Curse of the Skull Gem

1. Curse of the Skull Gem An interactive narrative game Start the adventure!

2. Introduction As a budding adventurer you were bound to hear the legends of the Skull Gem sooner or later. Whilst passing through a town on your way to the Northern Provinces, you were witness to a multitude of tales told of evil alchemists and magic-imbued treasues. One such tale strongly grabs your attention – a story of a magical gem hidden deep within the burial site of the dread pirate Blackbones. Many of the inn’s patrons laugh off the tales as pure fiction, but you are not so easily dissuaded. After many more days trading stories with the town’s residents and heavy research, you finally stumble across a network of caves that lead to Blackbones’ tomb. Fortune and glory are at your fingertips! Brushing centuries of cobwebs and debris aside, you prize open the pirate’s casket and spy your objective firmly in the grasp of his skeleton. All it takes is a little force to pull the gem free and the treasure is yours! Unfortunately for you this is not the Skull Gem of legend. Due to the steady advances and changes to the region’s language over the years, the word “skull” is actually a mistranslation of “soul”. The treasure in your hand is in fact a cursed soul gem manufactured by the twisted alchemist that ruled over the town in days long past. There is only one way to break the curse and live to see the morning – you must destroy the gem in the magical forge that created it. Proceed to 1

3. 1 Following directions from the townspeople, the Alchemist’s Tower is in sight by nightfall. A foreboding sight, the inky black structure is suddenly illuminated from behind by a flash of lightning. What a horrible night to have a curse! The curse in question has taken a strong hold on your body, you notice a large black spot has developed on your left palm - it shall not be long before the curse devours your soul! Gritting your teeth against the cold night air, you make your way to the main gate of the fortress – advancing through the courtyard and up a few worn steps to the heavyset wooden doors. Pushing against them with your shoulder, the doors are clearly locked from the inside. Will you: Search the courtyard for a secret entrance – 2 Use your mastery of unlocking to open the door - 3Attempt to break the lock with your sword - 4

4. 2 Tracing your fingers around the edges of the stone slabs yield nothing. However, while searching through a nearby bush you find a Silver Chalice. Placing it in your backpack you turn back to the doors, with no choice but to destroy them with brute force. Advance to 4

5. 3 To your dismay, all of your lockpicks break off in the lock of the door.This curse may be worse than you thought!You can now revise your strategy of either: Searching the courtyard for a secret entrance - 2Attempting to break the now pick-filled lock with your sword - 4

6. 4 The lock is ancient and your sword is far stronger than your shoulder. As the doors fall to the ground, dust erupts into the air and you cover your eyes in response. As the dust settles, the layout of the main hall is revealed to you. A narrow staircase curves up the tower, with footsteps set into the dust. Doors are set to the East and West – both are unmarked but appear to be unlocked. Which way will you proceed? Up the staircase – 5 The East door – 6 The West door – 7

7. 5 Climbing the old, rough staircase you find it difficult to maintain your balance on the steps. Putting your foot out to stop yourself from falling, you unwittingly break a thin tripwire that triggers a devious trap!A barrel dislodges itself from the top of the staircase and comes rolling down towards you! With seconds to decide, your choices are either: Flatten yourself against the wall of the staircase – 8Jump over the stair-rail - 9

8. 6 The East door is not locked and swings open easily to reveal a grand banquet hall. A long dining table stretches to the other side of the room, bordered by many fine tapestries. A door is set into the far end of the hall and appears to be the only other exit from the room. Shall you proceed to: Investigate the wall hangings? – 10 Try the door at the other end of the hall? - 11

9. 7 The West door opens stiffly with a bit of force but is blocked about half-way by something behind it. You slip through the gap into an elegant guest bedroom. With a master bed in the middle of the room and an ornate fireplace against one wall the room is a quite a sight for the eyes despite its condition. You can if you wish: Lie down on the bed – 13 Investigate the fireplace – 17 Leave the room and try the East door - 6

10. 8 You press yourself against the side of the stairs, hoping that the barrel will pass you by harmlessly. Your hopes are in vain however, as it rolls over your body, flattening you into the steps.The curse of the Skull Gem has devoured your soul

11. 9 Adrenaline pumping through your veins, you vault the rail bordering the stairs just as the barrel rolls by. You fall a few feet but your landing is cushioned by an old table that breaks beneath your weight. Standing up and breathing a sigh of relief from your near-fatal experience, you decide NOT to try climbing the stairs again. The two doors, however appear safe enough from the outside. Will you try: The East door? – 6 The West door? – 7

12. 10 The tapestries are quite faded and have unravelled in some places. One remaining tapestry depicts a silver cup with the words “raise thy chalice to the meager pyre, a sup of wine shall extinguish its fire”. You repeat the words a few times to memorise the rhyme and search the other hangings for more clues.Tugging one such hanging removes it from the wall to reveal a narrow passage in the wall. Proceed through the uncovered passage – 14 Try the other door – 11 Leave this area and go through the West door - 7

13. 11 The small door has a complicated mechanism in place of a lock, making it impossible to open by normal means. Searching the edges of the door however, you find a small button near the bottom of the door frame. Will you: Push the button? – 12 Check the hangings? (if you have not already) – 10 Go back to the main hall and try the west door - 7

14. 12 Confident that you have made the right choice, you press down the button firmly and the door swings open.It is however, rigged to open with such force that it crushes you into the dining room wall, emitting spikes in the process. As the door returns to its closed position, your perforated flesh and broken bones collapse to the cold stone floor. The curse of the Skull Gem has devoured your soul

15. 13 The bed is quite soft, albeit it dusty, and you could certainly use a rest after travelling all this way. Lying still on the verge of sleep you suddenly are made aware of creaking noise. Could it be footsteps? If you wish to get up and investigate – 16 If you would rather ignore it and rest some more - 15

16. 14 The passageway is just large enough for you to fit through. The walls are a little slimy but you would rather keep a hand on them than lose your way in the dark. The tunnel continues downwards for a few minutes and before long you see light in the distance. Pressing onwards, the tunnel opens up and you are free from the darkness. Proceed to 19

17. 15 You ignore the noises and assume they are just small rodents scratching. However, the curse on your soul is greater than any rodent. The creaking was in fact the supports of the master bed about to give way. A fact you realise just as the frame of the bed come crashing down on top of your outstretched body. You close your eyes for the last time.

18. 16 As you get up to investigate, the master bed spontaneously collapses behind you. It must be the curse of the gem at work again! Shaken by this close call you quickly decide on your next move: Investigate the fireplace – 17 Swiftly leave the room and try the East door - 6

19. 17 Strangely enough the embers in the fireplace are still hot. Someone has been here recently! There is nothing unusual about the edifice, save for a round indentation on the mantelpiece. Do you have a Silver Chalice? If so you may place may use it here by proceeding to 18. Otherwise your options are to: Lie on the bed (if you have not rested once already) – 13 Leave this room and go the East door - 6

20. 18 With the cup back in its proper place, the panel at the back of the fireplace slides open. It is just large enough to fit through! It appears your luck has finally changed. Stepping inside the passage cautiously you continue only a few metres ahead before the ground opens up beneath and you are helplessly sliding down a slick chute. Your shortcut end with a thud onto the stone floor and your massage your bruised rump. It ceases to bother you however, as before you is a plinth with a magnificent silver sword! This holy weapon will proved doubly effective against undead and spiritual enemies and you praise your Gods for such a find. Sheathing your new weapon you continue onwards with new-found motivation. The exit door swings open with little effort.Proceed to 19

21. 19 You stand now within a torch-lit dungeon. The dank cells are mostly empty but some contain skeletons of the Alchemist’s former experiments – one of which was once a human.Shuddering at the grim sight you may now: Investigate the cell with the human skeleton – 20 Try one of the empty cells – 21 Leave this room through the main door on the adjacent wall - 26

22. 20 The cell door swings open easily and you approach the human skeleton. Judging from the position of the body it appears they died in fits of agony. In the grip of his left hand, a bulging coin purse lies intact. Shall you: Take the coin purse - 22 Try the other cells (if you have not already) – 21 Leave this room through the main door on the adjacent wall - 26

23. 21 The animals’ cells are all held closed with quite sturdy locks. You deem any attempt at opening them to be fruitless. Decide on your next course of action: Investigate the cell with the human skeleton – 20 Leave this room through the main door on the adjacent wall - 26

24. 22 You reach over the body, thinking how lucky a find the coin purse is. Suddenly your wrist is caught in the skeleton’s bony grip! He sits up and looks right through you with empty eye sockets.Are you in possession of a silver weapon? If so advance now to 23 Otherwise you will have to attack with your normal sword. Will you attempt to strike: The head of the skeleton – 24 Your attacker’s arm - 25

25. 23 You draw your blessed blade but are only able to glance off of the body of the skeleton. The holy power of your sword easily breaks the reanimation spell and your attacker explodes outwards, scattering himself in many directions. As his arm drops limply from your own wrist, you examine your loot. 10 gold pieces are yours for the taking! After that frightful encounter you leave the room immediately through the main door. Proceed now to 26

26. 24 Slashing out with your steel sword, you score a direct hit on the upper spine of the skeleton – sending his skull flying to the back of the cell. Know now adventurer, that a reanimated corpse’s sentience is not restricted to its head. The skeleton further tightens his grip on your wrist, forcing you onto the ground and digging into your skull with his bony fingers. Your greed was rewarded in kind, as the skeleton will now strip you of the very flesh that you wear.

27. 25 Struggling to fight against the crushing grip of the skeleton, you are able to unsheathe your blade and sever your attacker’s arm at the wrist. You retreat from the cell, slamming the door closed and once again imprisoning the wretched soul. Though its grip is tight, you manage to wrench the hand free from your wrist and the bony feature scurries away into the darkness. After that frightful encounter you leave the room immediately through the main door. Proceed now to 26

28. 26 Leaving the ghastly room behind you, the corridor leads you on to a T-junction. On the wall directly ahead of you hangs a fabric map. Though worn and faded you are at least able to make out the size of the structure. It appears the Alchemist’s Tower is but the tip of the iceberg, as the facility continues far underground. You are also able to make out some partially obscured labels on the current junction. Apparently the left branch leads to the “ing****entstor***” and then to the right lies “ enc****ing la*s ”. Will you leave your hands in the fate of: The left branch? – 27 The right branch? - 28

29. 27 You arrive at a metal door that you manage to force open enough to slip inside. Eerily, it falls closed behind you. Inspecting the room it appears you have stumbled across the Alchemist’s ingredients storage. There could be a substance or an elixir here that will aid you in your quest! If you prefer not to interfere you can exit through the trapdoor in the far corner. Make your choice, brave adventurer: Look through the ingredients barrels and stone mortars – 29 Rifle through the potions – 30 Leave the room untouched - 35

30. 28 You arrive at a metal door that you manage to force open enough to slip inside. Eerily, it falls closed behind you. The walls of this room are covered with mysterious runes and symbols, some of which glow and shimmer. There is a bookcase against one wall, filled with a multitude of spell tomes as well as a plain-looking door opposite it. You may now: Leave with haste – 35 Investigate the bookshelf – 32 Study the runes more closely - 33

31. 29 Amongst the many alchemic ingredients, one in particular catches your eye. It is a small reserve of Flashbeetle Dust. Flashbeetles have developed a unique discharge that allows them to escape from predators. Applying force to this powder will create a small explosion and a resulting smokescreen. Given the danger of your situation, you tuck it safely into your provisions pouch. You may now: Look through the potions (if you have not already) – 30 Leave through the trapdoor - 35

32. 30 After a few moments of deliberation you are rewarded with a vial of glowing green liquid. While you have now idea what it is it could be useful – considering the day you have had so far, who can say otherwise. You can if you wish take it with you, sample the potion yourself, check ingredients (if you have not yet done so) or press onwards. Will it be: Try some of the glowing fluid? – 31 Check through the reserve of ingredients – 29 Promptly leave - 35

33. 31 You take a deep breath to prepare yourself and work up the courage. Then you take a swig from the mysterious glowing green bottle. Unbeknownst to you, the vial contains the venom of the Urroburrus – the most dangerous serpent know to inhabit your world. Needless to say, you die a most spectacular dramatic death as your internal organs spontaneously burst and coat the walls of the chamber with your bodily fluids. Maybe next time you won’t drink weird glowing stuff you find in a creepy Alchemist’s lair

34. 32 After removing every book from the shelves you safely conclude that there is no secret passage to be found. However, at the top of pile of books you removed there is a promising spell tome. Entitled “Peeping Thane” this spell allows the user to open simple locks with conveniently little effort. Judging this to be a potentially valuable ability, you read through its passages and memorise the incantations. You repeat them to yourself “Open tomato, open poppy, open, open sesame.” With this new spell learned you can now: Investigate the runes that line the walls – 33 Leave through the door opposite - 35

35. 33 Out of all the runes on the wall the one that seems most familiar is a shape resembling a “B.” This particular rune is also emitting the most light out of all those on the wall – could it be a secret passage or another trap? From here your choices are: Touch the symbol – 34 Check the books (if this is your first time doing so) – 32 Leave this area - 35

36. 34 As your hand nears the rune it begins to glow brighter and flash in increasing frequency. Just as your outstretched digit touches the surface of the wall your body becomes rigid, your finger held fast to the wall as if by some adhesive of incredible strength. Struggle as you may, there is no release! Your body is racked with the most intense pain as electricity surges through your body and flames lick your flesh without restraint. When at last you are released from the magical grip your charred corpse cannot help but collapse to the embrace of the cold stone slabs. It is quite safe to say...your adventure is over

37. 35 You trudge on forwards deeper into the Alchemist’s abode, unsure of what maybe around the next corner.