by Joe Dever
Plague Hound (wounded): COMBAT SKILL 32 ENDURANCE 36
This creature is attacking you simultaneously with a powerful psychic blast. Unless you possess the Grand Mastery of Kai-screen, reduce your COMBAT SKILL by 3 for the duration of this fight.
If you win the combat in 4 rounds or less, turn to 64.
If you win the combat in 5 rounds or longer, turn to 114.
222
You spin around to see a figure standing in the doorway. He is tall and his sharp features are framed by a mane of flowing platinum hair. In his left hand he carries a wizard's staff and in his right he holds a feathered quill, the pen of the creature who was once his scribe.
Illustration XIV—A tall figure with a mane of flowing platinum hair stands in the doorway.
‘Was it you who murdered Cordask?’ he asks, his powerful voice devoid of the slightest emotion. But when you do not answer him immediately his voice and his expression undergo a dramatic change. His eyes radiate an unearthly glow and your skin tingles as you feel his psychic energies probing at your mind.
‘You are not a brother,’ he growls, like a rabid dog, and casts the quill aside.
‘Take off your mask and show your true self … assassin!’
And with that he advances towards you with his staff pointing straight at your heart. You raise your weapon defensively and, in the blink of an eye, a crackling flame lights at the tip of his staff and comes roaring towards your chest.
If you possess the Sommerswerd, turn to 61.
If you do not possess this Special Item, turn to 188.
223
You set off towards the open portal whilst the rat-men gather inquisitively around their injured comrade. Unfortunately, one of these comrades is gifted in the psychic arts, and at once it senses your presence. It jumps upon the wagon and points accusingly at your fleeing form as it screams a warning to its fellow guards.
As one, the Vazhag guards respond to the cry. They draw their rusty weapons and narrow their tiny red eyes as they turn and advance upon you.
If you wish to stand and fight the Vazhag, turn to 313.
If you wish to evade them, you can escape through the open portal by turning to 204.
224
The great flagstoned square echoes with the rhythmic thump of marching troops and the squealed commands of their Vazhag sergeants. Your first concern is to part company with your undead companion as soon as you can, for his presence is already attracting attention from the passing Vazhag. An empty storehouse becomes his new home and, after you have paused to bolt the door, you make your way stealthily towards a staircase which descends to a grand portal set into the base of the stronghold's citadel.
You have reached the north side of the keep when you are unexpectedly confronted by three Cener Druids, who turn a corner and come walking towards you in a line abreast. To avoid them you are forced to sidestep quickly into a shadowy doorway.
Turn to 98.
225
You dig your heels into the muddy shore and take aim at the leading Vazhag. It sees you and, for an instant, its red eyes widen with horror as your shaft speeds towards its snout. With a hollow thok the Arrow skewers the beast's scrawny throat, lifts it bodily from the bridge, and sends it toppling end-over-end into the lake.
Undeterred, the remaining Vazhag come thundering off the drawbridge and onto the platform. With the magic 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 23 ENDURANCE 23
If you win this combat, turn to 142.
226
You focus on the metal pin and summon forth all your psychic power, condensing it and directing it towards this piece of iron in an attempt to disrupt its structure from within. Faint cracks appear in its surface as the bombardment exacts its toll.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If your current ENDURANCE score is 25 or higher, add 2 to the number you have picked. If your ENDURANCE score is 15 or lower, deduct 2.
If your total score is now 3 or less, turn to 328.
If it is 4 or higher, turn to 141.
227
Mindful of how near you have just come to being detected, you hurry to the section of wall from where the druid appeared and search for a way to make it open once more. You discover a lever and, within seconds of pulling it, the concealed panel glides inwards allowing you access to a secret passage.
The narrow passageway descends by steps and slopes to a chamber which is lit by two large black candles, fixed into holes in the surface of a marble slab. On a nearby table lie the following items:
2 Arrows
Enough food for 2 Meals
2 Daggers
1 Sword
Mirror
Rope
If you wish to take any of these items, remember to adjust your Action Chart accordingly.
Opposite the slab there is a door which opens into a narrow corridor. You step through and follow this corridor to a room where stands an imposing door made of sheeted copper, inlaid with a filigree of gold and silver. It is the only exit from an otherwise drab and gloomy chamber.
A closer inspection of the door reveals that it is surrounded by an airtight seal. Furthermore, there is no keyhole, bolt, or handle. However, your keen eyesight is drawn to a pattern in the door's centre panel which, thanks to past experience, you recognize to be a sophisticated combination lock.
The gold inlays form three rows of three numbers within a grid of silver lines.
Below these numbers, in ancient Cenerese script, is carved the message:
‘Declare ye the true number to pass this way’
Study the grid of numbers. When you think you know the answer to the riddle, turn to the entry which bears the same number as your answer.8
If you cannot solve this puzzle, turn to 132.
[8] The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.
228
Shortly before midnight, you and the captain ride out of Stonewatch on two fine Slovarian steeds. It is another moonless night and the plain is shrouded by darkness, yet you have no difficulty in seeing the terrain that lies ahead. Using your natural Magnakai skill of Huntmastery, every flowing contour of the grassy plain is revealed to you. The captain is not so gifted, but the special spectacles he wears fully compensate for his lack of night vision. They were a token of gratitude from the Arch-Chief of Chaman for his services in defence of the city of Gleesh during the war against the Darklords, and often they have been of use to the captain when scouting his country's border with Ruel.
In less than an hour you arrive at a grassy knoll which overlooks the dense, forbidding wall of trees that is the Forest of Ruel. You are dismounting when something causes you to halt mid-way. You perceive a scent being carried on the night air: it is the heavy, cloying stench of decay.
‘There is great evil here,’ says the Captain, observing your reaction. ‘You would not be thought faint-hearted were you to return with me to Stonewatch.’
‘I will return to your fortress, Captain,’ you reply, your voice quietly resolute, ‘but not until my task at Mogaruith has been completed.’
The captain smiles and raises his steely hand in a salute to your brave determination. ‘Very well, my lord. So be it. Until that glad day dawns I shall pray for your safety and success.’
Then he brings his horse about, takes yours by the reins, and bids you a final farewell before heading back to Stonewatch. ‘May the gods watch over you and deliver us swiftly from the darkness of Mogaruith.’
You return his salute and watch as he gallops away with your steed in tow. Then, when finally he disappears, you turn to observe the gloomy forest perimeter. At first, the tangle of underbrush and trees appear to be so interwoven that they form an impregnable wall. Yet, at length, you see that there are two points where entry is possible. The first is where a s
ickly stream emerges from the forest to feed a stagnant, scum-encrusted pond; the second is where a tree has fallen and torn a hole in the thorny briars.
If you wish to enter the Forest of Ruel by way of the stream, turn to 155.
If you choose to enter through the gap created by the fallen tree, turn to 84.
229
The inquisitive Tzarg passes within a few feet of your hiding place, but your Magnakai skills save you from detection. Eventually it waddles into the passageway from which you entered the hall and hurries off with an excited group of Vazhag close on its heels, all of them now convinced by the Tzarg's actions that it has picked up your trail.
Patiently you wait until the sound of their footsteps has faded before you emerge from your hiding place and leave the hall by the stairs.
Turn to 75.
230
Using your camouflage skills to mask your passage, you enter the forest and follow the track into the deepening gloom. Your senses come alive to the evil that permeates every root and branch of this forbidding place and, as darkness closes in, your fears are heightened by a sickly mist which seeps out of the ground. Its corpse-like chill leaves you shivering, despite all your efforts to shield yourself from its clammy touch.
You are a Grand Master and night no longer restricts your vision. As the track ascends towards a wooded peak, you see the outline of a ruined stone watchtower perched atop a rocky knoll. You sense that the tower is deserted and, keen to escape from the mist, you climb towards a crack in its granite base. You crouch to enter the jagged breach and, in doing so, you disturb a host of crab-creatures nesting within. In a frenzy they scuttle away from the tower, disappearing among the surrounding rocks in the blink of an eye.
Aching with fatigue, and mindful of the perils which still lie ahead, you settle yourself into a corner of the rubble-strewn tower and try to snatch a few hours of sleep. This night your slumber is disturbed by strange and unwholesome dreams, formed from the fears suppressed by your conscious mind. You are hunted by phantom shapes which take the form of friends and fellow countrymen. Kai initiates under your tutorage and simple Sommlending folk, their heads bowed and their faces pitted and disfigured by plague, drift past you in a seemingly endless procession.
You awake with a start, your pulse racing and your forehead glistening with beads of sweat. At first a sense of hopelessness washes over you, brought on by the vivid memory of your nightmare, but as your consciousness returns, so too does your inner strength. You perceive the dreams as a warning of what will happen should your quest fail, and this realization strengthens your resolve to reach Mogaruith and thwart the Cener's evil plan.
You have slept for several hours and, physically at least, you feel refreshed (restore 3 ENDURANCE points). In the half-light of early morning you gather together your equipment and weapons in readiness to resume your perilous journey to Mogaruith.
Turn to 160.
231
An agonizing pain shoots up your left leg, forcing a scream from your lips. With fearful trepidation you glance down and see that a Vazhag arrow has found its mark. The shaft has skewered your calf: lose 5 ENDURANCE points.
You draw upon your healing skills to deaden the searing pain just long enough so that you can reach down and snap the arrowhead from the shaft. Then, as swiftly as you can, you withdraw the shaft and cast it down into the hall.
A wave of nausea leaves you trembling, but the sensation soon passes and, aided by your determination and your healing skills, you force yourself to resume the ascent towards the winch.
Turn to 103.
232
Your Arrow misses its mark and arcs harmlessly into the trees, allowing the druid to effect a hasty escape along the forest track. Cursing your luck, you run across the clearing and give chase.
You have been on his trail for less than a mile when you sense danger ahead. The druid has managed to reach another patrolling pack of Vazhag, much larger than his own escort, this one led by six of the druid's brethren. He informs them of your presence and, using their corrupted form of herbcraft, they cause the undergrowth to close in upon you and hold you prisoner. Marshalling all your skills, you manage to cut your way free of its grip, but not before the druids have mustered reinforcements from Mogaruith.
They attack you mercilessly with the full might of their evil craft. Courageously, you defy them, but their combined power is far greater than even a Grand Master can withstand. With the names of your gods and your country on your lips, you finally meet your doom here in the Forest of Ruel.
233
Walking across the age-blackened drawbridge towards the spiky arched tower of Mogaruith is an unnerving experience. It is as if you are walking along a blackened tongue towards the gaping throat of some gigantic dragon. On either side the bubbling moat releases foul fumes which fill your nostrils with a terrible sugary stench that clogs your lungs and blurs your vision. You draw upon your Magnakai skills and your vision clears, but the sight which lies ahead looks no more inviting than it did before.
At the tower you are challenged by a troop of Vazhag guards. Using your Magnakai Disciplines of Animal Control and Pathsmanship to aid your deception, you inform them that you have come to deliver the zombie to Brother Croumah at the Hall of Sacrifice. Immediately, the guards scurry aside, bowing subserviently as they part to allow you entry to the great keep of Mogaruith.
Turn to 224.
234
You insert the gleaming key into the keyhole and twist it clockwise. There is a faint click and, as you push, the wall glides inwards then moves away to your right. It reveals a small well-kept chamber, its walls lined with shelves containing hundreds of stoppered jars, each one neatly labelled.
The jars contain all manner of compounds and elements, from worthless dirt to precious gold dust, and many herbs besides. You search along the shelves and take down half a dozen jars whose contents you recognize:
Laumspur (Enough for 5 doses) Restores 4 ENDURANCE points when swallowed after combat.
Alether (Enough for 4 doses) Increases COMBAT SKILL by 2 points for duration of one fight only.
Gallowbrush (Enough for 2 doses) Induces 10 hours' sleep and loss of 2 ENDURANCE points per dose.
Sabito (Enough for 2 doses) Enables user to breathe underwater.
Laumwort (Enough for 3 doses) Restores 2 ENDURANCE points if swallowed before or after combat.
Oede (Enough for 1 dose) Very rare and valuable. Many healing properties. Cures serious diseases. Restores 10 ENDURANCE points if swallowed before or after combat.
If you wish to keep one or more of the above jars, remember to record your choice on your Action Chart. Each jar contains all of a given herb or potion in a concentrated form created by the Cener Druids (e.g. all five doses of Laumspur are contained in a single jar). Each jar counts as one Backpack Item.
Apart from the secret door by which you entered, you notice that there is a narrow passageway which leads out of this room.
If you wish to leave the room by this passageway, turn to 214.
If you wish to leave by the secret door and retrace your steps all the way back to the west passage, turn to 271.
235
Your Arrow strikes the druid in the back and its tip skewers his evil heart. He takes a few faltering steps, and then raises his arms and vents his death-cry before collapsing into the undergrowth.
You run to where he has fallen and, as you reach his lifeless body, the Vazhag pack appear, alerted by his scream. The moment they see you, standing over their leader like a hunter over his kill, their nerve appears to crumble. They lower their weapons and begin to edge away. Then the leading rat-men panic; they turn and run, and the others quickly follow suit, leaving you alone with the body of the dead druid spread-eagled at your feet.
Curiosity prompts you to prise away the druid's green mask and look upon the face of this servant of evil. It is an ugly, disease-riddled face, human in shape yet lacking any trace of humanity. Reluctantly you search hi
m and discover the following items:
Dagger
Cener Robe (if kept, this item will occupy 2 spaces in your Backpack)
Cener Mask
20 Lune (equivalent to 5 Gold Crowns)
If you decide to keep any of the above, remember to adjust your Action Chart accordingly.
Your Magnakai skills tell you that the golden rod no longer possesses any magical aura; its destructive powers vanished the moment its wielder breathed his last. You stoop to prise it from the dead druid's hand, but as soon as your fingers touch its metallic surface it disintegrates into a fine, foul-smelling dust.
With twilight but an hour away, you leave the clearing via the gap and hurry along the muddy track beyond.
Turn to 10.
236
Your powerful psychic defences shield you from this mind scan as it passes over your body. The light, reflecting from the Cener Mask you are wearing, activates a sensor in the door and, as you walk forward, slowly it begins to slide open.
Turn to 150.
237
You race after the fleeing druid and catch up with him less than fifty yards along the path. In desperation, he tries to cut you down with another blast of energy but your swift reflexes save you from being hit. A well-placed blow knocks the rod from his hand and deflects the blast away into the trees. Cursing you, he unsheathes a dagger and lunges at your heart.
Cener Druid: COMBAT SKILL 28 ENDURANCE 28
