The Stolen Ones

## Event

*You linger near a fort in the abandoned docks of the great City.*

*Malaclypse sidles out of an alley and strokes his mustache. "Well, coin-slave, the Empire has the stolen mage children hidden away in there."*

*"Now, I'm not fond of children, as you well know..."*

*You recall a time when Malaclypse was asked to relinquish his last sweet roll to a crying child. He refused.*

*"...but Ira won't give me the cure if we don't rescue them."*

*He outlines the plan to you. It is worryingly brief.*

*"These forts are all interconnected - so even if we defeat one lot of guards, they're bound to call reinforcements. We'll have to get in and out quick."*

**Defeat 2 Steel Monster Cards within 60 seconds.**

**The Dealer draws 2 Steel Monster Cards.**

*"OK, got it?" Malaclypse has drawn a helpful diagram in the dirt. The self-portrait is particularly generous.*

1) Find a way in.

**Chance Cards Gambit** (1 Success, 1 Failure, 2 Huge Failure)
Success
*Hidden beneath a pile of refuse you find a grate that leads, presumably, under the fort.*
*Without considering your wishes, Malaclypse wedges the grate open and descends into the gloom.*
*You follow suit, as you don't quite trust him on his own.*
*The rough stone walls of the narrow passageway grate against your skin as you feel your way through the sewers. You stumble blindly into Malaclypse and clumsily plunge into the water.*
*The commotion rouses a group of corrupted creatures taking refuge in the sewers. They don't take kindly to your intrusion.*
**The Dealer draws 1 Blight Monster Card.**
**The player enters combat with the Blight Monsters.**
*The final monstrosity falls, gurgling. Malaclypse gazes at the bodies with a troubled look on his face. "This one is wearing a necklace - looks like a family heirloom."*
*The bard, usually fond of looting and stealing, doesn't allow you to touch the necklace.*
*You peer up at the access tunnel. It is set too high into the wall, you won't be able to go back that way.*
A) Find a way out.
**Chance Cards Gambit** (1 Huge Success, 1 Success, 2 Huge Failure)
Huge Success
*While searching for the exit you find a sealed crate of honeyed toffees.*
1) Take the toffee
**The player draws a food gain card.**
*Malaclypse beckons you to a wrought-iron gate. "If I'm not mistaken - and I never am, how dare you question me - this will take us directly into the fort."*
2) Leave the sewer toffee.
(insert text here)
Success
(insert text here)
Huge Failure
*You trip on a damp chair and fall into a pile of loose barrels. The noise clatters loudly through the sewers - is somebody living here?*
*Immediately, a shout comes from above, "The rats are back again!"*
*"What's that?" another soldier yells.*
*"I said," the first replies, "I think those giant rats are in the sewer again. Call reinforcements from Fort Mournhold and get them to take a look at it. The useless twits never do anything anyway."*
**The Dealer draws another Steel Monster Card.**
*Malaclypse beckons you to a wrought-iron gate. "If I'm not mistaken - and I never am, how dare you question me - this will take us directly into the fort."*
*He allows you to go first.*
*You leave the moisture and murk of the sewers behind you.*
*You find yourself in a cellar - there are wine caskets, jars of pickled vegetables and a sizeable iron cage wreathed in pulsing light.*
*Within the cage the missing mage children huddle, unsure of your intentions.*
*Malaclypse reaches for the heavy lock upon the cage's gate - it sizzles, and he drops it quickly. "By Freyda's skirts, that burns."*
*He presses a long metal implement into your hand and steps back. You tentatively touch the lock - it doesn't burn you.*
*You attempt to pick the lock.*
**Precision Gambit** (1 tiny moving Huge Success, 1 large stationary Success, 2 large moving Huge Failure)
Huge Success
*With a click, the lock pops open and clatters to the floor.*
*Malaclypse shouts triumphantly and swings the door open.*
*Shaking, one of the older children pipes up, "Excuse me?"*
*Malaclypse crosses his arms at the lack of applause.*
*The girl continues, eyes wide with fear. "I can enchant the scouts with a spell of befuddlement."*
*Malaclypse nods. "That will buy us some time."*
*The child pulls out a small, worn notebook. She draws from its power.*
(+30 seconds on timer)
Success
*With a click, the lock pops open and clatters to the floor.*
*"OK, children," Malaclypse awkwardly pats one on the head. "Your mother and I are going to go kill the bad men. You stay here. Unless we die, in which case you're on your own.*
*The children nod, numb with terror.*
*You sneak up the stairs and survey the scene before you. The soldiers mill about the fort's courtyard...*
*Malaclypse draws his spellbook. "I have an incantation that will covertly teleport a few soldiers away from here, potentially to their deaths, but I'll require some of your blood."*
1) Let Malaclypse do his blood magic.
**The player draws a Max Life Pain Card.**
*Your blood drips onto the rune-lined page.*
**Wheel Gambit** (All Drawn Steel Monsters, 2 Failure, 3 Huge Failure)
Steel Monster
*Shadows envelope a group of soldiers patrolling near the wall. They tumble to the ground before vanishing from sight.*
**The Dealer discards a Steel Monster Card.**
Failure
(insert text here)
Huge Failure
(insert text here)
2) Fight the soldiers.
*You stride into the courtyard and draw your weapon.*
*Shouts of "intruder!" echo around the fort.*
**The player enters Combat with all remaining Steel Monster Cards. (60 second timer)**
*"Not bad, all told," Malaclypse states anti-climatically. "I'll go fetch our little bundles of joy, shall I?"*
*The bard comes striding up the stairs, plucking his lute, the frightened mage children following behind.*
**The player gains this card's token.**
*"Now, onward children!" Malaclypse covertly leads the children onto a covered barge by the docks. "Onward, to your new home with the Madmen of Forstford."*
*The children glance at you in alarm as they meekly duck into the boat.*
**The player gains 4 Fame.**
**Encounter ends.**

3) Ask why he needs your blood.
*"Ah, these are spells I rarely use. I'll need blood magic to be able to perform them."*
*The bard notes your raised eyebrow and clutches his arm defensively. "Not me! I'm a gentle flower! Besides, look at you, you're simply bursting with blood."*
Failure
(insert text here)
Huge Failure
(insert text here)
B) Explore the sewers.
**Chance Cards Gambit** (1 Huge Success, 2 Success, 1 Failure)
Huge Success
*A rope hangs from a hole in the ceiling.*
1) Pull the rope.
*You tug the rope and an Empire soldier tumbles through the hole and lands at your feet.*
*The soldier manages a surprised "What-" before Malaclypse clubs him with his lute.*
**The Dealer discards 1 Steel Monster Card.**
(Continue with "Find a way out.")
2) Climb the rope.
*You leap onto the rope and it immediately releases, falling into a coil at your feet.*
*Malaclypse makes tutting noises. "You're not very clever, are you?"*
(Continue with "Find a way out.")
Success
(insert text here)
Failure
(insert text here)
Failure
(insert text here)
Huge Failure
(insert text here)
2) Ask about the plan again.

*Malaclypse sighs dramatically. "We want to find where these mage children are. Then we'll have to fight our way out - quickly."*
3) Ask why the Empire would kidnap mage children.

*"We're evidence that the Old World ever existed - and they don't like that."*
## Token Unlocks

*For rescuing the mage children...*

The Madmen