The Jungle of Horrors

by Joe Dever

  If you decide to turn back and take the west spur, turn to 105.

  72

  Beyond the archway is a narrow alley that leads to the quadrangle. You reach the end of the alley and peer around the corner to check that all is clear. You see a group of monks walking towards you, all armed with swords.

  Waiting on the other corner is a small wagon. Its canvas cover is threadbare and patched in a score of places. It is harnessed to a pair of moth-eaten old mules and a driver sits holding their reins, his features hidden by a hooded black robe. As the monks draw closer he raises a hand and beckons to you; he wants you to hide in his wagon. It is now or never — the monks are about to turn the corner.

  If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Divination or have reached the rank of Tutelary, turn to 270.

  If you wish to hide in the wagon, turn to 32.

  If you choose to stand and confront the monks, turn to 41.

  73

  The hamlet of Honey Lodge is small — two cottages, a barn, and a stone watchtower cluster in a circle at the river's edge. A gang of excited young boys wait on the rain-swept jetty to welcome home their fathers, each hoping for a present, perhaps a fishing rod or a hunting bow, from the marketplace in Phoena.

  Eight men, including the Count, disembark at Honey Lodge, but only one new passenger embarks for the journey to Tharro — a thin individual with hard grey eyes that gleam coldly from beneath his wide-brimmed hat. Slung at his side is a narrow-bladed sword, and in his hand he clutches a leather-bound book, its cover as plain and as black as his clothing. He pays his fare and descends to the tap-room, pausing briefly at the top of the stairs to return your stare.

  If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Psi-screen and have reached the rank of Tutelary, turn to 23.

  If you do not possess this skill or have yet to reach the Kai rank of Tutelary, turn to 325.

  74

  You are unable to unsheathe a weapon. Your only hope is to attack this creature using your mind power alone.

  Korkuna: COMBAT SKILL 20 ENDURANCE 36

  For this psychic combat reduce your current COMBAT SKILL score to 15 and conduct the combat in the normal way. You are unable to make use of any Special Items, Weapons, or Backpack Items.

  If you survive the psychic combat, turn to 254.

  75

  The chilling sound of the Helghast's laughter rings in your ears as you launch yourself against this fell creature. It offers no resistance to your attack and you smite a crushing blow, tearing it from shoulder to stomach. But the Helghast does not cease laughing and no blood pours from its wound, for it cannot be harmed by sharpened steel or hardened wood — its bane is magic.

  The last sound you hear is the roar of fire as a searing burst of flame penetrates your chest.

  Your life and your quest end here.

  76

  The monks are communicating telepathically. Although you do not recognize the language they are using in their mind-speech, you sense that they are anxious and uneasy in your presence. The monks of Talestria are infamous for their gluttony. Tales of their thirty-course meals and week-long banquets are well known throughout Magnamund. However, despite their voluminous robes, you cannot help but notice how emaciated these monks appear to be.

  If you wish to stop to pay your respects to the deceased, turn to 275.

  If you wish to continue on your way without stopping at the abbey, turn to 55.

  77

  Your Arrow enters the creature's mouth, transfixing its tongue to the back of its throat. It gurgles and chomps on the feathered shaft, its clawed fingers scrabbling to pull it free. In its frenzy it loses its footing and slips, throwing open its arms instinctively to steady itself. Its claws ensnare your horse's bridle and, as it topples from the tree-bridge, it pulls your horse and you over the edge.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.

  If your total is now 0–1, turn to 51.

  If it is 2 or more, turn to 43.

  78

  You dismount and climb the steps leading to the temple doors. An old man in brown robes answers your knock and invites you and Paido inside; a novice attends to your horses.

  Stepping through the door is like stepping into another world. The air is sweet with incense and the flickering light, cast by a long row of squat red candles, does little to illuminate the interior. You follow the old man along a vaulted corridor, down several flights of stairs, and finally into a torchlit refectory. A delicious smell of cooking wafts from an open hatch in the wall together with the sounds of people in the kitchen beyond.

  ‘Be seated,’ says the old man, pointing to a stout oak table laid for supper, ‘and enjoy our humble food. May it revive you after your travels and fortify you for the road ahead.’

  Another monk enters the chamber, carrying two steaming plates of meat stew. He sets them down before you and blesses the food with the words, ‘Gaj kog zutag’. You are hungry after your day's journey and must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  If you wish to eat the appetizing stew, turn to 336.

  If you choose to eat a Meal from your Backpack instead, turn to 217.

  If you decide to go without food, deduct 3 ENDURANCE points and turn to 174.

  79

  Suddenly more shrieking Vordaks crash down on the deck. Paido is immediately engulfed by the red-robed figures. He is outnumbered but he fights with a tiger-like tenacity, his blue-bladed sword tearing deep into their loathsome bodies. You are running back across the main deck when a new danger confronts you. A Kraan sweeps low across the skyship, dropping a cluster of black crystal cubes that scatter across the deck.

  If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Divination, turn to 319.

  If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Psi-surge and have reached the Kai rank of Primate, turn to 25.

  If you possess neither of these skills, turn to 243.

  80

  ‘In the name of the gods, what's happened here?’ thunders the captain as he hurries down the tap-room stairs. A crowd of passengers huddle in his wake, frightened but curious to discover the outcome of the fight that has devastated the hold. ‘I'll see you pay for this,’ he blusters. ‘It'll cost hundreds of Lune to fix this damage. Pay up now or I'll take it out of your hides!’

  Paido snatches the cloth from a nearby table and scoops up the head of Kezoor, wrapping and tying it tightly with cord. He tosses this gruesome package to the captain, together with the notice of death that lies beside Trost's scorched body. ‘That'll pay for the damage, captain,’ says Paido, ‘and be sure that the balance goes to the family of this brave soldier or we'll take it out of your hide!’

  As the captain reads the scroll a wry grin spreads slowly across his weather-worn face. ‘So, Kezoor met his doom aboard my barge,’ he says, thoughtfully. ‘Maybe I'll leave the hold just as it is. There's plenty o' folk who'd pay to see the place where this rogue ended his days.’

  The captain orders his crew to prepare the corpses for burial, and as the bargees carry away Kezoor's remains, you notice his black book lying on the floor.

  If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Divination and have reached the rank of Tutelary, turn to 179.

  If you wish to examine the book, turn to 312.

  If you wish to leave it untouched, turn to 255.

  81

  You hurl the Fireseed and it strikes the jagged rock directly in front of the hissing swamp-dwellers. In the next instant the swamp, the creatures, and the causeway itself are transformed into a searing ball of flame as the exploding Fireseed ignites the inflammable cloud of gas. The blast badly burns your face and hands and scorches your tunic — lose 12 ENDURANCE points.

  If you are still alive after this catastrophe, turn to 71.

  82

  You follow the foot-worn cobbles of Globe Walk, past the premises of coopers, cobblers, and carpenters, to an open square where you see a sign pointing t
o an alley that disappears among the shadows. Ahead the street continues, flanked by shops and the town's perimeter wall.

  If you wish to continue along the street, turn to 204.

  If you wish to ride along the alley, turn to 332.

  83

  The blows drive the needles deeper into your hand, but the anaesthetic prevents you from feeling any pain.

  The creature is soon crushed to a pulp and drops from your hand in tattered lumps. You nurse your nerveless fingers, pulling the needles from your palm that have been driven so deep that their points protrude from the back of your hand. Gradually feeling returns, and with it comes pain as intense as if you had held a red-hot coal — lose 5 ENDURANCE points.

  If you wish to bathe your burning hand in the pool of clear water, turn to 315.

  If you choose not to bathe your hand, turn to 177.

  84

  You focus your mental energy on your opponent's weapon and launch a pulse of psi-power. There is a loud crack as the studded club splits in two above the dwarf's head, showering him with splinters of wood. He screams and falls flat on his back.

  ‘Sorcerers!’ exclaims the startled crowd, as they stampede towards the main door, overturning benches and tables in their desperation to escape. The dwarf follows suit, mustering his senses and scurrying away through the side door on all fours like a frightened boar. The innkeeper is nowhere to be seen.

  If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Divination, turn to 341.

  If you do not possess this skill, turn to 122.

  85

  You peer through the tiny circular window where you saw the face, but the gloomy interior looks deserted. The stone cabin consists of two rooms: one at the front and one at the rear. ‘Anyone at home?’ you call in a friendly voice, but you receive no reply.

  Silently you motion to Paido to investigate the rear of the hut while you enter at the front door.

  If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Divination, turn to 94.

  If you do not possess this skill, turn to 298.

  86

  From behind come screams of outrage as the monks stumble upon the smouldering remains of the Helghast. ‘Stop the murderers!’ they cry. ‘Stop them!’

  Suddenly a sharp pain shoots up your leg as a monk slashes you viciously with a short sword. Pick a number from the Random Number Table (in this instance, 0 = 10). The number you pick is equal to the number of ENDURANCE points you lose as you scramble through the hatch.

  If you survive the escape, turn to 191.

  87

  Paido appears in the doorway as the bowyer falls dead at your feet. ‘He tried to kill me,’ you say, as you scour the floor for your Silver Bow.

  ‘Foolish fellow,’ answers Paido, sardonically. ‘He'll not try that again.’ You discover the Silver Bow, but it is damaged beyond repair (delete this Special Item from your Action Chart).

  ‘Bourn, Bourn!’ Someone in the bowyery is calling the dead owner's name. Paido suggests leaving quickly and quietly by the rear door and leads the way.

  If you wish to follow him, turn to 273.

  If you wish to stop and search the bowyer's body, turn to 124.

  88

  The blood pounds in your ears as you gallop towards the onrushing warriors. There is a mighty crash, and suddenly you are in the thick of the battle. Steel bites steel and the curses and cries of the enemy ring loudly in your ears as you fight desperately to survive. You swing in the saddle and fell a warrior with a crushing blow to his chest, ducking an instant later as a spiked mace whistles past your head. Paido dispatches its wielder, running him through with his blue-steel blade. Their leader bellows an order and they pull away, standing off a dozen paces to regroup and recover. Paido reins his horse to your side as the bronze-helmed warrior lord yells his battle-cry: ‘Shaag Drakkarim!’

  Illustration IV—The bronze-helmeted warrior lord yells his battle-cry: ‘Shaag Drakkarim!’

  Drakkarim Horselords: COMBAT SKILL 24 ENDURANCE 30

  If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control, add 2 points to your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of the combat.

  If you win the combat, turn to 144.

  89

  As you descend the steps of the Ferry House, Paido catches sight of something glinting in the distance.

  ‘It's the barge,’ he says, shielding his eyes from the sun which is shining at last. A team of bedraggled ghorkas are hauling the vessel upstream, seemingly unaffected by the storm-strengthened flow. Eventually the barge arrives at the jetty and stops to allow a motley assortment of peasants and travellers to disembark.

  ‘You two goin' to Tharro?’ asks the captain. ‘The fare's 40 Lune apiece, an' that includes y'horses.’

  If you want to board the barge, pay the captain the 40 Lune (or 10 Gold Crowns) and turn to 266.

  If you do not want to board, or if you cannot afford the fare, turn to 348.

  90

  Your shaft penetrates deep into the creature's rib cage but he seems unmoved. He breaks the flights and hurls them at you as he closes in for combat.

  If you wish to engage this creature in close combat, turn to 205.

  If you wish to evade its attack, turn to 309.

  91

  Twilight is approaching. As the sky above darkens, a black bird flies among the upper branches, emitting a shrill cry, which sounds unnaturally loud in the silent forest. It settles, stares at you for a few minutes, and then flaps away. A little later you stumble upon a clearing. Shafts of ghostly moonlight pour through a gap in the black canopy of leaves, revealing a mound of earth, rising out of the forest mist. You are both exhausted after the day's events and agree to stop here to rest. Paido takes a Gold Crown from his pocket and tosses it in the air to decide who should take the first watch. ‘Heads or tails?’ he asks, the Crown clenched in his fist.

  If you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Divination, turn to 11.

  If you wish to call ‘heads’, turn to 274.

  If you wish to call ‘tails’, turn to 66.

  92

  You sense that the guard has taken a dislike to you. The attack on Luukos has made the Tharro garrison more suspicious than usual and, rather than risk allowing two possible spies into the stronghold, he turns you away. ‘Go back to Phoena, if that's where you've come from,’ he shouts. ‘We've no welcome here for strangers.’

  It will soon be dark. You, Paido, and the horses need food and rest, but there is scant hope of finding either on the darkening plain that surrounds Tharro.

  If you wish to skirt the perimeter of Fortress Hill and look for another entrance to the town, turn to 107.

  If you decide to camp out on the plain, turn to 226.

  93

  Your skin prickles with fearful premonition, for you are in the presence of a powerful evil. With pounding heart you rise from your seat in readiness for combat.

  If you have a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 161.

  If you do not have a Bow or do not wish to use it, turn to 171.

  94

  You sense that someone is hiding behind the door. He or she is armed and intends to attack you as you enter the hut.

  If you wish to unsheathe a hand weapon before you open the door, turn to 233.

  If you decide not to enter the hut, turn to 64.

  95

  Silently you slip from your saddle and pad noiselessly through the mud, hiding in the shadows cast by the timber staircase. You reach the far side of the platform and look up to see the silhouette of a man clutching a spear, its tip held low at Paido's midriff.

  If you have a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 196.

  If you wish to call to the man to put down his spear, turn to 137.

  If you choose to stay quietly hidden in the shadows of the platform, turn to 240.

  96

  You climb the steps to the pulpit as swiftly as you are able and rest Paido in the recess behind its sword-shaped facia. By chance his tunic snags on a hidden lever and, as his body slumps over,
the lever is pulled to one side. Suddenly the floor of the pulpit shudders and begins to descend into a secret passage beneath the hall.

  Carefully you pull Paido off the platform and raise him into a sitting position, his back against the passage wall. Slowly the platform rises back into the pulpit. In the silence of this secret passage all you can hear is the shallow breathing of your unconscious companion. You lift one of his eyelids and note that the almond-shaped iris is fully dilated. Your basic Kai skill of healing informs you that he is in a coma.

  If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Curing, turn to 19.

  If you do not possess this skill, turn to 317.

  97

  Carefully you slip the tip of your dagger beneath the creature's body and wrench the blade back, cutting it clean in half. The tentacles release their grip, and the two halves drop from your nerveless hand. Hurriedly you pluck the needle-like spines from your palm and the feeling gradually returns — lose 1 ENDURANCE point.

  If you wish to bathe your stinging hand in the pool of clear water, turn to 315.

  If you decide not to bathe it, turn to 177.

  98

  The cloying smell in the cabin is unbearable and soon forces you to return to the deck to clear your lungs. From there you see the captain walking along the river bank inspecting his team of long-haired ghorkas. Stoically they haul the barge upstream, rarely faltering as they tread the rutted and pot-holed towpath. Beyond the bank lies an incredible array of colourful wild flowers — scarlet lankpetal, yellow podlumes, and violet mellowroots of towering proportions. Their perfume soon dispels the lingering odour in the cabin.