Castle Death

by Joe Dever

  104

  Unless you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Nexus, by the time you reach the fissure you have lost 3 ENDURANCE points due to the effect of the scorching sand. Standing at the jagged opening, you hear the rustle and slither of unseen things echoing within the depths of the darkness. Suddenly something round and black breaks through the surface of the lake. A hideous gurgling cry splits the night as the thing hurtles across the beach towards you.

  If you wish to take cover inside the fissure, turn to 16.

  If you wish to draw a weapon and prepare for combat, turn to 342.

  If you have a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 225.

  105

  You race over to your companion's side and discover that he is still conscious, although he has lost a lot of blood. Using your healing skill, you repair the wound as best you can, but it is deep and severe and you can only prolong his life for a few minutes at most. You tell him of your quest and the help the Elder Magi have given to enable you to enter Kazan-Oud. As you recount your air voyage to Herdos aboard Lord Paido's skyship, you notice his eyes flicker in recognition of the name.

  ‘My name is Kasin,’ he says, painfully. ‘Lord Paido is my brother.’ You notice the resemblance in his cat-like eyes and square jaw. ‘I'm finished, Kai Lord,’ he says, his face bathed in sweat, ‘but I can and will help you in your quest. Listen carefully. Over there, behind the tapestry, is a secret passage. It leads to Zahda's throne. Above the throne is the Lorestone of Herdos, but beware, Zahda has coupled its power to a Doomstone from the realm of Naaros. He draws his power from that accursed gem. If you are to succeed, you must first destroy the Doomstone or you will surely perish. Sadly, I cannot help you escape from Kazan-Oud, for I myself was captured long before I reached the surface, but if you can get to the beach, make your way to the old stone jetty. I hid my boat beneath the steps there.’ His grip tightens around your hand as a wave of pain washes over his body. ‘When you return to Elzian,’ he gasps, ‘tell my brother that my death was not in vain … May the gods protect you … Lone Wolf.’

  As his eyes close for the last time, you promise that his bravery will live forever in the hearts of the Vakeros — his brave warrior kin.

  Turn to 282.

  106

  You are less than twenty yards from the west tunnel when an agonizing pain tears through your back and explodes from your chest in a gout of blood and flame. You stagger and fall, your body virtually torn in two by a powerful bolt of destructive energy, and you die within seconds of hitting the hard stone floor.

  Slain by a Dhax power-staff, your life and your quest end here.

  107

  Your hand passes through the surface of the first bubble meeting little resistance; it is as if you are dipping your hand into a pool of water. But when you try to remove it, the rubbery skin closes in a vice-like grip. You fight to free your hand, but you only cause the bubble to work its way further up your arm. Soon it envelops your whole body, locking you within its airtight skin.

  Your eyes bulge and your lungs burn viciously as you fight for air in this transparent prison (lose 6 ENDURANCE points).

  If you have a sword and want to try to cut your way out of the bubble, turn to 26.

  If you have a Torch and Tinderbox, or a Lantern, and want to try to burn your way free, turn to 51.

  If you have a Kalte Firesphere, turn to 145.

  If you have none of the above items, turn to 292.

  108

  The swift undercurrent of the stream is so powerful that you are swept along the gully and far out into the lake. The weight of your equipment, your fatigue, and the highly polluted stream water all conspire to sap your strength. You cannot keep your head above the water and lose 5 ENDURANCE points due to lack of oxygen.

  Turn to 158.

  109

  You fight back your rising nausea as the worm slithers past, its slimy body wiping itself against your back. As soon as it has passed, you leave your hiding place and hurry along the corridor, anxious to put as much distance as possible between the horrible worm and yourself in case it should turn and pursue you.

  Turn to 46.

  110

  Four warriors, dark and grim, march into the hall in single file. At once their black armour and skull-like helmets make you think they are Drakkarim — evil human warriors who serve the Darklords of Helgedad. But when they draw to a halt before the sarcophagus, you see that they cannot possibly be human. Their great sloping shoulders support unnaturally long arms, and the hands that grip their weapons are covered with bristling ginger hair. Yellowed talons curve from their fingers, and behind them hang long black tails, tufted at the end like the tails of lions.

  Illustration VII—Four warriors, dark and grim, march into the hall — they cannot possibly be human.

  Their leader grunts a command and approaches the grey granite tomb. He raises his hairy fist and presses three buttons set into the stone. A secret panel slides open, and all four step into it and disappear from view. It closes behind them without a sound.

  If you wish to examine the sarcophagus, turn to 83.

  If you wish to leave the hall by the tunnel from which the warriors appeared, turn to 323.

  If you decide to leave the hall by the tunnel to your left, turn to 201.

  111

  You are standing in a passage, the walls and floor of which are completely sheer and smooth. Overhead swirls a mist that gives off a dim, diffused light, just sufficient for you to be able to see your way ahead. Without your weapons you feel naked and vulnerable, but you take some comfort in the fact that you still have your Backpack, your Gold Crowns, and your Special Items.

  Cautiously you walk along the passage, expecting the unexpected, until you arrive at a circular vault. There, upon a block of marble in the centre of the floor, lies a steel sword. As you step into the vault, slabs of stone sink into the floor to reveal two exits: one to your left, the other to your right.

  If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Divination or Psi-screen, turn to 68.

  If you wish to pick up the sword, turn to 224.

  If you wish to enter the left tunnel, turn to 298.

  If you wish to enter the right tunnel, turn to 322.

  112

  The Arrow pierces the centre of the sphere and disappears completely. Fearing that your missile has proved harmless, you shoulder your Bow and are about to draw a hand weapon when suddenly there is a flash of light and a tremendous explosion. The black sphere bursts into thousands of pieces and is consumed in a fireball of brilliant yellow flame. A wave of heat sears your face (lose 1 ENDURANCE point) and you are hurled backwards into the fissure by the blast.

  Turn to 16.

  113

  The creaking door stirs the man from sleep, and he rolls over and cowers in the corner of his foul-smelling cage. His eyes are cloudy, like frosted glass, and his face and hands are pitted with disease.

  If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Curing, turn to 192.

  If you do not have this skill, turn to 247.

  114

  Your efforts have jammed up the door, creating enough space for you to squeeze underneath. You crawl into the chamber beyond and, aching with fatigue, stagger to your feet. You pause to catch your breath before entering the northern tunnel.

  Turn to 187.

  115

  If the lock operates in the same way as those made by the Locksmiths' Guild of Holmgard, you need only press each button once to open the door. But in which order should you press them?

  If you wish to press the first, then second, then third button, turn to 123.

  If you wish to press the second, then third, then first button, turn to 231.

  If you wish to press the second, then first, then third button, turn to 213.

  If you wish to press the third, then first, then second button, turn to 312.

  If you wish to press the third, then second, then first button, turn to 321.

  If you wish to press the first, th
en third, then second button, turn to 132.

  116

  To your horrified amazement, the hand springs into the air and hovers above your head. Writhing fingers stretch open as the hand plummets towards your skull.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have picked.

  If your total is now 0–2, turn to 77.

  If it is 3–6, turn to 198.

  If it is 7 or more, turn to 235.

  117

  The rats are unafraid of the water. They hurl themselves at you, clawing and biting at your back as you push the coracle out into the icy cold lake. Tumbling into the little boat, you swiftly dispatch the most determined of the rodents before paddling away from the bay. You have covered barely a hundred yards when the coracle lists heavily to one side. The rats have chewed through the wood below the waterline and you are sinking fast.

  If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Curing, turn to 234.

  If you do not possess this skill, or if you do not wish to use it, turn to 325.

  118

  A wave of energy surges through your body as you close your hand around the Lorestone of Herdos (restore your ENDURANCE points score to its original total). Your senses tingle and a newfound strength wipes away the fatigue of your terrible ordeal, enabling you to assess the situation anew. You step into the blue beam and immediately you are drawn upwards, following closely on the heels of Zahda, who is struggling to stay in the centre of the column of light. He is gripped with mortal fear of you, and as he sees you gaining on him, he unsheathes a glowing dagger and inverts himself to face you as you approach. When you are at arm's length he launches a wild attack. Lord Zahda is immune to Mindblast (but not Psi-surge). If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, add 2 to your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of the fight.

  Lord Zahda: COMBAT SKILL 23 ENDURANCE 45

  If you win the combat, turn to 200.

  119

  Your basic Kai skill of tracking enables you to stay on Tavig's trail. As you retrace the route you took earlier, your mind is filled with urgent questions. Who or what is the Trakka? Where do the Dhax come from? Who is Zahda that Tavig spoke of so fearfully?

  Suddenly your thoughts are shattered by a scream that resounds from the top of a staircase directly ahead. Tavig appears, clutching his face, blood trickling through his fingers. He is about to fall when the scaly green fingers of a gigantic hand reach out of the darkness and snatch him back. He vanishes from sight, but his screams grow louder.

  If you wish to charge up the stairs to try to save him, turn to 280.

  If you wish to escape in the opposite direction, turn to 323.

  120

  The wolf leaps at your chest, its claws ripping your tunic as it slams you to the ground with its monstrous weight (lose 4 ENDURANCE points). Fangs flash before your eyes and fetid saliva splashes your face as you fight desperately to save yourself from the jaws of death.

  Suddenly there is a ghastly scream. The wolf pulls away, its eyes fixed fearfully on the roaring jets of flame. At that moment a human form staggers into view, shrieking in agony and lurching from side to side; the wolf howls and lopes away as the flaming apparition stumbles forward, its arms flailing as it launches a wild attack.

  If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Nexus, turn to 72.

  If you wish to defend yourself, turn to 126.

  If you wish to run past the fiery attacker and into the roaring jets of flame, turn to 204.

  121

  The tentacle lifts you into the air, tightening its grip with each passing second until almost all the breath is squeezed from your lungs. Suddenly you are hurled towards another massive boulder, which opens to reveal a monstrous jaw dripping with loathsome saliva. You are swallowed whole.

  Your life and your quest end here.

  122

  You are forced to cut a path through the horde of creatures that huddle on the steps leading to the jetty. Creatures are crawling out of the ground itself; everywhere you look black slimy hands are bursting through the surface, squeezing their way free from Kazan-Oud through the scores of fissures opening up in the sheer rock wall.

  Near to the base of the steps, you are dragged to the ground by a clutch of loathsome slaves. They pay dearly for their mistake but not before your Backpack is torn from your shoulders (erase your Backpack and all that it contained from your Action Chart).

  When you reach the jetty you are covered from head to toe in the blood of your foes. The sight is so frightening that all resistance melts away, and creatures hurl themselves into the lake rather than face the fearsome straight-backed, white-skinned killer of their kin. Beneath the jetty steps you discover an arch, sealed off at one end and with a weed-encrusted stone door at the other. Inside are a small wicker coracle and a paddle.

  Having fought off the most determined of Kazan-Oud's horrors, you launch the coracle, jump aboard, and paddle frantically towards the distant glimmer of the power-shield. The deafening death-cry of Kazan-Oud echoes in your ears.

  Turn to 350.

  123

  As you press the third button you hear a distinct click. The panel slides open and you find yourself staring down a flight of steps that lead to a strong, iron-shod door.

  If you wish to enter the sarcophagus, turn to 216.

  If you choose not to enter, turn to 102.

  124

  By focusing your Kai skill on the sword, you can cause it to rise from the marble block and move through the air towards you.

  If you wish to use your mastery of Nexus in this way, turn to 279.

  If you decide to leave the sword undisturbed and leave the vault by the left tunnel, turn to 298.

  If you decide to leave by the right tunnel, turn to 322.

  125

  His heart beats a dozen times then stops. You close his sightless eyes and lay his sword upon his chest, in the custom of the land of Slovia when a warrior falls in battle.

  If you decide to leave the body and continue, turn to 323.

  If you wish to search the body before you go, turn to 227.

  126

  With a cry that shakes your soul, the creature leaps forward to claw at your throat. The creature is immune to Mindblast (but not Psi-surge). Unless you have the Magnakai Discipline of Nexus, double all ENDURANCE points that you lose during the combat, due to the severity of the burns you sustain.

  Flame-man: COMBAT SKILL 14 ENDURANCE 40

  If you win the combat, turn to 147.

  127

  You clear the slab with one bound and press on along the winding tunnel. A warm, damp wind whistles along the rough-walled passage, carrying with it a rancid smell of sulphur and decay. For over an hour you walk down the tunnel, leaping over fissures in the uneven floor and taking care not to tread on glistening blue-black worms that slither away into cracks in the rock when your light invades their damp, dark world.

  Eventually the tunnel opens out into an oval-shaped chamber. A staircase, festooned with cobwebs, ascends to an open trap door in the ceiling. The familiar pale green glow of the power-shield filters in through this portal. At the foot of the stairs lies the mouldering remains of a body partially encased in armour. A rusty sword is clenched in its skeletal fist, and a bone-handled dagger protrudes from the base of its skull.

  If you wish to climb the stairs to the open trap door, turn to 93.

  If you wish to examine the remains of the body more closely, turn to 199.

  If you wish to leave the chamber and continue along the tunnel, turn to 318.

  128

  As the flames die down and the smoke clears, you see the blackened hand lying at the base of the plinth. To your horror and amazement it begins to move, flexing its charred fingers jerkily. Open-mouthed, you stare in disbelief as it suddenly springs into the air and hovers above your head. Its writhing fingers stretch open as it plummets towards your skull.

  Pick a number from the Random Number
Table. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have picked.

  If your total is now 0–1, turn to 77.

  If it is 2–6, turn to 198.

  If it is 7 or more, turn to 235.

  129

  You recognize the herbs to be crushed Adgana leaves, a plant that grows in abundance in the Bavari Hills of northern Dessi. One dose is enough to increase your COMBAT SKILL by 6 points for the duration of a fight.

  However, Adgana is shunned by most professional warriors and its use is outlawed in the Lastlands because it is highly addictive. If you decide to take this potion prior to combat, there is a small chance that you could become addicted. As soon as the combat is resolved, you must pick a number from the Random Number Table. If the number you pick is 0 or 1, you have become addicted and your ENDURANCE score must be reduced by 4 points. This reduction is a permanent loss to your basic ENDURANCE points score.

  Should the opportunity to use a further dose of Adgana ever arise, its effect on that occasion will be only half that of the original dose (i.e. it will increase your COMBAT SKILL by 3 points instead of 6).

  If you now wish to examine the sarcophagus, turn to 83.

  If you wish to enter the tunnel from which the Beastmen appeared, turn to 323.