From TES issue 50 (March 2008)
Series 2
Quest: The Shield.
Dungeoneer: Steven Worton.
Advisors: Mark, Paul and Chris.

Home town: Weston-Super-Mare.
Team score: 6 out of 10.

This was a bright, enthusiastic and fairly intelligent team, whose quest took place during the latter stages of series 2.
Level One: After pulling the lever at the Wheel of Fate, Steven has to avoid a giant spider (possibly Ariadne, looking rather smaller than usual) on a rocky ledge, before ending up in the Dungeon Kitchen with Folly. The jester demonstrates his culinary abilities (which don’t seem to be up to much) before giving Steven a couple of useful hints, as well as telling him the object of his quest. In the clue room, Igneous is on guard. The team scores two out of three, but the choice of objects does not prove to be very difficult, as Steven is able to pick up an amulet of invisibility, which certainly promises to prove useful, as well as a gauntlet with which to hold the magic talisman when he does not want to be invisible. These objects are put to use in the Troll’s chamber, where the hungry monster is completely confused and frustrated by Steven’s disappearing act. The advisors have to guide him carefully to the exit, checking his position every so often, which they manage with no problems. The magic of the amulet also impresses Mildread, whose chamber follows the Troll’s, and she tells Steven to exit through the left-hand door, as the right-hand leads to a mined chamber. The advisors decide not to trust Mildread, and take Steven through the right-hand door. As it turns out, there is actually a bomb on the other side, but goodness knows what worse horrors were waiting behind the left-hand door! Steven exits the room in plenty of time, and enters the chamber of the Lion's Head and the Lasers. He has time to pick up a loaf of bread and a key from the floor, abandoning the talisman and the glove as he does so, before the lasers start to crack the floor. Another speedy exit takes Steven to the wellway room. The Automatum clanks into the picture and chases Steven on his way to the well, which has a golden keyhole blocking it. (This is the only time in Knightmare that a wellway is literally locked in this way.) The key clears the well, allowing Steven to climb inside, and descend to level two.

Level Two: Steven lands right on top of Cedric! The mad monk is not pleased by this, and demands that Steven challenge him. Steven answers all three of Cedric’s riddles in lightning-quick time, with no help at all from his advisors. Cedric parts with a lot of useful information, namely the password and instructions to deal with Ariadne, as well as a spell called AVAUNT. Ariadne’s lair follows, where Steven is soon trapped by the spider’s webs. However, by whistling the French National Anthem, Steven is able to get rid of Ariadne and clear the webs from the doors! The clue room follows, where a cavern wraith is on guard. With a spectacular green flash, the AVAUNT spell gets rid of the malignant foe. Steven is then free to pick up a bar of gold from the table, as well as Casper the talking key. Steven next arrives in the Bridged Vale, where Gumboil is on guard. He is blind-drunk, but still manages to ask for the password. Steven tells it to him, and Gumboil tells him to pass, but Casper insults the drunken knight! Thinking that Steven rather than Casper is talking, Gumboil demands an apology and a token to show how sorry Steven is. Steven apologies and gives Gumboil the bar of gold, so he is allowed to pass after all. Merlin’s chamber follows, where Casper helps Steven to bend down and touch a glowing letter M on the floor. Merlin appears on his throne, and poses the team a riddle. Unfortunately, they are unable to answer this relatively easy but obscurely worded brainteaser about what an elephant ever forgets: ”An elephant forgets nothing, because an elephant never forgets!” – Merlin. Without Merlin’s magical aid, the quest is doomed. A quick trot across the Combat Chess board and through the Hall of Spears follows, but when Steven reaches the wellway room, the light source fades, Steven disappears and the quest is over. Treguard explains that without Merlin’s magic, there was no way for them to reach level three: ”Bad luck, Steven. As a dungeoneer you’re great at disappearing, but this time it’s once too often.” – Treguard.
Summary: This was a high-quality quest, and it was fun to watch. However, like so many quests, it failed for the want of one single riddle answer.

[Previous team: Team 11 of Series 2
Next team: Team 13 of Series 2]

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