From TES issue 5 (December 1996)
SERIES 5
QUEST : The Sword of Freedom
DUNGEONEER : Duncan SalesGUIDERS : Ian Healy, Deborah Healy, Richard Thomas

Level one : Perhaps it was to be an omen, but the team's best moment came in their introduction ! Both Deborah and Richard gave their names, and barely spoke again ! From this point Ian guides Duncan virtually alone...Like many quests in series 5, the first room for the team comprised of Smirkenorff's back ! As they fly through the skies, Treguard points out that they are heading for Wolfenden - so far, so good !

Upon landing, Duncan found himself at the beginning of a small group of old-fashioned houses, amongst which lay a table bearing the clue objects for level one. The scroll said "First purchase the key, then find the lock" - a clue to help them decide between a helmet, a bag of silver, a candle, and a knife - as well as the customary food. Armed with the silver and the candle, Duncan moved on. Next, Duncan barters with Julius Scaramonger, and successfully swaps the silver for a key worn around Julius' neck !

In a small tavern, Duncan used a spyglass, through which he could see Lord Fear cursing Scaramonger for selling the key. He orders him to chase Duncan, and get it back - giving him the password 'IMBECILE'.
Further challenges see Duncan using the candle to escape a blacked-out room, using IMBECILE to pass the blocker, and also encountering Elita - freeing her from a locked chest. In return she gives the spell SESAME ! A long eye shield section leads Duncan to the gatetower. The Gatemaster saves them from Sylvester Hands, and allows them to use the [descender]. The SESAME spell opens the gate. A scroll on the elevator floor reads "Seven down, call HALT". Sadly, Duncan fails to pluck up the courage to call halt when he is told by Ian, and eventually does so at a point far more than seven floors down ! Their punishment for this was severe to say the least ! Duncan was immediately placed into the corridor of blades, where he was ruthlessly sliced in an instant....a blood-filled departure, for a rather poor team I'm afraid !
With guidance from Ian alone, an unresponsive dungeoneer, and no teamwork, an early exit was tragically inevitable. Not a 'classic' quest, but memorably bad ! To the scores !!

SUMMARY: A very poor team - a one-man band, poor planning, no confidence. Maybe it was nerves, but it was a poor showing. 2 out of 10.

LEVEL REACHED : Level One

ROOM COUNT: 10 Rooms

Written by and submitted with the kind permission of Paul McIntosh.

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Next team: Team 7 of Series 5]

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