoor open and run up the steps into a bright, lantern-lit room. Two GOBLINS are sharpening their short swords on a stone set in the middle of the floor. You catch them momentarily off guard, but they quickly recover and both rush forward to attack you.
You tiptoe towards the door while Ivy prattles on.
The pouch on the Barbarian's belt is empty apart from some strange-looking dried meat wrapped in a cloth.
The only possible way out of the hall as far as you can see is by using the chute in the northern wall. You decide to give it a go and climb into the chute. You slide gently down and emerge into another room, landing on your back.
At the back of the alcove are some steps leading down into a cellar. Cobwebs brush your face as you descend. The cellar ceiling is quite low, and the floor is strewn with rubbish and debris. In the middle of the wall opposite you is an archway which leads into another crystal-lit tunnel. There are large mushrooms growing on the rubbish to your right.
You tie the rope over the grappling iron and hurl it over the top of the wall. Its hooks dig into the stone and you begin to haul yourself up. Peering over the top of the wall, you see an enormous dinosaur-like monster trashing about in a sand-covered pit. Its tough hide is a mottled green colour, and it stands some ten metres tall on its muscular hind legs. Rows of razor-sharp teeth line its gigantic jaws, which open and close with bone-snapping power. There is a large double door in the wall on the far side of the pit, which appears to be the only way out of this section of the dungeon.
The Hobgoblins stop their fight immediately. They do not understand what you are saying and snarl at you viciously. Then they draw their short swords and run forward to attack you.
The crossbow bolts fly over our head and thud into the opposite wall; fortunately you are still crouching on the floor. Now that the trap has been sprung, you can leave the room by the door through which you entered. Back in the tunnel you head on west.
You just have time to hear the Gnome say, 'One crown and two skulls', before a white bolt of energy shoots out from the lock into your chest and locks you unconscious.
You come to and are told by the Gnome to try again. You know that you placed one gem in the correct slot, but which one? You sigh and tentatively try a new combination.
Once again the mysterious voice calls out, only this time its tone is full of contempt and derision. 'So, we have a snivelling weed in out midst, do we?' sneers the voice. 'My master has a special gift for you, loathsome creep. Suddenly water starts pouring into the room through a hole in the ceiling. It soon rises above your ankles, and there is no apparent way of escape. You wade back to the door. It is firmly locked, but in desperation you try ramming it with your shoulder.
The tunnel leads into a large room, its ceiling supported by several marble pillars. As you enter the room, you suddenly see a strange beast to your right. It had the body of a lion with dragon-like wings attached to it, but its head is like that of an old bearded man.
Passing the Rock Grub's borehole on your left, you soon arrive at the junction. You take a quick look south, but do not see anyone approaching. Quickening your step, you hurry on east.
The door opens into another tunnel, which rises gently into the distance. After walking uphill for a while, the tunnel levels out and you soon arrive at a door in the right-hand wall, to which a withered hand is nailed.
Walking along the tunnel, you are surprised to see a large iron bell hanging down from the ceiling.
The book's pages are sealed together, but a small hole has been cut out in the middle of them, just large enough to hold a small corked bottle containing a clear liquid. You show it to Throm, who holds up his hand, indicating that he does not want you come anywhere near him with it; his distrust of anything unknown is strongly evident.
As you try to escape, Ivy whirls around and picks up a broken stool. She is angry and attacks you ferociously.
You manage to draw your sword and fight back.
You try to force your sword under the emerald eye. Much to your surprise, it shatters on contact, releasing a jet of poisonous gas into your face. The gas knocks you out and you fall backwards, bouncing down the idol to land on the stone floor.Your adventure ends here.
The Mirror Demon is almost on top of you when, summoning all your strength, you strike one final blow against the mirror with your sword.
There is a new branch in the tunnel on your left, and ahead you see two bodies lying on the floor. You stop and peer down the tunnel, but seeing no doors and creatures you decide against walking down it. With your sword drawn, you walk over to where the bodies lie.
You call out to the Dwarf, telling him to send in the SCORPION because you are ready to fight. Slowly the wooden door rises, and a huge grotesque black Scorpion squeezes underneath it and enters the room. You draw your sword in readiness and prepare to fight the sinister creature with its huge pincers and deadly sting.
Still smiling, the old man looks at you and says quietly, 'Wrong.'
The Dwarf is expecting your move. Furthermore, you are not as fast as you should be because of your recent ordeal, so he easily evades your punch, saying, 'I could kill you now if I wished, but I yearn for a hand-to-hand fight.' Then he throws down his crossbow and draws an axe from his belt. Despite your fatigue, you think only of vengeance.