The Masters of Darkness

by Joe Dever

  Darklord Kraagenskûl (without Helshezag): COMBAT SKILL 35 ENDURANCE 38

  This supernatural being is immune to Mindblast (but not Psi-surge). Owing to the power of Helshezag — the weapon you now wield — add 7 to your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of the combat.

  If you win the combat, turn to 240.

  134

  Once more the pit is cleared and the spectators settle down to enjoy another round of vicious hand-to-hand fighting. The next two combatants are poised to enter the ring and, in the light of what happened previously, they have both decided to ignore the gong and tear into each other as soon as their holding cage door slides open.

  Bets are about to be placed when the sound of a loud, intermittent whistle interrupts the proceedings: it is the signal that Helgedad has been sighted by the lookout. Some of the crowd leave their seats in order to view the Black City through the tiny portholes that line the walls of the gallery. With your heart pounding at the thought of seeing the Darklands' most infamous stronghold for the first time, you leave the pit and join them.

  Turn to 326.

  135

  As you fight to stay on your feet, the beast bears down, tilting its head from side to side, revealing just a glimpse of your target. Guided by instinct alone you raise your Bow and fire.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table, and add to this number any bow-skill bonuses to which you are entitled.

  If your total is now 0–8, turn to 313.

  If it is 9 or more, turn to 105.

  136

  You draw on your Kai skill to neutralize the deadly venom that is coursing through your veins. Swiftly your powers of healing overcome the poison, but at a cost of 4 ENDURANCE points. You prise the hideous creature off your head and hurl it to the floor, but no sooner has it hit the steel deck than it springs back at your face, forcing you to defend yourself.

  Plaak: COMBAT SKILL 30 ENDURANCE 10

  This creature is immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge. Owing to the speed and shock of its attack, unless you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, you are unable to draw a weapon and must fight the first round of combat unarmed.

  If you win the combat, turn to 218.

  137

  Guided by starlight, you trek westwards through the pass until the need for food and rest forces you to stop. A brief search uncovers a shallow fissure in the mountain wall which offers a safe refuge for the night, and there you decide to grab a few hours' sleep before continuing to Argazad. You must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  Turn to 165.

  138

  The crystal shard emits a tinkling, bell-like sound, and the guard moves aside to allow you to enter the Tower of the Damned. He points to a column of bright blue light, descending from the darkness above, and tells you to step into its shimmering rays. You hesitate, and he laughs mockingly at your indecision.

  ‘Go on, step in. It's quicker than climbing the stairs.’ Your Kai senses tell you that the column is a beam of partial gravity, a transportation device that will draw you slowly towards the top of the tower.

  You step into the light and feel yourself rising. Minutes later, the sensation stops and you step from the beam into a huge, domed chamber. The polished walls and floor glisten like the mirrored surfaces of a black lake. The aura of evil hangs everywhere like a thick mist. It closes your throat and threatens to suffocate you. Your heart pounds loudly as you move towards a dais at the centre of the chamber, where a machine rests that matches the description of the Transfusor that Lord Rimoah gave you before leaving Toran. You reach for your Backpack, but before you can lift your robe and unshoulder it, the chamber is filled with a roaring growl.

  ‘What brings you here, vermin of Ghanesh?’

  It is the voice of Darklord Taktaal. From the shadows of an archway, he slithers towards the dais, his smooth, ice-white head swaying upon a fur-covered snake body, riddled with disease. Your stomach turns as you watch a muzzle distend from his face, and then split open to reveal a row of razor-sharp fangs. Seemingly you are a lowly follower of his hated rival, Darklord Ghanesh, and you know that if you are to survive you must answer his command convincingly.

  If you wish to tell him that you want to defect from Ghanesh's service and serve him instead, turn to 261.

  If you wish to tell him that you have secret information that could destroy Ghanesh, turn to 168.

  139

  The Death Knight sentinel stiffens and falls dead at your feet, his black armour and his black heart torn open by the force of your killing blow. A quick search of his body reveals the following items:

  Spear

  Dagger

  Axe

  Pouch of Tobacco

  Bottle of Wine

  Pipe

  60 Kika (equivalent to 6 Gold Crowns)

  Iron Key

  Enough food for 1 Meal

  If you wish to keep any of the above items, make the necessary adjustments to your Action Chart.

  To continue, turn to 257.

  140

  Beyond the door lies a corridor that leads to a narrow hall of stone. Its ceiling, flat and undomed, is supported by thick columns that march in rows down the sides of the walls. Between the columns are plain steel doors, the largest one guarded by Death Knights. From the safety of the shadows you watch as this great door swings open and a man, swathed in a voluminous scarlet robe, emerges into the corridor. He speaks at length with the two guards, who depart in haste when he has finished, as if running an important errand. Beyond the great door you can see a flight of stairs ascending into darkness. The man in red watches the Death Knights leave, and then turns and ascends the stairs hurriedly, leaving the great steel door ajar.

  Hoping that this staircase leads to the roof, you cross the corridor and follow the robed man, taking care not to be seen, as you stalk silently in his wake. Your Kai skills keep you hidden from view and enable you to gain entry to the chamber that occupies the entire top floor of this building. There you take cover behind one of many statues that encircle the floor, and witness a scene that chills you to the core.

  Turn to 216.

  141

  Your mastery of mental power enables you to shield your mind from the psychic probe emanating from the box-like device that the guard is using to check your identity. Because of your effective mindshield, he is unable to detect any hostile psychic signals. Satisfied that it is safe to allow you to pass, he orders his fellow guard to open the steel door and let you into the subterranean levels of the Imperial Sector.

  Beyond the door is a vast hall filled with row upon row of fearsome weapons. It is the Imperial Armoury of Helgedad.

  If you possess a Black Cube, turn to 40.

  If you do not possess this item, turn to 320.

  142

  ‘What have we here?’ muses the captain warily, as he accepts your envelope. ‘Guildmaster Banedon instructed me to deliver this into your charge as soon as we cleared the blockade,’ you reply. ‘It contains confidential details about our voyage to Durenor.’

  ‘I'm sure the matter can wait 'til morning,’ he says slipping the envelope into the pocket of his gold-braided jacket. ‘You'd best get some sleep. We could be in for some rough weather come sunrise.’ You insist that he read the contents of the letter without delay but he dismisses your request with a flick of his calloused hand. ‘It can wait. A few hours'll make no odds,’ he snaps, and he descends the stairs before you can argue otherwise.

  If you wish to accompany the first mate to your cabin, turn to 24.

  If you decide to stay on the forecastle with the lookouts, turn to 115.

  143

  In daylight, the trail is steep and treacherous, but in the cold, starlit darkness it is doubly so. Chunks of rock crumble underfoot and in many places there is simply no trail at all. Progress can only be made by inching yourself painfully across the sheer drops, using your fingers and what little of the ledge that remains. Eventually you reach the dark opening and enter with tr
epidation. A smooth, semicircular tunnel descends through the rock. The passage is lit faintly by an eerie ochre light, which is cast by clumps of bacteria that seem to thrive on the damp tunnel walls.

  If you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Curing, turn to 93.

  If you do not possess this skill, turn to 303.

  144

  There is another knock, this time more insistent, but when you do not open the door your uninvited visitor does not knock again. Tired and hungry, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points before you settle down to sleep. You awake to the sound of a loud click, barely audible above the ever-present din of the Lajakeka's engine: your cabin door has just closed. Swiftly you rise and rush to the door, hoping to catch a glimpse of whoever, or whatever, gained access to your cabin while you slept.

  If you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control and have reached the Kai rank of Mentora or higher, turn to 273.

  If you do not possess this skill or have yet to reach this level of Magnakai training, turn to 98.

  145

  At once you recognize the pungent aroma of Adgana leaves. Adgana is a powerful narcotic that increases strength and sharpens reflexes; it enhances fighting prowess when swallowed immediately prior to combat. There is sufficient Adgana in this pouch for one dose, which would be enough to increase your COMBAT SKILL by 6 points for the duration of a fight.

  But be warned! Adgana is shunned by most warriors and its use is outlawed in Sommerlund because it is highly addictive. If you choose to keep and use this Dose of Adgana prior to combat, there is a chance that you could become addicted. As soon as combat is resolved, you must pick a number from the Random Number Table. If the number you pick is 0 or 1, you have become addicted and your ENDURANCE score must be reduced by 4 points immediately. (This loss of ENDURANCE is permanent.) If you have ever used Adgana in a previous Lone Wolf adventure, the risks of addiction are doubled should you decide to use this dose (you will become addicted if you pick a 0, 1, 2, or 3 on the Random Number Table. Also, the effects of the narcotic when used on a second or subsequent occasion are halved. You will be able to add only 3 points to your COMBAT SKILL, instead of 6). If you decide to keep this Dose of Adgana, note the hazardous side effects of its use in the margin of your Action Chart.

  Sure that you have not overlooked any other items that could aid your perilous mission, you decide the time has come to leave.

  Turn to 274.

  146

  Shortly after dawn has brightened the eastern horizon, the Drakkarim warrior appears, riding his steed unhurriedly along the trail to Argazad. As he approaches, you get ready to launch your ambush.

  If you have a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 99.

  If you do not have a Bow or do not wish to use one, you must leap on the Drakkar as soon as he rides within range: turn to 64.

  147

  The two Vassagonians unsheathe their rapier-thin swords and advance towards you, secretly thankful that they are no longer the target of Kraagenskûl's wrath. The Darklord orders them to halt and demands that you step within the circle of the fiery pillars and explain your intrusion. You sense that he has not detected your true identity, that his psychic skills are solely destructive, and that he is, for now, deceived by your Drakkarim disguise.

  ‘I have come from the victorious army of Darklord Xog, the conqueror of Cloeasia, with vital information to impart, O Mighty Lord of Darkness,’ you say, slavishly. You speak partly in Vassagonian and partly in Giak to maintain your deception. ‘There is a traitor in your court. He has tried to send word to the enemy, to warn them of what is being constructed in Argazad. I know who he is and I carry proof of his treachery.’

  ‘Speak!’ commands Kraagenskûl. ‘Speak or die!’

  ‘I shall speak, O Invincible Lord of Death and Decay, but I crave your confidence. Can we not speak alone?’ You cast an accusing glance at the two Vassagonians, and they return your look with fear and hatred blazing in their eyes.

  ‘Leave us!’ snarls Kraagenskûl, pointing to the stairs with his jet-black blade, ‘but stray no further than the hall below, and do not disturb us until I call for you.’

  Reluctantly, the Vassagonians leave, their heads bowed in reverence but their eyes still fixed murderously on you.

  Turn to 286.

  148

  The Drakkarim officer staggers and falls, clutching his wounds and cursing you with his dying breath. But no sooner has his body hit the planks than his troops come rushing towards you from all sides. ‘Shez dok tot!’ they scream, howling with primal fury, their teeth bared and their faces contorted with rage.

  Drakkarim Marines: COMBAT SKILL 29 ENDURANCE 40

  If you win the combat, turn to 28.

  149

  As you land on the Drakkar, you grab him in a head lock and drag him from the saddle. The force of your attack twists his neck awry and you hear a sharp crack a moment before you both strike the ground. Quickly you recover from the fall, draw a weapon, and jump on the prone warrior before he can get to his feet. But you soon discover that he is no longer a threat: your attack broke his neck and he was dead before his body hit the ground.

  Turn to 79.

  150

  A thousand feet below, at the heart of the chasm, a seething carpet of nightmare shapes crawl and slither amid rivers of molten rock. They appear to your horrified eyes to be writhing in perpetual agony, and your psychic senses confirm that this is the case: it is their pain, not their bodies, that feeds this raging sea of supernatural flame.

  The gates of the Black City open and the Lajakeka passes into this terrible realm of evil, along a vast avenue of steel, flanked by buildings of hellish grandeur and purpose. You can see red flames glaring at peaked gothic windows, and innumerable barred gates that appear like the grinning jaws of dragons. At length, the vehicle grinds to a halt at a place where a huge chute burrows deep into the ground. The crew make preparations to unload their cargo directly into this funnel-shaped hole whilst you and the other passengers disembark. With fear running ice cold in your veins, you scan the fire-swept street and notice that all the other passengers are scurrying towards a tunnel.

  If you wish to follow them and enter the tunnel, turn to 80.

  If you choose to avoid them and the tunnel, and prefer to explore the street, turn to 197.

  151

  The Intrepid responds to the wheel, and, as the wind fills out her sails, she begins to pull away from the first ironclad. Your hopes rise but they are soon dashed when a jolt runs through the deck and she rolls back towards the enemy vessel. Then you see why you cannot escape.

  ‘Davan! Quick, have your men cut the grappling lines!’ you shout. Immediately he urges his men to carry out your command. Anxiously you watch as the second ironclad bears down on the stern with unnerving speed. The lines are soon severed and you feel the ship swing about, yet the enemy craft is almost upon you, its deck crammed with more troops, poised to leap aboard. Suddenly it hits the rear quarter, and you are knocked down by the shock. The screech of tortured metal and the crack of splintering wood fill the air, yet the deck soon rights itself and you are able to regain control of the helm. Despite the shock of impact and the fearful noise, the enemy craft has only glanced the bow, its steel-tipped ram missing the rudder by just a few feet. It scrapes alongside before veering away amid a cloud of foul, yellow smoke.

  The crew cheer and the Drakkarim marines falter as they watch their vessels slipping away to the stern. The battle on board turns in your favour, and, as Davan and his men press their advantage, you feel sure that the Intrepid will make a successful escape along the coast.

  Within the space of a few minutes your confidence is shattered anew by an unexpected attack.

  Turn to 74.

  152

  The swiftness of your reactions, and the degree of psychic mastery you have attained, save you from sustaining any injury to your central nervous system. Rapidly the shock fades, leaving you alert and ready to face Darklord Kraagenskû
l.

  Turn to 147.

  153

  The creature thrashes the last of its death-throes, and then falls silent, its great bulk all but filling the entrance to the cave. The stench of spilt blood, and the greasy, dirt-encrusted hair that covers its torso, makes your stomach churn. Yet the Egorgh's body is serving a useful purpose. Not only is it keeping the icy cold wind and rain at bay, but any other creature wanting to attack you would have great difficulty entering the cave. Confident that you are unlikely to be disturbed again, you settle down to a much needed sleep.

  Turn to 300.

  154

  You follow the Slavemaster into a chamber filled with marvellous treasures, furniture, and rich trappings, which seem anachronistic here in this foul city. He advises you to take off your Drakkarim armour and wear instead a hooded robe woven from a strange, silver-grey material. He comments favourably on the Golden Amulet you wear, assuring you that its protection will be essential for your survival in Helgedad. As you are about to don the robe, he insists that you wear your Backpack underneath it. ‘The creature who donated this garment, albeit reluctantly, was tall but possessed a severely crooked spine. In order to gain entry to Helgedad you must pretend to be that creature. The pack will help to complete your disguise.’

  You ask the identity of the creature, and what has become of him. ‘He was one of the Liganim, those who assist the Nadziranim sorcerers with their black arts,’ replies the Slavemaster. ‘This particular Ligan came here to Aarnak to fetch a quantity of special grade ore for his master's experiments, but the unfortunate creature met with a fatal accident, here in this very chamber.’ The trace of a smile on the Slavemaster's face suggests that the accident may not have been quite so accidental.