The Defenders of Dusk

by Dane Barrett

  176

  You push with all your might but cannot shift the ladder. Despondent at having failed to dislodge your enemies, you notice several of the other guards have had similar poor fortunes, and enemy troops quickly begin swarming over the parapet to engage the defenders in melee combat. You draw your blades and step forward to help defend the wall, taking on three opponents at the same time!

  SWORDSMAN: FIGHT 7, HEALTH 3

  HAMMERMAN: FIGHT 7, HEALTH 3

  MERCENARY: FIGHT 6, HEALTH 4

  If you manage to defeat all three, then you quickly assist Xanth and the rest of the men in disposing of their opponents before finally managing to dislodge the ladders from the wall. Add 10 to your RESISTANCE points. Once done, you pause to take stock of the situation. You observe the east-most tower and its ballista still firing its mighty darts into the enemy forces below, while to the west you can hear excited shouts coming from the archers. Will you head west, back to the centre of the wall (turn to 354) or climb the stone steps of the eastern tower (turn to 65)?

  177

  You slip from the shadows and dance upon several soft mounds of compacted dirt which are elevated above the waterline. One of these piles is not what it seems, however, and your foot sinks unceremoniously into the waste deposit of an unknown animal. If the distinct sound of your boot squelching didn't attract the soldier, the unpleasant stench which results from breaking the surface of the mound certainly does! Your target turns his head to look straight at you while readying his sword and shield for battle. You have no choice but to fight this man!

  ENEMY SOLDIER: FIGHT 7, HEALTH 3

  If you win this battle, turn to 209.

  178

  You cleave the blob into pieces before rushing over to the river's edge to wash the acid from your body and weapons. You remain watchful of any guards who may have heard the battle, but other than hearing a dog bark somewhere above you, there appears to be no sign of any unwanted attention. No permanent damage was done to your equipment either, so you surmise the acid must have only targeted living flesh. With your skin thankfully still attached to your body, you carry on walking, making sure to peer upwards this time, and eventually arrive on the other side of the bridge without incident. This walkway now turns left and ascends to a new level, joining up with the other platform you spotted on the right-hand side of the structure. Turn to 301.

  179

  As you look upon the crack in the stone, you spy an empty box alongside the dais; seemingly discarded, and only recently so if the lack of grime upon it is anything to go by. Looking inside, you can see the remnants of a sparkling powder, which appears to reflect various colours even with the lack of light in the tunnel. This must be the magical mind-control dust, which means your enemies have already released it into the river! Do you have the keyword CLEAN? If so, turn to 308. Otherwise, turn to 365.

  180: Twisting your head around, you observe the

  enormous head of a wyrm; a dragon, no less,

  with scales the colour of rust.

  180

  You carefully edge forwards, aware that the creature with the booming voice may still be outside the cave entrance. As you approach the light, the terrain forms into coherent shapes, and you can now make out a full view of the city, with great pillars of smoke still twisting off into the sky.

  “I thought I smelled a thief in the dark,” the booming voice says, now above you. Twisting your head around, you observe the enormous head of a wyrm; a dragon, no less, with scales the colour of rust. Knowing that running back into the cave will likely end with you being engulfed in dragonfire, you instead straighten yourself boldly in front of the wyrm.

  “Why does a creature such as you seek to help these invaders?” you ask.

  “My goal is personal, shadow-walker,” the dragon, Tannurat, replies. His breath bears an intense heat that makes you take an involuntary step back. “My kind were bred for war, and we are bound in servitude to our riders. I seek the key which will unshackle my collar. I yearn for freedom.” The dragon lifts its head, showing you a mighty piece of coiled metal around its neck, which glows with a clearly magical aura.

  “And this key is located in the city?”

  Suddenly the dragon's massive nostrils flare and its eyes open wide.

  “There is the smell of blood upon you,” Tannurat says. “It is a scent I know well. You have killed my rider, Dysidious!” Turn to 361.

  181

  You position your mouth in front of the outlet, tilting your head to one side in case you need to urgently back off to avoid a discharge of water coming through the pipe. You cup a hand beside your lips to prevent your voice from echoing down the tunnel and call out.

  “Pierre!” you say. “We should turn about at once! That soldier ahead, while clearly foul-looking and devoid of brains, has a sharp blade. Even a fool like him might get lucky!” Your voice carries through the pipes and successfully emanates from the targeted passageway. The soldier reacts as planned, readying his weapon and trudging off down the side tunnel to locate his somewhat rude prey. Before he has a chance to return, you deftly slip by and continue on until you spot more torchlight ahead. Turn to 380.

  182

  You fall well short of what is left of the far side of the parapet, tumbling down until you land heavily upon the shattered debris below. You barely have time to recover before you are viciously set upon by several Gekka shock troops! The city guardsmen try to move forward to cover you with the shield wall but are too late. What sections of your body are not cut into ribbons by claws are stomped to a bloody pulp by heavy feet. Your adventure ends here.

  183

  “Everything is proceeding perfectly,” a distinguished and deep-sounding voice says just beyond the entrance to the middle tunnel. “The Mayor Vadul, his personal guard and his Wizard Ullucus are now our prisoners.”

  “Not so perfectly, Fagen,” another voice, older and mixed with gravel, replies. “Takitus was killed in the sewers by an unknown assailant before discovering the whereabouts of the city's underground river. The plan will not work if we do not deploy your mind-control dust so that it can be spread across the city.”

  “I will send Sloman down there, along with Gribb-gribb and his mischief. The old demon lost his prisoner, so it can spend some time in the sewers with the rest of the garbage. It'll probably even like it down there; disgusting creature. What of Tannurat? How long before he can conjure another wall?”

  “A day at most. For now, he detected the scent of blood on the cliff face, and is hunting the source as we speak.”

  “Very well,” the deep voice says. “I will leave you now, Dysidious. Our victory is at hand.” With that, you hear footsteps heading away from your current location. Will you continue into the middle tunnel (turn to 63), the left-hand twisting passage (turn to 311) or the narrow right-hand crawlspace (turn to 132)?

  184

  Grasping the chain tightly, you slowly begin your ascent up to a section of wooden beams which should allow you to walk directly above the guardhouse. The climb isn't easy, however, as the chain has become slippery and sways about uncooperatively in the wind. Roll 2 dice. If the result is equal to or lower than your STRENGTH, turn to 397. If the dice roll is higher than your STRENGTH, turn to 124.

  185

  As much as you struggle against its grip, you aren't able to break free of the Filth-Demon's constricting grasp. The monster tosses you onto the splintered wood, which embeds itself sharply into your shoulder. Subtract 3 from your HEALTH. If you are still alive, you twist away, breaking yourself free of the wood and spattering your own blood across the floorboards. Gritting your teeth to resist the pain, you swivel to face off against the semi-formed demon a second time!

  FILTH-DEMON: FIGHT 7, HEALTH 3

  If you win this battle, you can finally help Arinzo to his feet, fleeing the building as the city fires begin to finally light up the peasant's quarter. Turn to 246.

  186

  As you make your way through the s
treets, being careful to stick to what patches of darkness have not yet been eclipsed by the light from the burning buildings, you peer about as horses run free, people scream, and silhouettes stagger about in confusion. You scale a steep embankment and watch as a Town Guard seemingly cuts down one of his own comrades, only to then be shot with a crossbow bolt from somebody else out of sight. You see another guardsman ahead, fighting an opponent in an alleyway. The guardsman looks to be winning until a throwing knife embeds itself in his neck. You slip by unnoticed. You eventually reach a drain leading into the sewer system, where only a few hundred metres on you know you will find the secret entrance to the Thieves Guild. The way is blocked by two soldiers; enemies you assume, as three Town Guards lie dead at their feet. These soldiers are armed with short swords and round shields. Arinzo hides behind a mound of trash to your left, while you slip in behind a broken cart. Your leader signals that he cannot see the positioning of the men ahead, so it falls to you to decide what to do next. Will you attack the men with a direct assault (turn to 312) or sneak up to attempt a backstab (turn to 134)?

  187

  You lift the knife from the pile of documents and are surprised when several of the papers slide off the table, having been taken by the brisk breeze flowing through the tent. As you refocus your attention back to your prize, you stare in horror as your skin begins to whither suddenly. You drop the knife, though not quickly enough to avoid being afflicted by the curse which had been bestowed upon it! Choose one of your attributes and subtract 1 from its maximum value. You are rubbing your hand, hoping to in some way dispel the evil magic which has taken hold, when you detect footsteps approaching the main entrance. You have no choice but to take your leave, departing hurriedly through the cut you made in the side of the tent. Turn to 131.

  188

  On reaching the left side of the courtyard, you spy a deep trench with thin trails of smoke twisting into the air from below. Looking inside, you realise this is a long fire pit, used for heating the chilly interior of the cavern. The floor of the trench is layered with lit oil, presenting a dangerous hazard for anyone falling in. If you are going to traverse this side of the courtyard, the only way to stay out of sight will be to suspend yourself from the edge of the trench and shimmy across using arm strength. Do you want to continue along the left side of the courtyard (turn to 159) or head to the right side, where the cover is more conventional (turn to 347)?

  189

  Emerging from the shadows, you bring your short sword to bear and run it right through the orc mercenary's back and chest before either guard even realises they have undesired company. The goblin rises from its chair, arming itself with a short blade, and steps forward to fight you!

  GOBLIN MERCENARY: FIGHT 5, HEALTH 3

  If you win this battle, turn to 3.

  190

  You find an open shutter and slip inside the window behind it. You wait for Fagen, listening for his footsteps while keeping an eye on the shadows outside through a small gap between the shutter doors. When you think you can judge the sorcerer's exact position outside the window, you throw it open and launch yourself out of the opening! Roll 2 dice. If the result is equal to or lower than your INTELLIGENCE, turn to 280. If the dice roll is higher than your INTELLIGENCE, turn to 366.

  191

  You grasp at several handholds in one of the vertical foundation pillars while arching your body outwards, allowing you to scramble up and onto the beams which act as the upper supports for this section of the bridge. While you are some distance above the encampment, you nevertheless take care not to make too much noise as you creep across the narrow path. You are making good progress when suddenly the shaft you are traversing sends out an ear-splitting crack before shuddering violently beneath your boots. Glancing ahead, you spot a split in the wood which looks ready to give away at any moment. Telltale weapon grooves reveal that the damage on the beam has been purposefully inflicted, undoubtedly as a trap to catch out unsuspecting infiltrators like yourself. Will you attempt to crawl carefully over this obstacle (turn to 111) or reach up to one of the higher, thinner beams and use your arms to swing over the break (turn to 305)?

  192

  Tannurat swats you to the ground as if you were a mere insect to him. He lays one of his mighty claws over your body, pinning you to the ground.

  “Prepare to meet your end, worm,” the dragon booms with an authoritative growl as it slowly begins to push down on you. Do you have the keyword BRAVE? If so, turn to 140. Otherwise, turn to 16.

  193

  You fall to your knees, making sure not to look either of the mercenaries in the eye.

  “I am not worthy of resolving such a dispute, leaders,” you say, adding a false stutter of fear to your voice. “Please set me aflame for having disturbed your conversation!”

  “I don't have any oil,” the orc replies as he takes your offer most seriously. “But at least you know your place.”

  “Quite right,” says the runty man. “Get away from here, soldier. We don't need your kind cluttering up our work area!” Both mercenaries leave you cowering on the floor of the bridge while they enter a nearby tent to resume discussing their war plans. Having avoided a conflict while only sacrificing a small portion of your dignity, you continue on towards the leader's tent, which now looms ominously before you. Turn to 288.

  194

  You dive down into the pond, swimming as deep as you can as a torrent of flame engulfs the surface of the water above. You are beginning to fear that you have trapped yourself down here when you spy a tunnel leading away from the floor of the pond. The passage is choked with underwater plant life, so you cannot tell how far the path goes. Will you risk a swim through the tunnel (turn to 116) or stay where you are, trying to hold your breath long enough for the dragon to give up its attack (turn to 174)?

  195

  With neither you nor Arinzo having any weapons other than your daggers, you will be at a disadvantage against the soldiers, who have an extended reach with their swords and extra protection from their shields. You will need to hope your skill outweighs the fighting ability of these men. Arinzo will make an opponent of the other man, leaving you just the one enemy to fight!

  ENEMY SOLDIER: FIGHT 8, HEALTH 3

  If you win this battle, turn to 388.

  196

  The soldier notices nothing as you slip from the shadows and swoop around behind him, your boots gracefully dancing upon soft mounds of compacted dirt elevated above the waterline. There is a momentary flash of metal as the torchlight betrays the existence of your dagger, but it draws a long and deadly line across the soldier's throat before he has a chance to object to its presence. The soldier's blood spills from his neck into the wastewater, and you carefully lower your victim into its cold embrace. Write down the keyword ECHOES. Leaving the corpse behind, you continue up the tunnels towards the next source of torchlight. Roll 1 die. On a result of 1, 2, 3 or 4 turn to 87. If the die roll shows 5 or 6, turn to 203.

  197

  A gust of wind attempts to spoil your traversal, but you prove to be more than a match for it, successfully bypassing the damaged section of the beam before dropping back down to safety. With the obstacle negotiated, you move on to the next part of the bridge. You are now halfway across the encampment, and you see what looks to be the leader's tent ahead if the size of it is anything to go by. You take a few more steps before noticing another obstacle just in front of your boots; spikes have been pierced through the wood at specific intervals along the beam. Taking measure of the situation, you calculate the distance between each set of spikes so that you can execute some well-timed jumps to clear them. Dancing forward, you skip quickly over the first two sets of deadly skewers before suddenly landing upon something slick, causing your feet to slip out from underneath you! Someone has poured a layer of oil upon this beam! Roll 2 dice. If the result is equal to or lower than your AGILITY, turn to 265. If the dice roll is higher than your AGILITY, turn to 173.

  198


  The Filth-Demon glares at you for a moment before a sense of recognition finally dawns across its dreadful face. Its eyes widen with fury at once again facing the foe who has laid it low twice before, and so it steps forward seeking revenge!

  SLOMAN the FILTH-DEMON: FIGHT 9, HEALTH 6

  If you defeat the demon, you push it back off the wall so that its refuse-laden body splatters itself unpleasantly across the enemy troops below. The other guardsmen cheer and laugh, shaking you by your shoulders and messing up your hair as they celebrate your defeat of the demon. Add 10 to your RESISTANCE points. With the Filth-Demon now eliminated, you take a quick look around to see where you might be needed next. Down below you can see some lizard riders amassing to the west, though you also notice a volley of concentrated trebuchet fire flying over where the archers are stationed. Will you head up the stone steps to the western tower (turn to 214) or go east to check on the archers (turn to 298)?