The Legend of Vianna

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He's done it again! Geoff Larsen's last adventure, The Puppet Man, had me using all my superlatives to describe it. Now, I shakily pluck out my thesaurus in a vain attempt to find more words of praise of his latest Quilled masterpiece, Hex.

While on a hiking holiday in Cornwall in 1902 you find yourself in Padstow during the Hobby Horse celebrations. After this you become entangled in conversation with a couple of local Cornishmen in one of the taverns. When you tell them of your interest in myth and folklore they relate the legend of a witch named Vianna who lived in the area some 200 years earlier.

Common to most witches of her time, she had been ceremonially put to death by the local populace. People say that now, at certain times she returns to stalk the night with various demons and familiars.

Thus the scene is set and as you accept a lift in a carriage to Bude the next day, the story you heard the previous evening sends a shiver down your spine.

As there's no overt purpose it will take you some time to realise exactly what your quest is to be. As with previous Larsoft adventures, some moves are remembered and they put certain important events into operation. For instance, put certain important events into operation. For instance, after about 30 moves the trinket shop will be open for business, and, 30 moves later, a fisherman will appear outside the inn and explain that the tide is turning. Shortly afterwards, a means of reaching the island will be uncovered.

That is as much of the plot as I can give away without spoiling it for you. However, I will say that it is essential that you TALK to the characters you may meet, as they will provide most important hints to unravelling this mystery.

Once again, this Larsoft adventure is only restricted by the utility which Geoff has used to write it. I long ago groaned at having to use verb-noun input. Perhaps I am just becoming spoilt. Considering such limitations, the adventure reeks atmosphere and is also incredibly addictive.

I won't go so far to say that Hex surpasses The Puppet Man in quality, as it carries the plot in a totally different vein. However, once again the Quill has been taken to its limits, by the sheer creativity and ingenuity of Geoff Larsen.

This adventure immediately jumps into my all-time top ten of personal favourites. I only have one final thing to say: Go out and order it now.

Pendragon