by Joe Dever
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number you have picked is 0–1, turn to 96.
If it is 2–9, turn to 316.
238
‘Who found this amulet?’ you ask.
‘A rogue, one who goes by the name of Smudd,’ answers Kadharian. ‘A patrol found him in the mountains close by the River Storn a few days after the second troop went missing. When he couldn't give a good reason for being there, they arrested him and brought him back to Helgor for questioning.’
Kadharian's emphasis on the word ‘questioning’ leaves you in no doubt that Smudd's interrogation probably involved some degree of torture.
‘Where is he now?’ you ask. ‘I'd like to, er, question him myself.’
‘He's in Helgor. He stays at the Crooked Sage, an inn in the north quarter of the city. I'd willingly send a detachment of Palace Guards to fetch him here but that quarter of Helgor is rife with villains. Word would be sure to get out and he'd go to ground. My men would never find him. No, I'm afraid the only likely way you'll get to speak to Smudd is by going to the Crooked Sage in person.’
‘Very well, President,’ you reply, ‘then that is exactly what I shall do.’
Turn to 84.
239
‘We have an intruder in our midst,’ screams Cadak. You fight the paralysing effect of the current and, for a moment, its effect weakens. Then the crimson current intensifies anew, numbing your limbs with its insidious effect.
‘Ha! I know you, intruder,’ yells Cadak, maniacally. ‘You are Lone Wolf, the doomed hero of a doomed realm. You are a fool to come here, Kai Lord. Your powers are no match for those of Naar, the King of the Darkness.’
With this he turns to the acolytes and throws up his hands triumphantly. ‘This night we shall celebrate a double victory, my brethren. The resurrection of Lord Vashna and the destruction of Grand Master Lone Wolf!’
The acolytes scream their approval, but their cheer is drowned by the ever-increasing noise of the storm. Then you see that the storm itself is changing. A huge vortex of whirling cloud is descending from the heavens, a tornado whose deadly funnel is reaching down towards you. Then the tip of the roaring plume touches the ground at your feet and, with a terrifying suddenness, you are torn from the energy curtain and sent hurtling through the air towards the dark centre of the towering arch.
Turn to 60.
240
As the last automaton drops at your feet, you sheathe your weapon and race towards the dais. During your fight, the Demoness was putting on an armoured breastplate of varnished black steel and was otherwise distracted. But she saw you slay the last of her automatons 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.
241
Hurriedly you leave the trail, steering Bracer through the undergrowth towards the cover of a dense pine copse. Here, you quickly dismount and tie his reins to a tree before going forward to see what you can find.
Illustration XIV—You soon discover that a gang of brigands are lying in ambush.
You soon discover that a gang of brigands are lying in ambush, well hidden among the boulders that line both sides of the trail. Your Kai hunting skills enable you to circle around and get behind them without being seen and, from a high vantage point among the boulders, you observe their leader and three of his henchmen hiding behind the bough of a fallen tree.
If you possess a Bow and wish to fire an Arrow at the brigand leader, turn to 304.
If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use the spell of Mind Charm, turn to 212.
If you decide to wait and observe the brigands a little longer, turn to 98.
242
Slowly the cavern begins to darken and the towering body of the Demoness shimmers and changes into a new and totally repugnant form: she has taken on the guise of a huge crawling worm. Her slimy flanks are studded with a multitude of tiny tendrils, and her head is equipped with a sphincter-like maw which drips loathsome green saliva. She slithers closer and, in the half-light, you catch sight of her ghastly face. It is like that of an infant, wholly black, save for the eyes which are aglow with a hellish red fire.
The worm-thing rears up and, as the head sweeps past your eyes a second time, you suddenly recognize the facial features and a paralysing blast of psychic shock rips through your mind. It has the face of your long-dead brother Jen.
If you possess Kai-screen, turn to 68.
If you do not possess mastery of this Discipline, turn to 101.
243
You turn your head slightly and see a pair of sandalled feet standing on the deck by your side. They belong to the Elder whom you almost collided with when you jumped aboard the longboat. He repeats his command and this time, aided by your Kai Mastery, you understand what he says. He is commanding you to get up and go forward to the bow and help with the carrying of some wounded acolytes to the stern.
You nod to signify you acknowledge his order yet you do not raise your head — to do so would risk him seeing your face. Unfortunately, as you rise from the bench, your robe gets snagged on a splinter and is pulled up to reveal your boots and scabbard. The Elder becomes suspicious and he demands to know how you came to be in possession of these items.
If you possess a Runic Disc, turn to 55.
If you wish to say that you took them from a dead Vakovarian during the battle at the quay, turn to 82.
If you choose to pretend that you did not hear him, turn to 22.
244
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.
245
As you hurry towards the end of the procession, an Elder steps out from behind a boulder and grabs you by the shoulder, commanding you to halt. Then you feel a tingling sensation, as if a horde of spiders were crawling in a line from your shoulder to the nape of your neck; the Elder has psychic abilities and he is attempting to probe your mind.
If you possess Kai-screen, turn to 126.
If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, turn to 74.
246
A shudder runs through the dais and fingers of green electrical fire shoot from the tip of the Deathstaff into the ground below. There is a moment of dreadful silence when even the storm and the rain abate; then the air shakes with a terrific implosion as the great shimmering arch collapses inwards and slowly disintegrates. Sparkling sheets of energy buckle and fuse as segments of the arch fall to the ground, crushing everything beneath, rock and man. For an instant you catch a glimpse of a huge booted foot stepping through a silvery sheet of energy and you tremble at the thought of what will happen next, for you recognize only too well to whom the foot belongs. But in the very next instant the keystone of the arch falls away and, with a grating cry of tortured rock, the whole edifice comes crashing to the ground.
Then, as if from nowhere, a raging whirlwind arises in mid-air, at the centre of where the arch stood. This whirling vortex quickly builds in power until it is sucking everything into its spinning black core. Screaming acolytes tumble past and disappear into its maw as you desperately hang on to the dais to stop yourself from being sucked to your doom.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If your current ENDURANCE points score is 14 or higher, add 2 to the number you picked.
If your current ENDURANCE points score is 13 or lower, deduct 1 from the number you picked.
If you possess Kai-alchemy and have attained the Kai rank of Sun Knight or higher, add 5 to the number you picked.
If your total score is now 4 or less, turn to 313.
If it is 5 or more,
turn to 350.
247
When you sense it is safe to do so, you stop to catch your breath and examine the contents of the satchel, which you empty out onto the ground. It contains the following items:
80 Gold Crowns
Enough food for 3 Meals
Quiver (containing 3 Arrows)
Bottle of Wine
Spyglass
Ruby Ring
If you wish to keep any of the above, remember to adjust your Action Chart accordingly.
The area is alive with bandits and you are forced to flee northwards, away from the place where you left Bracer tethered to a tree. You are anxious for his safety and mindful that there are still many miles to be covered before you reach Lake Vorndarol, but you dare not turn back for him. Then you hear something that makes you halt in your tracks: it is the sound of a horse whinnying.
Turn to 223.
248
Having decided not to approach the circle of boulders, the only option left to you is to turn back to the fork in the trail and take the other path that leads into the foothills. By the time you arrive there, you are tired and very hungry. Unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
To continue, turn to 61.
249
You focus your power of Animal Control on the leader of this predatory flock and will him to abandon his attack. The speed of his descent is making it difficult for you to target him, but your persistence and your Kai skills overcome this. At the last moment the ugly black bird banks away, cawing frantically, and the remainder of his flock follow suit without pressing home their attack. You watch with grim satisfaction as the flock return to the mountains, cawing with frustration, their hunger unsatiated.
You manage to regain control of the raft and, at length, you reach the far side of the river and disembark safely. A stony trail runs along the bank, heading north, and you follow it with high hopes of reaching Lake Vorndarol before sunset. All day the sun blazes supreme in a cloudless sky and waves of heat create a shimmering, distorted view of the trail ahead. The distant horizon is streaked with myriad colours and the dry air crackles with electricity, a legacy of last night's violent storm. Late in the afternoon you come to the ruins of an ancient settlement and stop here to allow your horse to rest awhile in the shade.
If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, turn to 102.
If you do not possess this Discipline, turn to 260.
250
For three miles you trek stolidly through the hills towards a deep magenta glow that is bathing the horizon. Then as you round a knoll of rock shaped like an accusing skeletal finger, you are confronted by a spectacle which leaves you staring open-mouthed with awe and horror.
An expanse of dead land, littered with cracked and shattered rocks, slopes down to the edge of an immense chasm that stretches more than a mile from rim to rim. It is the Maakengorge. Hordes of screeching Vortexi ride a violent electrical storm which rages in the clouds above this vast abyss, and the earth shudders in echoing response to the booming thunder. Near the rim of the chasm there stands a towering arch, hewn of stone, that shimmers with such a supernatural brilliance that you cannot fully focus upon it. Peering closer you see before the arch an elaborate, multi-tiered dais constructed entirely of crystal. Around it kneel hundreds of acolytes who are chanting devoutly. Their dreary voices add to the dreadful noise.
Illustration XV—You follow the procession as it winds its way towards the dais.
You follow the procession as it winds its way towards the dais and soon you see that a solitary figure is standing upon its uppermost tier. He faces the shimmering arch, his hands outstretched, and with every movement of his fingers there is a subtle shift in the spectrum of colours within the angry clouds above. It is as if he is manipulating the storm as a conductor would an orchestra. With a grand sweep of his arms he calms the turbulent sky; then he turns to face his kneeling congregation.
If you have ever been to Kaag or Mogaruith, turn to 224.
If you have never been to these city-fortresses, turn to 295.
251
The tip of your Arrow clips the man's calf and you hear him yelp with pain. But the wound is superficial and it does not prevent him from making his escape out onto the balcony.
With weapon in hand, you climb out of the window. You are expecting the archer to attack you the moment you appear but the balcony is deserted: he has disappeared. Then your keen eyes notice fresh bloodstains on the balcony rail and you catch a glimpse of movement on the roof of the building opposite. It is the archer. Despite his wounded leg he has leapt across the narrow street and is now making his escape across the rooftops of the north quarter.
With the grace of a panther you spring onto the balcony rail and leap across to the roof opposite. Without breaking your stride, you set off after the fleeing assassin and pursue him to the edge of a flat-topped warehouse at the end of Tavern Lane. Here a plank of wood has been laid down to span the gap of fifty feet to the rooftop opposite. The man limps across the plank, and then kicks it away to prevent you from following him.
If you are determined to follow him and wish to try to leap across the gap, turn to 42.
If you do not wish to make the jump, turn to 191.
252
You sense that Cadak is playing for time. It is his wish to keep you imprisoned within this umbrella of light until the Demoness Shamath arrives. Then you recall the words of the young girl whom you encountered in the cavern — Be brave, Grand Master. But most of all — be swift!
If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 123.
If you possess Kai-surge and wish to use it, turn to 267.
If you possess neither of these skills, or if you choose not to use them, turn to 54.
253
You use your advanced healing skills to staunch the flow of blood from your gashed neck and to mend the torn tissue. Within a few moments the pain subsides, and sufficient strength returns to your aching limbs to enable you to break from cover and run after your horse.
You enter the dense pine copse to find Bracer standing among the trees, whinnying nervously. You calm him down and secure his reins to a branch; then you go back and try to catch a glimpse of your attackers. As you reach the edge of the trees you have no difficulty seeing them: a dozen brigands, brandishing crossbows and swords, are rushing through the knee-high undergrowth towards your hiding place.
If you possess a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 330.
If you do not, turn to 136.
254
You draw an Arrow and take aim in the direction you can hear the beast approaching from. It sounds as if it is no more than twenty yards away when you release the straining bowstring and send the Arrow streaking into the fog. The shaft has travelled barely a few yards when it ignites with a flash and is instantly transformed into a line of glowing splinters which float away on the mist.
As soon as the Arrow passed beyond the perimeter of the protection of your Platinum Amulet, it was subjected to the true temperature of this domain: a temperature which reduced it to glowing embers in less than a second.
Suddenly, with a deafening roar, the unseen beast is upon you. You drop your Bow and unsheathe your weapon as it tries to rake you unmercifully with fang and claw.
Zarthyn: COMBAT SKILL 48 ENDURANCE 50
If you win this combat, turn to 90.
255
The Runic Disc that you found in Helgor falls from your pocket as the Elder hauls you roughly off the bench. It bounces off the deck and comes to rest on his foot. He releases his grip on your robe and stoops to pick it up, thinking that it is booty you have looted from Vorn. But his temper quickly cools when he recognizes it to be the mark of the Guild of Rhem, the most feared brotherhood of assassins in all of northern Magnamund. He is aware that some guild assassins have been employed as agents to carry out missions for the acolytes, and he assumes at once that you are such an agent.
Nervously he return
s the disc to you. Then, without further word, he backs away a few paces, bows his head, and leaves to attend to other matters at the prow of the boat. Those seated around you have now become uncomfortably curious. To avoid their attentions, you get up and move to the stern where a score of acolytes are kneeling in prayer.
Turn to 124.
256
Your advanced Kai skills and the mud make it easy for you to tell that these tracks were made by humans travelling on foot. You count eight different pairs of footprints: six made by sandalled feet, and two by heavy hobnailed boots. The tracks are two days old and they are all heading in a northeasterly direction.
Turn to 67.
257
You raise your weapon and bring your horse about to face this fearsome beast's attack. The instant he sees the creature he panics and rears up on his hind legs, neighing with fright, his hooves scrabbling frantically at the air. You bring him under control using your innate Kai skills, but in doing so your attention is diverted from the attacking beast as it moves in and swipes at you with its clawed paw.
Black Corvayl: COMBAT SKILL 46 ENDURANCE 58
Reduce your COMBAT SKILL by 10 for the first round of this fight only.
