45-46 problem of getting out. If you brought climbing

equipment like spikes and rope, you can climb out fairly easily. Go to your map and explore another area of the village.

If you don't have the necessary equipment you're stuck there until you starve to death. Go to 14.

45

How strange. It looks like a cottage. It's the shape of a cottage and the size of a cottage. But now you're close up you can see it isn't a cottage - it's a huge stone block with thatch on top. You spend ages trying to figure this one out, but eventually return to your map and explore another area of the village.

46

'Hallo, little person,' a deep, but curiously rustling voice says from somewhere up above you.

You look up into the branches of the tree, but there is no one to be seen.

'Of course there isn't,' the voice says clearly. 'Or rather there is. You're looking at me.'

'But I don't see you,' you protest.

'Yes, you do.'

'You mean .. .you're the tree? A talking tree?' 'Not just any old ordinary tree,' the voice says.

'I'm a Druid Oak. Very special sort of tree, that.

46 'I'm a Druid Oak,' the voice says

47

Keep clear of the Rabbit, incidentally: it's got poisonous teeth.'

Thank you for the warning,' you say politely, even though you're completely bemused from talking to a tree (or at least from talking to a tree that answers back). 'I don't suppose you'd happen to know the way out of this wood, by any chance?' 'Of course. I've lived here a hundred years, haven't I?' And one thick branch moves, as if blown by a high wind, and points north-east.

If you decide to trust the tree, go to 77.

If not, return to 11 and reconsider your options.

47

Count Dracula used to say that when you'd seen one crypt you'd seen them all. But whatever about that, this really does seem to be a rather special sort of crypt. For a start it's all done up in pink marble. And then again there's a brass plaque on the heavy wooden doorway which bears the words:

Oh footsore and weary traveller

With dust on your feet and quite possibly Nits in your hair:

Enter here and rest awhile

And with fine poetry you I will beguile So push the door, my traveller fair And partake of my hospitably.

Hospitably? Maybe he meant 'hospitality' but couldn't get that to rhyme with 'possibly'. Not

that 'hospitably' rhymes very well with 'possibly', either.

Only one creature in the universe could write rhymes as badly as that. His fame is so widespread almost everybody in Avalon has heard of him at some time or another. Could it be . . . ? Yes, it is!

Below the plaque is an iron plate bearing the words:

THE CRYPT OF THE FIEND (Please Knock)

Don't waste another moment, Pip! This will certainly be dangerous, but it should be well worthwhile. Go in! Go in!

If you decide to enter the Crypt of the Fiend, go to 107.

If not, return to your map and explore some other part of the village.

48

You enter the cottage and the entire place caves in on top of you. It's no fun being an adventurer sometimes, Pip.

Go to 14.

49

You cling precariously to the cliff face and edge your way downwards, searching for almost non-existent toeholds. In the chasm there is a strong cross wind which increases alarmingly as you descend. Now you've actually started, the whole

50

chasm looks far deeper than you previously imagined. Far deeper...

Don't look down!

It goes down for miles and miles and miles and miles a n d . . .

Don't look down!

and miles and miles and ... dizzy . . . You fall!

Go to 14.

50

Snaarl!

What a nasty noise to hear as you open a cottage door, Pip. It's dark inside, so that for a moment all you can see is the glint of a pair of savage red eyes. Then the Wolf leaps from the cottage at your throat! It is huge - 31 LIFE POINTS - and does +3 damage with its fangs. It also has the first strike, by reason of surprise. Furthermore, its matted hide acts to some extent like armour, subtracting 1 point from any damage scored against it. Get the dice rolling, Pip - this is another fight.

If the Wolf kills you, go to 14.

If you kill the Wolf, you'll find a casket with 100 Gold Pieces inside the cottage. Take it, go back to your map and explore another section of the village.

51

51

If you weren't such a thorough sort of adventurer, Pip, you would have thought this was just a deserted old cottage. Nobody here, nothing of value, a few sticks of broken-down furniture . ..

Just the sort of place where you'd turn right round and walk out again. Except you didn't, did you?

You felt along the walls and over by the fireplace you found a funny little knob. When you twisted the funny little knob, a funny little secret door opened up in the wall, leading into a funny little secret passage.

Of course you don't have to explore the secret passage. You can simply return to your map of the village and explore some other area. But if you do want to explore the secret passage, it leads to 90.

52-53

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