by Joe Dever
262
Before you can thank the captain for his generosity, he lapses into a merciful unconsciousness that spares him the pain of his injuries. Having done what you can to make him comfortable, you return to the deck to survey the damage.
Over half the crew have been killed or injured in the attack and the ship herself is badly mauled. The mainmast is down, the sails hang in tatters, and there is a gaping hole that stretches along the port beam to within a few feet of the waterline.
‘We can patch up the canvas and work the ship on a skeleton crew,’ says Davan, peering over the splintered rail, ‘but if we catch a storm this far out to sea, we're all done for.’
Turn to 330.
263
You pause just long enough to drag the dead guard's body into the shadows, and then slip quickly into the tower. A semicircular passageway opens on to a hall, where a wide steel staircase descends to a torchlit passage. Cautiously you proceed, poised to react to the slightest sound. You hear nothing: the stair and the passage beyond it appear deserted.
Turn to 130.
264
You aim and fire at a point between the creature's yellow, cat-like eyes. The shaft strikes, but the beast has already begun to leap and it misses its vital target, sinking instead into a slab of muscle that sheathes its neck. It shrieks when it hits the ground, which shudders beneath the vast stone weight. Quickly you shoulder your Bow and move forward to finish the beast before it can recover, but as you make your attack, you discover that the creature is ready to receive it.
Illustration XV—The huge, shaggy Egorgh gets ready to leap at your chest.
Egorgh: COMBAT SKILL 24 ENDURANCE 30
This creature is particularly susceptible to psychic attack; double all bonuses you would normally be entitled to if using Mindblast or Psi-surge during this combat.
If you win the combat, turn to 153.
265
The fight is over almost as soon as it begins. Without waiting for the pit-master to hammer the gong that signifies the start of combat, the orange-skinned fighter springs across the pit and buries its spiked club between the startled eyes of its opponent, killing him instantly. The crowd hoots with glee at the beast's display of low cunning, and, despite some loud protests by those who bet on the humanoid, the pit-master reluctantly declares the reptilian winner.
Double the amount of Kika you staked and make the necessary adjustments to your Action Chart.
Turn to 134.
266
You have taken less than a dozen steps into the black and humid depths, when you glimpse movement below and hear the sound of angry Drakkarim voices: the dead sailor has been discovered. The slick hiss of steel drawn from leather warns you that the crew are about to ascend the stairs. They are enraged and determined to avenge the death of their companion.
If you possess a Fireseed and wish to use it, turn to 302.
If you decide to avoid a confrontation on the stairs, turn to 169.
If you choose to draw a weapon and prepare to defend yourself, turn to 68.
267
A blinding pain engulfs your mind. It distorts your vision and drags you screaming to your knees. In desperation, you claw at your scalp and plead for the agony to cease: lose 8 ENDURANCE points.
As if in answer to your plea, the pain disappears. But your fear remains and grows deeper as you stare into the merciless eyes of Darklord Kraagenskûl.
Turn to 147.
268
The bird streaks towards you at such a speed that instinctively you know that your first blow must count. There will be no time for a second before its dagger-sharp beak rakes your face.
Sea-scavenger: COMBAT SKILL 22 ENDURANCE 10
The creature is immune to Mindblast (but not Psi-surge). If the number of ENDURANCE points you lose in the first round of combat is greater than the number lost by your enemy, then the creature's attack has caused lasting injury to your eyesight, and any subsequent ENDURANCE points that you may lose during the combat are permanent (they reduce your basic ENDURANCE score and cannot be restored through the use of healing, potions, etc).8
If you win the combat, turn to 14.
[8] It is possible that your permanent ENDURANCE score might fall to zero or below due to the Sea-scavenger's attack, but you may be wearing a piece of armour that gives you an ENDURANCE point bonus. This would leave you with a permanent ENDURANCE score of 0 with a current ENDURANCE score still above zero. If your basic ENDURANCE score is reduced to zero or below, you are dead and your adventure is over.
269
The sergeant snatches the Medal from your hand and scrutinizes it with greedy eyes. Slowly he nods his head, and then turns to face his troops. ‘Agna tok!’ he commands. ‘Dok lug shad!’
You breathe a silent sigh of relief as they begin to move aside. Then you slap your horse's rump and urge him through the gate. A shadowy street lies beyond, at the end of which is a sign that indicates the way to the two main areas of Argazad: the ironclad harbour and the supply depot.
If you wish to investigate the harbour, turn to 295.
If you wish to investigate the supply depot, turn to 328.
270
You load and take aim at the beast's massive head, as it swings low across the deck, smashing and crushing all before it. Its scaly hide looks as tough as steel plate and you search desperately for a part that may be vulnerable to an arrow. Your heart pounds and your face is drenched in cold sweat as the Xargath, its jaws agape, swings back its head and lunges straight at you.
If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control and Divination, turn to 186.
If you do not possess both these skills, turn to 12.
271
You decide to discard your cape and tunic in favour of a suit of leather Drakkarim battle-armour. Disguised as one of these evil warriors, especially with your face hidden behind a black battle-mask, it should be easier to enter Argazad.
Having hidden the bodies and drawn the wagon under cover, you set loose the wagon team and shoo them into the surrounding hills. One of the Drakkarim horses is still close by and you manage to coax it nearer, using some food found in the back of the wagon. While it eats, you tie the reins to a rock to keep it from wandering away, and sift through the crates once more for items that might be of use on the road ahead. You discover the following:
Sword
Axe
Broadsword
Bow
6 Arrows
Quiver
Dagger
Mace
400 Kika (equivalent to 40 Gold Crowns)
If you decide to keep any of these items remember to make the necessary adjustments to your Action Chart.
It is now too dark to continue, so you decide to rest and begin your ride to Argazad at first light. You are now hungry and must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
To continue, turn to 200.
272
The deck is shrouded in smoke but the sound of heavy boots pounding steel plate warns you that a group of Drakkarim marines are approaching, drawn by their comrade's dying screams.
Acting on instinct, you grab the rear of the cannon and revolve it on its mounting until it points directly along the deck. A dozen angry marines emerge from the smoke and their faces freeze in terror when they find themselves staring into the muzzle of their own formidable weapon. ‘Death to the Darklords!’ you cry, and pull the firing lever.
Turn to 285.
273
Your senses scream a warning that there is something alive attached to the ceiling of the cabin. It is about to drop on your head.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess the Magnakai Disciplines of Huntmastery and Pathsmanship, add 2 to the number you have picked.
If your total is now 0–4, turn to 59.
If it is 5 or more, turn to 23.
274
You leap from the stern deck and land near the foot of the stairs. Water is pouring into the Intrepid at a te
rrific rate, causing her to list heavily to starboard.
‘Abandon ship!’ cries Davan, his strong voice carrying above the clangour of striking swords and dying men. As he rushes past you — followed closely by two Kirlundins — he urges you to save yourself before the ship goes down. To stay would be suicidal, and you quickly follow his lead.
Turn to 110.
275
The golden blade spins through the air and slices deep into the Darklord's shoulder, drawing forth a splash of vile ichor before it clatters noisily to the floor. Kraagenskûl screams in agony, his arm virtually severed from his torso, yet still he manages to touch the silvery liquid. It emits a humming sound, which rises above his cries of pain, and a sparkling mist illuminates the bowl. Swiftly the mist clears to reveal the hideous face of Darklord Gnaag floating upon the surface.
‘Aki-amaz narg kog Argazad!’ shrieks Kraagenskûl, before you kick the bowl from its plinth, destroying the communicator. The Darklord lashes out with his sword, but you sidestep the wild blow with little difficulty, and then stoop to retrieve the Sommerswerd before he strikes a second time.
Darklord Kraagenskûl (wounded): COMBAT SKILL 36 ENDURANCE 38
This being is immune to Mindblast (but not Psi-surge).
If you win the combat, turn to 318.
276
Your Arrow passes clean through the tendril and shatters against the far wall, drawing a flash of sparks where it punctures it. The harsh, metallic stench of ozone colours the foul air, and the creature withdraws its injured limb. Suddenly, a huge shape explodes from the crevasse, rising at such speed that its features are a blur. It emits a deafening screech and dives towards your chest, lashing you with its injured tendril before you have a chance to draw a hand weapon in your defence. There is another flash and a juddering pain runs the length of your arm, leaving it numb and nerveless: lose 3 ENDURANCE points. Gritting your teeth against the pain, you fumble for a weapon as the creature begins its second swooping attack.
Ictakko (wounded): COMBAT SKILL 24 ENDURANCE 31
Owing to the speed of its attack, and the wound you have sustained, you are unable to draw a hand weapon until the beginning of the third round of combat. Unless you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Nexus and have reached the Kai rank of Archmaster, you must lose an extra 1 ENDURANCE point every time the Ictakko inflicts a wound during the combat, owing to the numbing effect of its electrical attack.
If you win the combat, turn to 343.
277
You haul yourself over the rim of the nest and discover the lookout: he is huddled on the floor, shivering with fright. He mutters something but his words are lost in the noise of the destruction raging below. Then the ship rolls violently and you grab the mast to stop yourself from being hurled into the sea. The Xargath has freed its head and is now wreaking havoc amidships, tearing the Intrepid asunder with its claws. The massive head rises once more, trailing broken timbers, and lunges for the mast. With an ear-splitting crack it bites it clean in two and, in a flashing instant, you are sent tumbling from your perch to crash upon the debris-strewn deck. Death is instantaneous.
Your life and your mission end here.
278
You insert the key and twist it. The lock clicks and the door swings open silently to reveal a stunning sight. A large, low-ceiling room lies beyond, filled with colossal tanks of glass that bubble and seethe with all manner of sorcerous fluids. Glass tubes loop and contort in curious shapes, connecting the tanks and enabling their contents to flow from one to another. The air is heavy with the stench of acids and harsh chemicals, and the walls are lined from ceiling to floor with stoppered jars, each one filled with a brightly coloured powder, liquid, or gas.
Illustration XVI—The room is filled with colossal glass tanks and tubes all bubbling with sorcerous fluids.
On one workbench a curious, arrow-shaped rod is suspended in a field of electrical energy. The crackling fire arcs between two vertical plates of metal, making the arrow glow with a strange phosphorescent light. You take a closer look and see that a lever protruding from the bench itself controls the flow of power. Then you notice that behind the bench there is another door.
If you wish to take a closer look at the rod, turn to 187.
If you wish to examine the door behind the bench, turn to 54.
279
Once again your quick wits and instinct for survival have saved you from death. The Giak search party rush forward and surround the boulder where you were spotted, only to find it deserted. In frustration at having let you slip through their fingers, they overturn every rock in the vicinity, cursing and stabbing at anything that moves: they succeed in killing three crabs and a sea-snake! By the time they realize that you have escaped, it is too late for them to catch up; you are over a mile away, running northwards along the beach.
Turn to 157.
280
Quickly you continue along the tunnel, anxious to put some distance between yourself and the bodies of your foes. You have covered less than a hundred yards when the tunnel splits: one passage slopes gently downwards; the other, steeply upwards.
If you wish to follow the passage downwards, turn to 116.
If you decide to climb the passage sloping upwards, turn to 316.
281
Your stern commands seem to impress this Giak soldier. Humbly, he bows his head and beckons you to follow him as he climbs back through the trapdoor and down a stair that descends into the heart of the building. There, stacked on countless shelves, are row upon row of coiled steel cables, girders, iron bolts, and myriad other parts destined for the fleet of ironclads at anchor in Argazad harbour.
You follow the bow-legged Giak out of the building and through a maze of garbage-choked streets, past rusting tenements and squalid huts, to an iron tower at the centre of the city. Unlike everywhere else, this tower appears to have escaped the effects of the corrosive atmosphere: its surfaces are dull yet free from any sign of decay. The Giak speaks with another who guards its open entrance and immediately he stands aside, allowing you to enter the tower's gloomy ground floor.
Turn to 346.
282
‘You wield a weapon imbued with great power, Lone Wolf,’ says Rimoah, glancing at the Sommerswerd sheathed at your side. ‘Be sure to use it well. Now that you possess the wisdom of the Lorestones, you will discover new strengths within its golden blade. It is the bane of the Darklords — the instrument of their destruction. Yet by the very nature of its power it can alert them to your presence and betray your identity.’ He reaches to his waist and unbuckles a seemingly plain leather sword belt and scabbard. ‘I have prepared this scabbard from materials impregnated with korlinium. It will contain and keep hidden the powers of the Sommerswerd,’ he says, handing you the accoutrements. ‘Remember, to unsheathe the Sommerswerd inside the Darklands is to light a beacon of warning that Gnaag and his fell minions will surely see. Only when you have Gnaag within striking distance should you draw your blade to seal his doom.’
You discard your old scabbard in favour of Rimoah's and take heed of his advice. (Mark the Korlinium Scabbard as a Special Item on your Action Chart. You need not discard another item in its favour if you already carry the maximum number of Special Items allowed.)
Turn to 229.
283
From the flickering scarlet doorway of a tower to your right comes a line of robed figures, every one of them dressed in red. They are led by a squat, horny-skinned creature with baleful, milky-coloured eyes. These eyes roll like balls of mist inside its head as the creature emits a fiendish howl, and points at you with its clawed hand.
If you wish to confront this creature and its followers, turn to 104.
If you wish to try to evade these creatures, turn to 242.
284
Patiently you wait until the Drakkarim and Giaks are snoring soundly, and then you leave your hiding place and slip away undetected. Your plan is to ambush the Drakkar who was caught cheating at dawn when he r
ides back to Argazad alone. By discarding your cape and tunic in favour of his battle-armour it should be far easier to enter the naval base unnoticed, especially on horseback and with your face obscured by one of the grotesque battle-masks that all Drakkarim wear.
Three miles along the trail you find the ideal place to launch your ambush, where the stony track passes between a cluster of huge rocks. There you lie in wait for the dawn and with it the arrival of your victim. While you wait, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
To continue, turn to 146.
285
There is a loud bang and a wave of heat rolls over you as the cannon spits its deadly missile at the advancing Drakkarim. It bores through their ranks and slams into the wheelhouse with shuddering force. Jets of yellow flame roar from a jagged hole, illuminating the grim remains of what a moment before were enemy marines. Then the deck jumps up and slaps the soles of your feet. The missile has penetrated the ironclad's magazine, and, in an instant, the vessel is blown apart. The last thing you remember before darkness obliterates your senses is an eye-searing flash of white and scarlet fire.
