Page 1: This page is blank save for a tiny woodcut
illustration of a young man and a crow sharing a picnic lunch
and a single line of text that reads, “All of what follows is true.”
Pages 2–3: I was having a picnic that first day of spring
when a pesky crow flew down and stole my spoon. Zuddiger
jumps up and down and waves a sword in anger while a
crow flies away into the woods, a spoon clutched in its
beak. The jar of raspberry preserves Zuddiger had been
about to spoon onto a biscuit lies neglected on the ground.
In the background, a scary castle with knife-like towers
protrudes above the treetops.
Pages 4–5: The nasty bird flew into the trees and then through
a gate, but I followed with haste. Zuddiger runs down a forest
path that passes through an immense iron gate flanked by
iron statues of beautiful women.
Pages 6–7: He flew over a swirling lake, and the black swans
honked at him in anger. Zuddiger races along the edge of a
lake, the center of which is a whirlpool and on which float
several black swans.
Pages 8–9: I chased him through a garden and tried not
to disturb the locals. Zuddiger races through a garden of
strange fungus and a carpet of tiny, misshapen, vegetablelike
humanoids that crawl and run from him; the crow
perches atop a mushroom and watches.
Pages 10–11: Unfortunately, some of the locals were already
disturbed. Zuddiger climbs into a leaf-shaped boat on a
river while an angry flying owlbear intercepts the crow’s
flight, forcing the smaller bird to veer away downriver. In
the background, two immense stone hands at the top of a
cliff seem to pour a waterfall into the river below.
Pages 12–13: It got very cold and my boat froze, so I had to
chase the crow through the graveyard on foot. Zuddiger chases
the crow through a snowy graveyard, the gravestones of
which are three times as tall as they should be. His boat is
frozen in a lake in the background, and the shadowy form
of a four-armed giant seems to rise up beyond a large crypt
to watch the chase.
Pages 14–15: But the crow had an older brother. Zuddiger
cowers in a large forest clearing at the center of which is a
large stone spire. The crow hovers near the top and points
down at Zuddiger with a wingtip while the “older brother,”
an immense crow perched atop the spire, peers down with
angry eyes.
Pages 16–17: I was beginning to worry that I would not be able to
finish my picnic after all. The bigger crow clutches Zuddiger in
its talons and flies over a swamp filled with scary worms that
rise up to bite at Zuddiger’s feet; the smaller crow flaps along
behind the bigger bird, spoon still clutched in its beak.
Pages 18–19: Fortunately, I landed on something soft. The
giant bird and the crow fly off into the sky laughing
as Zuddiger, recently dropped, lands on the belly of a
particularly hideous troll. In the background rises an iron
cage shaped like a beehive, from which dozens of smiling
but disembodied faces shine down.
Pages 20–21: And also fortunately, I’m faster and craftier
than a silly old troll. Zuddiger sneaks down a forest path;
the angry troll is far behind. The troll carries a large
ranseur and is climbing around on a crooked house as
if he’s looking for Zuddiger among the house’s dozens of
mismatched roofs.
Pages 22–23: But I still didn’t have my spoon. Zuddiger
wanders forlornly through a forest glade filled with statues;
in the background, a tall tower rises from a round hilltop.
Pages 24–25: As it turned out, neither did that nasty crow!
An elated Zuddiger finds the crow caught by a beautiful
woman—she holds the spoon in one hand and a scared
crow in the other. In the background, a strange house
looms on an island.
Pages 26–27: So I traded my sword for a spoon and a bird.
The now smiling woman gives a grinning Zuddiger the
spoon and the crow and accepts his sword as a gift.
Pages 28–29: And made it back home in time for dinner.
Zuddiger, spoon in one hand and the tied-up crow tucked
under an arm, walks down another forest path, at the
end of which can be seen his picnic basket, blanket, and
raspberry preserves sitting patiently in a clearing.
Pages 30–31: It was the best picnic ever. Zuddiger sits down
to a picnic meal of raspberry preserves while a deliciouslooking
crow roasts over an open fire.
Page 32: The last page of the book presents a full-color,
hand-painted map of Thousandbreaths
This message was last edited by the player at 02:51, Sun 24 Feb 2019.
