From
TES issue 33 (May 2005)
Series 3/4.
Level 1/2/3.
SPECTRAL WEAPONRY.
The haunted
swords and axes were threats to
life force. They were introduced into the
Dungeons of series 3, and could be found throughout the levels, sometimes under the control of characters, but mostly freelancing. The flashing see-through weaponry was obviously inhabited by some kind of evil spirit, which fed on life force to survive.
The haunted axe made three brief appearances in series three, but it proved to be far from ineffective. After chasing
Leo down the
wellway to level two, it made contact with him and severely damaged his life force in the chamber with a [
giant foot] behind the doors. The haunted axe reappeared in Ross's quest, under the control of
Morghanna in level three, and this time it was double-headed! The menacing
haunting was a big factor in Ross's death, as its presence unnerved the advisors and forced the error of guiding Ross one step too far, off the precarious path.
By far the more common haunted weapon, however, was the haunted sword. It had dozens of appearances in series 3, rising out of a pool of water, guarding an item of
food, hanging around the
Cavern Range in the hope of picking off a
dungeoneer or two, or even manifesting in answer to a spell cast by Leo to scare off
Hordriss! The haunted sword even bagged itself a victim - Cliff, the second dungeoneer of the series. Having cast a spell to subdue McGrew, the team should have shown mercy and
dispelled their magic straightaway, earning
McGrew's allegiance. As it was, however, Cliff was left stranded in the
minecart chamber with no friendly Scottish claymore to save him from the malignant haunted sword, which soon brought an end to the quest.
The haunted sword was back for a brief appearance in
series 4, when it was used by Mogdred to attack Helen II. Quick counteraction was required and, as the team failed to cast the right
spell in this situation, the haunted sword actually managed to bag itself a second victim. Not bad work!
Fear Factor: 6 Incorporeal, but a very real threat.
Killer Instinct: 9 Bye-bye, Cliff, Ross and Helen!
Gore Factor: 0 Not in the least gory in themselves, really.
Humanity: 0 Possessed by a spirit, maybe even sentient, but not human.
