The Kingdoms of Terror

by Joe Dever

  A week later, you arrive safely at the outskirts of Quarlen and, in the evening twilight, find yourself gazing upon the fortified wall that surrounds this river town. To reach Varetta you must cross the river — and only here, at Quarlen, is there a bridge that spans the fast-flowing waters of the Quarl. The highway divides as it approaches the town wall, for there are two gates that provide access to its east side.

  If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Pathsmanship, turn to 308.

  If you wish to approach the north gate, turn to 137.

  If you wish to approach the south gate, turn to 225.

  2

  Several of the smaller stoppered glass jars contain potions that could be of use to you on your quest. As you peer along the shelves you look carefully at their labels:

  Potion of Laumspur (restores 4 ENDURANCE points per dose) — 5 Gold Crowns

  Potion of Gallowbrush (induces sleep for 1–2 hours per dose) — 2 Gold Crowns

  Rendalim's Elixir (restores 6 ENDURANCE points per dose) — 7 Gold Crowns

  Potion of Alether (increases COMBAT SKILL by 2 for the duration of one combat) — 4 Gold Crowns

  Graveweed Concentrate (causes death if swallowed) — 4 Gold Crowns

  You may purchase any of the above potions, all of which are Backpack Items.

  If you wish to look at some of the other shops in this street, turn to 152.

  If you decide to wait for the captain to be served, turn to 231.

  3

  At the top of the hill the track comes to an abrupt end at a tall circle of stones. A bundle of firewood is stacked in the centre of the circle and a Torch, wrapped in oilcloth, lies nearby. You recognize this as a signal beacon, for they are very common in Sommerlund, especially along the border with the Durncrag Mountains. If you wish you may take the Torch before heading back along the track.

  Turn to 330.

  4

  As you move the strands aside they suddenly begin to writhe and twist like a seething mass of snakes, coiling round your weapon and turning it back towards your hand. You release your grip and fall back in horror as your weapon is consumed in their corrosive grasp.1

  You turn and run back towards the junction, your stomach churning as you realize how close you came to a grisly death. Erase your lost weapon from your Action Chart before choosing which channel to take.

  If you wish to go straight ahead, turn to 339.

  If you wish to take the channel to your left, turn to 269.

  [1] Lone Wolf Club Newsletter No.6 clarifies: ‘Strictly speaking, the Sommerswerd [or Dagger of Vashna] is a Special Item — not a Weapon. You should erase a Weapon from your Action Chart. If you do not possess a Weapon, only then do you lose the Sommerswerd [or Dagger of Vashna].’

  5

  A shrill cockcrow heralds the break of day. By the time you have dressed and gathered together your equipment, Cyrilus is waiting for you in the courtyard below.

  ‘A glorious day,’ he says cheerfully, pointing up at the cloudless sky with his slender oaken staff. ‘We'll have no difficulty reaching the Halfway Inn by nightfall.’

  You bid farewell to the innkeeper and his son and urge your horses out onto the narrow street that leads to the west gatehouse. By mid-morning you are riding across gentle hills crested with yellow-leaved trees. The hilltops are shrouded with mist, but occasional rays of sunshine break through to lighten the lush green fields below. Time passes swiftly as Cyrilus recounts the histories and legends of the area. You learn that the rich and fertile kingdoms bordering the River Storn have a wild and turbulent past, swept by wars, divided by empires, split by national rivalries and the ambitions of petty princes who prey upon one another and the rest of the populace. Lyris is embroiled in war with Magador, Delden with Salony, and Salony with Slovia. Battles are fought, lives are lost and the land is pillaged with grim regularity — only the mercenaries and the crows seem to prosper from the continual conflicts.

  It is mid-afternoon when you catch sight of a small village on the road ahead. There are many wagons parked at the side of the highway, and a crowd has gathered in a field nearby. As you ride past, you notice a large placard nailed to one of the wagons:

  ARCHERY TOURNAMENT

  ENTRANCE FEE: 2 GOLD CROWNS

  FIRST PRIZE: THE SILVER BOW OF DUADON

  If you wish to enter the tournament, turn to 141.

  If you do not wish to or cannot afford to enter, continue on your way and turn to 210.

  6

  ‘Calm yourselves, my brothers. It is he — it is the Kai Lord.’

  Slowly, as the startled old men regain their composure, their shocked expressions change to ones of awe and reverence.

  ‘I am Gwynian,’ says their leader. ‘We have been expecting your arrival.’ He points to the charts that cover the table and to a massive telescope that is fixed to a platform in the domed ceiling.

  ‘The stars divine the shape of things to come — they are our advisors. We know of your quest for the Lorestone. We know that it is the true quest and we pledge our help, but there are many of our brethren who fear its power. They choose to ignore the wisdom of the stars and they have pledged themselves to a foolish and dangerous vow to keep hidden the location of the Lorestone and to kill all who seek it, for fear they would use it for their own ends.’

  Suddenly, his words are cut short by the beating of fists against the observatory door: your horse has been discovered.

  ‘Give him to us!’ shouts a chorus of angry voices.

  ‘Quickly, we must leave,’ says Gwynian, and he ushers you into a smaller room. A hidden catch is pulled, and a secret panel opens to reveal a passage. As you follow the sage and his companions into the darkness, you hear the door to the observatory splinter and break.

  Turn to 158.

  7

  You sense tension and imminent danger all around you. The quiet serenity of this little hamlet is deceptive — beneath it is hidden a deadly threat to your safety. Instinctively, you unsheathe your weapon and prepare to defend yourself in case of a sudden ambush.

  Turn to 258.

  8

  Chanda gasps and shudders as your final blow robs him of all his strength. He tries to curse you, but the words stick in his throat. As he fights to speak he stumbles and falls dead at your feet.

  You turn him over with the toe of your boot and make a quick but thorough search of his body. You discover a pouch containing 10 Gold Crowns, a Potion of Laumspur (enough to restore 3 ENDURANCE points), and a Map of Varetta. Mark this as a Special Item on your Action Chart. You may take any of these items if you wish and leave this eerie shop.

  Turn to 16.

  9

  The guards exchange glances and nod their heads in agreement. ‘Ten Gold Crowns will make you a welcome guest in our town, stranger,’ whispers the shorter of the two men, holding out his gauntleted hand in expectation.

  If you wish to pay the bribe, turn to 332.

  If you do not wish to pay so large a sum and wish to try to ride past them, turn to 261.

  If you wish to refuse politely their offer and attempt to enter the town by the north gate, turn to 137.

  10

  A jovial man, with long strands of hair hanging down from the point of his chin, lies in a hammock suspended at the end of the gangplank. One eye pops open as you walk onto the deck and, as quick as a flash, he jumps down and produces a fistful of tickets from his breast pocket.

  ‘Welcome aboard the Kazonara,’ he says excitedly, ‘the best riverboat that ever sailed the Storn.’ You glance back at the board and note the prices: 10 Gold Crowns to Luyen, 15 to Rhem and 20 to Eula.

  ‘We leave at midnight, sir, so's you best be a'boarding your horse in the hold without delay.’ Once you have decided which Ticket you wish to buy, pay the man and erase the Gold Crowns from your Action Chart. Mark the Ticket as a Special Item that you keep in your pocket.

  Turn to 82.

  11

  The town of Eula has been turned into a huge a
rmy encampment, its people having long since fled to the north, abandoning their homes and livestock to the gold-hungry soldiers. Soldiers from a dozen different nations rub shoulders with fighters of a less-than-human origin, united by their common greed. As you watch endless columns of soldiers marching towards the pall of black smoke rising in the south, your heart begins to sink. The city in which the Lorestone lies, Tekaro, is a city under siege, a city that can withstand the onslaught of ten thousand fighting men. As you ride across the soot-blackened fields towards the siege-works and entrenchments at the bank of the River Quarl, you curse the war that threatens to defeat your quest.

  Illustration I—The town of Eula has been turned into a huge army encampment.

  Turn to 280.

  12

  The Arrow thuds into its right leg causing it to shriek and lose its footing. Your quick thinking has bought you enough time to unsheathe a hand weapon and attack the monster.

  Yawshath: COMBAT SKILL 22 ENDURANCE 32

  Because the creature is now lying face down, do not deduct any ENDURANCE points you may lose in the first two rounds of combat.

  You may evade combat at any time by escaping through the arch by which you entered the chapel.

  If you wish to evade combat, turn to 305.

  If you win the combat, turn to 112.

  13

  Expertly you move through the undergrowth without making a sound until you come to the edge of a small, rocky clearing. A group of ten hooded men stand in a circle around an altar stone. Their leader, a tall thin man wearing a hideous mask of green glass, spins a golden rod around the head of a gigantic toad-like creature spread-eagled on the altar. Lightning writhes like a sparking serpent around the creature's body, and as the chanting rises in pitch, the beast's body floats upwards, hovering in mid-air a few feet above the altar.

  Suddenly, the leader shrieks with anger and turns in your direction. He has somehow detected your presence, and you feel his blazing fury. He points the golden rod towards you, and a charge of energy snakes through the air.

  If you have a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 56.

  If you wish to draw your weapon and prepare for combat, turn to 295.

  If you wish to flee, turn to 182.

  14

  Suddenly, the riders appear and spread out in a semicircle to surround you. ‘We have a debt to settle, Northlander,’ hisses Roark, his lips drawn back from his teeth in a contemptuous sneer. ‘I demand payment in full!’

  Madness flashes in his glaring eyes as he removes an amulet from around his neck and holds it high in the air.

  ‘Come, come Tagazin, I summon thee. From the pit of eternal pain, I summon thee!’

  The skin on your arms and neck prickles with dread at the sound of Roark's terrible invocation, and you cast your eyes around you for an escape route. Only the churchyard offers a way past Roark and his men, but as you spur your horse through the stone gateway, you are suddenly frozen with terror by what you see before you.

  Turn to 270.

  15

  The town watch gasp in unison, shocked by the seemingly effortless ease with which you have defeated their sergeant. They hesitate and step back, anxious to avoid your gaze and your displeasure. Touching your horse's flanks with your spurs, you move rapidly forward towards the wagons where a handful of fresh-faced guards scatter like frightened chickens. No one dares to challenge you as you manoeuvre your horse around them and canter along the winding alley ahead.

  Turn to 332.

  16

  In the dim glow of a street lantern, you unfold the Map of Varetta and study the complicated network of roads and alleys. Mark this as a Special Item on your Action Chart. Brass Street is located on the far side of the city, close to the west wall. Suddenly, a bell tolls, its dull clang echoing among the rooftops and towers. It is the curfew: everyone must be off the streets within one hour. You will never reach the far side of the city in an hour, so you resolve to find a tavern for the night and resume your quest at dawn.

  Turn to 135.

  17

  You walk to the bar and arrange a room for the night. There are many rooms, each of a different standard and price. A blackboard suspended from the ceiling shows the tariffs:

  DORMITORY — 2 Gold Crowns a night

  SINGLE ROOM (second class) — 3 Gold Crowns a night

  SINGLE ROOM (with hot bath) — 5 Gold Crowns a night

  You may choose to stay in any of the above rooms, but remember to erase the relevant number of Gold Crowns from your Action Chart before turning to your chosen number.2

  If you decide to stay in the dormitory, turn to 144.

  If you decide to stay in the second-class single room, turn to 202.

  If you decide to stay in the single room with a bath, turn to 251.

  [2] If you cannot afford to pay for a room, the tavern-keeper will accept one Backpack Item or Weapon in lieu of payment for a night in the dormitory.

  18

  On a table in the centre of the tent lies a stack of bows that have been provided by the villagers. Most of them are in very poor condition but you manage to find three that are not warped, split, or unstrung. One is a Vassagonian bow called a Jakan; another is a bone bow from Kalte; and the third is a Durenese hunting bow.

  If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, turn to 205.

  If you decide to take the Jakan, turn to 298.

  If you decide to take the bone bow, turn to 214.

  If you decide to take the Durenese hunting bow, turn to 60.

  19

  Luyen, the city of flowers and wine, greets you, its towers, timbered houses, and fortified perimeter walls silhouetted against the sky. It lies in the shadow of the Ceners, at a dangerous bend where the fast-flowing Storn undercuts the sheer slopes of Mount Prindar.

  The captain docks at the Luyen quay for provisions, and as his men busy themselves with a myriad of duties and tasks, you accompany him on a visit to the Luyen apothecary.

  The entrance to this famed establishment is marked by a huge stone jar, creaking on its chains. The shop is vast, and full of things that stir your curiosity. Towers of containered liquids, mountains of coarse-grained powders, and forests of roots and herbs crowd the bleached wooden shelves. The captain seeks medicines of strength and healing in readiness for the battle ahead, and the herbmaster's eyes widen with delight when he reads the captain's list — they are his most expensive preparations.

  If you wish to examine some of the potions that line the shelves, turn to 2.

  If you wish to take a look at some of the other shops in this street while the herbmaster prepares the captain's order, turn to 152.

  20

  Your ambush catches the enemy by surprise, making them panic and fly in all directions. At such close range your Arrow pierces the chainmailed chest of the rider holding Cyrilus' horse and kills him instantly. (Remember to deduct an Arrow from your Action Chart.) As he tumbles to the ground, you break cover, exploding through the bushes and scooping the reins from the dead man's horse. Angry shouts echo in your wake as you take off along the highway with the wizard and his horse by your side.

  Turn to 188.

  21

  At the end of a cool grey marble corridor, you find yourself at the library door. The brown-robed men you saw earlier when you entered the courtyard have all vanished; the hall is now deserted and as quiet as the grave.

  The library, too, is empty, save for the thousands of books that line the stone shelves. On the far side of the room there is another door — the only other exit from the library.

  If you wish to examine some of the books, turn to 302.

  If you wish to enter the other door, turn to 127.

  22

  The gleaming pike heads are barely inches from your chest when you unsheathe your weapon and smash them aside. Your blow shatters their shafts and the guards reel back, wide-eyed and slack-jawed with shock. Seizing your advantage, you spur your horse once more and gallop towards the welcomi
ng shadows of the street ahead. As the outraged cries of the gatehouse guard fade away, you find yourself at a fork in the road. Shadows are lengthening as night draws its cloak around the border town, and you are anxious to find safe lodging for yourself and your horse.

  If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Divination, turn to 41.

  If you wish to take the left fork, turn to 151.

  If you wish to take the right fork, turn to 289.

  23

  Your Arrow whistles past his shoulder and buries itself in another man's leg as he tries to jump from the ship's rail. If you have another weapon you must unsheathe it, for the pirate is still advancing.

  Turn to 92.

  24

  The chapel has lain derelict for many years, exposed to the elements. Very little has survived. In one corner you discover a gaping hole that opens onto another room below. Its floor is covered with large, shiny black puddles, and the overpowering stench of mould and decay is carried upwards by a howling draught. A rat sits on the remains of a corpse, staring up at you in surprise, the dull green light of the chapel reflecting in its peppercorn eyes. As you become accustomed to the gloom, you realize that this room is, in fact, full of corpses: the unfortunate victims of the Yawshath. Then your gaze is drawn to a gleaming bronze warhammer that lies across the chest of a corpse. Everything below is covered in mould except for this weapon which still shines as if it were brand new.