You are the Wizard Grey Star, chosen hero of an ancient magical race&emdash;the Shianti. To find the Moonstone, source of all Shianti wisdom, you must venture Beyond The Nightmare Gate.
Dare you enter a realm of mystery, a world of gods and demons? For somewhere in this twilight region is the secret of the Moonstone. Only you can find it and with its power throw down the evil Shasarak and save mankind. Your journey will take you across the grey plains of the Neverness, past the dark enchantments of the Crystal Tower, and on towards perils undreamed of. Armed only with the Wizard's Staff and the magical spells of the Shianti, you must step into a nightmare world where only the bravest will survive!
@@ -108,9 +159,9 @@ Initial revisionInternet Edition published by Project Aon. This edition is intended to reflect the complete text of the original version. Where we have made minor corrections, they will be noted in the Errata.
Concept copyright © 1986 Joe Dever and Gary Chalk.
Text copyright © 1986 Ian Page.
Distribution of this Internet Edition is restricted under the terms of the Project Aon License.
Concept copyright © 1986 Joe Dever and Gary Chalk.
Text copyright © 1986 Ian Page.
Illustrations copyright © 1986 Paul Bonner.
Distribution of this Internet Edition is restricted under the terms of the Project Aon License.
This section of the rules implies that you must re-pick all three scores&emdash;
If you have completed book two but not book one, it seems reasonable to add 25 to the number you picked.
It is possible for your
There are sections in the Grey Star books that describe how you use a Magical Power and how many
Alternatively, you may may wish to use a method given in Section 175 of War of the Wizards, which contains one such case of mandated use of magic: If you do not have enough
Note that you may never choose to use a Magical Power or your Wizard's Staff if you do not have sufficient
It is possible for your
The first number that you pick from the Random Number Table in this way represents your
The second number that you pick from the Random Number Table represents your
The second number that you pick from the Random Number Table represents your
The third number that you pick from the Random Number Table represents your powers of
The wording of this section of the rules seems to indicate&emdash;if read literally&emdash;that you may choose your set of Powers again if you have completed a previous adventure. This is without precedent in other books. In order to preserve consistency with other books, you should not choose your Powers again. If you have have completed at least one previous adventure, you may choose one additional Power from the list. If you choose Alchemy as your new Magical Power, you also receive a Herb Pouch with contents, as detailed in the Equipment section.
The wording of this section of the rules seems to indicate&emdash;if read literally&emdash;that you may choose your set of Powers again if you have completed a previous adventure. This is without precedent in other books. In order to preserve consistency with other books, you should not choose your Powers again. If you have have completed at least one previous adventure, you may choose one additional Power from the list. If you choose Alchemy as your new Magical Power, you also receive a Herb Pouch with contents, as detailed in the Equipment section.
If your
If this is your first Grey Star adventure, your education in the ways of wizardry is incomplete: you have mastered only five of the seven Magical Powers that the Shianti call the Lesser Magicks. The choice of which five Powers these are, is up to you. If you have completed either books one or two or both of the Grey Star adventures, you may choose six of the seven Magical Powers. All of the Lesser Magicks will be of use to you at some point on your quest, so choose them with care. Your survival may depend on the correct use of a Magical Power at the right time.
The seven Magical Powers available to you are listed below. When you have chosen your five or six Powers, enter them in the Magical Powers section of your Action Chart.
@@ -257,6 +313,13 @@ Initial revisionYour Staff is your most valuable possession. It looks and feels like an ordinary quarterstaff, yet it is stronger than any known metal. This is your main combat weapon, for you are untrained in the use of any other form of armed combat. It contains a potent force that is unleashed at will by the Power of your mind, and causes a beam of destructive Power to hurtle from its tip. Every time you unleash this Power you must deduct 1
Your Staff is your most valuable possession. It looks and feels like an ordinary quarterstaff, yet it is stronger than any known metal. This is your main combat weapon, for you are untrained in the use of any other form of armed combat. It contains a potent force that is unleashed at will by the Power of your mind, and causes a beam of destructive Power to hurtle from its tip. Every time you unleash this Power you must deduct 1
In the event that your enemy survives such an attack or should you fall victim to a surprise attack, you will be forced to engage in close combat and must attempt to strike your enemy with the Staff. If your attack is successful, a bolt of energy will be released from the Staff that is capable of inflicting great physical harm. If you wish to increase the amount of damage that you inflict in this way, you must use more
If you enter combat without your Staff, deduct 6 points from your
You find Oz-na-Mun sitting before his shack, staring at a tall mass of moist, red clay before him. His gaunt face is full of sorrow and he does not even look up when you approach. So you have come,
he says, flatly.
You knew I was coming?
you reply, surprised.
He has been here; your shadow brother, your dark self. There was a girl with him also.
I seek the Moonstone of the Shianti,
you state. Do you know where it is and how it may be found?
You perceive that the realm you have entered harbours many illusions: the waters of a blue ocean, rippling with foam-crested waves, roll above your head where the sky should be; below, green hills undulate between mountains balanced upon their peaks; a huge fist rises up, poised to smash down upon you but you pass through it as if it were a phantom. All around is the sound of crazed laughter. A man who believed in the reality of these illusions would stand at the threshold of madness. With the strength of your will you challenge the illusions that surround you; instantly the nightmare vision disappears.
+You have landed in a large field. In the distance you see the hazy outline of a city, gleaming in the sunlight. You take out the Gyronome and its tone confirms that you are in the Realm of the Singing City. Several people are running towards you from the city; they are fair haired, have strange, circular ears and are dressed in short, white togas. They are calling to you in a language you do not understand.
+They soon reach you and chatter enthusiastically as they point excitedly at both the Ethetron and the sky. You smile and nod and try to communicate with them the best you can. Their soft voices have a flute-like sound and their language, incomprehensible though it is, possesses a lilting, musical quality that is pleasing to the ear. They are Elessin and they are asking you to accompany them.
Above your head, where the sky should be, the blue waters of an ocean roll, rippling with foam-crested waves. Below, green hills and fields shift and move like water. The Ethetron rocks violently. You are no longer able to choose between up and down, left or right. Mountains stand upon their peaks; towns and cities drift past; night becomes day, and day becomes night in quick succession; a huge fist rears up, poised to strike, then passes through you like a phantom. All around you is the sound of crazed laughter.
+With smiling faces and much laughter, the Elessin lead you to their home. As you draw closer to the Singing City, you gaze in wonder upon the dazzling display of glass and fragmented light that gleams beneath the bright sun. Rainbows of colour splash from the delicate spires and splendid ivory towers that point towards the sky. Like the distant ringing of a million tiny bells, the music of the city reaches your ears. You hear the warm resonance of a shifting bass accompanied by pure, whispering harmonies as delicate as a breeze, and you are awestruck by the magnificence of the city. The Academicians told you that the Elessin are cruel creatures, but their city suggests a purity of spirit beyond any mortal imagining.
+You pass through the arched gateway of the city and walk along a long avenue of crystal paving stones.
You enter a door. To your surprise, you and Tanith find yourselves standing in a circular chamber filled with a milky-white light. Your heart lifts when you recognize that the source of the light is the Moonstone itself. So you found it at last,
says a voice behind you. It is the Jahksa.
Hastily, you walk across the plane of clouds, crossing the Neverness and gaining on the Crystal Tower, which gleams faintly with a strange light. The tower is built from great shards of black crystal, and its design is entirely alien to your eyes.
+Soon you are back where you started, having completed a circuit of the Crystal Tower. To your immense surprise, however, there is now a door beneath the metal plate. Tanith has an incredulous look upon her face. There is strange sorcery at work here,
she comments.
The iron-shod door is tall and uninviting. You try the handle but the door is locked. You notice a keyhole and five Keys hanging on five hooks by the door. Each Key has been shaped into the likeness of a beast.
+You work your way down the steps of the palace and enter the avenue of crystal that leads from the Singing City. Moving at a painfully slow pace, you finally reach the grove of trees where your flying machine is hidden. You drag the statue on board and turn to the controls. The Ethetron rises up into the air and, using the Gyronome to guide you once more, you soon feel the strange tingling sensation that indicates that you are crossing the realms of the Daziarn.
+You take out the Gyronome. To your surprise it is still emitting its familiar, high-pitched note. You are further confused when you discover that the device continues to sound at the same volume wherever you point it. You depress the foot bar. The mist within the glass dome begins to swirl and its ghostly light grows brighter, but there is no sensation of movement, even with the bar pressed all the way down to the floor. You fear that you are stranded&emdash;becalmed upon an alien sea.
A thread-like line of white light in the distance gives you fresh hope. Your flesh begins to tingle&emdash;an unpleasant sensation that seems to be drawing the strength from your body (lose 2
I seek a girl; her name is Tanith,
you cry, and one who is named Oz-na-Mun.
So be it!
replies the Chaos-master. The bargain is struck. These things you shall have and then you must return to me and make payment.
Before you can ask the nature of this payment
, you find yourself standing upon firm ground, looking out across a vast quarry of red soil. Your Ethetron lies close at hand. On the other side of the quarry you can see smoke rising from a rough wooden shack. You push the nightmare visions from your brain and head towards the shack.
At first they are distant specks but they are moving towards you at high speed and soon you are able to distinguish details. You give an involuntary gasp: the creatures have oily, purple-black skins with slickly matted feathers; their eyes protrude like two swollen bruises from the sides of their heads and their cry is hoarse like the ringing of a cracked bell. The Ethetron moves sluggishly as the very last of the grey mist seeps from its dome. You turn the ship towards the Trianon but the malformed birds (if birds they are) are gaining on you.
+As you regain control of the flying machine you begin to slow down. You make a rather bumpy landing in a field but both you and your craft survive it unharmed. You take out the Gyronome and its shrill call confirms that you are now in the Realm of the Singing City. Away to your left and in the distance the city glints beneath the warm sunlight. Suddenly you notice several figures heading in your direction, though they are still far off.
+As you are using your Power of Elementalism against the Chaos-birds, you should deduct 1
You close your eyes and send out the power of your thought to the Elemental plane. A raging wind blows around you, whipping the birds into confusion so that they are unable to attack. Unfortunately, you are now unable to manipulate the damaged craft and find yourself affected as badly as the Chaos-birds. A sudden gust sends you hurtling into the side of the Trianon and the sound of a collision fills your ears.
+You close your eyes and send out the power of your thought to the Elemental plane. A raging wind blows around you, whipping the birds into confusion so that they are unable to attack. Unfortunately, you are now unable to manipulate the damaged craft and find yourself affected as badly as the Chaos-birds. A sudden gust sends you hurtling into the side of the Trianon and the sound of a collision fills your ears.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. Add the number you have picked to your current
Immediately, you are standing in the court of the Chaos-master. The high walls ripple with light as the strange architecture of the Master's hall changes constantly. In the centre of the hall, upon an obsidian throne, is seated the Chaos-master himself, ruler of the Realm of the Paradox. He makes a disturbing sight: a giant over thirty feet in height, his facial features and characteristics are in a state of constant flux, continually melting into new and hideous guises. You glimpse dark and loathsome creatures, beasts and beings of indescribable horror, writhing within this awesome god.
+Welcome to the Master's court!
he bellows. Allow me to introduce my guests.
Slowly a dark-robed figure walks into the hall. He wears a hood and carries a black staff. Following immediately behind is Tanith. She gives you a brave smile.
May I present the Wizard, Grey Star.
You are led to a high-ceilinged chamber lit by a curious, pulsing light. The room is filled with strange, ornate machines of gleaming metal. Lights flicker and you hear a throbbing hum and a continual, metallic, mechanical ring. Several Academicians tend the machines, pushing buttons and pulling levers, though to what purpose you cannot guess.
Grey Star, Tanith&emdash;allow me to introduce you to Crabkey, one of our greatest and most ingenious inventors.
Allow me to introduce Crabkey, one of our most ingenious inventors
You recognize the shabby man who turns to greet you; he was the man who sat in the armchair when you first entered the chamber of the Academicians. In the strange lurid glow of the laboratory his shadowed, bulging eyes make him appear even more sinister than before. We meet again,
you say uncomfortably.
Crabkey stares at you without speaking. Spittlethrift breaks the silence: Mr Crabkey is the inventor of the machine that will enable you to journey to the Realm of the Singing City, aren't you, Crabkey, old chap?
Crabkey continues to stare at you insolently. With a slow blink of his huge eyes, he makes an unintelligible sound in the back of his throat and nods.
Yes, yes,
says Spittlethrift half to himself. Come now, young Wizard and pretty mistress Tanith, come see his wonderful creation.
Mounted on a small dais in the centre of the laboratory is a most unusual machine. This,
says Spittlethrift proudly, is the Ethetron, the flying machine that will carry young Grey Star through the realms of the Daziarn, and to the Singing City to fetch our prize.
The Ethetron is quite unlike anything you have seen before. It has a railed platform, and is shaped like a saucer, except that its stern is pointed like a lizard's tail. It bears a large glass dome in its centre. Passing through the top of the dome is a single black shaft like the mast of a sailing ship. The single sail resembles a giant bat's wing and is made of a strange material that shimmers like water and looks like metal but is like fabric to the touch. A closer inspection of the glass dome reveals that it contains a swirling, grey-white mist.
+It is the raw stuff of the Daziarn, unformed power for the craft,
explains Crabkey. Without it, the craft would fall from the sky. To steer,
he continues, you must operate this lever&emdash;pull to climb, push to dive, left and right as normal. To draw more power from the glass dome you must press this metal bar at your feet; to slow down, release it. If you apply no pressure, the craft will remain where it is; if you push the lever to the left or right without power, the craft will spin on its axis. Beware, these controls are very sensitive. You need apply very little pressure to make the craft change its course.
When Crabkey is satisfied that you understand the controls, he introduces you to another Academician, Slypate, who hands you a shining sphere of red and yellow metal. This is a Gyronome. There is no north, east, west or south in the plane of the Daziarn, nor is there time as you perceive it,
says Slypate. The only way of finding the Singing City is with the aid of this device. When you draw it out, it will emit a sound if you are heading for the Singing City. The louder the note, the surer your course. To return to the Crystal Tower, the Gyronome must be absolutely silent. It is very accurate: I invented it myself,
he says with pride. You take the Special Item and place it in your pocket. (Remember to mark the Gyronome on your Action Chart.)
Soon you are ready to leave. The Academicians offer you the choice of the following items to aid you in your quest. (Remember that you may carry only two Weapons and a maximum of eight items in your Backpack.)
@@ -1901,6 +2139,14 @@ Initial revisionYou head across the cloud plane towards the hunched figure. The man turns and looks at you, apparently unsurprised by your sudden appearance. He is dressed in grey, tattered rags and, with a start, you see that the flesh of his hands and face is almost transparent, revealing the veins, bones, and tissue that lie beneath his skin.
+No peace. No peace,
he mutters to himself. So many interruptions&ellips; the passage of strangers, asking directions and breaking the silence.
He gazes at you with a sad but steady stare. I am Drear, wanderer between worlds,
he says, as if reciting a litany. Sailor upon pointless seas, traveller of timeless lands, born of a world grown old and tired. You are in the Neverness, my children, the unformed and unclaimed void of the Daziarn, where no one yet resides.
What of yonder building?
you ask.
The Crystal Tower, home of the Academicians, scientists and scholars from another plane. They are mad, my friend. Do not waste your time with them. Instead, follow me and find peace in the calm of wandering; shed all purpose and responsibility. Come, follow! I seek the salvation of silence, the tranquillity of endlessness.
You use another
As you draw closer to the Moaning Mountain you soon locate the cavern in its side and, with some skilful manoeuvring, you line up the ship with the yawning cavern mouth.
+As you are using your Wizard's Staff against the Jahksa, you should deduct 2
The raging wind helps the Ethetron to stay airborne without power and, while the Jahksa is in a trance state communing with the Elementals, you take up your Staff. It is difficult to take accurate aim because of the violent movements of the craft and yet, with remarkable calmness and precision, you fire a direct hit into the Jahksa's chest. He leaps back and, with magical flames still smouldering in the remains of his robe, he staggers towards you. Without hesitation, Tanith rushes at the Jahksa and thrusts him over the rail. She gives you a look of triumph and you cannot resist a cheer.
+The raging wind helps the Ethetron to stay airborne without power and, while the Jahksa is in a trance state communing with the Elementals, you take up your Staff. It is difficult to take accurate aim because of the violent movements of the craft and yet, with remarkable calmness and precision, you fire a direct hit into the Jahksa's chest. He leaps back and, with magical flames still smouldering in the remains of his robe, he staggers towards you. Without hesitation, Tanith rushes at the Jahksa and thrusts him over the rail. She gives you a look of triumph and you cannot resist a cheer.
The storm blows itself out and quickly you bring the Ethetron back on course. You soon reach the Moaning Mountain and locate the cavern. With some skilful manoeuvring, you line up the ship with the opening and enter.
You pick up the road out of sight of the poor survivors and follow it to the next village. This village is also ablaze. No one attempts to put out the fire; instead, everyone stares at a figure dancing maniacally on the roof of a house. It is a familiar and disturbing sight: Jahksa. Even now he is hurling bolts of magical flame into the thatched and wooden roofs of the village houses.
+I thought&ellips;
she says with a dry sob. It was in my mind&ellips; the Black Wizard, he had your face. He took me from the Crystal Tower and brought me here. By the time I realized it wasn't you, the Chaos-master had asked me what gift I desired. I asked for you, Grey Star, and the Chaos-master told me that the Black Wizard was you. Then my mind was full of fear and loathing. I&emdash;
You don't have to explain. It's all right. I understand.
Outside, a strange, yet familiar voice sends a chill down your spine. How touching; how noble. Such understanding,
it sneers. You rush outside to see a hooded figure dressed all in black. Slowly, deliberately, the hood is pulled aside to reveal your own face staring back at you. Greetings, brother,
says your voice. We meet at last.
A sky-blue sea with foam-crested waves rolls where the sky should be. Green hills and fields ripple and undulate like an ebb tide and the Ethetron begins to rock violently. Mountains stand on their peaks and towns and cities float haphazardly in the air. Night becomes day and day becomes night in the blink of an eye. A huge fist rears up, poised to strike, then passes through you like a phantom. All around you is the sound of crazed and forlorn laughter.
+If you do not have this Magical Power, pick a number from the Random Number Table and add it to your
Get out of my mind!
she screams, desperation and pain in her voice. Quickly you extinguish the glow of the Gem for fear of damaging her mind. Outside, you hear a voice that sends an icy chill coursing through your body.
How sad. Tragic. Such a waste of energy on a girl who despises you.
You rush out of the room to see a hooded figure dressed in black. Slowly the hood is pulled away to reveal your own face looking back at you. Greetings brother,' sneers a voice identical to your own. 'We meet at last.
The Elessi shakes his head.
How may I find this Realm of Paradox? My only guide is this.
You show the Guardian the Gyronome. And it can only guide me between here and the Neverness.
I thank you,
you say, boarding the Ethetron. Farewell.
To a chorus of joyful singing and the blessing of the Elessin you carefully rise into the air with your perilous cargo. Once more you feel a strange tingling sensation as you leave the realm of the Elessin forever.
The overwhelming force of your attack beats the birds away for the moment. The Ethetron grinds to a complete halt.
You ignore the man, who soon disappears from view. You continue across the cloud plane towards the building and soon you can make out the shape of a tall tower, gleaming faintly with a strange, brittle light. The tower appears to be constructed from great shards of black crystal, and its architecture possess an alien quality that is both puzzling and intriguing.
+Tense with anticipation, you wait as the figures draw near. Each wears a short white toga; they have blonde hair and strange, circular ears.
As soon as they arrive they begin speaking to you in a language you cannot understand. Their voices are soft and flute-like and there is a lilting quality to their speech. These are Elessin, inhabitants of the Singing City. Excitedly, they chatter on, pointing at both the Ethetron and the sky. You soon realize that they wish you to go to the Singing City with them.
+The webbed claw rakes the side of the Ethetron, but your swift reflexes save you from certain death. As the monstrous limb sinks back into the mist, Tanith points to a crack that has appeared in the glass dome that contains the power which drives the craft. The Ethetron starts to lose height, sinking slowly into the swirling mystery below.
Suddenly, there is a hideous roar and seven eyeless heads on long, slender necks wave before you like monstrous flowers in a breeze. Twenty feet tall, with teeth like razors, they sway this way and that, blindly seeking you out. A giant head sways barely a few feet away and a yawning mouth bears down on you.
+You pass through the Gate, past a shimmering waterfall, and into the foothills of a mountain range towards a lush, green valley. You land the Ethetron and you and Tanith disembark.
Everywhere is a growing, verdant splendour. The air is fresh and invigorating and you suddenly realize that you have not eaten since you crossed the Shadow Gate. You mention this to Tanith and she nods in agreement, pointing to the berries of a nearby bush. Perhaps more familiar natural laws apply in this realm. You eat your fill of the delicious berries; restore 2
You come to a main road that crosses your path into the valley. It leads into a village, which you can see in the distance, hugging a small wood of squat trees. Strangely, there is a lot of smoke rising from the village.
+Remember that you may only use those Keys you possess.
Of course!
you shout to Tanith. The Keys! We must use the Keys!
With an understanding nod, she takes the Keys.
Which one?
she asks.
Your Power of Prophecy shows you what you feared most: Shasarak's Jahksa. Your dark twin is somewhere close at hand and there is terrible evil in his heart. The use of this Magical Power has cost you 1
You may keep any Keys that you have already noted on your Action Chart. You may also keep any Keys that you have not used. List all Keys to the Crystal Tower as a single Backpack Item on your Action Chart (noting which Keys are included). If you do not want to carry the Keys in your Backpack, you can let Tanith carry them, but you must then note down that you cannot access them if Tanith is not with you.
You may keep any Keys that you have already noted on your Action Chart. You may also keep any Keys that you have not used&emdash;which might be the Eagle Key, the Wolf Key, the Spider Key and/or the Dragon Key. List all Keys to the Crystal Tower as a single Backpack Item on your Action Chart (noting which Keys are included). If you do not want to carry the Keys in your Backpack, you can let Tanith carry them, but you must then note down that you cannot access them if Tanith is not with you.
The man leads you into a vast hall. Its incredibly high ceiling is supported by hundreds of transparent columns that contain a many-coloured liquid. At the far end of the hall is a pillar of swirling light that illuminates a grotesque but life-like statue of a child.
You are soaring through a starlit sky, myriad tiny pinpoints of light shining above. Tanith clutches your arm and points below at a swirling gaseous incandescence, lit by sporadic bursts of violet lightning. Suddenly, a huge, webbed claw as tall as a house, with green, shining skin rises up out of the mists.
+Add together your
Splendid! Splendid!
says a cheerful voice. You spin round to see a little fat man, dressed head-to-toe in a black gown. He claps his pudgy hands together and smiles happily.
Who are you?
you ask, still breathless.
I am Spittlethrift, scholar, professor and master of the Crystal Tower. Yes, yes&ellips; a tower of learning, a veritable pillar of wisdom and knowledge, ha, ha, indeed!
He takes a pair of wire-framed spectacles and places them on the end of his smudge of a nose. You are not alone, I see.
He squints at Tanith. Most pleasing, enchanting&ellips; yes, yes, well done! You have passed the test; you will suffice.
He turns towards the door and flutters his hands in an agitated manner. Come now, you must meet the rest of us. Oh yes, delightful, engaging, so wonderfully entertaining!
The excitable little man leaves the room, still chuckling to himself, and you follow close behind. Soon, he ushers you into a dim room, which is dusty and full of cobwebs. The air is stale and thick with tobacco smoke and seated opposite in a large armchair is a thin, straggling man, roughly Spittlethrift's height, with bulging, shadowy eyes. Reclining in various positions around the room are several others, all approximately Spittlethrift's height, and all similarly dressed.
@@ -3440,6 +3807,13 @@ Initial revisionLooking for me?
asks a contemptuous voice. You look up and see a hooded figure dressed in black, carrying a long, black staff. Slowly the hood is pulled away to reveal your own face staring back at you. Greetings, brother,
your own voice laughs, coldly. We meet at last.
You break the trance and breathe out through clenched teeth. Tanith is confused. She tries to make sense of the visions that you have placed in her mind and the magical compulsion that forces her to fear you. Outside, you hear a voice that sends an icy chill through your body.
How sad. Tragic. Such a waste of energy on a girl who despises you.
You rush out of the room to see a hooded figure dressed entirely in black and carrying a long, black staff. Slowly, deliberately; the hood is pulled away to reveal your own face looking back at you. Greetings, brother,
sneers a voice identical to your own. We meet at last,
it laughs, mockingly.
Grey Star,
she sobs. I thought&ellips; it was in my mind&ellips; the Black Wizard, he had your face. He took me from the Crystal Tower and brought me here. The Chaos-master asked me what gift I desired and I asked for you, Grey Star. Then the Chaos-master told me that the Black Wizard was you and then my mind was full of hate and loathing. I&ellips;
You don't have to explain; it's all right, I understand,
you say. From outside the shack, a sneering voice sends an unnatural chill through your body.
How touching; how nice. Such understanding.
The evil voice laughs, mockingly. You run outside to see a hooded figure in a black robe carrying a black staff. Slowly, deliberately, the hood is pulled aside to reveal your own face; your own eyes stare back at you as if you were looking into a mirror. Greetings, brother,
says your voice, with a bitter laugh. We meet at last.
The creature facing you is called a Jahksa. It is a creation of Shasarak; an apparition in the likeness of a living spirit, in this case, yours. Are you afraid, Grey Star?
taunts the Jahksa. There is nothing to fear but yourself,
he sniggers.
Tanith appears at the door of the shack and looks at the two of you in bewilderment. She sways as if about to faint and you rush to her side. The Jahksa snorts derisively. How weak you are, Grey Star. Petty friendships, loyalties, and your honourable quest for the Shianti stone&emdash;how can you expect to defeat the Wytch-king, he who possesses the might of the Shianti and freedom from their foolish teachings, with such weaknesses?
They are my strengths as well, Jahksa,
you reply, coolly.
The Jahksa spits on the ground at your feet. That for your strength, Wizardling.
He turns his back to you, then suddenly spins back, wielding a black staff in a wide arc. But you were expecting a trick and lift your Staff in time to block his blow. As the staves collide, their magical fire crackles and splits the air.
Staggering under the weight of the statue, you move towards the exit. The terrified Elessin hang back to let you pass, their faces full of fear. You leave the palace and view the long flight of stairs that leads from it with apprehension.
-Please stop,
pleads the voice that rings in your head. We mean you no harm&ellips; . What you are doing is madness!
You thank the Vale people for their kindness but insist that your quest is urgent and will brook no delay. You ask if they will show you to the Gateway to the Realm of the Moonstone, and they agree. That night they take you to the Silver Lake, which lies high in the mountains. They instruct you and Tanith to climb aboard the Ethetron and fly above the lake. As the night grows older, and the moon climbs higher in the sky, the waters are bathed in a beautiful shimmering light, like that of polished silver. Then, they say, must you fly into the lake itself, for it is the Gate and the moon its key.
+You do exactly as they say and when you reach the surface you discover no water at all; merely the passing touch of something as light as gossamer.
You spend another day and night with these happy, simple people. The beauty of the vibrant valley is a welcome relief from the hardships of your quest, however worthy the cause. The time spent with the people of the Vale has a beneficial effect, restoring 4
That night, you and Tanith are led up into the mountains to a large lake. They tell you to board the Ethetron and fly above the beautiful lake. Then, when the moon has climbed to its highest point in the sky you must fly into the water, for the lake is the Gateway to the Realm of the Moonstone and the light and power of the moon its key. You do as they instruct, and with a wave, you dive towards the Silver Lake, but as you break the surface, it is not water that washes over you but awe and wonder.
Triumphantly, the Jahksa deals a killing blow. You feel a searing pain tear through your body, but miraculously you are not slain. The Moonstone, instrument of judgement and truth, has made a reality of Shasarak's mockery of you. In killing you the Jahksa has killed itself. With a howl, the Jahksa dissolves into black shadows and returns to the spirit realm from whence it came.
+With a thrill of anticipation, you take up the Moonstone. It flares, as if in recognition, at the touch of your hand. It glows with a warm, familiar feeling as it nestles in the palm of your hand. Tanith's eyes are wild and shining with triumph. You have fulfilled your pledge and completed the quest&ellips; almost. Armed with the might of the Moonstone, you now possess the only known power that could throw down the evil Wytch-king, Shasarak. But that is another story, and the day is yet to come.
The final conflict in your fight against the Shadakine Empire is concluded in Book 4 of the Grey Star saga, entitled:
@@ -4499,6 +4916,14 @@ Initial revisionWe have taken our unique opportunity to correct errors and to enforce a standard of English usage. We list our changes here. If you see anything that needs correction, please contact the Project Aon Staff.
+We have taken our unique opportunity to correct errors and to enforce a standard of English usage. We list our changes here. If you see anything that needs correction, please contact the Project Aon Staff.
@@ -4712,7 +5137,7 @@ Initial revision(197) Deleted If you wish to carry it, it must be kept as a Backpack Item or you may give it to Tanith to carry, in which case remember to note this on your Action Chart.
.
(199) Replaced Chaos-Master
with Chaos-master
.
(203) Replaced death and
with death, and
.
(205) Replaced your power
with your Power
.
(205) Replaced If you possess the Magical Power of Sorcery, have more than 6
with If you possess the Magical Power of Elementalism and wish to use it
.
(207) Replaced point you
with point, you
. Replaced all occurrences of Chaos-Master
with Chaos-master
.
(210) Replaced you look
with you a look
.
(214) Replaced Elessin; inhabitants
with Elessin, inhabitants
.
(The Game Rules) This section of the rules implies that you must re-pick all three scores&emdash;
(The Game Rules) If you have completed book two but not book one, it seems reasonable to add 25 to the number you picked.
-(The Game Rules) It is possible for your
(The Game Rules) There are sections in the Grey Star books that describe how you use a Magical Power and how many
Alternatively, you may may wish to use a method given in Section 175 of War of the Wizards, which contains one such case of mandated use of magic: If you do not have enough
Note that you may never choose to use a Magical Power or your Wizard's Staff if you do not have sufficient
(The Game Rules) It is possible for your
(Magical Powers) The wording of this section of the rules seems to indicate&emdash;if read literally&emdash;that you may choose your set of Powers again if you have completed a previous adventure. This is without precedent in other books. In order to preserve consistency with other books, you should not choose your Powers again. If you have have completed at least one previous adventure, you may choose one additional Power from the list. If you choose Alchemy as your new Magical Power, you also receive a Herb Pouch with contents, as detailed in the Equipment section.
+(Magical Powers) If your
(Equipment) If you have completed a previous adventure, you keep all equipment you had at the end of that adventure. You do not receive any new equipment, unless you have just selected Alchemy as your sixth Magical Power, in which case you receive a Herb Pouch with contents as indicated in this section.
(Equipment) If you have mastered the Lesser Magick of Alchemy and therefore have a Herb Pouch, you may choose to keep potions, vials, or ingredients in either the Herb Pouch or your Backpack. All other Backpack Items must be kept in your Backpack.
-(Section 106) You may only choose a Key that you have not already tried.
-(Section 107) If the Elessi leader has been holding your Wizard's Staff until now, you can now take it back.
-(Section 118) If you have already opened this door, you do not need to do it again. If you have opened the door but chosen not to step through it, you can now choose to do so (turn to 125), or to walk back to the large stairway (turn to 239). If you have both opened and ventured inside the door, you must turn to 239.
-(Section 144) There is no choice that leads to this section of the book. This appears to be an oversight which is not easily correctable.
-(Section 150) You may only choose a Key that you have not already tried.
-(Section 177) You must choose whether to keep the individual buds or to mix potions from them. You may not do both.
-(Section 186) You may only choose a Key that you have not already tried.
-(Section 190) There is no choice that leads to this section of the book. This appears to be an oversight which is not easily correctable.
-(Section 197) You may only choose a Key that you have not already tried.
-(Section 240) You may keep any Keys that you have already noted on your Action Chart. You may also keep any Keys that you have not used. List all Keys to the Crystal Tower as a single Backpack Item on your Action Chart (noting which Keys are included). If you do not want to carry the Keys in your Backpack, you can let Tanith carry them, but you must then note down that you cannot access them if Tanith is not with you.
-(Section 242) You may only choose a Key that you have not already tried.
-(Section 252) You may only choose a Key that you have not already tried.
-(Section 278) If you left your Backpack in the Ethetron, you now regain access to it and all of the items therein.
-(Section 287) You may only choose a Key that you have not already tried.
-(Section 305) If you choose to keep them, note the Coins and a maximum of one Medallion as Special Items on your Action Chart. If you choose to keep more than one Medallion, the rest must be carried in your Backpack where they take up one space each.
-(Section 344) Make a note on your Action Chart that you have left your Backpack and all Backpack Items in the Ethetron. You will not have access to them again until you return to the Ethetron.
+(78) As you are using your Power of Elementalism against the Chaos-birds, you should deduct 1
(106) You may only choose a Key that you have not already tried.
+(107) If the Elessi leader has been holding your Wizard's Staff until now, you can now take it back.
+(118) If you have already opened this door, you do not need to do it again. If you have opened the door but chosen not to step through it, you can now choose to do so (turn to 125), or to walk back to the large stairway (turn to 239). If you have both opened and ventured inside the door, you must turn to 239.
+(144) There is no choice that leads to this section of the book. This appears to be an oversight which is not easily correctable.
+(148) As you are using your Wizard's Staff against the Jahksa, you should deduct 2
(150) You may only choose a Key that you have not already tried.
+(177) You must choose whether to keep the individual buds or to mix potions from them. You may not do both.
+(186) You may only choose a Key that you have not already tried.
+(190) There is no choice that leads to this section of the book. This appears to be an oversight which is not easily correctable.
+(197) You may only choose a Key that you have not already tried.
+(231) Remember that you may only use those Keys you possess.
+(240) You may keep any Keys that you have already noted on your Action Chart. You may also keep any Keys that you have not used&emdash;which might be the Eagle Key, the Wolf Key, the Spider Key and/or the Dragon Key. List all Keys to the Crystal Tower as a single Backpack Item on your Action Chart (noting which Keys are included). If you do not want to carry the Keys in your Backpack, you can let Tanith carry them, but you must then note down that you cannot access them if Tanith is not with you.
+(242) You may only choose a Key that you have not already tried.
+(252) You may only choose a Key that you have not already tried.
+(278) If you left your Backpack in the Ethetron, you now regain access to it and all of the items therein.
+(287) You may only choose a Key that you have not already tried.
+(305) If you choose to keep them, note the Coins and a maximum of one Medallion as Special Items on your Action Chart. If you choose to keep more than one Medallion, the rest must be carried in your Backpack where they take up one space each.
+(344) Make a note on your Action Chart that you have left your Backpack and all Backpack Items in the Ethetron. You will not have access to them again until you return to the Ethetron.
@@ -4825,6 +5257,26 @@ Initial revision