Wolf's Bane

by Joe Dever

  Your innate healing skills counter the poison before it can do its deadly work, but your body's defences draw heavily on your reserves of strength and the curing process leaves you feeling weak and light-headed: lose 4 ENDURANCE points.

  To continue, turn to 70.

  98

  ‘Come, Grand Master. You're going home,’ she says, and she takes you by the hand and leads you to the middle of the banquet hall, to a place directly opposite the great fireplace. ‘But first we must make preparations for the journey.’

  Alyss then proceeds to remove an amulet from around the throat of your slain adversary. She presses it into your palm and tells you to put it on immediately. (Record this Special Item on your Action Chart as Wolf's Bane's Amulet, which you wear on a chain around your neck. You must discard another Special Item in its favour if you already possess the maximum permissible.)

  When you have done as she requests, she then touches her finger to the two amulets that you now wear, and she smiles.

  ‘Good, good,’ she enthuses, ‘these baubles will take care of you.’

  She then takes a piece of limestone from her pocket and proceeds to draw a pentagram on the floor of the hall. She has half completed the complicated design when suddenly she becomes agitated.

  ‘Must hurry,’ she mumbles, ‘must, must hurry.’

  Suddenly the fire in the hearth flares brightly. The flames begin to grow and whirl and slowly change colour.

  ‘It's no good!’ cries Alyss, tearful with frustration. Angrily she casts her chunk of crumbling limestone at the roaring flames and then leaps to her feet and comes rushing to your side. ‘It's too late!’ she screams, her voice now barely audible above the unnatural crackling of the fire. ‘Naar is summoning his champion!’

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table.

  If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 273.

  If it is 5–9, turn to 67.

  99

  The shock wave from the blast sends you tumbling backwards into the chamber. Moments later something heavy falls across your legs, pinning you to the ground. You reach down to pull yourself free and discover that the object that is lying across your legs is Black Hawk. Dazed and trembling, you roll his limp body over and then hurriedly check to see if he is still breathing. Thankfully you discover that he is alive, although he has sustained serious injuries. His hand and sword arm are badly burnt and he is in a state of deep shock.

  Using your Magnakai Curing skills, you are able to stabilize his condition and bring him out of shock (in doing so you expend 3 ENDURANCE points). As you help him to his feet you look around and see that the others have been knocked flat by the blast. They too are now struggling to pull themselves to their feet. Fortunately their physical injuries are minor; their innate Kai skills appear to have spared them from serious injury. However, you sense that your inability to detect that the wall was an explosive illusion has taken its toll on their confidence.

  ‘Our prey is far more cunning than I feared,’ you say, ruefully, ‘but we are Kai and we shall rise to the challenge. Our enemy possesses strong magic and he is capable of masking it well. Yet he chooses to use it to wound and weaken our party, not to kill us. Why this should be I do not know. But from now on we cannot entirely trust our senses to protect us. We must proceed with the utmost caution.’

  Beyond where the illusory north wall once stood, you can now see a small antechamber which is wreathed in acrid blue smoke. Gradually this smoke dissipates to reveal a shallow plinth upon which lies a bronze urn. This heavy object rests on its side and a quantity of pale grey ash has spilled from its hinged lid. Cautiously you approach the urn and see that there is an inscription engraved on its side. From this ancient script you learn that the ashes are the last remains of Baroness Garrulen, the wife of Hul — third Baron of Tyso. Glinting half-buried in the ash, you notice a ring encrusted with crimson gemstones. (If you wish to keep this Ruby Ring, record it on your Action Chart as a Special Item.)

  You are righting the urn on its plinth when you hear Steel Hand calling you. He has found something among the rubble which litters the floor at the rear of the antechamber.

  Turn to 35.

  100

  You are eager to confront your enemy, but you are wary of walking into a trap. At first glance he appears to be alone in this circular hall, but then you notice something curious about the hall itself. At the four points of the compass there are rails attached to the walls. Small horizontal platforms are attached to these rails and they move along them in a continuous procession. At the north and the south these platforms ascend through holes in the ceiling; at the west and east the platforms descend through similar holes and continue through other holes cut in the floor. You suspect them to be elevators and your suspicions are confirmed when suddenly an armoured warrior appears; he is standing on a descending platform and he passes through the hall and continues travelling downwards to a level somewhere below.

  Wolf's Bane is standing with his back to you and is examining a panel of glass set into the chamber wall. You magnify your vision and you see that the panel displays an illuminated view of the avenue that approaches the tower. Your adversary is watching and waiting for your approach; clearly he is unaware that you have already gained access to the tower.

  Suddenly, something alerts him to your presence and he spins on his heel, his dark eyes blazing with a mixture of fear and loathing. He sees you at the entrance to the hall and immediately he leaps upon a rising north platform in an attempt to escape from you. Determined not to let him get away again, you enter the hall and jump onto a rising south platform. As the platform passes through the ceiling of the hall, it carries you up a tall, open shaft. Wolf's Bane is on the far side of the shaft wall, some twenty feet above. You can see his face peering over the lip of the platform on which he is standing. He mouths something that you suspect is a curse, but then he points at you with an extended hand and a crackling arc of crimson fire leaps from his fingers and comes twisting down the shaft towards your face.

  If you possess the Sommerswerd, turn to 341.

  If you do not possess this Special Item, turn to 153.

  101

  You detect several footprints in the loamy mulch, all of them virtually identical to your own. They have been partially covered by leaves and there are many narrow channels in the soft soil, made unmistakably by human fingers. Your suspicions are immediately aroused; the tracks are so poorly concealed, it is as if someone wanted you to find them.

  If you possess Telegnosis, turn to 51.

  If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, turn to 258.

  102

  You throw yourself forwards to avoid the missile, yet it dips in mid-air and carves a furrow across your shoulder blades as you slide along the frost-encrusted floor: lose 5 ENDURANCE points.

  Your adversary sniggers when he hears your cry of pain. Yet, despite the burning agony of your wound, you scramble to your feet and level your weapon defiantly at the darkened stairway. But Wolf's Bane is no longer crouching near the steps — he is fast ascending them. Calling upon your innate healing skills, you staunch the blood that is trickling freely from your back and hurry towards the staircase in pursuit of your hated foe.

  Turn to 29.

  103

  You lower yourself carefully into the hollow stem and soon discover that it drops away very steeply. It is a vertical tube for most of its length, yet you are able to slow your rate of descent by grabbing hold of tiny tendrils which protrude from the lining of the stem wall. As you get nearer to its base, the stem wall becomes semi-transparent and slick with moisture. You press your face to this warm surface and you are able to discern other stems. They look like the trunks of trees in a dense green forest. Then you look down to see that the stem of this plant is descending into darkness. The darkness begins at the point where the stem passes below ground level. You decide to stop at this point for you have no desire to explore the roots of this strange flower.

>   Carefully you examine the fabric of the semi-transparent stem. If you can force your way through this tough plant wall, you will be able to escape from your prison-like tube.

  If you possess a bladed Weapon or a bladed Special Item, turn to 332.

  If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 279.

  If you possess Magi-magic and wish to use it, turn to 57.

  If you possess none of the above or choose not to use them, turn to 4.

  104

  In response to your prayer, you feel a warming sensation radiating through your body and your mind, leaving you physically and mentally refreshed and alert: restore 4 ENDURANCE paints.

  Confident that the divine Gods of Good are watching over you in this moment of truth, you throw open the doors and stride boldly into the hall beyond.

  Turn to 240.

  105

  Having weighed the risks and options, you decide to make a dash for the exit on the far side of the vault. You are confident that the combination of surprise, speed, and camouflage will be enough to see you safely across the vault before your would-be ambushers have a chance to react to your presence.

  Taking a deep breath, you launch yourself into the vault. You have covered barely ten feet of the floor when you hear the angry, rasping voices of the creatures echoing from inside the hanging cauldron. You are passing beneath this iron pot when suddenly a volley of bone arrows comes whistling down from above.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Assimilance and Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.

  If your total score is now 8 or less, turn to 97.

  If it is 9 or higher, turn to 180.

  106

  Silently you unshoulder your Bow and notch an Arrow to the bowstring. Then, with cold precision, you take aim at the back of your enemy's head and release your Arrow. A split second before the shaft reaches its target, Wolf's Bane senses danger and throws himself to the floor. The fire-hardened tip of your deadly missile pierces his thigh, wounding him badly, but not so as to prevent him from wrenching the shaft from his leg and making a hasty escape.

  Turn to 207.

  107

  This narrow passageway leads to a vault littered with scraps of cloth, rodent skins, bones, and twisted clumps of dry vegetation. Out of this carpet of debris a crude, nest-like hollow has been fashioned. The glint of burnished gold prompts you to investigate the nest more closely and, to your surprise, you discover a valuable Gold Cup (Special Item) entangled among its twigs and grasses.

  Suddenly you sense movement directly overhead. You glance upwards and find yourself looking into a brick-lined vent which ascends all the way to the surface. Descending this chimney at an alarming speed is a Bangrol — an acquisitive and aggressive breed of Sommlending sea-eagle. This particular bird is far from pleased that you have disturbed its secret nest.

  If you possess Animal Mastery, turn to 139.

  If you do not possess this skill, turn to 217.

  108

  As you emerge from the cave mouth, the oppressive jungle heat hits you like a battering ram. Your Magnakai Discipline of Nexus automatically regulates your body temperature, making the heat bearable, yet even so it comes as something of a shock that any living creature can exist in this hellish environment.

  Unfortunately, the shock of the jungle heat is only the first of two nasty surprises that await you. The second is a barbed arrow that whistles from out of the dense foliage and comes speeding towards your forehead!

  If you possess Kai-alchemy and have attained the rank of Sun Knight or higher, turn to 152.

  If you possess Kai-alchemy but have yet to reach this level of Kai Mastery, turn to 270.

  If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, turn to 232.

  109

  You follow this torchlit tunnel as it snakes through the dungeon levels of this strange castle. A growing presentiment warns you that danger lies ahead and you pause to focus your Kai skills in an attempt to determine its exact nature. You cannot identify the threat, save that it is not a living entity.

  You draw your weapon and advance more cautiously now. As you turn a bend in this meandering passageway, a warrior appears from out of the gloom ahead. He is sheathed in plate armour and he clutches a sword and, at first sight, appears to be human. It is not until he steps a little closer that you see he has no neck: his visored helm hovers inches above his breastplate and is not connected to his torso.

  Illustration VI—The armoured warrior's head hovers inches above his breastplate.

  A pulse of green light illuminates the warrior's visor and suddenly a wave of powerful psychic energy hits you with terrific force.

  If you possess Kai-screen, turn to 181.

  If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, turn to 265.

  110

  You attempt to subdue the giant serpent using your Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control, but the creature is resilient to mental suggestion and it resists your psychic command.

  You are now faced with a dilemma. In order to escape from this cavern you must either face the chained serpent in combat, or you can evade it by discovering some way of opening the portcullis so that you can go back the way you have come.

  If you choose to face the creature in combat, turn to 165.

  If you decide to attempt to open the portcullis, turn to 171.

  111

  Alyss commands you to leave at once. The cocoon of light that surrounds her and the Moonstone is beginning to flicker with every blow it sustains from Kekataag's mighty axe. You sense that she cannot maintain her shield for very much longer.

  You heed her cry and race towards the swirling mouth of the Shadow Gate. But Naar is determined to launch one last desperate attempt to prevent you from escaping. You are within ten paces of the gate when two rubbery-limbed horrors emerge from the smoky walls and hurl themselves upon you.

  2 Cryopedeans: COMBAT SKILL 38 ENDURANCE 32

  If you win this combat, turn to 350.

  112

  The fabled Moonstone was created many thousands of years ago by the god-like Shianti, whose presence upon Magnamund heralded the dawn of humanity. This wondrous artefact contains the combined might of all their magic and wisdom, the sum of all their knowledge. So significant was the creation of this artefact that all time on Magnamund is measured from the date of its creation. It had long been held that the Moonstone's location was a secret known only to the remnants of the Shianti, who dwell upon the Isle of Lorn in deepest Southern Magnamund, yet the evidence of your eyes tells you that this mystical stone of power has fallen into the hands of the Dark God.

  Suddenly the significance of the Moonstone becomes clear. Naar is using its legendary powers to generate Shadow Gates within the world of Magnamund, at locations and times of his own choosing. Such power has enabled him to send his loathsome champions to your home world, while the goodly forces of Kai and Ishir are held at bay, helpless to counter them. Only you and your Kai brethren have stood in the way of the onslaught of Naar's agents since the demise of his Darklords.

  The hideous form of the Dark God returns to the dais and settles there uneasily. Then a deep rumble fills the throne hall; it is the prelude to the voice of Naar.

  ‘You have done well, my champion,’ it booms. ‘Now I command you to return to accursed Sommerlund and finish my work. Prepare the way for my armies of night. At last this planet is mine for the taking. My victory is complete!’

  It is clear from his words that Naar is convinced that you are his champion — Wolf's Bane — freshly returned from a duel in which Evil has triumphed. Suddenly you see Alyss emerge from the smoky wall less than a dozen paces behind Naar, yet the Dark God appears unaware of her presence. She appears calm and focused, and you sense that she is waiting for an auspicious moment to approach the plinth and take the Moonstone. With bated breath you watch as she inches closer and closer to the legendary stone. Then Naar shifts his gruesome bulk and she freeze
s.

  ‘You will not return to Sommerlund alone, Wolf's Bane. Kekataag the Avenger will accompany you. He has a mission of assassination to complete in Toran, at the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star.’

  Then the Dark God emits a high-pitched whistle and, moments later, a fearsome warrior answers the call. He emerges from the smoky wall and the floor shudders as he strides to the centre of the throne hall.

  If you possess Kai-screen, turn to 183.

  If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, turn to 34.

  113

  Frantically you shout the words of the Old Kingdom Battle-spell Shield and make a swift circle in the air with your right hand. The crackling fire-bolt explodes against an invisible barrier which you have hurriedly brought into existence, and dissolves away in a shower of crimson sparks which are sucked into the depths of the shaft.

  Turn to 37.

  114

  You call upon all of your Kai camouflage skills to keep you hidden as you attempt to slip out of the tunnel unseen. However, your adversary has disciplines comparable to your own. He is watching the cave mouth like a hawk and your stealthy exit may not go unnoticed.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Assimilance and Grand Pathsmanship, add 3 to the number you have picked.