Grey Star the Wizard

by Ian Page

  Ezeran Acid Potion

  1 part Sulphur

  1 part Saltpetre

  1 part Ezeran Crystals

  Mix over a gentle heat.

  If you have the ingredients in your Herb Pouch and an empty vial to mix them in, turn to 297.

  If you do not have all these ingredients, you must select a different Power to aid you in your escape; turn to 172.

  152

  You make your way to the shack. It looks deserted. The door hangs half open, and the windows are overgrown with an innocuous, yellow/brown weed called Ogosho, indigenous to this area. You hear a rustling sound coming from within.

  If you wish to enter the shack, turn to 252.

  If you wish to use the element of surprise and burst in through the door, turn to 277.

  If you think Shan should investigate, turn to 302.

  153

  As you close the door you hear the sound of running feet. Four Shadakine warriors are approaching. You turn the key in the lock. ‘Hurry, Grey Star,’ Shan calls. ‘There is no time to lose.’

  The Shadakine are beating at the door, shouting furiously for you to open it. Next, you hear the sound of heavy thumping as they try to force the door open.

  If you have the Power of Sorcery and wish to bar the door, turn to 185.

  If you do not have this Power, or if you would prefer not to use it, turn to 198.

  154

  You grit your teeth against the pain of your wound as the ferocious Cave Mantiz springs towards you, its barbed claws thirsting for your vulnerable flesh.

  Cave Mantiz: COMBAT SKILL 15 ENDURANCE 18

  You may evade this combat after one round by turning to 4.

  If you win the combat, turn to 103.

  155

  It is a brave but futile act. You release a colossal beam of death at the Shadakine charioteer just as the horses trample you underfoot, crushing every bone in your body and killing you instantly.

  You have failed in your quest.

  156

  With Tanith and Shan at your side, you look towards the battle on the bridge. The Knights of the White Mountain have killed many Shadakine warriors, but it looks as though this time they will be defeated.

  ‘We must go to their aid,’ you say. You approach the bridge, intending to attack the Shadakine from the rear. Tanith has disappeared, so with Shan following, you prepare to charge.

  If you wish to attack the Shadakine officer in command, turn to 215.

  If you would prefer to attack the main Shadakine force, turn to 120.

  157

  You are standing in the market square. It is bustling and full of life. Hundreds of stall owners are selling their wares by torchlight. You wander round the square, looking at the stalls and the items for sale there.

  If you have the Magical Power of Alchemy, turn to 183.

  If you do not have this Power, turn to 26.

  158

  You fire down the shaft, using 1 WILLPOWER point. The enclosed space of the shaft transforms the energy beam into a fireball that hurtles into the tunnel below. Soon, the shaft is clogged with the charred remains of insects.

  You limp into the tangled undergrowth, gasping with pain due to the prolonged effort of running on your injured leg. The dense foliage and huge Azawood roots make for slow progress as you stumble through the brush. The Cave Mantiz have not given up their pursuit and swarm through the forest depths at an alarming speed. Thousands of enraged insects scuttle and scurry towards you. Your heart pounds, and you fear that you cannot outrun them.

  Turn to 232.

  159

  Your Power of Sorcery should enable you to burst the door open, but it will use up a great deal of WILLPOWER points to break the lock. You have no way of telling how many WILLPOWER points will be required, and once committed to this spell you will have to follow it through to the finish.

  If you still wish to use Sorcery to open the door, turn to 114.

  If you have the Power of Alchemy and would rather use that to open the door, turn to 170.

  If you wish to enter the open archway to the right, turn to 163.

  160

  Gently you tip the liquid into the old man's mouth. After a short while, his eyes clear and a little colour returns to his cheeks. ‘Thank you, brother,’ he says. ‘That was kindly done. I would return your kindness, but first I must sleep … sleep … ’

  You finish your food and sit back, deep in thought. You feel exhausted and fall into a deep sleep, chanting Shianti words of peace and meditation to calm your mind and free your thoughts.

  Turn to 301.

  161

  The hopping, fluttering Najin lead you into the stark, featureless hills. Eventually you come to a small cave entrance perched on a narrow ridge, overlooking a steep fall to the outlying hills below.

  An old man sits cross-legged before the cave entrance, staring out across the heights with sightless eyes. Without lifting his head or looking in your direction, he speaks. ‘Who comes? Who disturbs the solitude of Jnana?’

  ‘It is I, Tanith,’ she says. ‘I bring Grey Star, a great wizard who dares to oppose the evil Wytch-king. He is in need of counsel.’

  ‘I seek the Lost Tribe of Lara,’ you say, ‘for I have a quest and need their aid.’

  The old man is silent for a while. ‘You must go south to the great jungle of the Azanam. The way is fraught with danger, for you must pass through the great Azagad Gorge and the towers of stone known as the “Dragon's Teeth”.’

  ‘The Azagad Gorge is a vast canyon and the “Dragon's Teeth” are the great limestone pinnacles that stand throughout the gorge,’ explains Shan. ‘The Azagad Gorge ends at the great cliffs known as the Wall of Azakawa; the Shenwu Falls lie at their centre. Beyond and above the cliffs is the great cloud forest of the Azanam.’

  ‘It is a strange land, full of weird and hostile beasts,’ warns Jnana. ‘You are unprepared for such a journey, but I will offer you such gifts as I have to aid you.’

  He brings the following items from his cave and motions to you to take your choice.

  Silver Charm (a Special Item that Jnana claims will bring good luck)

  Enough food for 5 meals

  Broadsword (Weapon)

  2 Potions of Laumspur (they each restore 3 ENDURANCE points; may count as Backpack Items or Herb Pouch Items if you have the Power of Alchemy)

  Coil of Rope (Backpack Item)

  Remember that your Backpack can hold a maximum of eight items.

  Shan and Tanith are also given food, backpacks, and weapons of their choice. Gratefully, you thank Jnana for his aid.

  If you possess the Magical Power of Alchemy, turn to 193.

  If not, turn to 15.

  162

  Taking careful aim, you fire at the chariot as it crosses the bridge. Because of the distance between you and your target the attack costs you 2 WILLPOWER points.

  Your shot misses narrowly, falling just short of its target, but the fiery blast startles the team of black horses and causes the driver to lose his control over them.

  Turn to 255.

  163

  You run through the open archway and into a narrow passage that slopes downwards at a steep angle. As the passage becomes darker, a feeling of disquiet overcomes you.

  Turn to 333.

  164

  The dead bodies of the Shadakine lie at your feet. A thorough search reveals 10 Nobles and 2 Meals. Shan takes a sword from one of the bodies, smiling at you cheerfully. ‘Souvenir,’ he says in jest.

  You may take the other Sword if you wish. Remember to make the necessary adjustment to your Action Chart before continuing on your journey towards the Azan River.

  Turn to 39.

  165

  The Kleasá seems to be growing stronger as it erodes your will. No matter how badly you damage the fabric of the creature, you cannot alter the phantom's ability to feed on your spirit.

  Suddenly the creature grows, wrapping its whole body around you, engulfing you i
n a terrible darkness. You lose 5 WILLPOWER points and 5 ENDURANCE points.

  If you are still alive and your WILLPOWER score has now fallen to zero or below, turn to 177.

  If you are still alive and your WILLPOWER is above zero, turn to 192.

  166

  You turn and stride purposefully towards the man who has been following you. Unfortunately, before you can reach him, he calls out to two Shadakine warriors and they advance towards you.

  If you wish to try to escape from them, turn to 241.

  If you wish to confront the two Shadakine, turn to 11.

  167

  ‘Run — both of you!’ you shout to your companions.

  Both Tanith and Shan ignore your command, bravely standing their ground by your side, though neither has a weapon. The chariot has now reached the bridge and it thunders on towards you.

  If you wish to unleash a long-range attack at the chariot, turn to 162.

  If you wish to stand your ground and allow the chariot to draw closer, turn to 180.

  168

  The sail lifts and you head out into the ever deepening waters. The Shadakine coast lies far to the west, and you prepare for a long voyage. Two monotonous days and a night pass. During this time you must consume 2 Meals (cross these off your list of Backpack Items) and lose 1 ENDURANCE point due to fatigue, since you have had very little sleep, constantly ensuring that the ship maintains a steady course.

  Turn to 140.

  169

  Before you can approach the bridge, a crossbowman who has broken away from Shan's bungled attack, jumps into the foliage where you are hidden. He levels a loaded crossbow at your heart, grinning fiendishly. Suddenly his expression freezes in a grimace of pain. He falls forward and you see that Tanith's knife protrudes from his back. With a sigh of relief you bless her timely appearance.

  ‘Quickly,’ she snaps. ‘Shan is in trouble. Help me.’

  Turn to 203.

  170

  If you have a prepared vial of Ezeran Acid, turn to 73.

  If you do not have this potion, you can try to open the door with your Magical Power of Sorcery: turn to 159.

  If you would prefer to take the right-hand exit, turn to 163.

  171

  A quick search of the body reveals 5 Nobles, which you may keep. You may also keep the guard's Sword if you wish. (Remember to mark these items on your Action Chart.)

  Now head for the other flights of stairs by turning to 137.

  172

  Calmly you sift through these Powers and the extent of your mastery of them to determine the most effective choice. You make your decision.19

  If you wish to try to escape with the aid of Sorcery, turn to 95.

  If you wish to use the Power of Enchantment, turn to 124.

  If you would rather use Elementalism, turn to 271.

  If you wish to use the Power of Alchemy, turn to 151.

  If you wish to use the Power of Psychomancy, turn to 236.

  If you wish to use the Power of Prophecy, turn to 211.

  If you would rather contact the spirit realm of the dead through the use of Evocation, turn to 250.

  [19] You are forced to choose to use a Magical Power, even though all the Powers that are available to you may require you to use more WILLPOWER points than you currently possess. If you do not have sufficient WILLPOWER points, you may choose to simply subtract the number of WILLPOWER points required to use the Power you select. This may leave you with a negative WILLPOWER score, or if it was already negative, it will make your score become even more negative. Alternatively, you may choose the method used in Section 175 of War of the Wizards for resolving this problem: For the WILLPOWER points you lack, you use ENDURANCE points at a rate of 2 ENDURANCE points for every 1 WILLPOWER point (i.e. 2 ENDURANCE points = 1 WILLPOWER point).

  173

  ‘Fool!’ she says, angrily. ‘Now I must destroy you.’ She points your Staff at you and unleashes a mighty blast that plunges directly into your heart. The burning bolt fells you instantly; you have become a victim of your own power.

  Your life and your quest end here.

  174

  Shan is exhausted and you are obliged to help him along. The sky is full of Quoku, circling above you like expectant vultures. Ahead you can see the great Shenwu Falls that feed into Lake Shenwu, the source of the Azan River.

  Shan whimpers in hoarse sobs. ‘I can't go on … I can't go on … ’

  ‘You must!’ you shout at him.

  A few hundred yards further on, Shan collapses to the ground, his body racked with fatigue. You look behind and see a familiar, yet amazing, sight …

  Turn to 148.

  175

  ‘You have power, young stranger,’ murmurs Mother Magri. ‘I sense some wizardry in you. How came this to be I wonder? Whom do you serve?’

  Illustration X—‘I sense some wizardry in you,’ murmurs Mother Magri.

  If you do not resist the power of the Kazim Stone, your quest and its origin will be revealed to this servant of the Wytch-king.

  If you have the Power of Sorcery and wish to use it to destroy the Kazim Stone, turn to 191.

  If you have the Power of Sorcery and wish to use it to try to shield your mind from the probing power of the Stone, turn to 116.

  If you would rather resist the power of the Stone with WILLPOWER, turn to 226.

  176

  Panting for breath, your heart pounding against your ribs, you step onto the landing.

  If you have the Gaoler's Keys and wish to lock the door behind you, turn to 153.

  If you would prefer to save time and continue immediately, turn to 60.

  177

  You are too weak to resist and your soul is devoured by the dark phantom. You fall to the ground, a lifeless shell; you are another victim of the malice of Mother Magri and the dark servants of the Shadakine Empire.

  Your life and your quest end here.

  178

  A young girl brings three bowls of rice, and lingers for a while to stare at you through the iron grille of the door. You thank the girl kindly for this simple act. ‘Blessed is the giver, richer through the giving of a gift,’ you say, according to the old Shianti custom. Startled, the young girl disappears.

  You go over to the old man, who is obviously dying, and offer him some food. ‘Twenty years,’ he rants, gripping your arm. ‘Twenty years I've been here, for no crime at all. Soon I will die.’ Sadly, you learn that the old man was once a Shianti priest, a worshipper of the memory of your Shianti masters, imprisoned for his religion and for keeping alive the memory of the Shianti.

  If you have some Laumspur and wish to ease the old man's suffering, turn to 160.

  If you do not have any Laumspur, or if you would rather keep it, turn to 93.

  179

  Raising your Staff, you attack the Yaku. A fiery bolt burns into the heart of the plant and it releases its grip immediately. The attack has cost you 1 WILLPOWER point.

  Suddenly Shan falls to the ground, emitting a startled cry; a snaking creeper is wrapped tightly around his legs.

  If you wish to loose a bolt at the Yaku as it drags Shan towards its centre, turn to 285.

  If you wish to rush to Shan's side, turn to 240.

  180

  You can see two Shadakine warriors standing in the chariot as it rumbles towards you. Just as you are about to hurl a beam of force at them, Tanith steps in front of you, directly in the chariot's path. She calls out in a shrill voice. ‘Katta Chi!’

  To your surprise, the team of horses suddenly rears up, neighing in panic and confusion. ‘I was taught the mastery of beasts long ago,’ she cries, beaming with pride.

  Turn to 255.

  181

  With deep concentration you send your thoughts out to the Elemental Plane, unsure as to the kind of aid the elementals will send. The cost of this is 1 WILLPOWER point.

  The clouds above your head darken, and with a smile you realize the nature of the help that has been sent to yo
u. A sudden shower drenches the plants around you, their red hearts growing pale and their sharp barbs opening out into rows of tubules, drinking in the rarity of water from the sky.

  As the plants lie limp and quiescent, you and Shan jump, with unchallenged ease, past the lethal Yaku and on towards your goal. As night begins to fall, Shan gives a sigh of relief: far off in the distance you catch your first glimpse of the Great Wall of Azakawa.

  You break into a stumbling run, anxious to reach the boundary of the Azanam before nightfall.

  Turn to 325.

  182

  You decide to make another dash for it, and, turning in the direction of the Wall of Azakawa, you break into a run, Shan lagging at your heels.

  Turn to 249.

  183

  One stall in particular catches your eye. A sign reads:

  MADAM TARLAS — HERBAL CURES & REMEDIES

  APOTHECARY TO NOBLEMEN & KINGS

  The stall is full of potions and salves and the dried leaves and roots of many different plants, some of great power and others of no use at all. Your trained eye notices several items for sale that could be of great use to you as an alchemist. They are: