






               CORNQUEST!

                 dozens

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   0                  you come across a
                      small   clearing,
   You  wake  up  in  in  the middle of
   the  comfort   of  which is a  small
   your  own bed, in  cottage  on  tall
   your  own   room.  wooden legs. Goto
   You   open   your  31.
   eyes to  see  the
   golden   sunlight  2
   come streaming in
   through your win-  You sneak up  be-
   dow. Golden  like  hind  a couple of
   ears of corn. You  the  old  aunties
   suddenly remember  and   drop   some
   what  day  it is.  eaves  on   them.
   It is the day  of  You   are   super
   the  Harvest Fes-  stealthy!    They
   tival! You  throw  are whisper argu-
   back   your   fa-  ing about whether
   vorite corn print  the  Corn  Mother
   bed  covers   and  has abandoned us,
   leap  out of bed.  and whether  that
   You've been look-  means  the  corn-
   ing  forward   to  beast will leave.
   this    day   all  Leave!  It  can't
   year, and you al-  leave!    Without
   ready  know   ex-  the    cornbeast,
   actly what you're  there will be no-
   going to wear. If  body  to  protect
   you wear a pretty  the fields! We'll
   corn  dress, goto  be  totally   de-
   38. If  you  wear  fenseless!   Goto
   rugged  corn  bib  27.
   overalls, goto to
   61.                3

   1                  You get out  your
                      trusty corn knife
   You   start    to  and  start slash-
   sneak    sneakily  ing  at  the  web
   around  the  web,  with     reckless
   and  do  so  suc-  abandon! The  gi-
   cessfully,    the  ant spider swoops
   spider  none  the  down  and  puts a
   wiser   to   your  quick   stop   to
   passage   through  such unsanctioned
   its  lair.   Good  buffoonery.   You
   job!   You   trek  are paralyzed and
   deeper and deeper  cocooned      and
   into the  forest,  don't  even  feel
   losing  track  of  it when the  spi-
   the  path  behind  der's  venom jel-
   you.   Eventually  lifies       your












   insides. THE END.  giant.  It  stops
                      playing its  dou-
   4                  ble   flute   and
                      turns  its   keen
   You  step off the  eyesight  in your
   worn   path   and  direction,  spot-
   push   your   way  ting    you   in-
   through     dense  stantly. It walks
   growth. Twigs and  across the  backs
   brambles   snatch  of  its  flock of
   at  your   ankles  clouds,  and   in
   and   elbows  and  just   a   couple
   brush  none   too  strides is  close
   gently    against  enough  to  pluck
   your cheeks.  One  you   from   your
   such brush of the  cloud.  You  grow
   cheek   is  espe-  dizzy as it lifts
   cially sticky and  you up to roughly
   grabby. You  swat  shoulder  height.
   at your cheek and  It  speaks softly
   your  hand  comes  but   its   voice
   away sticky.  You  still      booms,
   look  up and find  "What are you do-
   that   you   have  ing  here,  small
   nearly     walked  folk?"  Be direct
   right  smack  dab  and ask about the
   into  an enormous  Corn     Mother's
   messy spider web.  talisman:    goto
   It   spans   tree  30.   Be a little
   trunk   to   tree  sneaky and try to
   trunk, connecting  soften the  giant
   half   a    dozen  up   first:  goto
   large  trees in a  37.
   sloppy woven  ta-
   pestry.  Up above  6
   you,   a    large
   black  and yellow  When   you   look
   spider appears to  around,  when you
   be dozing.   Back  search your  mind
   to the path! Goto  and   your  feel-
   68.    Cautiously  ings,  you   know
   walk  around  the  the giant's story
   web, goto 1.  Get  to  be  true. The
   out   your   corn  crop dictates al-
   butter knife  and  most every  facet
   start hacking and  of   your   life:
   slashing! Goto 3.  where  to   live,
                      when   to  plant,
   5                  when to  harvest.
                      Working the earth
   You  jump  up and  is  back breaking
   wave  your   arms  work. It drives a
   over   head   and  wedge between you
   yell    at    the  and the crows and












   the  other  crea-  than stone. There
   tures        that  are  stories that
   threaten      the  the giants of old
   crop.  It tethers  used to  live  in
   you in place, for  great    floating
   the crops must be  castles. You won-
   tended  to.   De-  der  whether  you
   stroy  the talis-  could     collect
   man:   goto   50.  cloudstuff if you
   Return the talis-  had  the  giant's
   man  to  the vil-  shears..     Yes,
   lage: goto 51.     grab  them:  goto
                      64.  Let's not be
   7                  too  greedy  now:
                      60.
   You have  a  fan-
   tastic time play-  9
   ing   tag.  Three
   Fingered   Gerald  You tuck yourself
   plays   a  little  into a crevice in
   too  rough,  tag-  the rocks to  get
   ging   the  other  out  of the blis-
   kids too hard and  tering wind,  and
   knocking     them  wrap   your  arms
   over. But you are  around   yourself
   too    fast   for  for  warmth,  and
   Three    Fingered  wait.       Where
   Gerald.      They  there's  a  flock
   never catch  you.  of        clouds,
   You  all  have  a  there's   guaran-
   great  time,  and  teed  to   be   a
   then  you  decide  cloud    shepherd
   to scurry  along.  nearby.   Eventu-
   Goto 12.           ally. Against all
                      odds,  you  start
   8                  to doze off. Goto
                      46.
   You    grab   the
   steel  and  crawl  10
   out of the pouch.
   You  greedily eye  You   scoop   the
   the shears. Cloud  little  fella up!
   shepherds   alone  You  laugh   with
   are able to speak  delight   as   it
   the  language  of  flips  and  jumps
   clouds, and  pos-  and  rolls around
   sess  the ability  in your hand like
   to shear them and  a little  jumping
   harvest     their  bean!  It finally
   cloudstuff,   and  settles     down,
   to   shape    and  stands   up,  and
   harden the cloud-  points to a  spot
   stuff  into a ma-  at  the treeline,
   terial     harder  commanding    you












   forward      like  the plaza.  Every
   George Washington  year  during  the
   crossing      the  harvest, the vil-
   Delaware.     You  lage sets aside a
   shrug  and  start  portion  of   the
   walking  that di-  harvest  for  the
   rection, and  the  Corn Mother.  And
   whelp impatiently  on  the  night of
   hops down to lead  Harvest  Festival
   you forward. Goto  Eve,   the   Corn
   47.                Mother comes  and
                      takes  the offer-
   11                 ing, and  in  the
                      morning everybody
   The cloud is mov-  wakes    up   and
   ing  faster  than  there are lots of
   it  looked  like,  presents      and
   and your arm tugs  feasting      and
   painfully  in its  dancing! It's the
   socket   as   you  best! Goto 34.
   refuse  to let go
   and  are  dragged  13
   across  the  peak
   and then into the  You    eventually
   air. The trees of  find   your   way
   the  forest   far  back           to
   below look like a  Eerievale, to the
   miniature  paint-  woods, and to the
   ing as  you  haul  Corn     Mother's
   yourself  up  and  hut.  You  return
   grab      another  the  talisman  to
   handful of cloud-  her, and  she  is
   stuff.  Hand over  powers   are  re-
   hand, you clamber  stored. She  sum-
   scramble up  onto  mons   the   Corn
   the  top  of  the  Beast who  fights
   cloud.  You  roll  off    the   dire
   onto   your  back  crows, and  peace
   and try to  catch  is  restored. The
   your      breath.  corn     festival
   Eventually,  with  continues   every
   nothing  else  to  year as it always
   do,   and   quite  for the  rest  of
   comfortable  nes-  your   days,  and
   tled    in    the  for your children
   cloudstuff,   you  and  your   chil-
   drift   off    to  dren's  children.
   sleep. Goto 41.    In fact,  one  of
                      your   grandchil-
   12                 dren is about  to
                      awaken  right now
   You  run  through  on the morning of
   the  streets   of  the  corn  festi-
   Eerievale  toward  val.   They   are












   terribly excited.  the  year! If you
   Goto 0.            choose  to   play
                      tag,  goto  7. If
   14                 you  play   hide-
                      and-seek,    goto
   No.  You   should  32. If  you  play
   never  play  Lava  Lava     Monster,
   Monster. Go  back  goto 14.
   to 16.
                      17
   15
                      The  giant  tells
   You decide to try  you of an ancient
   to  get closer to  war  between  the
   the  clouds.  You  small folk  (you)
   climb   the  bald  and    the   corn
   rocky spire,  oc-  mother.  In  this
   casionally  slip-  story,  it  calls
   ping  and   back-  her   the   Maize
   sliding, but mak-  Witch.   And   in
   ing      progress  this  story,  she
   overall,      and  won  and enslaved
   eventually    you  the  small  folk,
   make  it  to  the  forcing them give
   top  of the spire  up their nomadic,
   at  the  top   of  hunter-gatherer
   Mount  Char.  The  ways  and instead
   living clouds are  live in villages,
   now so close that  where  they   are
   you  can   almost  cursed   to  ever
   reach   out   and  work  the   earth
   grab   them.   In  and   grow  corn.
   fact,  one drifts  The  Maize  Witch
   close   by    and  was  able to work
   you're   able  to  her  magic   such
   reach   out   and  that   the  small
   grab a fistful of  folk  forgot  the
   cloudstuff.  Goto  war, and were un-
   11.                able  to concieve
                      of themselves  as
   16                 enslaved by agri-
                      culture.  Indeed,
   You join  in  the  they      imagine
   games. A bunch of  themselves   mas-
   your  friends are  ters    of    the
   here: Three  Fin-  earth.  The giant
   gered Gerald, Ec-  tells  you   that
   centric    Kevin,  you  now know the
   Dale. Even  Stan-  truth:  that  the
   dard  Ed has come  corn   mother  is
   out to play! It's  your protector in
   the Harvest  Fes-  the same way that
   tival  after all!  a jailer protects
   The best  day  of  their   prisoner.












   It  gives you the  tall.   You   run
   talisman and  of-  away! Goto 56.
   fers   to  return
   you    to     the  21
   ground.    Return
   the  talisman  to  You   grab   your
   the  corn mother:  lucky  lapel  pin
   goto 13.   Accept  from  under  your
   the giant's story  pillow.   It   is
   as truth: goto 6.  small and pointy,
                      in the shape of a
   18                 corn  cob.  There
                      are  even  little
   "Insolent  little  ridges        and
   whelp." The  Corn  grooves  all over
   Mother  turns you  the pin  so  that
   into   fertilizer  it  feels like it
   for   her  crops.  has corn kernels!
   THE END.           Very  lucky   in-
                      deed.  You pin it
   19                 by  your  collar.
                      There, now you're
   You   leave   the  are   ready   for
   plaza   and   run  anything. ...Just
   down Corn  Street  to  be  sure  you
   through       the  also   slip  your
   Golden  Gate  out  lucky corn-shaped
   into  the fields.  rock  into   your
   Almost all of the  pocket.  Okay now
   corn   has   been  you're ready! You
   harvested already  run    to     the
   so you have clear  kitchen.     (You
   sight all the way  never go anywhere
   to   the   forest  at anything  less
   edge.   Unbeliev-  than a full run.)
   ing,   you   spin  Breakfast is corn
   around in circles  grits  and  corn-
   three times  just  bread.  You   eat
   to  be  sure it's  quickly. It's the
   true:  the  corn-  Harvest  Festival
   beast   is  gone.  after  all!   The
   You sink  to  the  best  day  of the
   ground   in   de-  year!   You   run
   spair. Goto 44.    outside  and down
                      the street,  away
   20                 from  your  house
                      at 144 Cobb Lane.
   The   dire   crow  There are a bunch
   caws  loudly  and  of  kids  playing
   beats  its  wings  games  out in the
   and   lunges   at  corn fields. They
   you,  its   razor  call  your  name,
   sharp   beak   as  and        you're
   long as  you  are  tempted  to  join












   them.   But   you  For a  price.  To
   also want  to  go  offer   the  crow
   see the goings on  your    favorite,
   down  at the corn  lucky  corn  pin,
   altar!  The altar  goto    22.    To
   can wait, time to  refuse, goto 33.
   play:  goto   16.
   Games   are   for  24
   stupid    babies!
   Time to visit the  You    tell   the
   altar! Goto 12.    whelp   to    get
                      lost.       Shoo!
   22                 Skedaddle,    you
                      rotten     little
   You  acquiesce to  crabapple!    You
   the  crow's   de-  gently  nudge the
   mands,  and pluck  corn  whelp  away
   your  lucky  corn  with  your  foot,
   pin   from   your  and  it   topples
   collar. You  hold  over. It jumps up
   it up so that the  and  pulls  out a
   light  glints off  long  thorn   and
   it, and the  crow  stabs  you in the
   scrutinizes   the  foot.  Ouch!  You
   shiny.  It  nods.  little    rascal!
   You  hold it out,  You bend down  to
   and the dire crow  scoop  the  whelp
   gently takes  the  up  and  give  it
   pin   from   your  what  for, but it
   hand.  Phew!   It  skitters away and
   lays down and ex-  scampers off  to-
   tends  a wing and  ward   the  tree-
   you climb up onto  line. Follow that
   its  back.   Soon  whelp! Your honor
   you   are  flying  demands it!  Goto
   through  the  air  47.
   toward      Mount
   Char. Goto 54.     25

   23                 You decide to not
                      push your luck by
   The   dire   crow  going  bushwhack-
   stares   at   you  ing in the under-
   with  its   black  growth.      Good
   alien   eye   and  thing, orienteer-
   then      clucks,  ing   was   never
   scratches  in the  your    strongest
   soil, and  crooks  activity  in Corn
   one  wing: it saw  Scouts.   Eventu-
   a flock of clouds  ally  you catch a
   grazing  at   the  whiff  of   fresh
   top    of   Mount  baked   bread  on
   Char,  and   will  the  breeze.  You
   take  you  there.  follow  the scent












   to a small clear-  disapprovingly.
   ing. The smell is  You pick yourself
   coming  from  the  up and dust your-
   chimney    of   a  self off, patting
   small  hut  stood  yourself    down.
   up    on   wooden  You straighten up
   legs. Goto 31.     your  lucky lapel
                      pin. You  squeeze
   26                 it  tight between
                      your fingers  and
   You  notice  some  squeeze your eyes
   movement   inside  shut.  Okay  this
   one of  the  eggs  is not  the  time
   through  its thin  to   panic  after
   translucent        all. This is  the
   shell.  You  lean  time for decisive
   in   to   take  a  action.   If  you
   closer look.  The  decide to go look
   shell  cracks and  for the cornbeast
   a hatchling  dire  goto 19.  If  you
   crow  bursts  out  go  home and hide
   and flies through  under  your   bed
   the air right to-  goto 62.
   ward  your  face!
   It  collides into  28
   you and you  both
   fall   over.   It  Shhhhh.  SHHHHHH.
   sits   on    your  Shhh. You  coddle
   chest    chirping  and  comfort  the
   pitifully     and  dire crow  hatch-
   flapping its tiny  ling  which,  al-
   wings.    Try  to  though  merely  a
   sooth and placate  couple of minutes
   it   before    it  old,  is  already
   wakes anybody up:  almost as big  as
   goto 28.  There's  you    are.   You
   no time! Grab the  stroke its feath-
   bird   and   run!  ers and  pat  its
   Goto 43.           beak    and    it
                      slowly calms down
   27                 and stops  making
                      a  fuss. It looks
   You  scream   and  at you and  cocks
   panic   and   run  its head and coos
   around in circles  softly.     Looks
   until  you   trip  like you  made  a
   and   fall  down.  friend!     Let's
   You have  dirtied  get out of  here.
   up  your  clothes  Goto 36.
   and  skinned  you
   knee.  One of the  30
   old       aunties
   nearby  clucks at  You  tell the gi-
   you                ant  about   your












   village  and  the  Corn Mother.  She
   corn  mother  and  stares at you in-
   the   dire  crow,  tensely, her thin
   and you ask if it  lips  pressed to-
   knows  where  the  gether    in    a
   talisman      is.  straight    line.
   "Yes, I have your  If you  cry  out,
   necklace,"    the  "What   the  hell
   shepherd says. "I  Corn Mother!  Why
   bought  it from a  did  you  abandon
   crow for a  small  us!"   goto   18.
   amount  of  wool.  You  drop to your
   Would you now buy  knee and kneel in
   it back from  me?  respect.    "Corn
   I  will  sell  it  Mother! How can I
   you. The price is  serve  you?" Goto
   that  you   shall  65.
   know  the  truth.
   Do  you  accept?"  32
   Accept  the trade
   offer:  goto  17.  You play hide and
   Refuse: goto 66.   seek. You are  so
                      good   at  hiding
   31                 that  the   other
                      kids  never  find
   You  approach the  you. You  eventu-
   hut. It smells of  ally   get  tired
   fresh       baked  and fall  asleep,
   bread,  and  your  but  not  for too
   stomach  rumbles.  long: your  snor-
   You  knock on the  ing wakes you up.
   door.   A   weak,  You   decide   to
   reedy  voice  in-  leave  and   seek
   side beckons  you  out other Harvest
   inside. You cross  Festival festivi-
   the threshold and  ties. Goto 12.
   see an old woman,
   as  tall as three  33
   humans,  and   as
   thin  as  a blade  "No  way,  Jose!"
   of   grass.   She  You shout at  the
   bends over almost  crow.  It  shrugs
   double  but still  flies away. Prob-
   takes  up  nearly  ably  to  go  de-
   all the space in-  stroy  Eerievale,
   side the hut. Her  your  home,   and
   fine  golden hair  all your friends.
   falls   in   cur-  You  retreat back
   tains,   covering  to  the  treeline
   most of her face.  and watch the gi-
   Though     you've  ant    groundhogs
   never   seen  her  scurry to and fro
   before, you  know  betwixt the  many
   this  is her: the  mounds. Goto 56.












   34                 dire  crow  eggs.
                      You back  out  of
   Eerievale's  five  the  hatchery and
   major  roads  all  descend    deeper
   converge  at  the  into   the   dire
   village    plaza:  crow warrens.  Up
   High,      Broad,  ahead   you  hear
   Church, Corn, and  one of the  giant
   Wine Streets. You  groundhogs  snuf-
   come  tearing  up  fling about,  and
   Broad Street at a  you  dart  down a
   full  sprint. The  narrow  branching
   closer you get to  tunnel  to  avoid
   the  plaza,   the  it.  Good   news:
   more  you get the  you  avoided  the
   feeling something  groundhog sentry.
   is   wrong.   The  Bad news: you re-
   decorations   are  treated  directly
   all up but nobody  into the chambers
   is   singing   or  of  a  very irate
   hollering      or  dire   crow.   It
   laughing or doing  pecks    you   to
   the  Corn  Chant.  pieces. THE END.
   Or  talking,  re-
   ally.  You arrive  36
   at the  Corn  Al-
   tar,   and   then  You backtrack  as
   gasp out loud and  quickly   and  as
   skid  to  a  stop  quietly   as   is
   before  it.   The  possible    while
   offering,     the  carrying /  drag-
   pile  of  ears of  ging  a baby dire
   corn,  is   still  crow.  Soon   you
   lying  on the al-  are  back  at the
   tar where it  was  entrance  to  the
   placed       last  warrens.  You ab-
   night! People are  scond  into   the
   milling    about,  night and back to
   whispering    and  the      relative
   casting    quick,  safety   of   the
   fearful   glances  treeline.    Well
   at  the   spurned  that was a  bust!
   corn.   Go check-  You   snuck  into
   out the  corn  at  the  warrens   to
   the  altar:  Goto  find   the   corn
   40.  Listen in on  talisman, but all
   some    of    the  you got was  this
   adults: Goto 2.    dumb  giant  baby
                      bird! Goto 45.
   35
                      37
   You wisely decide
   not    to    mess  You tell the  gi-
   around  with  the  ant  you were out












   cloud gazing! And  keen on trying to
   then  you   heard  steal   from  the
   its beautiful mu-  giant,  but   you
   sic! And you were  are hungry enough
   so captivated you  to   go   see  if
   just  had to know  there   are   any
   who could produce  bread  or  cheese
   such    melodies!  crumbs: goto 52.
   The shepherd nar-
   rows  its eyes at  40
   you. "I don't be-
   lieve  you.   Are  omg it's just ly-
   you   telling  me  ing  there!   Why
   the truth?"  Dou-  has    the   Corn
   ble down on  your  Mother   forsaken
   story:  goto  63.  us?  What does it
   Admit the  truth:  mean?  What  will
   goto 30.           we do? To go into
                      a  panic goto 27.
   38                 To  remain   calm
                      goto 58.
   You   slip  on  a
   lovely corn  pat-  41
   tern  dress. Yes,
   you look awesome.  Later,   just  as
   It  twirls   when  the sun  is  set-
   you  spin around.  ting,  you hear a
   And it has  pock-  mournful   sound:
   ets!   Which  re-  carried   by  the
   minds you... Goto  wind, the droning
   21.                melody of a  low,
                      sorrowful  double
   39                 flute. You sit up
                      and  look  around
   The  giant  herds  in  time  to  see
   the   clouds  for  the       clouds,
   hours upon  hours  stirred   by  the
   without      ever  music,  start  to
   noticing     you.  flock  toward its
   Eventually     it  source.  In   the
   stops  and  makes  distance  you can
   bedding  out of a  see it:  a  moun-
   bunch of  clouds.  tainous  shepherd
   It  eats  a crust  astride  a  large
   of bread and some  cloud, as tall as
   cheese, and  then  twelve  men,  its
   plays  softly  on  flute the size of
   its double  flute  a small tree. Its
   until   it  falls  shears  hang   at
   asleep.  This  is  its    side   and
   your chance to go  glint   in    the
   see if it has the  moonlight.     If
   talisman:    goto  you  try  to  get
   42.   You're  not  the       giant's












   attention goto 5.  the     hatchery.
   If you attempt to  Goto 36.
   hide from the gi-
   ant goto 57.       44

   42                 You   feel  some-
                      thing       brush
   You   sneak    up  against  your an-
   close  to the gi-  kle.   You   look
   ant. It  wears  a  down   to  see  a
   large   pouch  on  corn   whelp.   A
   its belt next  to  kernel  sprite. A
   its  shears.  You  sort   of   golem
   lift the flap and  made   of   dried
   peer inside. It's  kernels and  corn
   full of bread and  husk   tied   to-
   cheese and  flint  gether       with
   and  steel  and a  golden  cornsilk.
   tinderbox. And  a  There's only  one
   necklace       of  cornbeast  as far
   strung      glass  as anyone  knows.
   beads  resembling  But   there   are
   popcorn. The Corn  dozens  of  these
   Mother's   talis-  little    fellas.
   man!   You  crawl  This one is  paw-
   all the  way  in-  ing  and scratch-
   side the pouch to  ing at you.  Goto
   fetch  it.  Might  10  to  pick  the
   as  will  nick  a  little guy up. To
   few  more  things  tell the whelp to
   while      you're  scram goto 24.
   here:   goto   8.
   You got what  you  45
   came  for,  let's
   get out of  here:  You spend a  cou-
   goto 60.           ple  of days mop-
                      ing  around   the
   43                 woods next to the
                      warrens.  Because
   Argh,  there's no  of its dire  crow
   time for this un-  physiology,   the
   sanctioned   tom-  hatchling doubles
   foolery! You snap  in size and grows
   the  bird's  beak  its adult  feath-
   shut   with   one  ers,  and is soon
   hand,   and  awk-  attempting  short
   wardly  scoop  it  flights   on  its
   up with both arms  own.  You   spend
   (although    just  the nights curled
   freshly  hatched,  up  on  a  bit of
   it is already al-  cloudstuff  fluff
   most  as  big  as  that   came  with
   you   are!)   and  the    no-longer-
   drag  it  out  of  quite-so-small












   hatchling. On the  one, and separate
   twelfth day, Baby  again. Their bel-
   (What?  It needed  lies  flash  with
   a name!)  returns  lightning as they
   from   a   longer  posture   aggres-
   solo  flight  and  sively   at  each
   seems to abruptly  other.  A  couple
   make  up its mind  of  other  clouds
   about  something.  drift  by  watch-
   It    grabs   the  ing,  including a
   cloud  fluff   in  small     fluffly
   its   beak,   and  white  cloud that
   stoops  down  and  floats    nearby.
   extends  a  wing,  You    think   it
   inviting you onto  might  be  within
   its   back.   You  your  grasp.  You
   shrug  and  climb  reach out to grab
   aboard. And  then  it  and...   goto
   you   are  flying  11.
   through  the  air
   high   above  the  47
   ground! The  war-
   rens    and   the  The  treeline  is
   misty  lake  fall  thick  and  over-
   away   and  quite  grown.    Usually
   some time  later,  there's    hardly
   you   are  flying  any  way into the
   towards  a  moun-  woods unless  you
   tain   peak  that  can  find a small
   juts  up  out  of  game  trail.  Ex-
   the ground like a  cept now there is
   pole.   A   thick  a  rather  large,
   rolling  knot  of  perfectly   round
   thick      clouds  circular  opening
   gather around its  cut  through  the
   peak. Goto 54.     trees,    bushes,
                      grass, and vines.
   46                 A perfectly round
                      portal  into  the
   The   rumble   of  forbidden forest.
   thunder jolts you  Goto  62  to nope
   from sleep, what-  away  back  home.
   ever  dreams  you  To        venture
   were having scat-  through the weird
   tering. You  peer  round  hole  into
   from your crevice  the  forest, goto
   and  see two liv-  68.
   ing clouds fight-
   ing.  Both   dark  48
   and   heavy  with
   rain,    rumbling  The  Corn  Mother
   deeply.      They  draws  you toward
   crash  into  each  a  looking  glass
   other, merge into  hanging   in  the












   corner.  She  de-  component of  the
   scribes  for  you  language that the
   how to get to the  crow    scratches
   crows     warren,  out    on     the
   tracing  the path  ground.     After
   with   one   long  several     false
   talon  of  a fin-  starts  and  more
   ger.    As    she  than a couple em-
   speaks,  you  can  barrassing misun-
   almost  see   the  derstandings, you
   hazy path she de-  finally    under-
   scribes  for you.  stand   that  the
   The    mountains,  crow  traded  the
   the bog, the tall  talisman  to  one
   spruce. Her words  of   the    cloud
   become  a  hum as  shepherds  for  a
   the vision  fills  large  bundle  of
   your   head.  You  soft   cloudstuff
   pitch forward  as  for its hatchery.
   the looking glass  To return to  the
   widens   into   a  Corn   Mother  in
   glassy  lake  and  defeat, goto  18.
   you fall in. Goto  Ask the dire crow
   53.                how  to  find the
                      cloud   shepherd:
   49                 goto 23.

   The   dire   crow  50
   pins   you   down
   with   one  black  You  destroy  the
   shiny eye as  you  talisman, and the
   delicately broach  power  the   Corn
   the   subject  of  Mother  has  over
   the Corn Mother's  you and your vil-
   talisman.      It  lage.  The   dire
   blinks.   And  it  crows  do  arrive
   bobs  its   head.  and lay waste  to
   Yes,  it knows of  the  fields.  But
   the talisman  you  then they  leave.
   seek.   You  know  You   teach   and
   very little Crow.  preach the truth.
   It is a very com-  Some of the  vil-
   plex     language  lagers  return to
   with  verbal  and  the  forests   to
   somatic    compo-  hunt  and gather.
   nents  consisting  Others remain be-
   of caws,  clicks,  hind and tend the
   chirps,       and  earth, but  with-
   whirring;     and  out  the  rule of
   also   hops   and  any monocrop. The
   bobs and flapping  earth  heals  and
   of wings. Finally  its   bounty   is
   there is a  rudi-  varied and  plen-
   mentary   written  tiful. THE END.












   51                 misty lake.  It's
                      hard    to    see
   You can no longer  through the  fog,
   take part in this  but  you swim to-
   life    yourself.  ward   what   you
   You  will  be   a  think    is   the
   slave   no  more.  closest bank  and
   But  you   cannot  crawl up onto the
   free   those  who  muddy  grass. Af-
   will  not   allow  ter   you   catch
   themselves  to be  your  breath, you
   free. You  return  look  around  and
   the  talisman  to  recognize   where
   the  village  and  you are from  the
   give   them   the  Corn Mother's di-
   choice.  In   the  rections. The sun
   meantime      you  is  a  pale white
   teach and preach,  disc, barely able
   and gather a fol-  to penetrate  the
   lowing.  And  you  heavy clouds. You
   part  ways, leav-  walk   away  from
   ing the  village,  the lake  towards
   never  to return.  the crow warrens.
   THE END.           Goto 59.

   52                 54

   You   sneak    up  As you get closer
   close    to   the  you   can  see  a
   shepherd      and  flock  of  living
   search the clouds  clouds    grazing
   for  any  crumbs.  around the  moun-
   You  find  a  few  tain  peak.  They
   hunks   of  bread  look like they've
   and  cheese   the  been sheared rel-
   size of your fist  atively recently,
   and  are  able to  and  look  rather
   eat until  you're  docile at the mo-
   full.   Then  you  ment. So it's not
   sneak   back   to  likely that there
   your   cloud  and  will    be    any
   burrow down  deep  storms  any  time
   inside  and  wait  soon.   The  dire
   until  the  giant  crow lands on the
   wakes  up... goto  peak and you dis-
   39.                mount.  It   bobs
                      its  head  at you
   53                 twice  and   then
                      leaves  you.  The
   You kick, and the  wind is screaming
   frigid air  burns  up  here.  It  is
   your  lungs  when  barren  and cold,
   you   break   the  and  there's   no
   surface   of  the  corn    ANYWHERE.












   The  clouds  roll  eventually  creep
   around  lazily in  into a large room
   the air currents.  insulated    with
   Try to get closer  cloud      stuff.
   to  the   clouds:  There   are  dire
   goto 15. Wait and  crow   eggs   all
   see  if the cloud  over  the  floor.
   shepherd    shows  There  is  nobody
   up: goto 9.        around.  To check
                      out   the   eggs,
   55                 goto 26.   Better
                      leave  those eggs
   You    wait   and  alone! Goto 35.
   watch as the  gi-
   ant       rodents  57
   scurry    around,
   digging  and  la-  That thing is the
   boring.  After  a  size of  a  small
   while of observa-  mountain!    What
   tion,  you notice  were you thinking
   a pattern in  the  trying? You  make
   rotation  of  the  yourself    small
   rodents, and  are  and sink into the
   confident    that  soft       fluffy
   you can  approach  cloudstuff    and
   now without being  hide   from   the
   seen. Goto 56.     shepherd's  gaze.
                      Goto 39.
   56
                      58
   You  wait and ap-
   proach  the  war-  Okay   you    got
   rens   under  the  this. Take a cou-
   cover  of   dark-  ple    of    deep
   ness.   You  hear  breaths.    There
   nary a peep  from  you    go.   This
   giant  rodent nor  doesn't necessar-
   dire crow as  you  ily mean that the
   sneak  up  to the  Corn  Mother  has
   looming  entrance  turned  her  back
   to   one  of  the  on Eerievale. She
   warrens.      You  probably   hasn't
   check   to   make  withdrawn     her
   sure the coast is  protection   from
   clear  and   then  you,  leaving you
   duck  inside. The  open  to   attack
   entrance is  hard  from   the   dire
   earth,  packed by  crows,     right?
   countless ground-  Right?    RIGHT??
   hog and dire crow  Goto 27.
   crossings.     It
   slopes   downward
   deeper  into  the
   warrens.      You












   59                 have   a   really
                      nice looking corn
   Enormous   mounds  pattern  on them,
   jut  out  of  the  and    the    bib
   earth like a wave  pocket   in   the
   of    goosebumps:  front is  perfect
   entrances  to the  for  holding  all
   warrens    below,  kinds of  things.
   dug  out  by  the  Speaking       of
   giant     rodents  which... Goto 21.
   that   the  crows
   keep as pets.  To  62
   attempt  a direct
   approach,  go  to  You run back home
   67.  To  wait and  and  hide   under
   observe, and  at-  your bed. Eventu-
   tempt an indirect  ally   you   hear
   approach,  go  to  throaty, gurgling
   55.                caws   and    the
                      thundering  beat-
   60                 ing of  wings  as
                      the   dire  crows
   You    feel    as  descend  on   the
   though  you  have  town. Without the
   indulged     your  cornbeast      to
   greediness         scare them  away,
   enough.  You have  they  rip most of
   the talisman  and  the  village   to
   a valuable length  pieces. THE END
   of steel. You re-
   treat   to   your  63
   cloud and  gentle
   coax it away from  The  giant frowns
   the   herd.   You  at you. "You  vex
   can't get  it  to  me,  small folk."
   land    on    the  It flings you off
   ground,  but  you  the  cloud.   You
   are able to steer  have   a   little
   it  close  enough  over a minute  of
   to a tree  canopy  freefall  to  re-
   that you are able  gret your tactics
   to  climb  off of  before      being
   it.   The   cloud  dashed  to pieces
   lazily     floats  on the ground be-
   away  to   rejoin  low. THE END.
   the others as you
   climb down to the  64
   tree    to    the
   ground. Goto 13.   You start to  un-
                      tie   the  shears
   61                 from  the   shep-
                      herd's  belt when
   You pull on  your  the  giant  stirs
   overalls.    They  and claps a giant












   hand   down  over  and yahoos, send-
   you.  It  pinches  ing   an    alarm
   you  between  two  throughout    the
   fingers and lifts  warrens  that  is
   you to its  face,  picked   up   and
   and  it peers an-  echoed by more of
   grily   at   you.  the enormous  ro-
   Goto 63.           dents.  Your  ap-
                      proach  has  been
   65                 noticed  and  an-
                      nounced!  At  the
   "The  crows stole  sound  the commo-
   my  talisman.   A  tion, a dire crow
   necklace       of  crawls out of the
   strung      glass  earthen  tunnels.
   beads.  I am pow-  It    flaps   its
   erless    without  wings,    shaking
   it.  And with it,  itself  clean  of
   they  hold  power  the   dust.    It
   over me. You must  raises  its  beak
   fetch  it  for me  toward  the   sky
   if I am  to  pro-  and   its  throat
   tect you and your  feathers  bristle
   village      once  as   it  caws  so
   again."  Agree to  loudly  you   can
   help   the   Corn  feel it reverber-
   Mother:  goto 48.  ate in your chest
   Tough luck! Sucks  bones.  It  flaps
   to suck! Goto 18.  its   wings   and
                      hops  toward you,
   66                 as  tall  as  six
                      men,   and  fixes
   The giant  shrugs  you with one ter-
   and    sets   you  rible inky  black
   down.   "If   you  eye. Inquire del-
   refuse   the  pay  icately about the
   the  price,  then  talisman:  go  to
   there  is no deal  49.  Demand   the
   to be made, small  crow  return  the
   folk." It remains  talisman:  go  to
   indifferent    to  20.
   you  until  it is
   time to  set  out  68
   again. Goto 39.
                      You step into the
   67                 forest. Gulp! You
                      don't  know  any-
   You   march   di-  body who has ever
   rectly up to  the  been in the  for-
   warrens  like you  est.  Nobody from
   want to speak  to  Eerievale     has
   the   manager.  A  ever   been   any
   giant   groundhog  farther than  the
   sentry  stands up  corn   fields  as












   far as you  know.
   You   step  care-
   fully   as    the
   whelp      dances
   around your feet,
   lunging       and
   thrusting    with
   its        thorn,
   threatening    to
   trip you up.  You
   try  not to worry
   too  much   about
   the       ominous
   shapes and sounds
   coming  from  the
   pooling   shadows
   to either side of
   the   trail.   To
   stay on the path,
   goto  25. To step
   off the path  and
   explore, goto 4.






































