The Heart of Fire Read Online Free PDF

only future you want to
see is a hot meal and a warm bed. ‘Come,’ you look to Bernard, gesturing towards the town. ‘That tavern of yours is sounding like a very good idea.’
    Turn to the first map to begin ACT 1 of your adventure. Choose where you want to visit by turning to the entry number displayed next to the shield. As a novice adventurer you
may want to explore the town of Carvel (turn to 8 ) before embarking on one of the green quests. Good luck!











 
     
    1
    You hand settles around something soft and velvety, clinking with coin. Excitedly, you withdraw your hand to find that you have discovered a purse of gold! (You have gained 10
gold crowns.) Suddenly you hear a grumbling, creaking sound coming from the tree. Stepping away, you see that the other holes have now closed up, locking away their treasures.
    You may now try and climb the tree (turn to 96 ) or leave via the magic portal (turn to 46 ).
    2
    With your foe defeated you are free to examine the floating junk at your leisure. Amongst the trash you find an expensive-looking silver casket. Fishing it out of the muck, you
open it up to find 30 gold crowns and a
black iron key
inside. (If you take the key, simply make a note of it on your hero sheet, it doesn’t take up backpack space.) After pocketing
your items, you wade through the stinking water towards the iron door. Turn to 409 .
    3
    ‘I see you favour the magic arts,’ nods Lazlo, glancing down at his charred clothing. ‘My tailor will be less than impressed . . . but I do know someone who
would find your talents more to their liking.’
    ‘Someone who can train me?’ you ask hopefully.
    ‘Ignatius Pyre. He is the tutor over in the mage tower. Take this and show it to his assistant.’ He reaches into a pocket and produces a small iron badge. A symbol of a bat stands
out in high relief on the surface. ‘That is my personal seal. It will grant you an audience with the high mage – and he’ll give you all the training that you need.’
    You take the seal, thanking Lazlo for his kind assistance. (Make a note of the
prince’s seal
on your hero sheet – it does not take up backpack space. Then turn to 182 .)
    4
    You find yourself in a small rectangular chamber lined with shelves. Most are buckling under the weight of the many books and scroll cases that have been haphazardly piled on
top of them. At the centre of the room stands a circular table, covered by a large sheet of parchment. A magical quill is moving diligently back and forth across the paper, scratching lines of
script in a glistening black ink. The only other exit you can see is another door in the far wall, this time made of rusted iron.
     
Will you:
Search the book shelves? — 323
Examine the parchment on the table? — 362
Leave through the iron door? — 46
    5
    The woman throws back her head and laughs. ‘What local rumours would you like? That there’s a caped vigilante, a vampire they say, preying on criminals and drinking
their blood?’ She sucks at the air, then puckers up her lips and blows you a kiss. ‘Or that the prince in his merry ol’ castle is hoping to woo every woman in Carvel?’
    Her last comment draws a roar of laughter from the nearby patrons. The man next to you gives a snort. ‘It’s the Wiccans you need to watch. They’re the ones what’re
causing all the trouble.’
    The laughter trails off into angry mutterings.
    You turn your head, raising an eyebrow. ‘You know of the Wiccans?’
    The man wipes the ale from his mouth. ‘I know what everyone knows. This was their land, once. Then Allam and his army came and took it from them. They worship the old gods, the old magic,
see. Allam didn’t like that. They’re still fighting for their lands now – but the church is having none of it.’
    ‘Humph, what happens outside Carvel can stay outside Carvel,’ sniffs the bar woman, tugging a cloth from her apron. ‘Men and their quarrels. I’d like to knock some sense
into all of