Ghostwood

Ghostwood is a Quest for the Chronicles of Arax solo adventure game. It is a two-part Quest; the first part takes
place within the Ghostwood forest itself, while the second takes place beneath Ghostwood.

Standing outside the forest gives you an eerie feeling; after all, the name Ghostwood is well earned. Rumours of
spirits and undead haunting the woodlands before you are well known throughout Arax and people avoid the area
like the plague. Unfortunately you do not have that luxury.
You have been charged with the responsibility of tracking down the legendary Thunderhammer, a dwarven weapon
of great power. It was stolen from the dwarfs of Valijr Keep a little over a week ago but a dwarf-turned-traitor
named Brok. The once respected warrior fled with the Thunderhammer to the west, and you have managed to track
him to the edge of Ghostwood.
He must have been desperate to escape to have entered the forest, you reason to yourself; either that or Brok was
insane. His reasons for stealing the weapon are still unknown at this point, though bribery or outside influence are
suspected.
You take a deep breath and prepare to enter Ghostwood. You have a really bad feeling about this, but the dwarfs are
paying you good money; that overrides your fear of what you may find so, drawing your weapon, you begin your
trek into the forest.

Part One - Ghostwood

The first part of this Quest takes place in the forest
of Ghostwood. If you have a horse or a war horse,
add an additional +2 to your roll when rolling for
Encounters. This only applies in Part One - you will
have to leave your horse in Part Two and so cannot
claim any bonuses.
Once you complete Encounter 20, move on to Part
Two.

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1 - ABANDONED VILLAGE
The buildings of this village, now crumbling and rotting,
were abandoned some time ago. The buildings are falling
apart and a quick inspection proves that there is very little
to see here.
Make a Perception Test (4+). If you pass, you find 1
d4 bandages that are still usable.
2 - BEAR
You hear the bear well before you see it. As you draw your
weapon it comes into view, crashing through the trees.
You must fight it.
Bear (Fighting Skill: d6; Damage: d8; Armour: d8; 7
Wounds).

5 - GOBLINS
From out of nowhere three goblins appear, startling you.
By the expressions on their face they werent expecting you,
either. What are goblins doing in a haunted wood?
You will have to fight them, one at a time.
Goblin #1 (Fighting Skill: d4; Damage: d6; Armour: d6; 3
Wounds)
Goblin #2 (Fighting Skill: d4; Damage: d6; Armour: d6; 3
Wounds)
Goblin #3 (Fighting Skill: d4; Damage: d6; Armour: d6; 3
Wounds)
If you beat them you find three daggers and 2 d6
coins.
6 - TREEHOUSE

3 - PILE OF BONES
The trail you are following winds through the trees. Up
ahead, you van see a pile of bones littering the path.
The bones are human; there is no doubting that. You
may take them if you wish.
4 - ANCIENT RUINS
The trail leads you to the remains of a ruined building. Its
ancient stone walls and ceiling have crumbled, leaving
nothing but a pile of rubble.
You can explore the ruins if you wish, but there is a
chance you will be crushed by some falling rubble. If
you explore, roll 1 d6: on 1-2 you lose 1 d4 Wounds
when a wall collapses on you.
Then make a Knowledge Test (4+). If you fail, there
is nothing more you can do here; continue with the
next Encounter. If you pass, you realize that some of
the inscriptions on the stone are religious in nature.
You can offer a few prayers and restore 1 d6
Wounds.

You push through a dense bit of brush and emerge into a

clearing. On the other side you see a rope ladder that leads
up into a treehouse. This strikes you as one of the oddest
things you have seen since entering Ghostwood.
There is a staff (+1 damage, cannot be used with a
shield) and 1 d4 bandages in the treehouse.
7 - DEAD MAN
The body of a man lies on the trail ahead, his throat ripped
out by what seems to be some sort of animal; his manner of
death doesnt seem to be something a ghost or spirit would
do.
Do you want to search the mans body? If so, you
find 1 d6 coins and a bow.
Now make an Endurance Test (4+); the man had a
contagious disease, and if you fail, you now catch it.
You must reduce the total of any Tests you make for
the rest of this Quest by -1.
8 - ARROWS
Without warning a flight of arrows arcs towards you from
out of the trees. You duck as quickly as you can.

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Roll 1 d6 and add 2. Now, roll your Endurance and

add your armour bonus, if any. Subtract the second
roll from the first roll to see how many Wounds you
lose from the arrows.
9 - SNARE TRAP
Just your luck: you have stepped into a snare trap!
Make a Reflexes Test (4+). If you pass, you manage
to avoid it at the last minute. If you fail, you get
strung upside down in a tree. You manage to cut
yourself down, but lose 1 Wound when you hit the
ground.
10 - EERIE LIGHTS
Up ahead, you see some lights through the brush. As you
watch, they seem to move and dance with an unearthly
grace. They are enchanting in their beauty, mesmerizing...
Make a Magic Skill Test (4+). If you pass, you do
not become entranced by the lights. If you fail, you
follow the lights but they always seem to be just out
of reach. By the time you stop, you have become
lost. When you roll for Encounters, deduct -3 from
the roll.

12 - THINGS THAT GO BUMP

You set up camp for the night, building a small fire to keep
yourself warm. You have just drifted off to sleep when you
hear noises in the bushes. You try to make out what might
be causing them, but you cannot see anything. The noises
continue all night, never letting up, but every time you try
to investigate them you find nothing.
Make an Endurance Test (3+). If you fail, you lose 1
Wound due to fatigue from lack of sleep. If you pass,
continue with the next Encounter.
13 - RIVER CROSSING
The trail you are on ends at a fast-flowing river.
Unfortunately there does not seem to be away across other
than to swim.
You can choose to swim across or look for another
crossing. If you swim, make a Strength Test (4+). If
you pass you make it across; continue with the next
Encounter. If you fail, you lose 1 d4 Wounds as you
are dashed against some rocks, but you make it
across.
If you look for another crossing, it takes some time
to find one. When you roll for Encounters, deduct -2
from the roll.

11 - GIANT SPIDER
You enter a rather dense area of the forest. The trees grow
quite close together and the undergrowth is thick with
tangling vines and thorn bushes. Suddenly a crashing sound
comes from behind you. Turning, you see that you are
being attacked by a giant spider!
You do not have a choice: you must fight.
Giant spider (Fighting Skill: d6; Damage: d6; Armour:
d6; 3 Wounds)
The spider is venomous; any damage it inflicts is
doubled.
If you beat it, you may attempt to get some of its
venom. If you do, make a Knowledge Test (4+). If
you pass, any damage your weapon deals for the rest
of the Quest is doubled. If you fail, you accidentally
poison yourself (lose 1 d6 Wounds).

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14 - AMBUSHED!
A sudden movement out of the corner of your eye alerts
you to danger moments before you are attacked. Humanoid
figures, dressed in head-to-toe in white robes, silently attack
you.
You do not have time to use a missile weapon in this
Encounter. Fight them as one enemy:
Hooded Ones (Fighting Skill: d6+2; Damage: d6+1;
Armour: d6; 6 Wounds)
If you beat them, you find 2 d6 coins and three short
swords (+1 damage bonus) that you may take. You
also take off their white robes and find them to be
humans. What are humans doing dressed as ghosts
in the forest?

15 - CAVE
You find a small cave hidden in a low hill side. It is dark
within, and there seems to be some sort of scratching noise
coming from within.
You can explore the cave if you have a lantern,
though you do not have to. If you do though:
Your light allows you to see the insides of this dim cave.
Although the opening is small, the cave quickly opens into
a much larger chamber. The source of the scratching is a
cave drake, a brown-scaled smaller version of a dragon.
You will have to fight it.
Cave drake (Fighting Skill: d6; Damage: d8; Armour:
d8+2; 6 Wounds)
If you beat it, you explore the cave and find 2 d6
coins and may make one roll on the Artifacts and
Relics table.

You have to now climb out. Make a Strength Test

(4+). If you pass, you manage to climb out. If you
fail, you lose 1 Wound and must try to climb out
again.
18 - WITCH

16 - SURROUNDED!
A voice from somewhere off to your right suddenly calls
out to you. Stranger... it begins in an eerie tone, You are
surrounded. Turn back or face our wrath....
You can choose to turn back (this counts as escaping
from the Encounter, in which case continue with the
next Encounter) or you may choose to challenge
them. If you challenge them, a volley of arrows flies
towards you.
Roll 1 d6 and add 2. Now, roll your Endurance and
add your armour bonus, if any. Subtract the second
roll from the first roll to see how many Wounds you
lose from the arrows.
However, you have the chance to now track your
attackers. Make a Perception Test (4+). If you pass
you may, if you wish, choose to head straight to
Encounter 20.

The trail ended about fifteen minutes ago, and since then
you have been cutting your way through the undergrowth.
The scrub suddenly clears and you find yourself outside a
hut.
You can escape this Encounter; continue with the
next one. If you investigate the hut:
The hut is littered with weird items such as parts of
animals, jars of liquid, bones and other assorted things. It is
also home to a witch, who doesnt like having intruders!
You will have to fight. However, the witch will be
trying to curse you. At the start of each turn of the
battle, make a Magic Test (4+). If you fail, the witch
curses you, which reduces one of your characteristic
scores to d4. Roll 1 d8 to determine which
characteristic is affected:
d8

Characteristic

17 - HIDDEN TRAP

Fighting Skill

The ground suddenly falls away beneath you, plunging you

into a well hidden and deep hunters pit!

Magic Skill

Strength

Reflexes

Make a Reflexes Test (4+). If you pass, you manage

to avoid the trap. If you fail, lose 1 d6 Wounds.
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Endurance

Knowledge

Charm

Perception

Suddenly rough hands grab you from behind and push you
to the ground; you have been caught! Three of the bandits
have snuck up behind you while you were intently watching
the camp. They drag you into the camp, and one man, a
tallish man wearing green and brown garb, and sporting a
small mustache, approaches you.

This curse lasts for 1 d6 Encounters.

Witch (Fighting Skill: d4; Damage: d6; Armour: d6; 3
Wounds)
If you win, you may make one roll on the Artifacts
and Relics table.
19 - BROK
Up ahead, you notice some feet sticking out of a bush.
Approaching cautiously, you investigate to find it is the
dead body of a dwarf. Based on the description you were
given by the dwarfs of Valijr Keep, this is Brok, thief of
the Thunderhammer.
You search the body and the surrounding area, but
there is no sign of the legendary Thunderhammer.
Make a Perception Test (4+). If you pass, you find 1
d6 coins hidden in his boot.
20 - CAMP
The sound of shouting up ahead alerts you to he presence of
a group of men. Silently, you creep forward, though you are
sure you wouldnt be heard over the sounds of the arguing.
Minutes later you are looking out at a camp full of men bandits, most likely. The perplexing thing is what a group
of bandits are doing in a haunted wood?

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Well, what do we have hear, eh? he laughs. A little Hero

come to rescue his precious hammer? Your eyes betray
your interest in the hammer, a fact the bandit leader doesnt
fail to notice.
Thats it, isnt it! he laughs, and his men laugh along with
him. Then suddenly he turns serious. Well, its not here. It
was stolen from us, just like we stole it from the dwarf.
He pauses as he casts an appraising eye over you. But, you
might be able to help us, if you want any chance of leaving
our haunted wood alive.
Im listening, you reply.
The hammer was stolen from us just last night, the bandit
continues. A war-party of goblins caught us by surprise,
may the Creator take their souls, he spits. The bastards
also took most of our gold, too. But you, you look like you
could handle yourself. A deal, then: you retrieve the gold
and the hammer; return the gold to us, and you can take the
hammer and well let you leave the forest alive. What say
you?
You really dont have a choice in the matter; if you
dont go along with their plan, you will be killed on
the spot.
Continue with part 2.

Part Two - Goblin Lair

It is now time to head into the goblin lair. The bandits lead you to the entrance, but tell you that from there, you
are on your own.
As you are now below ground, you cannot use a horse or war horse here. Any bonuses you have from them
(including the bonus on Encounter rolls from Part One) are now lost. You may regain your horse or war horse
if you complete this Quest.
Additionally, it is very dark within the lair and the only light comes from faintly luminescent fungi. If you do not
have a lantern, you must deduct -2 from all Encounter rolls (down to a minimum of 1) and also suffer a -1
penalty to all Tests.
Roll for Encounters by using 1 d6, adding +1 for each Encounter you pass through. In this part, and contrary to
normal rules, Encounters can happen more than once each.

1 - GUARDS
You enter the dark, damp tunnels that lead to the
underground lair of the goblins. Almost immediately you
are set upon by two goblins.
You will have to fight them, one at a time.
Goblin #1 (Fighting Skill: d4; Damage: d6; Armour: d6; 3
Wounds)
Goblin #2 (Fighting Skill: d4; Damage: d6; Armour: d6; 3
Wounds)
If you win you may take two daggers and 1 d6 coins.

3 - SHRINE
This cavern seems to be some sort of primitive shrine to the
foul goblin deities. Crude idols are placed in haphazard
fashion around the cave, and the place stinks of mould and
fungus.
You can search the area if you want. If you do, make
a Knowledge Test (4+). If you pass, you know that
to touch a goblin idol is to invoke a horrible curse. If
you fail, you trigger the curse, which causes you to
suffer a -1 penalty to your armour rolls until the end
of the quest.
Either way, you find 1 d6 coins and may make a roll
on the Artifacts and Relics table.

2 - MORE GUARDS
4 - FUNGAS CAVE
The tunnel winds further down into the earth when it
suddenly exits into a small cave. Within are two goblins,
their daggers glinting in the faint light.
You will have to fight them, one at a time.
Goblin #1 (Fighting Skill: d4; Damage: d6; Armour: d6; 3
Wounds)
Goblin #2 (Fighting Skill: d4; Damage: d6; Armour: d6; 3
Wounds)
If you win you may take two daggers and 1 d6 coins.

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You enter a cavern that is lit relatively brightly compared

to the rest of the cave system and you soon see why:
glowing fungus grows in great abundance here. A goblin is
on the far side of the cavern, licking the fungus on the
walls. After a few seconds he stands up and leaves by
another tunnel.
Do you want to try and lick the fungus? If so, roll a
d6.
d6

Result

Effect

1-3

Poison

Lose 1 d6 Wounds

4-6

Boon

Regain 1 d6 Wounds

5 - SHAMAN

7 - CAVE IN

You find yourself in a small cave littered with bones. A

goblin wearing a weird, feathered headdress adorned with
skulls sees you enter. He begins to chant at you in a strange
language while waving his staff at you.

The tunnel you are following is blocked by fallen rocks and

debris. A cave in has occurred here at some point and it is
preventing you from going on.

Roll 1 d6 to see what spell the shaman casts:

d6

Spell

Effect

1-2

Thunderclap
A great booming noise resounds in




your skull. Lose 1d6 Wounds.

3-4

Stench

The goblin summons a sickening

smell. You suffer a -1 penalty to
your Fighting Skill and Strength
rolls for this Encounter.

5-6

Poison blade

The shaman magically imbues his

staff with virulent poison. Any
damage the shaman does during
the battle is doubled.

Goblin shaman (Fighting Skill: d4; Damage: d6; Armour:

d6; 5 Wounds).
If you win, you may make one roll on the Artifacts
and Relics table.
6 - WARRIORS
From up ahead you can hear the faint sounds of goblins
talking in their strange language. Luckily there is a small
recess where you are and you are able to hide within it.
Moments later two goblins, armed with swords and dressed
in crude armour, come into sight.
You can leap out and fight them if you wish:
Goblin warrior #1: (Fighting Skill: d4; Damage: d6+2;
Armour: d6+1; 3 Wounds)
Goblin warrior #2: (Fighting Skill: d4; Damage: d6+2;
Armour: d6+1; 3 Wounds)
Otherwise you can try to remain hidden. In this
case, make a Reflexes Test (5+). If you pass, the
goblins pass by. If you fail, they notice you and you
have to fight them.
If you beat them, you may take two swords and 2 d6
coins.

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You will have to either backtrack (in which case,

start rolling for Encounters from scratch, adding +0
to your first roll) or try to dig through it. If you do
the latter, make a Strength Test (5+). If you pass,
you move enough rocks to continue. If you fail, you
not only fail to move any significant rocks, but also
cause another mini cave in! You lose 1 d6 Wounds
and then must backtrack.
8 - MUTANT
A strange, gurgling noise causes you to spin around. Behind
you , a goblin is approaching, but its appearance startles you.
It has two heads, and oozing boils and sores weep blood and
puss. It carries a spiked club which it waves about as it
rushes towards you.
You will have to fight it.
Goblin mutant (Fighting Skill: d4+1; Damage: d6+1;
Armour: d6; 4 Wounds)

9 - SPIDER CAVE
The tunnel you are following leads you to a cave covered in
spider webs. Everywhere you look you can see the sticky
strands. You can also see many spiders, most the size of
your head, crawling along the webs. A tunnel on the far side
makes you wonder whether you should risk entering the
cave.
Do you have a source of fire, such as a spell, lantern
or fireseed? If so, you can use it to burn the webs
and spiders (if you use an item, remove it from your
Equipment). You may then progress to the far
tunnel.
Otherwise, you will have to decide whether to risk
going through the cave and the webs. If you dont,
you will have to backtrack ((in which case, start
rolling for Encounters from scratch, adding +0 to
your first roll).
If you do choose to go through, make a Reflexes
Test (5+). If you pass, you make it through to the
other side without disturbing the webs or the
spiders.
If you fail, you get stuck in one of the webs! Make a
Strength Test (5+). If you pass, you break free, but
not before being bitten by spiders (lose 1 d6
Wounds). If you fail, you are bitten by the spiders
(losing 1 d6 Wounds again) and must continue
making Strength Tests until you pass (losing 1 d6
Wounds for every Strength Test you have to make).
When you make it to the tunnel on the other side of
the cave, you may continue immediately with
Encounter 10.
10 - HOBGOBLIN
Finally, you reach the end of your Quest. You enter a large
chamber furnished with skulls. A wooden throne is set up at
one end of the cave and upon sits the goblin leader, a

hobgoblin. In his hands is a magnificent war hammer, which

you recognize as the object of your Quest. Behind him sits
a sack of gold, which must be the bandits treasure.
The hobgoblin gets to his feet and yells something at
you in the goblin tongue. He raises the
Thunderhammer, which crackles with power, as he
advances towards you.
Hobgoblin (Fighting Skill: d6+1; Damage: d6+1; Armour:
d6+1; 5 Wounds)
If the hobgoblin hits you, you are stunned for the
next turn of battle, which means even if you hit on
that turn, you will deal no damage.
If you win, congratulations! You have completed the
Quest. But you now have a choice to make.
You can return the Thunderhammer to the dwarfs,
in which case they reward you with 50 coins for
your efforts. You can also return the gold to the
bandits, in which case they too reward you with 50
coins.
If you wish, though, you can keep the items (though
this is not very heroic). If you decide to keep the
Thunderhammer, it gives you both a +1 bonus to
your Fighting Skill and a +1 damage bonus. In
addition, any time you hit you automatically stun
your opponent, which means they deal no damage
on the next turn if they hit.
If you keep the gold, you find there is 200 coins
there.
However... if you keep either the Thunderhammer
or the gold, you only earn half the experience points
you normally would for this Quest. If you keep both
the Thunderhammer and the gold, you earn no
experience points for this Quest.
The choice is yours!

Chronicles of Arax is copyright Crystal Star Games, 2011. Written by Shane Garvey. All names and places are completely
fictional and are not meant to represent any location or person, living or dead.
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