The Gaming Den

You set off again, picking a path through the thick undergrowth, wondering what other strange things you might discover on the creepy island. It’s not long before you find out. An unpleasant smell suddenly fills your nostrils — a foul stench like rotten eggs. There is a strange mound in front of you, something that resembles a huge lump of green wax. Suddenly it moves, rising up slowly on its trunklike legs. It is a huge creature with an enormous oval head and tiny sunken eyes, two small holes for a nose, and a gaping fanged mouth from which drool dribbles down its multilayered chin. It is covered with open sores which ooze thick, yellow pus which trickles down its bloated body like melting candle wax. A swarm of flies buzzes around the creature, landing on it to feed on its stinking excretions. The creature’s noxious smell makes you light-headed and you start to feel dizzy. Do you want to stand your ground and fight the DECAYER or would you rather flee?

Queen of Swords wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 27, 2023 1:21 pm

Do we need a magic weapon or something similar to fight Decayers?

The Decayer spits at you as you run past it. Test Your Luck

A thick glob of drool flies past your head, just missing you. You do not stop to look back and you run through the undergrowth as fast as you can.

You reach the east side of the island in less than an hour, emerging from the undergrowth on to a rocky open area which ends at the edge of a cliff. There is a beach below and you notice a cave entrance at the base of the cliff. There are some rough stone steps leading down to the beach. Do you want to walk down the steps and enter the cave, or would you rather wait to see if there is any sign of life inside the cave?

You are about two-thirds of the way down the side of the cliff when one of the steps comes loose underfoot. Test Your Luck.

You manage to steady yourself and watch the loose step roll down the cliff face on to the beach below. You tread carefully the rest of the way down, reach the beach without further mishap and walk over to the cave entrance.

You peer inside the gloomy cave and see a coil of rope hanging on a rusty iron peg just inside the entrance. You look up and see hundreds of black bats hanging upside down from the ceiling. There isn’t much light, just enough to see what looks like a small wooden cupboard mounted on the wall at the back of the cave. Do you want to take the rope or would you rather walk over to the cupboard at the back of the cave?

The cupboard door is slightly ajar. You open it further with the tip of your sword and see a crimson-glazed clay pot with a cracked lid. Do you want to lift the lid off the pot or would you rather not touch the pot and instead look around the cave?

You lift the lid to find a small iron key with the number 44 stamped on it. You see it is a skeleton key which will open most locks. Add 1 LUCK point. Pleased with your find, you pocket the key and look around the cave.

There is a pile of stones in a dark recess in the cave wall. You remove the top layer and uncover a wooden chest with ornate brass hinges. You pick up the chest and carry it over to the mouth of the cave to examine it in the daylight. The lid is inlaid with a skull-and-crossbones motif made of mother-of-pearl. The chest does not appear to be locked. Do you want to open the chest or would you rather scour the beach?

You hear a faint click when you lift up the lid. You flinch, half expecting a poison dart to shoot out, but nothing happens. Inside the chest you find a leather purse tied shut, and a small silver box. Will you:

Open the leather purse?
Open the silver box?
Close the chest and scour the beach?