You now stand at the bottom of a short flight of stairs that lead upwards to the East. In front of you is a wide space from which a number of doorways and stairways lead, a doorway to the South, one to the North, one to the West, a stairway down to the North, and a passageway leading to the South.
As you take in these details you suddenly become aware of a dark figure standing halfway down the passage ahead of you. Even as you make out the ornate blue-grey armour and the crossbow it has aimed in your direction, it looses a bolt directly at your heart. You only have a moment to act, will you dodge to the left, or to the right?
You now stand in a wide space from which a number of doorways and stairways lead. the East is a short flight of stairs that lead upwards past the spy-slit into the Wizard's library. Around you are, a doorway to the South, one to the North, one to the West, a stairway down to the North, and a passageway leading to the South
You now stand in a long room with a doorway leading North.
In the Eastern wall is another door, this one firmly shut. Against the Southern
wall a narrow flight of stairs with a rail leads up to an
archway in the Western wall. Below the stairs is a small table on which lie
three scrolls. Looking over them you can easily see that they are spell scrolls,
though you do not understand them. You may wish to read out:
You dodge to the left and the bolt whizzes harmlessly by you. The figure throws
down the crossbow and draws a sword. Do you wish to"
You charge the figure with your sword drawn, and it moves to meet you. You can now clearly see the pupil-less eyes and the skin made of jet, it is clearly one of the Dark Elves. It raises its own black rapier in a cutting arc.
You flee up the corridor, past the spying slit and then down the steep stairs beyond, only resting once you have gone a good distance from the Dark Elf.
You grab the axe and whirl it over your head as you charge. The axe glows with a blue light and, smashing the creature's blade aside, wounding it in the left arm. Now that you are close you can see that the creature is clearly a Dark Elf, with skin made form jet, pupil-less eyes, and teeth of pearl. The creature staggers, but then presses its attack.
Your blade slips under the elf's and stabs it in the chest. It stumbles back, but then launches a vicious series of jabs at you, drawing a dagger with its left hand.
You blow takes it above the leg, stopping its rush and leaving a smear of the blue phosphorescent blood across the blue-grey armour. The Dark Elf however seems supernaturally strong, and recovers quickly.
You block the elf's path with you body, forcing its blade into a lock across its body. Quickly it weaves backwards, parrying your blade with its dagger and jabbing its blade at you heart.
You parry the Dark Elf's blows and force it back. It dodges your blade and ducks back towards the passageway to the South. glancing for a moment over his shoulder.
Your sword slashes across the elf's armour, gashing it across the chest and spattering blood into its eyes, its blood is blue. It ducks under your next sweep and then launches a vigorous attack.
Wounded, the elf whirls his blade to both sides, feinting with its dagger. You duck the sword but the dagger scores a painful slash across your arm.
You attempt to dodge the elf's attack, but it is far to fast for you, and it wounds you in the shoulder. Laughing it bares its dagger like teeth and feints to the side, circling you to the left with its sword low, and then throwing itself forward in a powerful attack.
You now stand in an arched and dirty corridor. Facing each other two entrances open onto the corridor, one to the East, one to the West. A stairway climbs upwards to the North while the passage continues to the South.
You are now in an arched corridor, leading under and arch to the North. In front of you is a large closed door. In front of the door crouches a gigantic rat. If you wish to get to the door you must go past it, either by dodging to the left, or to the right.
You blade penetrates its guard and strikes the elf through the heart. Instantly blue flames spring from the wound, consuming its body. You throw up your arms to protect your face, and when you lower then there is nothing to be seen by a dark smear on the ground. You can do nothing but look around the chamber.
Taking advantage of your defensive pose the elf leaps over you and vanishes down the passageway to the South. You may pursue, or rest against the wall in exhaustion.
You dodge to the right and the bolt strikes you in the upper arm, knocking you
off balance. The figure throws aside the crossbow and draws a long blade, and
immediately charges up the hall towards you. You just have time to:
You chase the creature. It speeds down the passage and then vanishes around a corner. As you turn the corner and charge down a steep flight of stirs you hear a splash from below. Finishing the stirs you find yourself on the edge of a wide passage filled with rushing water, and lit by glowing moulds spread across the walls, there is no sign of the elf.
You stumble up the stairs, hoping to get out of its range before it can recover its crossbow. Suddenly there is a mournful sound of something whirling through the air, and its blade sinks deeply into your back.
You defend yourself vigorously, but the creature still forces you back towards the stirs which, should you stumble against, you will surely fall upon. Now that you are closer you can see that the creature is clearly a Dark Elf with skin made from jet, white eyes of white-silver, and sharp teeth of pearl. You have heard tell that these demonic creatures have hearts of ruby and muscles of spun steel. The elf grins as he presses you, and then attempts to slash at your head with its blade.
You parry its blow and force its blade aside, tripping it so that it stumbles back up the passageway to the West, retreating towards an entrance to the South which it clearly wishes to escape up.
You attempt to sweep your blade across the elf's chest, but with fluid ease it side-steps your blow and stabs you in the side of your body, leaving you gravely wounded. Then he raises his blade for another strike.
The Dark Elf falls for your feint, and you slash it across the abdomen, leaving a trail of glowing blue blood on its blue-grey armour. It kicks at your leg and then spins to the right, but you jab it viciously in the stomach and force it back.
The Dark Elf easily avoids your blow, and launches its blade into a killing counterthrust which pierces your heart and drops you dead to the ground.
You now stand in an East-West passageway, leading West to the hall where the Dark elf was, and East down a flight of stairs turning to the South.
You now stand in a room with a black pentagram drawn upon a white marble floor. You tentatively touch the outside, but the magical symbol is clearly dead. The only exit is to the South
You now stand in a room empty but for a red wooden chest standing in one corner. The chest has a heavy clasp, but it does not appear to be either locker or trapped, so you may attempt to open it. The only exit is an archway to the East.
You now stand on a flight of stairs leading down to the West and then turning South, and up to the East into the hall where the Dark Elf was.
You are now in a short corridor leading North into the chamber where the Dark Elf was. At the Southern end a flight of stairs leads down to the West.
You now stand in a long North-South corridor. At the Northern end a flight of stairs leads downwards into a room below. There are a number of doors in the corridor, which mostly appear to be locked, but one of then and the Southern end stands open.
You pick up the scroll and read it, no sooner have you done so than a huge ball of fire engulfs you, consuming you utterly.
You pick up the scroll and read it. As you do so you have the sensation of coming into contact with a massive force, incredibly powerful, ancient, and evil. Eldritch eyes glow in your mind, ripping your thoughts apart. Somehow you manage to tear your mind away, and the force vanishes, laughing, leaving you weak and coughing.
You pick up the scroll and read it. A white light forms around your limbs, and you feel all your injuries and weaknesses fading away, leaving feeling strong, healthy, and well.
You dodge to the right, but the rat hits you in the chest, smashing you to the hard stone. You try to struggle, as dizziness sweeps you, but the rat has already clamped its teeth on your throat.
You now stand in a dusty cellar, full of racks filled with bottles of wine and spirits. The room is lit by a small lamp which appears to have been lit only very recently. The only exit is under an arch to the West.
You now stand in a dusty cellar, lit only by a dim light creeping though the only exit, which is an archway in the Eastern wall. The room is filled with giant wine racks, but all appear to stand empty.
You dodge the rat's leap and run it through with your sword. You then it examine the door, which is low and made of thick iron, but you cannot open it. There is nothing to do but go down the passage to the North.
You now stand on the edge of a passageway full of rushing water, lit by a glowing mould that covers the dank walls. The only apparent route from here is up a flight of stairs to the East.
Taking advantage of your defensive pose the elf grabs its crossbow from where it threw it and vanishes down the passageway to the South. You may pursue, or rest against the wall in exhaustion.
You kneel down and open the chest. Instantly black stinging smoke boils from it. You try to stumble away, but you are quickly overcome by it.
You enter the room with the open door and find it lit by a small candelabra with three lit candles on it. The room is furnished with a fireplace, a heavy carved oak desk, a faded green couch, two narrow chairs, and an open chest filled with various blankets and garments. Leaning over the chest is a small woman, dressed in grey garments, who has partially unpacked the chest and is sorting through a variety of apparently identical squares of blue cloth with great attention.
Do you want to say:
Or do you wish to creep out of the room while her back is turned.
Old Woman: "Oh hello, I didn't see you there. Just run down to the cellar and fetch up a bottle of the Eldannar wine to the drawing room, you know how fussy the master can be about having the right wine."
Old Woman: "Why I'm Melda of course, I'm the Master's servant. Now why don't you just run along and let me get on with my business. The Masters dining with one of the Light Elves tonight, and he wants everything ready on time."
Old Woman: "I'm trying to find the best set of napkins, what does it look like I'm trying to do? The Master specifically asked for this set."
Old Woman: "The Master is always around." She looks at you carefully. "Many people think the Master is gone, or dead, or hidden, but he is always about, in one form or another, keeping an eye on the village. You may not know who he is when he talks to you, he can appear to be anyone, perhaps he is even everyone, he could even be you." She does not add 'or me'.
Old Woman: "Why the Wizard of course, this is his house you are sneaking around in, the least you could do was let his servant get on with her work."
Old Woman: "Oh I'm sorry, I mistook you for the new boy. Please, forget I'm here and I'll let you get on with your business."
Old Woman: "The Dark Elves, their not my concern. I don't concern myself with politics or intrigues, and neither does the Master for the most part, although occasionally he takes a liking to some adventurer and warns them of danger."
Old Woman: "Of course, you don't think I'd still be here if he weren't, but he does like everything to be just right, so I really must get on."
Old Woman: "Now you know I can't do that dear." She chuckles. "Now you just run along and let Melda get on with her work." She goes back to her work, leaving you no option but to do as she says, and leave.