by Joe Dever
‘They been preparin' something, over on the … ’ he says, but he ceases to speak the moment he sees a group of his men emerge from the surrounding pines.
‘You're in for it now,’ he hisses. ‘My men are goin' to do for you good an' proper.’
Another six of the captain's men step from out of the trees and begin to move towards you, their swords held ready to strike. Rather than stay and fight them, you shove the captain away and take to your heels, pausing only to snatch up his satchel as you make your escape.
Screaming curses and promising you a slow death, the captain scrambles to his feet and leads his men in a chase, but you are soon lost among the dense pines and, reluctantly, he orders his henchmen to give up the pursuit.
Turn to 247.
76
You don a red robe, taken from one of the dead acolytes, and raise its black hood to keep your face hidden. The folds of this voluminous garment cover your weapons as well as your clothing, and a haversack taken from another acolyte battle-corpse is large enough to conceal your Backpack. Confident that you can pass for one of them, you run to the quayside and join with those acolytes who are now climbing aboard the longboat.
When your turn comes, you leap from the quay onto the deck of the ship. You land very close to the sandalled feet of one of the three Acolyte Elders and he glares at you angrily, though he does not see through your disguise. You take your place on a bench alongside the others and use your Kai camouflage skills to avoid their attention. You notice that a bank of oars stands upright in the gunwales of the boat, and it strikes you as odd that no order has been given to man them. When the last of the acolytes are safely aboard, you discover why.
Turn to 93.
77
You leave the furriers' shop and remount your horse to continue your search for the Crooked Sage Inn. You have ridden less than twenty yards when a sudden gust of wind thins out the cloying fog, revealing the dark entrance to an alleyway off to your right.
If you wish to explore this alley, turn to 33.
If you decide to ignore it and continue on your way along this street, turn to 147.
78
Drawing on your mastery of psychic defence, you are able to construct a fortress wall around your mind which absorbs the Elder's probe. He learns nothing from his attempt to read your psyche and, rather than admit to failure, he dismisses you as an empty-headed cretin.
With a growl of disdain, he orders you to rejoin the procession and pushes you out of his way as he strides back to his position beside the altar.
Turn to 250.
79
As you slay the last of the ghastly spawn, you feel the floor beginning to harden. Hurriedly, you stretch out and grab the rough cavern wall and pull your feet free before the floor sets and you are held fast forever.
The automatons have ceased to move. They stand like frozen statues in a line across the cavern. You seize your chance and race towards the dais, but the Demoness is watching you and now she is aware of your plan. She has no intention of allowing you anywhere near the dais or the Deathstaff.
If you possess Kai-alchemy, turn to 57.
If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, turn to 282.
80
The rumble and crack of repeated lightning ball strikes echo in your wake as you make your hurried escape along the river trail. It is not until you traverse a high pass, where the River Storn flows through the mountain foothills, that the sound eventually disappears. Your senses tingle with the conviction that the storm was no accident; you feel sure that a malevolent elemental force is at work here.
Shortly before dusk, you emerge from the pass and see Lake Vorndarol for the first time. You call on your Magnakai skill of Huntmastery to intensify your vision and, as your view of the lake grows sharper and clearer, you make out the ruins of Vorn on the southern shore. The hamlet is blackened and desolate, but it is not without signs of life. There are several pinpoints of light, campfires judging by their colour, and you can see a square-rigged mainsail: there is a boat moored at the quay.
If you wish to attempt to reach Vorn before nightfall, turn to 203.
If you decide to try to spend the night in the hills and then approach the hamlet in the morning, turn to 117.
81
The instant you step through the archway you feel an electrifying jolt run through your body, and a writhing snake of blue-white energy arcs from the rim of the arch to the hilt of the sword Helshezag. A gasp of astonishment arises from the acolytes, audible even above the howling wind.
‘We have an intruder in our midst,’ screams Cadak, levelling his wizard's staff at you accusingly. You fight the paralysing effect of the current and tug the sword free of its scabbard. For a moment the current weakens as it is absorbed and neutralized by the dark energy of Helshezag, but then the tip of Cadak's staff ignites with a crimson flame and the current intensifies anew, numbing your limbs with its insidious effect.
Turn to 228.
82
The Elder becomes angry. He scolds you for taking a ‘forbidden’ weapon and he orders you to hand it over to him at once. Aware that most of the acolytes in this section of the boat are watching you, and that any resistance would be sure to lead to the revealing of your true identity, you reach inside your robe and undo the buckle of your weapon's belt. It clatters to the deck, and the Elder snatches it up and hurls it into the lake. (Erase from your Weapons List any hand weapons you possess. If you have a Bow, you may still keep it.)
Still fuming, the Elder orders you to go to the rear of the ship where a score of acolytes are kneeling in prayer, and plead to the spirit of Vashna for forgiveness.
Turn to 124.
83
You resist the urge to make use of the Deathstaff to ward off the approaching Vortexi horde. You would rather trust in your own goodly powers than use a weapon forged of evil.
Lashed by the wind and the rain, you steel yourself as the screaming phantoms come swooping down to attack.
If you possess Assimilance and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Guardian or higher, turn to 103.
If you possess Kai-screen and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Guardian or higher, turn to 36.
If you do not possess these skills, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai Mastery, turn to 144.
84
‘Do you mind if I keep this?’ you ask, motioning to the amulet.
‘I've no objection,’ replies Kadharian. ‘I hope it helps you to discover what is truly going on in the north.’
Carefully you re-wrap the talisman and slip it into the pocket of your tunic (record this Black Amulet as a Special Item on your Action Chart — you need not discard another item in its favour if you already possess the maximum allowed). Then, after a meal and a soothingly hot bath, you bid farewell to the President and take your leave of the palace by way of the stables.
Illustration V—A dishevelled fat man with a yellow-streaked beard.
Night has thickened the blanket of mist which lines the narrow streets and alleys of Helgor. Guided by your Kai instincts, you set off northwards, but soon you have cause to regret not having thought of asking Kadharian for directions to the Crooked Sage Inn. Helgor is an old city and its chaotic streets follow no logical plan. After several wrong turns you come upon a square where the vanes of a rotting signpost point to three exits. Slumped at its base there sits a dishevelled fat man with a yellow-streaked beard, who is gulping mouthfuls of cheap ale from a filthy stone pitcher. You attempt to use your Kai Pathsmanship skill to read the signpost but with no success — it is completely illegible.
If you wish to leave the square by the north exit, turn to 16.
If you wish to leave the square by the east exit, turn to 332.
If you wish to leave the square by the west exit, turn to 161.
If you decide to ask the fat man for directions to the Crooked Sage Inn, turn to 287.
85
At Shamath's command, the attendants d
raw slivers of steel and come rushing to hack you down. You essay a wide sweep of the sword and scythe the front rank down as easily as if they were ripened corn. Your sword strokes feel effortless; it is as if you are merely holding the Sommerswerd and the blade itself is fighting of its own accord. Within the space of a few minutes you have slain every last one of Shamath's attendants, over a hundred in number.
Turn to 242.
86
Using the Brotherhood Spell Sense Evil you determine that the token is a cursed relic which has been activated by its proximity to the pool of stagnant water. The closer you get to the pool, the hotter the relic becomes. Another few steps and it will explode. Desperately, you fumble to retrieve it from the smoking pocket of your tunic, and hurl it away.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number you have picked is 0–3, turn to 96.
If it is 4–9, turn to 316.
87
You are nearing the middle of the river when your acute hearing detects the cawing of birds in the far distance. At first you dismiss the sounds, thinking they are probably birds of prey feeding somewhere high in the mountains, but when the cawing rapidly grows louder you look upwards to try to detect where it is coming from. You do not have to look very far.
One thousand feet above you, a flock of ugly black birds are cawing excitedly as they ride a thermal air current. You recognize them to be Durncrag Scavengers, cruel predators native only to these mountains. Then, with an awful suddenness, they come diving towards you, screeching like demons as they prepare to strike with beak and claw.
If you possess Animal Mastery and have reached the rank of Sun Knight or higher, turn to 249.
If you do not possess this Discipline, or if you have yet to attain this level of Grand Mastery, turn to 180.
88
For half an hour you crouch among the boulders, your eyes scanning every inch of the terrain which surrounds the clearing, but you detect nothing untoward. Then the silence is broken by a sharp clack! and a small rock comes tumbling down the slope. You catch sight of movement among some bushes at the top of the slope, and you sense at once that someone is hiding there.
If you possess a Bow and wish to fire an Arrow into the bushes, turn to 227.
If you do not, turn to 320.
89
You utilize your powers to subdue the growling wolf and immediately he becomes calm and docile. Within a few minutes you exact a transformation that turns this creature from a wild animal into a loyal and friendly ally.
While you settle down to rest, the wolf watches over you and Bracer, attentively standing guard at the entrance to the mine shaft.
Restore 3 ENDURANCE points and turn to 279.
90
The great winged beast ekes out its death-throes for several minutes after you strike the fatal blow. Aching with the fatigue of your combat, you stagger away from its carcass and stumble blindly through the fog. Soon you sense the temperature beginning to drop, and the great grey wall of fog gradually condenses and falls as rain. This rain freezes and you quickly find yourself surrounded by a wall of glittering ice which stretches like a range of jagged glass mountains from horizon to horizon.
Turn to 187.
91
The hollow is damp and draughty and offers poor protection against the elements. There is little foliage on which to feed your mount and the incessant storm winds howl through the gaps in the rocks, making it impossible for you to sleep. During this long and uncomfortable night, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
Shortly before dawn, the storm dies down and you are able to snatch an hour's sleep. Unfortunately, it is insufficient rest to refresh you fully: lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
To continue, turn to 285.
92
One of the bolts hits your Backpack (erase 2 items from your Backpack List) but you manage to stay on your feet and reach the dais. You wrench the Deathstaff from the floor of the lower tier and sag beneath its unnatural weight.9 The Demoness spins around and emits a terrible scream when she sees what you are holding. The noise of her wrath lifts you bodily and sends you skidding helplessly across the floor.
Desperately, you fight to maintain your grip on the Deathstaff as the furious Shamath comes striding towards you. The deafening shriek of her voice rings once more in your ears as you clutch the Deathstaff to your chest and take a running leap into the dark oblivion of the Shadow Gate.
Turn to 270.
[9] If you already carry the maximum number of Special Items permissible, you must discard one in favour of the Deathstaff. If you possess Helshezag, the sword of Darklord Kraagenskûl, it is now destroyed, obliterated by the power of the Deathstaff, and you must erase it from your Special Items list. Section 94 also implies a loss of 5 ENDURANCE points in this incident.
93
With the returning acolytes aboard, an Elder gives the order that the grappling lines and planks — which hold the longboat secure to the Vakovarian ship — be cut and tossed into the lake. The moment this is done, the three Elders raise their glowing wands of power and touch them together to form a triangle.
There is a flash of greenish light and a swirling cone of vapour coils into the sky, pouring from the tip of this triangle. It creates a howling wind which fills the sails and catapults the longboat away from the quayside at tremendous speed. It takes just a few minutes for the ruins of Vorn to disappear over the horizon.
Aboard the longboat the victorious acolytes busy themselves as the cold waters of Lake Vorndarol speed by beneath the keel. Some are attending to those who were wounded in the battle; others are chanting a sombre dirge or sitting quietly with their heads bowed, lost in unholy prayer; the remainder clean their weapons or stare vacantly at the distant mountains.
You keep your head bowed and pretend to be praying. The deception seems to be working until a hand suddenly grips your shoulder and you hear a gruff voice bark a command in a language you do not readily understand.
If you possess Grand Pathsmanship,10 turn to 243.
If you do not possess this Discipline, turn to 184.
[10] Kai Masters who have attained the rank of Scion-kai are ‘able to converse with any sentient creature’ (cf. The Masters of Darkness). Therefore, if you have successfully completed previous Lone Wolf adventures, possessed the Magnakai Discipline of Pathsmanship, and attained the rank of Scion-kai, you may also turn to Section 243.
94
There is a thunderous crack! as a bolt of white lightning leaps from the Deathstaff and connects with the hilt of Helshezag. You feel an agonizing pain wrack your body from skull to toe: lose 5 ENDURANCE points. Then, with a breathtaking suddenness, the pain ceases.
You open your eyes and look down, and to your astonishment you see the scorched remains of Helshezag lying at the foot of the dais, the sword obliterated by the power of the Deathstaff (erase Helshezag from your Special Items list).
To continue, turn to 318.
95
You are nearing the top of the steps when three shadowy figures emerge from behind a chimney stack and block your path to the approaching archer. One of them has something in his hand which he hurls in your direction: it is a small glass sphere.
The sphere shatters upon the iron steps and, in an instant, your feet and legs are engulfed by a writhing mass of magical vines. By the time you have freed yourself from their vice-like grip, you discover that the archer and his confederates are nowhere to be seen. Having lost sight of the four shadowy figures, you decide to call off the chase. Wearily you make your way down from the roof and retrace your steps back to the stables of the Crooked Sage in order to collect your horse.
Turn to 341.
96
You throw the red-hot token away, but it hits a boulder and rebounds directly into the trough. There is a dreadful moment of silence; then the whole area is lit up by a blinding flash of yellow flame. Suddenly everything seems to be happening in slow motion.
You see acolytes tumbling backwards, screaming, their robes sprouting tongues of flame, and chunks of marble from the trough hurtling skywards like fiery meteors. Then the heat and the shock of the explosion rip into your face and chest, sending you cartwheeling backwards into a black, unfeeling oblivion.
Tragically, your life and your quest end here, on the trail to the Maakengorge.
97
At Shamath's command, the attendants draw vicious-looking slivers of steel from scabbards hidden inside their robes, and come rushing forwards to hack you down.
Illustration VI—The attendants draw vicious-looking slivers of steel from scabbards hidden inside their robes.
Cheghath: COMBAT SKILL 37 ENDURANCE 40
These beings are gifted with strong psychic defences. Halve all bonuses you would normally receive if you choose to use a psychic attack (including Kai-blast) during this combat.
If you win the combat, turn to 303.
98
After a few minutes it is clear that the brigands have no idea where you are. The leader is furious; he turns to his henchmen and orders them to find you at once. One by one, his brutish sidekicks scurry away into the surrounding trees until the leader is left all alone.
