Dawn of the Dragons
Page 4
Turn to 327.
6
With a mighty effort, you drag your feet from the burning mire and leap head-first into the whirling black abyss of the Shadow Gate.
Turn to 69.
7
The pack leader is ripped to shreds by the blast and many of his followers are left mortally wounded. But neither the sight of their injuries nor the deafening sound of the explosion deters the remaining pack members from approaching the bridge. With fear running ice cold in your veins, you spur your tired horse to the gallop in a desperate attempt to outrun these howling fiends.
Turn to 304.
8
You bow to the King's wishes and resolve, instead, to reach the Kai Monastery by land and destroy the Shadow Gate as soon as you are able. Strengthened by this resolution, you show to the council the Sun-crystal that Gwynian gave you, and you tell them how you intend to use it.
Ulnar and the barons applaud your plan and your steadfast courage. The King places under your command his élite Guard Cavalry regiment, so that you may be able to use them to break through the enemy's line at its weakest point and reach the Kai Monastery. Captain D'Val, commander of the Guard Cavalry, knows where this weak point is and he will guide you to it.
The King dissolves the council and, as the barons return to their armies in the field, he orders you to rest in his chambers for a few hours.
‘Get some sleep, Grand Master,’ he says, patting you paternally on the shoulder. ‘You will need it. You ride with the Guard at dawn.’
Turn to 94.
9
Quickly you intone the words of the Old Kingdom Spell Hold Enemy and direct its power at Prince Lutha. Instantly he is frozen into immobility. Your swift action has prevented him from activating the evil power of the ring he wears, a power which could spell your doom. But you sense that it is only a matter of time before your spell wears off and he is free to direct the power of the ring against you.
Seizing the advantage, you call on your Magnakai skills of Pathsmanship to aid you as you begin the difficult climb out of the pit. The ascent becomes a race against time; you must reach the open trapdoor before the Prince recovers from the effects of your spell.
You are pulling yourself through the opening when Lutha begins to move. He attempts to kick you with his right foot but you twist away in time to avoid the vicious attack. You tug his left leg and put him off balance; this move buys you the few seconds you need to get to your feet. As you rise he comes at you with a dagger in his hand, forcing you back towards the open hole.
Prince Lutha (with Ring of Power): COMBAT SKILL 54 ENDURANCE 39
While wearing the Ring of Power, Lutha is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.
If you win the combat, turn to 89.
10
Quickly you make your descent across the rocks to where the Sun-crystal lies, but in your hurry, you slip and fall on the wet granite.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have picked. If you possess Grand Nexus, add 2. If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, add 1. If your current ENDURANCE points total is 11 or less, deduct 1.
If your total score is now 2 or less, turn to 258.
If it is 3 or more, turn to 134.
11
It is near dusk when you emerge from the hills and see the glimmering waters of the River Kinam less than five miles distant. This great river marks the border between Talestria and Palmyrion, Queen Evaine's neighbouring ally. The road descends to a border toll bridge beyond which you can see the sprawling town of Scade. The troop is challenged by the bridge warden to halt and pay a fee of 100 Silver Lune. This fee is soon forgotten, though, when the Lord Constable shows the pedantic old man his Royal Seal. With a stiff salute he steps aside and bids you all a safe journey.
Scade is a bustling market town which has grown rich and fat in the years following the defeat of the Darklords. Its brightly painted buildings and paved thoroughfares exude affluence, and even its lowly street-beggars look clean and well-fed by comparison to those in other parts of Magnamund. Nathor leads the troop to an inn near the centre of the town, a fine establishment called ‘The Lucky Bucket’. Its owner, a corpulent fellow with a polished bald pate, welcomes him with open arms. After the ordeal at Pinepeaks and the long day's ride, you are looking forward to a hot bath and a large supper. However, it soon transpires that the inn is almost full and the owner can only provide rooms for five of the troop.
‘Not to worry,’ says Nathor, noticing the look of disappointment on your face. ‘I know Knight Tranius — the lord of this manor. Many's the time we've hunted boar in the hills. His castle is but two miles from here. Five can billet here tonight while the rest of us lodge with Tranius.’
You agree to Nathor's proposal and set off with him, accompanied by three of the troopers, along a river track which heads north to Castle Tranius.
Turn to 140.
12
Drawing on all your Kai camouflage and tracking skills, you manage to evade the war-dog pack and escape into the depths of the forest.
Turn to 220.
13
You place your hands on the young man's chest and, using your Magnakai Curing skills, you cause the puncture wound to mend (reduce your ENDURANCE score by 1 point). However, your treatment is not enough to save him. The poison in his blood is too strong and too well-established to be neutralized by your innate Kai powers. Sadly you watch as the brave young man slips into a sleep from which he will not awaken.
Turn to 255.
14
You hear the hiss of a crossbow bolt in flight, and instantly react by pulling your horse sharply to one side. It is a move that saves your life. The iron missile grazes your shoulder (lose 1 ENDURANCE point) but it does not prevent you from making good your escape into the trees.
You keep to the woods and head south in a wide arc around the Eldenoran settlement at Fabri. During your ride through this lush timberland, you discover the following items in the bags and blanket roll which are attached to the horse's saddle:
Sword
Rope
Tinderbox
Blanket
Bow
Quiver containing 5 Arrows
12 Lune (equivalent to 3 Gold Crowns)
Spyglass
If you wish to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your Action Chart accordingly.
Shortly before sunset, you emerge from the trees at a place where three trails meet. A wooden signpost propped against a boulder indicates three directions, and distances:
Chod: 250 miles North
Holona: 50 miles West
Tenzha: 20 miles South
You are anxious to leave hostile Eldenoran territory as soon as possible and, after checking your map, you set off to the south, towards the Slovian border town of Tenzha. During your ride, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
To continue, turn to 343.
15
‘Did you not know, Northlander,’ chuckles Dorst, ‘that cheatin' is fair in Taluka? Least, that's the way we play it, eh, boys?’
Feeling a little embarrassed by their behaviour, you fold your hand of cards, pick up your money, and make an excuse that you are tired after your long day's ride. Dorst and his men bid you goodnight, and as he and his men continue with their dubious game, you go and check to see that your horse is comfortable for the night. You are busy gathering some grasses for his feed when suddenly a shriek echoes through the hills — it is the unmistakable cry of a Kraan.
If you possess Kai-screen, turn to 221.
If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, turn to 99.
16
Overhead the sun gleams like a jewel in the clear blue sky, and the early morning air bites with a refreshing sharpness which helps to revive your spirits. A layer of thick frost covers the stony trail from the monastery, and it scrunches loudly under the hor
ses' hooves as you make your careful descent. Soon you rejoin the east road and follow it, through a series of shallow gorges, to a thick pine forest where the ground is covered with mossy rocks. Here the road ascends to a crest where a pall of black smoke stains the cloudless sky. As you approach the crest, you suddenly sense danger ahead and shout a warning to Nathor. He commands the troop to halt while you go ahead to assess the situation.
Beyond the crest you see a broad valley with steeply wooded sides. At its centre there is a village and a large stone building which, when you magnify your vision, you determine to be a church. The roof of this building is ablaze and several bodies lie dotted around its cultivated grounds and gardens. You signal to Nathor to join you and, when he arrives upon the crest, he is able to identify the burning church.
‘That's Pinepeaks Abbey,’ he says, his voice stilted with anxiety. ‘They are in trouble — we must help them.’
He calls his men to come forward and, before you can caution him, he leads them at the gallop down the steep trail which descends towards the valley floor. Cursing his impetuosity, you spur your steed onward and follow in his wake. You have covered less than half a mile when suddenly your Magnakai sense of Divination screams a warning — the troop is riding directly into an ambush.
Desperately you shout for Nathor to halt but your command goes unheeded. Then, from out of the surrounding pines, there comes a volley of arrows and spears. One spear penetrates deep into your horse's flank, killing him instantly.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number you have picked is 0 or 1, turn to 278.
If it is 2–6, turn to 183.
If it is 7–9, turn to 107.
17
High above you can hear the distant sound of running feet. A troop of the Prince's guards is rushing to his aid, although you sense that it is too late to save him now. Rather than stay to face their wrath when they discover their leader has been incinerated, you use the Sommerswerd to open the circular panel in the wall of the pit. As it falls away, you discover a chute which leads to an underground river. Quickly you crawl along this slime-smeared chute and slip into the cold waters, where you are carried swiftly away by the strong undercurrent.
Turn to 150.
18
You sense that the talisman is protecting your body from the extreme heat and toxic atmosphere of this hellish plane. However, this talisman alone will not be sufficient to keep you safe from the creatures that are now advancing rapidly towards the Shadow Gate.
Turn to 80.
19
Beyond the valley lies an expanse of coarse and thorny vegetation which is alive with wild game. You stop to catch yourself an evening meal and then make camp beneath an old twisted oak (restore 3 ENDURANCE points). The night passes uneventfully and at first light you resume your ride east. Shortly before midday, you arrive at the ruins of an ancient church where a signpost, pointing to the east, says:
Vanamor — 42 miles
You allow yourself a smile; with luck you could be inside the city walls by nightfall.
Later in the day you see a dust cloud approaching along the road. You magnify your vision and see a dozen armed horsemen clad in ragged uniforms of green and black. A sense of unease pervades your mind; these are the colours most often worn by Eldenoran soldiers. Trusting to your Kai instincts, you steer your horse off the trail and take cover among the trees of a nearby copse.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number you have picked is 0–6, turn to 81.
If it is 7–9, turn to 229.
20
The unexpected sound of the voice jolts you to full consciousness. You look around for who it was who uttered these words and, to your surprise, you see an old man dressed in brown robes standing before you, stroking your horse's nose. Immediately you recognize the kindly face of Gwynian the Sage.
‘Fate calls us together once more, Lone Wolf,’ he says. ‘Come, we have much to discuss.’
And with that he takes hold of your horse's bridle and leads him across the park to a grand building. It has changed much since you were last here, but despite the new brick and marble façade you recognize Varetta's Halls of Learning.
You are taken along a gravelled path to a hall, where a sign hanging over its richly-carved oak door says ‘Library’. You dismount, and Gwynian ties the reins to a ring set into the wall. Then he pushes open the door and together you enter the library's cool interior. Countless thousands of books and parchments crowd the stone shelves of this magnificent library, marching past on either side as you walk towards another door at the far end of the hall.
Turn to 268.
21
Desperately you urge the horse forwards, but the combined weight of you and Lord Nathor conspire to slow its progress. Before it can carry you through the gatehouse and onto the drawbridge beyond, the portcullis comes crashing down, sealing your only means of escape. Then a second portcullis descends, preventing you from returning into the castle keep. You are caught, trapped like fish in a barrel in the narrow corridor between these two gates.
This area is called the ‘murder hole’, and, as you soon discover to your cost, it is an apt description of what can occur in this dreadful place. Within seconds of your capture, the walls above are ringed by guardsmen, each armed with bows which they aim at you and your companion. At a given signal they open fire, pouring volley after relentless volley of arrows into your defenceless forms.
Tragically, your life and your journey home to Sommerlund end here, in the murder hole of Castle Tranius.
22
You instruct Captain D'Val to retreat with the regiment fifty yards back along the trail. When he has complied with your order, you move upstream until you can see, at an angle, the source of the ultraviolet beam: it is a small metallic polyhedron, studded with rivets.
You dismount and pick a large stone out of the river and lob it at the device with deft precision. The instant the stone hits, there is a violent explosion which knocks you down and peppers the area of the ford with sharp splinters of rock.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number you have picked is 0–3, turn to 310.
If it is 4–9, turn to 105.
23
Suddenly you feel your throat tighten, and the skin on your face and the backs of your hands begins to itch. With mounting dread you realize that you have been walking into an area which is infested with a virulent plague. Hurriedly, you turn to run from the town as fast as you can, but you have taken no more than a dozen steps when you collapse to the muddy ground.
If you possess any Oede herb or Matho's Potion, turn to 113.
If you possess neither of these items, turn to 128.
24
The death of their leader stuns the dragon herd into frozen silence, and you seize this opportunity to make a dash for the Shadow Gate. Before Naar can direct his Lavas to block your escape, you reach the Shadow Gate and hurl yourself through it into the whirling black abyss.
Turn to 69.
25
You fold your hand of cards, pick up your money, and make an excuse that you are tired after your long day's ride. Dorst and his men bid you goodnight, and as he and his men continue with the game, you go and check to see that your horse is comfortable for the night. You are busy gathering some grasses for his feed when suddenly a shriek echoes through the hills — it is the unmistakable cry of a Kraan.
If you possess Kai-screen, turn to 221.
If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, turn to 99.
26
Your advanced Kai Mastery reveals to you the whereabouts of the missing purse of gems. It is in the boot of the bargee, the lank-haired man who is siding with the merchant against the other. He is hoping to keep hidden his guilt by pointing the finger of suspicion at the man in the hide coat.
The bargee steps away from the table and, as he tries to move quietly towards the tavern door,
he passes in front of your chair. Deftly you kick the top of his boot. The blow splits the purse and scatters gemstones all over the tavern floor.
‘Why you … ’ growls the guilty bargee, and, in the blink of an eye, he draws a dagger and lunges for your heart.
Illustration I—In the blink of an eye he draws a dagger and lunges for your heart.
Bargee (master thief): COMBAT SKILL 36 ENDURANCE 25
If you win this combat, turn to 199.
27
You take a gasp of air and dive below the surface, but as you submerge, you feel the stinging kiss of a crossbow bolt's tip graze your shoulder: lose 2 ENDURANCE points.
Having lost the element of surprise, you allow the current to carry you a few hundred yards downstream before you come to the surface. You find yourself opposite a shallow bay in the river bank which affords you better cover from the nearest enemy trench than your previous position upstream. Quickly you crawl out of the water and slither like a snake up the muddy bank to drop silently into this trench. A dull-witted Eldenoran is swiftly dispatched with a blow from the edge of your hand, enabling you to move further along this log-walled ditch. Just as you are passing the opening to a makeshift dugout, you sense danger ahead. A single file of Eldenoran swordsmen is marching along the trench in your direction; it will be only a matter of seconds before they are close enough to see you.