The Plague Lords of Ruel

by Joe Dever

  With your heart racing and the blood pounding in your ears, you drag yourself over the top of the drawbridge and leap down upon the platform. The cave echoes with the beast's unearthly roar as it beats its scaly head against the underside of the bridge in frustration. Timbers sag and splinter, prompting you to stagger to your feet and enter the tunnel beyond before it is too late.

  During your fight, and in your haste to flee the lake monster, you lose two items from your Backpack. Erase those items which you have listed third and fourth on your list of Backpack Items.

  To continue, turn to 306.

  64

  The body of the plague hound crashes to the floor and you see the warrior freeze with shock. Hesitantly he reaches to his sword, but before he can unsheathe it, you leap forward and fell him with a single thrust that pierces his armour and skewers his heart.

  Standing over his still body you use the tip of your weapon to prise open the visor of his iron helm. You reveal the brutal features of a Drakkar. He had survived the downfall of the Darklords and had counted himself fortunate to have found refuge here in Mogaruith. Sadly for him he had not reckoned on ever crossing your path.

  You conceal the bodies of the Drakkar and his hound as best you can before pulling the portal closed and continuing your exploration of Mogaruith.

  Turn to 205.

  65

  Your Magnakai defences are too weak to resist the wave of psychic energy directed against your mind. It tears through your shields and explodes like a fiery ball of white hot plasma deep within your brain. Every nerve in your body is scorched by the blast and, as you fight to remain conscious, your body is contorted by excruciating pain: lose 12 ENDURANCE points.

  As the agony fades and your powers of cohesive thought return, you are dimly aware of another hostile entity drawing closer, attracted by your psychic screams. Then, from out of the black shadows of the pits, you hear a dreadful, rumbling roar. Something huge is stirring deep within each of those dark forbidding shafts. As the ghoulish laughter of the horde reaches its pitch, you turn to see three giant, misshapen cat-like heads rise up into the light, each perched atop a snaky body as thick as the trunk of a tree. They bare their fangs and shake off the tangle of human bones that cling to their stinking, corpse-green manes.

  The sight of these unholy creatures makes you reel back in shock and utter a cry of disbelief. Your cry is lost among the barrage of screeching howls, yet the cat-things react as if they hear it and, together, they come oozing out from their dark, noisome lairs and glide slowly towards where you stand.

  If you possess the Grand Master Discipline of Kai-surge, turn to 80.

  If you do not possess this skill, turn to 38.

  66

  Your search of the dead Cener's robes uncovers the following items:

  Potion of Alether (increase COMBAT SKILL by 2 points for duration of one fight only)

  Enough food for 1 Meal

  Dagger

  If you wish to keep any of the above, remember to adjust your Action Chart accordingly.

  To leave this chamber and continue, turn to 214.

  67

  Your advanced Sixth Sense alerts you to danger. At the end of the tunnel you feel the presence of several creatures, some of which you know to be Vazhag. They are a noisy crowd although the sounds they are making are not particularly hostile. Their voices echo strongly, giving you the impression that the creatures are occupying a large and spacious location.

  If you wish to spirit-walk in order to gather more information about what lies ahead, turn to 337.

  If you choose not to risk spirit-walking here in hostile tunnels, turn to 244.

  68

  Using your Magnakai skill of Psi-surge, you focus your power at a Vazhag guard who is standing on top of the wagon, and release a stunning burst of psychic energy aimed at its brain. Immediately, the creature grasps its head between its paws and lets out an ear-splitting squeal of pain as your attack sears its nervous system. The sudden cry freezes the surrounding rat-men and, when the victim of your attack tumbles from the rear of the wagon, they surge forward, eager to find out what is wrong. In the ensuing confusion, you leave your hiding place and attempt to escape unseen through the portal.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have Kai-screen, add 2 to the number you have chosen.

  If your total score is now 4 or less, turn to 223.

  If it is 5 or more, turn to 331.

  69

  Your weapon glances off the creature's head, opening a wound which kills it instantly. But the force of the impact is not enough to prevent its hand from reaching the button. As the creature topples lifelessly to the floor, you stare with mounting fear at the sight of the depressed alarm button.

  Turn to 216.

  70

  The Vazhag pushes his snout to within an inch of your face and says, to your surprise, that you can enter Mogaruith so long as you first register your arrival. He points to a door in the tower wall and requests you to enter it. ‘There,’ he says, ‘is where you can make your registration.’

  Immediately your Magnakai sense of Divination warns that the Vazhag is lying; nothing but a prison cell awaits you beyond that door.

  If you wish to do as the Vazhag requests and enter the door, turn to 30.

  If you refuse to enter the door, turn to 162.

  71

  You grit your teeth and fix your eyes on the observation platform as you wait for the chain to reach the end of its arc. Upon the instant the momentum stops, you release your grip and hurtle through the air towards the platform's rail. You have timed your jump to perfection. You skim the rail and land on the metal floor, roll over to lessen the impact, and then spring to your feet and run towards the inviting darkness of the doorway which services this platform.

  Turn to 128.

  72

  You struggle to extricate yourself from the bodies of the Vazhag you have slain. As you rise to the summit of the grisly heap, you glimpse the Cener Druid scurrying towards the gap in the trees by which he, and his late minions, entered the clearing.

  You know that he must not be allowed to escape. If he were to reach Mogaruith and raise the alarm, your mission, and probably your life, would soon be over.

  If you possess a Bow and Arrows and wish to use them, turn to 176.

  If you possess mastery of Magi-magic and wish to use it, turn to 334.

  If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 264.

  If you possess none of the above or choose not to make use of them, turn to 237.

  73

  Exterminus is no more than an arm's length from you when you manage to tear free of your thorny bonds. With cat-like grace you duck below the creature's outstretched hands and drive your weapon deep into its unprotected belly. It screams in agony and reels backwards to crash down upon the table which stands beside Cadak's black chair. The awesome bulk of the creature's body crushes the table to matchwood and breaks open the crystal sphere that rested upon it. Immediately there is a loud boom and a tremendous rush of putrid air knocks you down. A funnel of darkness engulfs the body of Exterminus and, with stunning suddenness, there is silence. Both the creature and the shattered remnants of the sphere have vanished completely.

  You stagger to your feet and turn to face the Arch Druid. The shock of what he has witnessed has left him open-mouthed and drained of colour. He is mumbling incoherently and trembling with fear. You take up your weapon and advance towards him, determined to rid Magnamund of this evil druid once and for all, but the sight of you drawing closer snaps him out of his trauma and galvanizes him into action. He weaves his hands before his face and, in an instant, he is shrouded in a cocoon of light. You strike out at the light but your weapon passes clean through it, meeting with no resistance. Then the light fades and you are left standing alone in the druid's empty throne room.

  Turn to 259.

  74

  You step away from the water's edge as the Vazhag come thundering
off the drawbridge and onto the platform. With the manic curses of their leader echoing in their ears, they leap to the muddy shore and charge straight at you, their rusty weapons glinting dully in the light of the cave.

  Vazhag: COMBAT SKILL 26 ENDURANCE 30

  If you win this combat, turn to 142.

  75

  The stairs lead to another hall on a level fifty feet higher. Here, two staircases ascend to the left and right, and a gloomy tunnel disappears directly ahead of you. Your senses pick up something moving at the end of the tunnel and, when you focus your infravision along this dark passageway, you see another Vazhag patrol heading straight towards you. This one is being led by two Acolytes of Vashna and a pack of Ruel war-dogs.

  Eager to evade these enemies, you glance at both staircases and try to decide which one to climb.

  If you wish to ascend the left staircase, turn to 21.

  If you decide to ascend the right staircase, turn to 27.

  76

  The sphere explodes on impact and you are engulfed by a cloud of sickly grey gas. At once you feel your throat tighten and your stomach churn as deadly bacteria-infested vapour penetrates your lungs. But, within seconds, your powerful defences destroy this bacteria and you recover enough to be able to run towards the entrance, hidden by the billowing gas.

  In the ensuing chaos, you escape through the entrance unchallenged. For a moment you are blinded by the early morning sunlight which illuminates the surrounding hills, but, as you stumble along the trail which leads away from the caverns, your vision clears and you see a vast expanse of forest away to the east. This sea of sickly grey-green trees radiates an unmistakable aura of evil that immediately identifies it as the Forest of Ruel.

  Your escape is not pursued and, after a few minutes, you stop among a cluster of boulders in order to catch your breath. The surrounding land appears deserted, the only unusual feature being the track which wends its way eastward through the hills towards a gap at the edge of the unwelcoming forest. You consult your map and conclude that this is the Skardos Trail, the secret route used by the Ceners which leads all the way to Mogaruith itself. You resolve to follow the trail, but first (unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery) you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  To continue, turn to 230.

  77

  A Cener Robe and a Mask would provide you with a useful disguise as you explore the chambers of Mogaruith, a disguise that would undoubtedly raise your chances of success. With this in mind you take and put on what you need from the pegs.

  Record the Cener Robe and Cener Mask in the margin of your Action Chart. As you are wearing these items rather than carrying them, you need not discard any Backpack Items in their favour.

  To continue, turn to 158.

  78

  Before you stretches a cavernous hall, lit by the glow from fire-filled orbs hanging by chains from the ceiling. Facing each other are two rows of stone statues which form a grotesque corridor leading to an archway on the far side. A flicker of fear chills your heart when you notice that the expressions frozen upon their misshapen faces are those of pain and despair.

  Cautiously you advance. You are wary of the statues and your body is tensed to react should they show the slightest hint of animation. Then you detect something which makes you freeze in mid-step. Your Kai senses warn you that something is sleeping in a shadowy alcove close to the distant archway. Anxious not to disturb whatever is resting there, you call upon your camouflage skills to mask your presence before moving any nearer.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess the Grand Mastery of Assimilance, add 3 to the number you have chosen.

  If your total score is 5 or lower, turn to 186.

  If your score is 6 or higher, turn to 196.

  79

  You follow the tunnel for many miles as it plunges deep into the bowels of the Skardos Mountains. At length you reach a wider, smooth-walled corridor, which bears recent tracks upon its dusty floor. Your infallible Magnakai skills of Pathsmanship reveal that this corridor leads due west, towards Mogaruith.

  The numerous tracks tell you that this passage is frequently used. Judging by their size and depth, they have been made by large, rat-like creatures, but ones who walk upright, like humans. From what you have been told about the denizens of Ruel, you are sure that these are the tracks of Vazhag, warrior vermin bred by the Cenerese. Among them you note other tracks that are far from rat-like.

  Cautiously, you follow the corridor and, despite your mounting fears, you encounter nothing more threatening than a nest of ragged-winged bats and an occasional rock snake, which slithers away at your approach. Gradually, the air becomes increasingly cooler and more humid. You can smell the strong scent of water somewhere in the distance and you are not at all surprised when, as you round a sharp bend, you see shimmering reflections playing upon the smooth stone ceiling ahead.

  If you possess Telegnosis, turn to 67.

  If you do not possess mastery of this Discipline, turn to 244.

  80

  In desperation you draw upon your reserves of psychic strength to shape a ball of energy, and then you hurl it at the nearest abomination. It strikes its subconscious and the beast's eyes shut tight in pain as the force of your mind-strike bites deep into its unshielded cortex.

  The attack is successful; the creature is wounded and it slithers back into the safety of its pit. Yet, despite seeing what has befallen their brother, the remaining two creatures continue to advance undaunted.

  2 Ruel Giganite: COMBAT SKILL 38 ENDURANCE 60

  These creatures are susceptible to all forms of psychic attack. When their ENDURANCE points score has been reduced to 36 or less, you can elect to evade combat by turning to 13.

  If you win the combat, turn to 286.

  81

  You draw your weapon and slide it between the pin and the body of the cauldron. You cannot break the thick iron pin but you may be able to lever it away from the chain.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. Now consult the list below and modify the number you have picked:

  If you possess the Sommerswerd, add 4.

  If you are using a Spear or a Broadsword add 2.

  If you are using a Quarterstaff or a Dagger subtract 2.

  If your total is now 4 or less, turn to 275.

  If it is 5 or more, turn to 248.

  82

  You raise your hood and draw your Kai cloak close about your shoulders before pressing yourself flat against the dusty tunnel wall. The shadows and your camouflage skills mask you completely; it is as if you have suddenly vanished. When the two groups of Vazhag come together, close to where you are hiding, they immediately blame each other for having allowed you to escape. They argue loudly and a fight looks imminent until the timely arrival of a Vazhag elder cools their flaring tempers. He orders them back to the lava-lit cavern, and you wait calmly for the grumbling rat-men to disperse before continuing eastwards, along a now-empty tunnel.

  For nearly five miles you explore and, with the exception of an occasional Vazhag sentry, the tunnel remains virtually deserted. At length you arrive at the entrance to another hall, smaller than the lava-cavern but equally as crowded. Daylight streams into this hall through a large archway guarded by armoured Vazhag, and pairs of horny-skinned war-dogs which they hold on the leash. Beyond the archway you can see a track that disappears towards a distant ridge of hills.

  Directly above the archway, you notice a thin ray of sunlight streaming through a window-like hole in the rock. Sorely aware that the main entrance is so heavily guarded that it will be very difficult, even for someone as gifted as yourself, to escape that way undetected, you resolve instead to escape by means of the smaller opening in the rock wall.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have chosen.

  If your total score is now 5 or less, turn to 192.

  If it is 6 o
r more, turn to 346.

  83

  Breathless and bespattered with the blood of your slain foes, you step back from the bodies which lie heaped around your feet and sheathe your gore-stained weapon. The alarm bell continues to toll, warning you that every living creature in Mogaruith is being summoned for the hunt.

  Anxious to reach the surface as quickly as you can, you leap over the bodies and stride up the stairs. You are hungry and while you run you must eat a meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points (unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery).

  To continue, turn to 75.

  84

  Using your innate Magnakai skill of Invisibility, you take care to mask your body heat and scent lest they should stir the curiosity of any keen-nosed denizens of Ruel. Then, with caution guiding your every step, you advance through the knee-high grasses towards the fallen tree. As you approach, you focus your powers of Divination and scan the surrounding darkness for invisible or hidden enemies. Sensing no immediate threat, you continue to the forest's edge where you are greeted by an unwholesome warmth. It rises out of a mulch of insects and fungi that are feasting upon the corpse of the tree. Silently you offer up a prayer to Ishir before venturing a step further into this inhospitable domain.

  Beyond the dead tree you find a muddy track which is bordered on both sides by the tall trunks and thorny briars of the forest. So dense is this tangle of trees and brush that it is impossible to leave the track. You feel as if you are walking along an endless passage, one so unnatural that its construction could only be the result of evil herbcraft.