by Ian Page
77
You decide to change direction and increase speed. Shortly your limbs feel weary and your feet begin to drag. The heat of the sun is almost unbearable. You look over your shoulder and, to your amazement, the figure has disappeared. You gaze over the featureless grassy plain: where could he be hidden? You are beginning to suffer from heat exhaustion: lose 1 ENDURANCE point. Your present course is taking you far from anywhere you want to go.
If you wish to head in the direction of the fortress city of Shadaki, turn to 14.
If you wish to head south, towards the lands of the Army of the Freedom Guild, turn to 36.
78
The demons seem loathe to attack but a large, hulking man-shape with wrinkled, elephantine skin summons up the courage to charge towards you. His sudden attack catches you off-guard and you are unable to evade combat.
Man Demon: COMBAT SKILL 20 ENDURANCE 21
If you win the combat, turn to 144.
79
To your dismay, the rope snaps. A distant splash tells you that the receptacle that was attached to the rope has now fallen to the bottom of the well. The rope must have been rotten with age. You will have to find some other method of drawing water. Leading down into the inky depths you see a series of metal rungs cemented into the walls of the well.
If you have the Magical Power of Elementalism and wish to use it, turn to 124.
If you are versed in the Higher Magick of Physiurgy, turn to 185.
If you prefer to climb down into the well, or if you do not possess either of these Magical Powers, turn to 229.
80
Frantically you grab at the armour, trying to drag it off, but the rigours of your flight from the demon host have left you too fatigued to resist the current of the water. In a few, awful moments you drown in the waters of the River Dosar.
You have failed in your quest.
81
You glance down at the Moonstone. Shocked, you see that it contains an absolute blackness. It is lifeless and still and the comfortable presence it once radiated is gone. The Moonstone is reflecting the evil nature of the environment that surrounds it.
If you have the Magical Power of Necromancy and wish to begin an incantation to ward off evil, turn to 146.
If you have the Magical Power of Prophecy and wish to use it, turn to 169.
If you have the Magical Power of a Visionary and wish to use it, turn to 177.
If you prefer not to use any magic, turn to 213.
82
Tanith and Kuna rush to stand at your side. She bares a small dagger but he is unarmed. The reptilian demon hurls himself at you with a fearsome scream. You cannot evade combat as this would mean leaving Kuna and Tanith to face the pack alone.
Reptile Demon of the Plains: COMBAT SKILL 21 ENDURANCE 22
If you win the combat, turn to 163.
83
Now that you know where the mechanism is you are able to reach out to it with the power of your mind. At the cost of 2 WILLPOWER points you are able to trigger the mechanism of the great stone doors.
Turn to 32.
84
Fearing conflict so early in your journey, you drink the bitter potion of Invulnerability. Soon your body begins to glow with a strange blue light: the protection is complete. Remember that the effects of the potion will fade after a few hours. Remove the Potion of Invulnerability from your Action Chart, although you may keep the empty Vial, which may be stored in your Herb Pouch or in your Backpack.
Turn to 90.
85
You ponder the choices open to you. While you agree with Tanith that it would be safer to take cover behind the ridge, it pains you to see another human suffer.
If you wish to go to the Masbaté's aid, turn to 97.
If you prefer to leave the man to suffer while you hide behind the ridge that overlooks the lake, turn to 116.
86
Summoning all your strength, you fight against the fast-moving current of the River Dosar, tugging off the armour. You manage to swim to the other side and drag yourself ashore, panting for breath. A short distance away you can see Samu. Hauling yourself to your feet, you stagger over to him.
‘Grey Star!’ he gasps. ‘You succeeded?’
‘Call your men. We must retreat. Look!’ you cry hoarsely, gesturing across the river. ‘I have brought the demon plague. We must flee while they and the Shadakine fight.’
It is as you say. Across the river the demons do awful battle with the Shadakine. Samu springs into action, blowing upon a horn and sounding the retreat. The Masbaté retire. The Shadakine cannot pursue while the whole demon horde is attacking them. Nevertheless you must destroy the bridge to prevent pursuit should the Shadakine, who number in their thousands, defeat the demon plague too soon.
If you have the Magical Power of Elementalism and wish to use it, turn to 314.
If you are versed in the Higher Magick of Physiurgy and wish to use it, turn to 7.
If you are versed in the Higher Magick of Thaumaturgy and wish to use it, turn to 26.
If you do not possess any of the above Powers, you must attack the bridge with your Staff; turn to 175.
87
Despite the seriousness of the gaping wound in its side, the loathsome creature continues to resist you. Suddenly you are thrown forward, hurled to the ground in a flurry of kicks and blows. A razor-sharp pincer bites into your shoulder and you lose 3 ENDURANCE points. The other three demons have pounced on you from behind while you fought.
Thankfully, you have managed to retain a grip on your Staff. You must fight the four demons to the death. Due to the surprise of the attack and the disadvantage of having to fight your way back to your feet you must subtract 2 from your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of the combat.
Four Demons of the Plains: COMBAT SKILL 21 ENDURANCE 34
If you win the combat, turn to 251.
88
You take careful aim as the snake flies overhead and, at the cost of 2 WILLPOWER points, release a beam of magical flame. With a piping cry it falls to the ground. The other Flying Snake swerves and heads east, flying high in the sky ahead of you.
If you have 2 WILLPOWER points and wish to fire at the remaining Flying Snake with your Staff at long range, turn to 64.
If you wish to ignore it, turn to 228.
89
With Tanith at your side, you begin to run with all the speed you can muster. You run along the rim of the rise that overlooks Lake Dolani, hoping to reach the river that fills the lake and effect a crossing there. Chancing a brief look over your shoulder, you see the demon horde in pursuit. Looking ahead once more, you sight a band of tall, black-skinned men in the distance, heading towards you. They are Masbaté warriors, come to save their brother bound by the lake. Panting wildly, you look back to see the demon horde closing the distance between you. Their terrible, inhuman cries are now within range of your hearing and it seems probable that the evil horde will reach you before the Masbaté do.
If you wish to stop and turn to attack, turn to 141.
If you wish to try to reach the Masbaté before the demons reach you, turn to 299.
90
You spur your horse into a gallop and hurtle towards the demons. Already you can make out the details of their hideous forms: half-men, half-beasts, with evil eyes and glistening fangs. Soon a gap of only a hundred paces stands between you. There are ten of them and they thirst for your blood.
If you wish to charge the demons, turn to 98.
If you wish to avoid the demons, turn to 106.
If you wish to attack them at long range with your Wizard's Staff, turn to 114.
91
The power of invulnerability is an immense feat, requiring great effort. You concentrate your will upon strengthening the fabric of your body, immersing it in waves of Sorcery. Your body begins to glow with an eerie blue light. You stand back and look with disdain on the first of the demons, the toad beast, as it hurls itself at you. Its initial blow has no effec
t on you. Instead the creature howls in pain and clutches at its clawed hand, hurt from the impact of your iron flesh. The remaining demons make similar attempts to harm you, all with the same result. When all their efforts have proved futile they begin to back away, cowering with fear beneath the intensity of your unflinching gaze. Impressive as this power is, it has cost you 4 WILLPOWER points. You raise your Staff, ready to strike at the nearest of the demons, a vile, hunched figure with snapping, crab-like pincers and a shiny, purple body like a huge beetle. However before you can strike, all four vanish. They do not return.
Turn to 99.
92
Your whole body glows with the Moonstone's protection.
‘Afraid to fight?’ Shasarak mocks. He does not attack for the moment. Instead, he reaches into the air and produces his own Wizard's Staff; it is long and black. He weighs it casually in his hand. ‘Shall we duel now, Grey Star? Or will you stand forever within that damnable light, afraid to fight?’
The voice of Agarash booms from the wall of fire at the end of the hall. ‘Who is it that is really afraid to fight, Shasarak? Tell me that!’
‘Be silent, Demon,’ Shasarak commands. ‘I'll have this young viper yet.’
If you wish to duel with Shasarak, turn to 131.
If you wish to throw some of the Moonstone's power at Shasarak and have 1 WILLPOWER point with which to do so, turn to 145.
93
The toad demon comes snarling and slavering at you, its arms outstretched, long-nailed claws flexing to rake at your flesh. Suddenly it leaps. You step to one side and slam your Staff into its torso, inflicting a dark, oozing wound. It howls in pain and turns clumsily. You lift your Staff to strike the creature once more as it faces you with small, red eyes that stare malevolently. You swing your Staff but you strike nothing. The demon has vanished leaving only the echo of its tormented scream and the stench of its acrid breath. The three remaining demons advance slowly towards you, gibbering with obscene delight. Using the momentum of your swinging stroke at the toad demon, you spin round to face the three hideous creatures in one fluid movement. They falter, and then step back in fear, clinging to each other and shrieking. Suddenly Tanith shouts a warning. There is something close behind you. You turn, Staff upraised, muscles tensed, ready to spring at the injured demon that has magically materialized behind you.
Turn to 28.
94
You are completely surrounded. There is no escape. Despite your high degree of skill in combat you cannot hope to win against such overwhelming odds. The demons swarm over you like ants, killing you mercilessly.
You have failed in your quest.
95
With this change of direction, you increase your pace, but the burning heat drags at your every step and soon you are soaked with perspiration. You stop to draw breath; you look over your shoulder to discover that the lone figure is nowhere in sight. Yet there is no tree, rock, or bush anywhere to hide behind. You are suffering from heat exhaustion and must lose 2 ENDURANCE points. Your current course is taking you away from anywhere you want to be.
If you wish to head east, in the direction of the city of Shadaki, turn to 14.
If you wish to go south, towards the Army of the Freedom Guild, turn to 36.
96
Your body is numb with exhaustion. You stumble once again … and fall. With wild gleeful cries, the pack reaches you before you are able to rise. Your last moments are spent regarding the multitude of crazed, hideous faces that crave only your death.
Your life and your quest end here.
97
You tell Tanith that you have decided to help the Masbaté and start down the slope. Reluctantly she follows. You reach the man and begin untying the ropes that bind his wrists and ankles. He mutters his thanks in a faint voice and, with your help, he half-crawls, half-stumbles towards the lake, where he begins to drink thirstily. You and Tanith do the same, quenching your day-old thirst with relish.
The Masbaté's name is Kuna. He tells you that he was captured while fishing alone on the banks of the Dolani River, by a number of the demons that still roam the Lissan Plain. He has lain bound since that time.
‘The hellspawn knew that my Masbaté brothers would come for me and hoped to trap them in the narrow confines of this enclosed region. But tell me, who are you? Why are you here?’ he asks.
Before you can reply, Tanith shouts a warning. Her face is horror-stricken. You turn around, barely able to suppress a shocked gasp at what you see. A ring of grisly beasts lines the curving slope before you in a wide semicircle. ‘This is the demon plague,’ you whisper.
The steady croon of hellish voices grows as the evil horde gloats at the utter hopelessness of your position. You are enclosed by a force that numbers almost a hundred. With a terrible cry, a pack of demons rushes towards you. Each of the creatures has a different but equally misshapen form. Some are like strange toad beasts; others are malformed apes with stunted limbs and a shambling gait. The leader of the pack is a large, slimy reptile with a tortured human face. Only moments remain before the pack of demons is upon you.
If you wish to fire with your Wizard's Staff at the leader of the pack in a long-range attack, turn to 288.
If you wish to stand and receive the charge, turn to 82.
98
With a fierce cry you charge, eyes flashing, Staff blazing. The demon pack comes to a startled halt, amazed at the audacity of your move. You close the gap between yourself and the pack in moments … and then the charge hits home.
If you have recently drunk a Potion of Invulnerability, or if you have the protection of Thaumaturgy, turn to 118.
If not, turn to 128.
99
With a relieved sigh, both you and Tanith turn to resume your journey east. Night has almost fallen. In the faint light, you see a glimmer in the distance. It is a river. You break into a run and do not stop until you have reached the banks of its fast-flowing waters. Hurriedly, you scoop handfuls of water into your mouth, and do not stop until your parched throat is soothed and your thirst quenched. With a satisfied expression, Tanith sits up on her haunches, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
‘This is the River Dolani,’ she says. ‘It leads south, to fill the great Lake Dolani thirty miles downstream. Upstream, to the northeast, is its source in the Kashima Mountains.’
To continue your journey east you will have to cross this river. It is too wide and deep to be waded, and the current is too fast for you to be able to swim across. You ponder your next course of action, lost in thought.
Turn to 201.
100
Like his comrades, the Masbaté warrior stands well over seven feet tall. Clad in a corselet of worn, padded leather, his body ripples with taut muscle beneath skin as black as ebony. His hair is long and his eyes still burn with the raging fire of battle. He stares at you curiously. ‘Who are you?’ he asks.
‘Greetings men of the Masbaté,’ you reply. ‘I am Grey Star, Wizard of the Shianti, bound upon a quest in their service, and sworn to the destruction of the Wytch-king, Shasarak.’
‘Can this be?’ the warrior gasps, shaking his head in amazement. ‘We will talk of this later in a safer place. My name is Dioka, chief of this warrior band. Come with us to the mountain lair of the Masbaté in the Kashima Mountains. The demons may return in greater numbers. The King must hear of your return.’
You agree to his request and soon you are struggling to keep pace with the rapid march of the Masbaté warrior as he heads towards the mountains and the secret lair of the last of a proud and mighty race.
Turn to 260.
101
You urge your steed to one last great effort and head straight for the forest. At the forest's edge the plain is dotted with bushes and trees, making it difficult for the Winged Demons to attack and, with a joyful cry, you enter the sheltered sanctuary of the woods. You dismount and lead the stallion along the curving trail that runs through the heart of the forest. Both you and the
beast are exhausted and you search for a place to rest. Finding a concealed glade, you stop for a few moments and plan the next course of action.
Turn to 170.
102
Your indecision has granted the demons time to close in and they are now almost at arm's length: you must ready yourself for close combat. The razor-sharp pincer of a hunched creature with the body of a huge beetle rakes at your shoulder: lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
Turn to 264.
103
You continue at a gentle canter, the afternoon sun beating down on you from a clear sky. Periodically you look over your shoulder but there is still no sign of the demon plague. The Flying Snakes keep pace with you for a while, and then abruptly climb high in to the sky and disappear from view, heading east.
Turn to 247.
104
You are surrounded by hundreds of creatures. They close in with evil expressions on their ruined faces and a giant, wingless bat slashes out at you with its claws. However, you are able to hold your ground unflinchingly, for you feel nothing. Soon a great crowd of demons is slashing and gouging at you but still you remain unharmed and slowly you beat a path toward the portal. As you progress, the light of invulnerability that once enfolded you begins to fade and you begin to feel some pain at fresh blows. You field a brilliant defence, however, taking full advantage of being mounted. More and more demons back away in fear of this indestructible warrior who wields a Staff of burning death.
