The Jungle of Horrors

by Joe Dever

  Turn to 126.

  254

  The creature emits a shrill noise as its shell implodes with tremendous force, drawing a swirl of dust and air into its rotten core. At once the tendril falls limp and all feeling returns to your body. Dazed and shaken by the ordeal you stagger away from the hole as the foul stench of the creature's ichor taints the air.

  Turn to 177.

  255

  The stench of scorched fur hangs heavily in the tap-room, a reminder of the ghastly spiders. The smell turns your stomach, and you motion to Paido to follow as you go up on deck to watch the bargees dispose of the bodies. Contemptuously they weight Kezoor's corpse with bricks and hurl it over the side, but Trost they lay in an oaken chest and the captain leads your fellow passengers in prayer as it is lowered respectfully into the Phoen.

  The heavy rain and the burial have delayed the journey. The bargees try to make up lost time by whipping the ghorkas, but to no avail. The muddy towpath and their waterlogged fur prevent them from pulling any faster. It is mid-afternoon by the time the barge arrives at the next stopping place — Ferry House. A ramshackle building is perched precariously on the edge of the river bank, and an old wooden jetty juts out from the side, its empty platform almost submerged by the swollen river. Two plains farmers disembark here. You hear them talking excitedly about the events they have witnessed, their voices gradually fading as the barge moves forward again.

  Turn to 266.

  256

  At first you think that the tracks are those of a black bear, the paw prints being of a similar size and depth. But a closer examination changes your mind. These prints were left by a biped, a two-footed animal that walks upright. You have never before come across tracks like these, and judging from the size of the prints, you would be happier to avoid the creature that made them.

  Turn to 342.

  257

  You leap away from the table and draw a hand weapon as the innkeeper's son makes his attack.

  Boran: COMBAT SKILL 20 ENDURANCE 29

  The dwarf is immune to Mindblast (but not Psi-surge).

  If both you and your enemy are still alive after two rounds of combat, turn to 163.

  If you kill your opponent within two rounds, turn to 12.

  258

  You strike the glowing ball of flame, and an explosion flings you against the wall of the refectory. Your weapon has disintegrated and you have suffered severe burns to your arms and body: lose 8 ENDURANCE points and delete the weapon from your Weapons List.

  Sore and bloodied, you drag yourself to your feet in time to see the Helghast preparing to launch another fireball. This time the target is your head.

  If you wish to try to avoid the missile by diving aside at the last possible moment, turn to 27.

  If you have another hand weapon and wish to use it to attack the Helghast, turn to 75.

  259

  The stairs lead down to a vast network of catacombs that stretch in every direction. It would be easy to lose yourself in this maze of tunnels, but your Kai tracking skills, heightened by the pressing need to escape from the monastery, help you avoid the hazards and dead ends of these sprawling burial vaults. Following the sound of dripping water, you discover a circular stone trapdoor in the ceiling. Paido cups his hands around your foot and lifts you nearer the tunnel roof, enabling you to open the trapdoor. Early morning daylight streams into the passage as you lift the slab of wet stone and slide it aside.

  You have emerged at the courtyard on the north side of the monastery. Two monks stand guard at the double doors of a low, timber-framed building on the other side of the paved enclosure. Fortunately a line of bushy fruit trees that encircles the courtyard provide all the cover you need to avoid their watchful eyes. You crouch in the shadows and watch as the monks leave their posts to enter the building. Minutes later the doors swing open and they reappear, both on horseback, and ride off through an archway to the right. The courtyard is now empty but you curse their departure, for the horses they are riding belong to you and Paido.

  If you wish to enter the stables, turn to 54.

  If you wish to escape on foot through the archway, turn to 72.

  260

  You turn and run through cloying, ankle-deep mud that saps the strength in your legs. The gigantic spider scuttles closer, lowering its yellow head ready to scoop you into its maw. If you are to escape this creature you must do something to distract or delay it.

  If you have a Meal in your Backpack, turn to 34.

  If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Psi-surge, turn to 250.

  If you have neither a Meal nor the Magnakai Discipline of Psi-surge, you must stand and fight the creature; turn to 5.

  261

  You raise Paido into a sitting position, leaning his back against the cellar wall, and lift one of his eyelids. The almond-shaped iris is fully dilated, his breathing is shallow, and his heartbeat is weak and irregular. Your basic Kai skill of healing warns you that he has slipped into a coma.

  If you possess any Laumspur, Rendalim's Elixir, or Oede herb, turn to 349.

  If you do not possess any of these healing potions, turn to 121.

  262

  ‘Tadia still lives with her mother at Ferry House,’ replies the farmer. ‘Five miles north of here there's a junction where a track heads east. The signpost there says: “To Topham”. A mile past Topham you come to Ferry House on the banks of the River Phoen. If it's her counsel you're after you'd better take plenty o' gold. She's wont to charge a high price for her crystal gazin'.’

  You thank the farmer for his advice and suggest to Paido that the time has come to continue your journey north. As you are about to leave, the farmer calls out, ‘By the way, you'd best tell her Jako sent you — she don't take kindly to folks who drop by uninvited.’

  Turn to 318.

  263

  You have leapt out of the frying pan and into the fire! The pool of water is an illusion. Its surface is a gossamer-thin membrane, and it hides the egg-like Korkuna which has burrowed beneath it. As you touch the surface, the edges of the membrane roll inwards and smother your hand, holding you fast in a steel grip. A snaky tendril lashes out from a hole in the shell and wraps itself around your throat, its sharp tip piercing your neck. You are paralysed; you cannot move. Horror fills your senses as you watch helplessly as the creature gorges on your blood, its shell pulsating and swelling.

  Your life and your quest end here.

  264

  The street twists and turns northwards, passing the entrance to a wooden-fronted barracks. As you watch, a group of soldiers armed with spears emerges in a column, escorting a prisoner with his hands tied behind his back. At the junction with another street they turn into the courtyard of a whitewashed brick building. Above the courtyard gate flutters the Talestrian flag.

  If you wish to follow the soldiers into the courtyard, turn to 143.

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

  265

  You are faced by a monstrous reptile. Its webbed, claw-tipped hands are poised to rend you in two.

  Illustration XIII—You are faced by a monstrous reptile.

  Xlorg: COMBAT SKILL 22 ENDURANCE 30

  You cannot evade combat and must fight the creature to the death.

  If you win the combat, turn to 313.

  266

  You stare across the lush open plains that border the river, contemplating the quest that lies ahead. A flock of long-necked okrils fly overhead, their melodic call echoing across the grasslands as they return to their nests at the river's edge. Paido sits silently beside you at the prow, his thoughts, like yours, on the perils of the Danarg that have yet to be faced.

  The sun is low in the sky when you catch sight of Tharro, its mud-coloured walls — thick, high, and crenellated — dominating the hill on which it was built centuries ago. The barge passes beneath a stout wooden bridge, supported by rough-hewn pillars of stone, along a canal running parallel to the river, and draws to a halt
before two massive metal-bound doors which span the waterway. You collect your horses and disembark with the other mounted passengers, riding in line towards the fortified town gate. At first you are turned away by the guards, but when you show your pass, signed and sealed by Lord Adamas, you are both ushered to the front of the queue and saluted like lords as you ride through the archway and into the square beyond. Three streets converge at the river gate square: Copperpiece Lane, Globe Walk, and Flagon Alley.

  If you wish to go west into Copperpiece Lane, turn to 35.

  If you wish to go north into Globe Walk, turn to 82.

  If you wish to go northwest into Flagon Alley, turn to 332.

  267

  Paido screams for your help. A swooping Kraan-rider has cast a large net, smothering his body. The net is sewn with hundreds of tiny barbed hooks which have worked their way into his skin and clothes, and he cannot free himself without the hooks inflicting fearful wounds. Only one Vordak remains to confront him, all the others having perished on his blade, but he is now unable to defend himself against this creature. He is at the mercy of a merciless foe.

  You scramble to your feet and rush to save him as the Vordak creeps closer. Suddenly the Kraan-rider reappears, gliding low across the deck before hovering over the bow. A length of thin black rope dangles from its saddle and hurriedly the Vordak threads it through the corners of the net. You race up the steps, shouting ‘For Sommerlund’ and launch your attack. The Vordak turns to face you, its skeletal features frozen in a mask of terror. An instant later your weapon shears its bony neck and sends its skull-like head spinning down into the Danarg. A ghastly cry pierces your ears, but it is not a shriek of pain or despair: it is a malicious caw of triumph. The Kraan beats its massive wings, and the down-draught forces you to your knees as the creature climbs higher into the darkening sky. You stare aghast as the rope closes the net around Paido and lifts him off the deck. Instinctively you leap upwards, your hands outstretched to grab the barbed net, but it is too late. The Kraan turns in mid-air and flies off to the north with Paido, wounded and helpless, swinging like a netted fish below its leathery black belly.

  Turn to 350.

  268

  A wretched cry of pain and despair fills the chamber as you strike the killing blow. The Helghast falls, its flesh transforming into a putrid green gas that seeps from the vents in its tattered robe.

  Your mind reels at what has just occurred but you dare not dwell on the fearful implications, for the poison in your system is beginning to overwhelm your healing power. You must act quickly if you are to save both yourself and Paido from the fatal toxin that is flowing through your veins.

  If you have any Laumspur, Rendalim's Elixir, or Oede herb, turn to 178.

  If you do not possess any of these healing potions, turn to 281.

  269

  ‘Do not feel downhearted. Even the scholars of Garthen, when last they travelled this road, were confounded by my riddle,’ boasts the old man. ‘Now we must settle our agreement.’

  From Paido he demands a large woollen blanket he carries in his Backpack, but of you he demands a Special Item. Delete from your Action Chart the Special Item that is fourth on your list. If you have less than four Special Items you must delete the last one on your list. If you have no Special Items at all, delete the first of your Backpack Items.

  To continue your journey north, turn to 135.

  270

  Your senses and your experience reveal that the hooded stranger wants only to help you.

  If you choose to accept his help and hide in his wagon, turn to 32.

  If you decide not to accept his help you must confront the approaching monks; turn to 41.

  271

  You and Paido bid farewell to Lord Adamas and spur your horses along the wide paved street towards the city's gatehouse. The wagon-worn highway leads to the village of Sharr, a small, wood-walled enclave of fishermen and bargees, built around a great stone bridge which spans the River Phoen. You leave the highway and follow a twisting path down to the river's edge. There a barge is ready to leave for Tharro; its team of ghorkas are harnessed and the crew are preparing to cast off the thick rope hawsers securing the barge to the quay.

  The captain sees you approach and calls to his men, ‘Hold fast, lads! Looks like we've two more for Tharro.’

  A gangplank is lowered and the crew guide your horses aboard. As you dismount the captain strides along the bleached wood deck and greets you like an old friend, shaking both of you warmly by the hand. ‘Lord Adamas sent word to expect two riders for this trip, though I'd almost given up waiting for you to show. He's paid your fares and he said you may be wantin' some privacy, so I've set aside a cabin at the stern. My lads will see to your horses.’

  The captain points to the rear of the barge where two sets of stairs descend below the deck. ‘Take the stairs on your left; your cabin is the door at the end of the gangway. If you be wantin' some food or ale, there's a tap-room in the hold — just take the stairs on the right.’

  If you wish to inspect your cabin, turn to 53.

  If you wish to investigate the tap-room, turn to 151.

  272

  Swiftly and silently they leave their huts, creeping like cats stalking their prey. They move on two legs, although they appear better suited to loping on all fours. You turn and run for all you are worth, but this is their territory and they know every fold in the ground. Swiftly they gain on you, forcing you to stand and fight.

  If you have a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 28.

  If you have a Fireseed and wish to throw it, turn to 207.

  If you wish to draw a hand weapon, turn to 346.

  273

  Stealthily you creep along an alley running beside the bowyery and return to the post where your horses are hitched. Muffled cries of alarm can be heard coming from inside the building: the body of the dead owner must have been discovered.

  Without undue haste you remount your horses and head along an alley running north.

  Turn to 63.

  274

  Paido reveals the coin; you have chosen correctly. You decide to take the second watch and settle yourself down for some much needed rest. The grey earth is soft and spongy and provides an excellent mattress. You pull your warm Kai cloak around your shoulders and slip into a deep, dreamless sleep (restore 3 ENDURANCE points).

  Four hours later you take over the watch. Your vigil passes uneventfully, and as the darkness of night gives way to the gloomy grey of dawn, you wake your companion and prepare to set off once more.

  Turn to 138.

  275

  At your approach the monks step back from the grave and draw themselves into a line. Their hooded heads stay bowed and their hands remain hidden inside the generous folds of their robes. You ask the name of the unfortunate deceased, but the echo of your voice and the constant drip of the steady rain is your only answer.

  All at once, as if in response to a silent signal, the monks throw back their hoods to reveal ghastly, fleshless faces. ‘By the gods!’ gasps Paido. They emit a hideous shriek, panicking the horses. As you fight to control your frightened animal, the skeletal monks spring forward to attack.

  If you possess the Sommerswerd, turn to 8.

  If you do not have this Special Item, turn to 101.

  276

  Even at this great distance you can feel the ground shaking as the Ogian army thunders onto the plateau that surrounds the burning town of Syada. You urge your horses down the track, away from the crested ridge, and make for the stream where you stopped briefly to rest.

  If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Pathsmanship and have reached the rank of Tutelary, turn to 227.

  If you do not possess this skill or have not yet reached this level of Magnakai training, turn to 127.

  277

  The sinister monk is shocked by the speed and ferocity of your attack, but he recovers his senses in time to parry your first blow with his black staff. A splash of hissing sparks light
s the room as your weapon scrapes along the jet-black pole and glances off its twisted tip. You raise your arm to strike again, but you are distracted by Paido's scream of alarm. His face is deathly pale and his hands and arms are trembling uncontrollably. With a groan he collapses, scattering plates and cutlery as he hits the table and rolls unconscious to the floor.

  Turn to 238.

  278

  Around a pool of slimy water are gathered a group of vine coils, hollow and funnel-shaped like gigantic rusty springs. They support a huge spider's web. There is no sign of the web's maker, although, judging by the size of the rope-like strands, it must be a creature of enormous size.

  You give the pool a wide berth before finding your way back to where the starguider's signal is strongest. A creeping bank of mist rolls across your path and the maker of the web looms out of it. Paido stifles a cry as this hairy abomination scuttles towards you, its venomous maw poised to bite.

  Illustration XIV—The hairy abomination scuttles towards you, its venomous maw poised to bite.