The Citadel of Chaos by Steve Jackson [WORK IN PROGRESS]

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91

She looks at your offering and her eyes widen.

'Let me see that,' she commands.

You carefully advance towards her and hold out the brush.

She snatches it and spends several moments admiring it.

'This is indeed a work of art,' she says, and she gets out of bed to try it in front of her mirror.

As she brushes her hair with it, her hair takes on an unusual sheen, glimmering softly.

She is fascinated with your gift and now is your chance to leave unnoticed through a door in the far corner.

You may try to take with you a Golden Fleece which is lying on the bed.

Test your Luck.

If you are lucky, you manage to snatch it quickly and can leave through the other door (140).

If you are Unlucky, you may Test your Luck again until you are finally lucky.

Or, if luck is not with you, you may ignore the cumbersome thing and leave anyway (140).
 
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92

The milky liquid smells sweet.

You take a sip and start to giggle!

You take a gulp and burst out laughing — for no reason at all!

No wonder the little Gremlins were enjoying it so much.

Light-headed, and in fine spirits, you leave the chamber to make your way onwards towards the Citadel. [156]

Add 2 STAMINA points for this refreshing incident.
 
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93

Outside the door you look at your bottle.

It is a bottle of Hogweed Essence, apparently useful for repelling stone-based creatures.

This may be useful and you put it carefully into your backpack.

Heading on up the corridor, you come to another door, which opens, letting you pass into a large room. [169]
.
 
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94

You feel your own growing power.

Running at the door you hit it hard with your shoulder ... but it does not budge!

Lose 1 STAMINA point for your bruise and knock loudly to summon the guard. [118].
 
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95

At the far end of the Wine Cellar is a wooden door, which you try.

It opens out into a passageway which leads onwards for several metres.

Click here] [367].
 
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97

The bread is rather tasteless and dry.

In fact it is very dry — so dry that you are soon desperate for a drink!

Your mouth is parched and you frantically search through the food in the room for something to drink.

But there is nothing to quench your thirst.

You must deduct 1 SKILL point until you find liquid of some sort which you may drink (drinking this liquid need not necessarily be given as an option — it may just be described as being present
in a room).

You may now leave the room, either through the door in the left-hand wall [13] or through the one opposite the door you entered through [281].
 
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102

They sympathize with your request.

Three of them turn towards the other one and, with obvious reluctance, this one takes an amulet from around his neck.

'This,' he says, 'is a Charmed Amulet.

It is made of metal but a jewel of Light is set into it.

Ganjees fear this talisman, but they will no doubt try to trick you into losing it.

This has been my own proud possession for some time but we Scouts are obliged by our gods to offer help, so I give it to you.'

You thank him and place the Charmed Amulet around your neck.

You may now leave the room, but you may feel obliged, because of his great gift, to give him something in return.

If you have any Gold Pieces, decide how many you will give him, cross these off your list, Click here [183].

If you have no gold but will give him an artefact you have picked up, cross this off your list Click here [396].

If you cannot, or will not, give him a gift in return, Click here [270].
 
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103

You cast your Spell — but nothing happens!

You fall down and down from the tower, finally landing with a fatal crash on the floor below.

The fearsome creatures have robbed you of your magic, and now of your life.

You have failed in your mission.
 
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104

You try the handle and it turns.

The door is stiff and you must shove it open.

The room inside is some sort of living abode, with tables, chairs, shelves and a collection of animal heads on the wall.

There is a plush pile carpet on the floor.

Suddenly, one of the animal heads turns and looks towards you.

It is some kind of dog, and it barks loudly in a tone which is a warning, both to you and to any of its cronies which may be within earshot.

As you watch the head, you do not notice a carpet, which flies up off the floor and whisks past you, clipping your ear.

You spin round in time to see one of the chairs, slowly re-forming itself into a tall man.

'What business have you here?' he booms.

Will you:

Try to talk with him? [266]

Use one of your Spells? [310]

Search through your backpack for a weapon or a gift? [54]

Leave the room quickly and try the other door? [25]
 
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105

The wine is rather bitter and, as you savour it in your mouth, you feel a burning sensation.

You spit the wine to the ground and, to your amazement, a jet of flame flies from your lips!

You may take a sample of the wine with you and use it instead of casting a Fire Spell, whenever the Fire Spell option is given.

Your sample will be enough for a single usage.

You head onwards towards a door leading further into the cellar. [95].
 
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106

She laughs again and tells you she likes to see people getting angry.

In good humour, she accompanies you for several metres.

Conversation is difficult.

She sees something in the distant shadows and nips off to investigate, allowing you to advance to the Citadel's main entrance. [218].
 
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108

You grasp the rope firmly, step back, and take a run at the putrid river.

Suddenly, the rope snatches and whips with a mind of its own!

You quickly let go and drop down to the ground.

The rope drops on top of you and tangles itself around you.

You realize that it is not a rope but, in fact, a long SEWER SNAKE, which wraps itself around your body and neck Click here. [73].
 
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110

Test your Luck.

If you are lucky, you choose another name which is familiar to them and they summon the gatekeeper, who eventually appears to let you in Click here (251).

If you are Unlucky, this was another poor guess and they advance towards you with their weapons at the ready.

You will have to fight them Click here (288).
 
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111

You have managed to avert your eyes from the creature and you now back into the corner, shielding your face with your arm.

But what can you do?

If you have a Polished Silver Mirror, you may pull it out of your backpack and hold it towards the sorcerer, Click here (347).

If not, Click here [153].
 
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112

You disentangle yourself from the dead Sewer Snake and try crossing the water.

You get across without any further incidents, but you are certainly looking forward to your next bath!

You continue along the passageway until you reach a junction where you can either go straight on or take a passage off to the left.

If you fork left, Click here [212].

If you wish to go straight on, Click here [367].
 
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114

You point to the base of the tentacle and cast your spell.

A puff of smoke and flash of light burst from the hole in the ground.

A shudder runs through the tentacle and, thankfully, it releases its grip.

As it retreats back into the ground, you rub your leg to get the circulation back and then set off towards the main entrance to the Citadel again.

Remember to deduct your Fire Spell and Click here [218].
 
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117

As you draw your weapon, the sorcerer does likewise.

You are now too close for either of you to use magic and you will have to finish off your battle in the most difficult sword fight you have had.

Click here [337].
 
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118

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The door opens and a large, brutish creature steps out.

It has a sharp horn in the middle of its forehead and its skin appears to be armour-plated.

It grunts to ask you what you want and demands the password before letting you in.

Do you know the password?

If so, Click here [273].

If not, you will have to bluff your way in (198).
 
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119

You turn to face the powerful sorcerer.

But he has disappeared!

You spin round to see him standing behind you with a sharp dagger poised to strike.

You try to spring out of the way, but it is too late.

The blade sinks into your back...

You have failed in your mission.
 
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120

You taste the wine and nod.

The vintage is indeed excellent with a refreshing, fruity taste.

You try a little more and start to feel light-headed.

You may add 2 STAMINA points and 3 LUCK points for finding such an excellent beverage.

You thank the Elf and press onwards. [95].
 
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121

As you run at the door, it suddenly opens in front of you.

Unable to stop yourself, you rush headlong forwards into the room, eventually tripping over and rolling to a stop.

Lose 1 STAMINA point for grazing your knee on the rocky floor.

Click here [257].
 
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123

You concentrate and images from the Calacorm flash through your mind.

You see a plate full of dead snakes, then a similar-looking creature with greyish X skin — possibly the female of its species — then you feel a great sense of pleasure as you see an unfortunate creature bound to the wall having its toes tickled with a burning torch.

Then you see the plate of snakes again.

Evidently this creature thinks about little but the simple pleasures of its miserable life and you will not learn much about how to escape.

You had better try a Fool's Gold Spell (211) or an Illusion Spell (35).

If you have neither, Click here [283].
 
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124

As the drape falls, daylight streams in through the window.

You realize that you have lost all track of time since entering the Citadel.

The sun is a welcome relief after your many hours of darkness.

A thump makes you turn back towards your adversary.

He is lying in a heap on the ground.

You take a step forwards and he lets out a blood-curdling scream!

'The curtain! ... You fool! ...' he gasps in a voice that is obviously weak and dying.

Evidently the daylight you have let in is sapping his strength rapidly, and he is trying desperately to crawl into the shadows.

But he is too weak to move far and he slumps to the ground, face downwards.

Click here [400].
 
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125

As you break into a run, three arrows fly out towards you from nowhere.

Test your Luck.

If you are lucky, they all miss and you arrive at the monument, ducking behind the stone.

If you are Unlucky, one of the arrows sinks into your shoulder causing you 5 STAMINA points of damage before you reach the shelter of the monument.

Click here [209].
 
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126

You pause to consider, in a state of panic.

Ahead, the passageway forks to the left and to the right.

As you are trying to decide which direction to take, three creatures emerge from the left-hand passage.

Calling the noises you heard 'footsteps' was not entirely accurate, as you will see.

Click here [316].
 
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127

She lifts her head and calls into the air.

You stop in your tracks as you see the washing on the line rustle and kick about in the air.

Freeing themselves from the line, several pieces of clothing wisp through the air towards you and, as they get close, you can make out ghostly bodies with long-dead faces inside the clothes.

'Protect me, my sons and daughters!' she cries — and suddenly the clothes are all around you.

Some whip their sleeves at you, stinging you painfully.

One pair of arms wraps itself around your neck, making it difficult to breathe and tightening its grip.

You are flailing about with your sword, but doing little damage to the GHOSTS.

The stranglehold is tightening and you will have to use your magic to get free, unless you have something in your backpack to offer the woman.

Will you:

Offer her some Small Berries? [53]

Offer her a Silver Mirror? [387]

Use a Fire Spell? [240]

If you have none of these Click here [194].
 
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128

As the Spell takes its effect, you begin to get various thoughts as they flash through the creature's mind.

Apart from a feeling of fear that its captain might find out it was asleep at its post and let an intruder in, it holds some strange reverence for a carved Hairbrush which is apparently in the room some-where.

But this is all you receive and you must now defend yourself from its attack with something.

Will you use:

Your sword? [336]

A Fool's Gold Spell? [36]

A Creature Copy Spell? [262]

A Weakness Spell? [152]
 
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