by Joe Dever
If you are to save yourself from this monstrous horde you must quickly use the secret name of the remaining Künae. But there is no time to consult the Tome of Darkness: you must try to recall the name from memory.
If you think the secret name is ‘Rhunotar’, turn to 96.
If you think the secret name is ‘Rhunadan’, turn to 311.
If you think the secret name is ‘Rhunaguin’, turn to 289.
154
You recoil as one spear tip scrapes your left wrist and another gouges your chest (lose 1 ENDURANCE point). Fortunately, both wounds are minor and the pain quickly recedes when your natural Kai curing skills act to staunch the bleeding.
Turn to 5.
155
The moment you enter the beam, you feel yourself descending through the centre of the temple in a cocoon of shimmering blue light. Gradually the heat of the nest of fire gives way to a pleasant coolness, but as you continue your descent deeper and deeper into the unknown, this equable temperature slowly transforms into an unbearable icy chill. Never before have you experienced the terrible coldness that engulfs you now. Fortunately, the magical properties of the Scarab of the Wingless Dragon protect and keep you from freezing to death. (Record this Scarab on your Action Chart as a Special Item which you keep in your pocket.)
As the temperature slowly begins to rise, you are able to examine the Scarab that you took from Huan'zhor's nest, and at once you notice two runic numerals on the back of the wingless dragon, engraved on its surface. (The numerals comprise the number 31. Make a note of this number in the margin of your Action Chart for future reference.) Having satisfied your curiosity, you place the Scarab into the pocket of your tunic and wait patiently for the beam to complete its seemingly endless descent.
Eventually the shimmering light fades and you feel solid ground materialize beneath your feet once more. Stretching before you now lies a gigantic cavern. Its walls of cracked and stained obsidian rise to a high-arched roof where twelve stalactites of glowing lime-green stone form a circle. On the floor directly below this circle are the shattered remains of a crystal dais, its broken fragments glimmering in the cavern's eerie, icy gloom.
If you have ever visited the city of Helgor in a previous Lone Wolf adventure, turn to 84.
If you have never visited this place, turn to 124.
156
The streams of flying insects gather into a dark cloud that hovers menacingly above the rocks. At first it looks like a defensive action, a show of force to frighten you off, but when the tone of their buzzing suddenly gets louder you sense that these angry insects are not preparing to defend their lair at all: they are getting ready to launch an attack.
If you wish to attempt to escape from these angry insects, turn to 212.
If you choose to stand and face them, turn to 318.
157
Fear of being consumed by the approaching fire-storm prompts you to take swift and decisive action. You step into the well and begin a long descent through a column of glimmering azure light. You feel the diamond in your pocket glowing warmly and you sense that, in addition to your Platinum Amulet, it is protecting you from the rigours of this journey into the unknown.
Looking down through the curtain of shimmering light, you can see the roofs of ziggurats and towers rising up to meet you. Gradually you slow to a halt and find yourself standing upon a circular dais of basalt rock atop a large, flat-roofed building. Several yards away to your left you see a squat tower, and to your right, standing at a parapet, you see a horny-skinned creature with wings that glimmer like folded sheets of gold leaf. Your pulse races when you recognize this creature to be a Lavas, one of Naar's deadly minions. The Lavas is peering idly at the view beyond the parapet and is unaware of your arrival, yet you are reluctant to leave the shimmering beam for fear that it may see you and raise an alarm.
If you possess Assimilance and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Guardian or higher, turn to 72.
If you possess Assimilance or Grand Huntmastery, turn to 174.
If you do not possess these skills, or if you have yet to attain the required level of Kai Mastery, turn to 140.
158
You watch as the ore train careers along the tunnel and disappears like a tornado into the gloom. Stillness returns and your natural curiosity, coupled with a gnawing desire to find the Moonstone, prompts you to explore the new passageway. A dank breeze wafts in your face, stale yet pleasantly cool after the invasive dusty heat of the first tunnel. You follow the passage for several hundred yards until you reach an empty cavern where streams of ore-rich water run down the walls, staining them a rusty shade of brown. You are hungry and you decide to stop and rest here for a while. Unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
While you are resting, you decide to consult the Tome of Darkness to see if it has any useful information about this strange subterranean complex.
Turn to 33.
159
The creature is halfway down the ramp when it pauses to sniff the cool air. With a snickering sound, it crinkles back its snout and allows a stream of saliva to trickle freely from its quavering jaw. In its present state of ravenous hunger it has detected the aroma of something it finds even more enticing than the scent of human flesh: Muntaag honey.
You sense the cause of its sudden delirium and hurriedly you retrieve from your Backpack the package of leaves which contains the honey. The beast lets out a desperate howl and quickly you hurl the package towards the entrance to prevent it from leaping wildly upon you. As the beast scrambles up the ramp, you turn your attention to the portal and attempt to find a way to open it. Using your advanced Kai skills you are able to decipher enough of the runic text to discover the secret code which keeps it secure. Confidently you press a section of the surface and it moves inwards with an audible clunk! Moments later, the portal creaks open and you hurry through it, slamming it shut behind you to prevent the ravenous beast following.
Turn to 210.
160
You cast your gaze around the mouldering walls of this dimly lit vault and feel a surge of joy and relief well up from the pit of your stomach. The dripping granite is cold and cheerless, but to your eyes, having witnessed the horrors of Naar's throne hall, this dank stone vault looks warm, welcoming, and reassuringly familiar. You have returned to the secret burial chamber below the Necropolis of Tyso, the place from where you began your journey through the Shadow Gate some time ago. With Alyss's help you have arrived home safely to Sommerlund.
No trace of the Shadow Gate remains; it vanished the moment you emerged from the cocoon of light and took your first tentative steps into the vault. With eager anticipation you leave the chamber and hurriedly ascend to the surface where you are greeted by warm summer sunshine. The commander of Tyso is Baron Tor Medar, and two of his stewards are dutifully guarding the gates to the city's necropolis. When they see you emerge from a mausoleum close by, their jaws drop open in amazement as simultaneously they recognize who you are from the cut and colour of your Grand Master robes. Upon recovering their senses, the stewards volunteer to escort you directly to Baron Medar's castle. During the brief journey through the city you are shocked to learn that a whole year has passed since you entered the Shadow Gate, even though the time that you spent upon the Plane of Darkness seemed no more than a few days at most.
Baron Medar is an old and trusted friend and he welcomes your safe return to Tyso with a show of great warmth and affection. Having feared for the past year that you had perished during your pursuit of Wolf's Bane, he is clearly delighted to hear that not only did you survive your ordeal beyond the Shadow Gate, but that you also vanquished the impostor. Naturally you are anxious to return to your Kai brethren without delay and Medar gladly offers his help. He gives you the finest horse in his stables and assigns a troop of his personal bodyguards to escort you swiftly across Sommerlund to the Kai Monastery.
At the monastery you receive
a rapturous reception from the ranks of the Kai, for whom your return is the fulfilment of a year's hopes and prayers. Firestone, the most senior of the New Order warriors, dispatches journeymen to carry word of your triumphant return to the King in Holmgard and to Guildmaster Banedon, the leader of the Magicians' Guild in Toran. Firestone had rightly assumed command during your absence and, as he accompanies you through the grounds of the monastery to your vault below the Tower of the Sun, you commend him on how well he has conducted his stewardship of the monastery and the training of the Kai in his charge.
‘Thank you, my lord,’ he says with pride, ‘yet truly I cannot lay claim to all of the credit. My duties would have been far harder to fulfil had it not been for the invaluable aid I've received from your wise advisors, Lord Rimoah and Lord Ardan of Dessi.’
These two Old Kingdom magicians — Lords Rimoah and Ardan — greet you the moment you enter the vault. Ever since you disappeared into the Shadow Gate a year ago, they have resided at the monastery so that they could assist Firestone with the task of training the New Order Kai.
‘We sensed that you were still alive somewhere in the void beyond the universe of Aon,’ says Rimoah, beaming delightedly, ‘but neither I nor Ardan were able to discern precisely when you would return to Sommerlund. Come, Grand Master, tell us of your adventures beyond the Shadow Gate.’
Eagerly they listen to your account of how you tracked and defeated Wolf's Bane and escaped from the throne hall of the Dark God. But it is your surprise revelation that Naar possesses the Moonstone of the Shianti which seems to fascinate and frighten them the most.
‘This is grave news indeed, Lone Wolf,’ says Lord Rimoah, in a suddenly sombre tone. ‘The Moonstone contains great power. It can create life and it can also destroy life — utterly. If Naar were able to fully harness its power he could use it to destroy all life on Magnamund. I fear it is just a matter of time before he fathoms its secrets. The Moonstone was once a blessing for the creatures of this world. In Naar's hand it could become the curse of us all.’
‘I for one shall not permit this,’ you reply defiantly. ‘I shall find the means to return to the Plane of Darkness and retrieve the Moonstone. This I vow. For Sommerlund and the Kai, so long as I live, Naar will never conquer Magnamund!’
‘Your courage is an inspiration to us all, Grand Master,’ says Lord Ardan respectfully.
‘Aye, to us all,’ echoes Lord Rimoah. ‘And be assured, Lone Wolf, soon you will have the opportunity to enact your pledge, for it is within our power to help you fulfil your vow.’
Turn to 145.
161
As the dragon passes low over the derelict buildings, the bottom of the net skims a jagged parapet and is ripped open. One by one the heavy blocks of stone drop from the ruined net to shatter like exploding bombs when they hit the ground. Desperately you cling to the netting to avoid being swept away and crushed in the fall. The dragon caws loudly when the last block drops away and it sees you entangled in its shredded cargo net. Its frantic cries of alarm alert a passing trio of Lavas who come swooping down to investigate. Fearing capture, you leap from the net and hit a mound of dusty soil which softens your fall. Winded and shaken by the impact, but otherwise unharmed, you roll away from the mound and take cover beneath a cracked slab of basalt in the hope of avoiding the keen eyes of the approaching Lavas.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Assimilance, add 1 to the number you have picked. You may also add 1 if you possess Grand Huntmastery.
If your total score is now 4 or less, turn to 136.
If it is 5 or more, turn to 340.
162
As the sinister arachnids close in, you attempt to use your improved Grand Mastery to free yourself from the cloying mud and make a leap for the firmer river bank.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If your current ENDURANCE points score is 15 or less, deduct 2 from the number you have picked.
If your total score is now 4 or less, turn to 94.
If it is 5 or more, turn to 120.
163
Out of a sense of duty and respect for the memories of these three brave men, you recite the secret words of the ceremony of Kai Exorcism. As you intone the hallowed words, you feel an aura of peace and tranquillity descend upon their tormented souls. The twisted and pained faces which adorn the surface of the fiery comets gradually soften and fade until, with an overwhelming sense of release, you detect that they are no more. Through the power of your ceremony their souls have been allowed to escape from this hellish domain and have gone to seek eternal peace upon the Plane of Light.
The comets, now devoid of soul-energy, are drawn back into the orbit of the distant star cluster. You, too, are drawn towards these glowing stars, and as you pass through them at an incredible speed, you glimpse a wondrous sight in the void beyond. A vast rainbow bridge of colour arcs across the immeasurable darkness to a titanic plateau of fire. Your spirits soar when you detect that this is the Bridge of the Damned, the exit that you seek from this astral domain. Yet as you approach the magnificent bridge, you detect a less-welcoming presence. The shadowy riders are returning, and this time they are escorting a creature that sets your pulse racing with fear.
Turn to 272.
164
You insert the tip of your Dagger into the slot and instantly you are blinded by a flash of brilliant white light. A searing pain runs down the length of your arm and you are thrown backwards by this sudden release of energy: lose 4 ENDURANCE points.
Your Dagger has been reduced to twisted molten scrap by the sudden flash (erase this item from your Weapons List), but at least it has served its purpose. As the crackling noise of the electrical discharge gradually fades, you hear another sound, a grating squeal. Anxiously you watch as the great portal slowly swings open.
Turn to 343.
165
You draw upon your improved Kai Discipline to alter and redistribute your body weight. This enables you to cross the difficult terrain to the distant crater in as short a time as possible. However, despite your precautions, during your trek you suffer several minor injuries: lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
To continue, turn to 86.
166
You leap into the air with your hands outstretched and make a grab for one of the beams which supports the narrow arch of the tunnel roof.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, add 2 to the number you have picked.
If your total score is now 3 or lower, turn to 231.
If it is 4 or higher, turn to 217.
167
Instantly the swarm of insects becomes agitated and begins to buzz loudly. (Remember to reduce your ENDURANCE score by 4 for using a Kai-blast.)
You sense something is wrong and you back away from the pile of stones. Moments later, a host of angry insects comes pouring from out of every gap in the rocks and rises up into a dark cloud that hovers menacingly above the fallen slabs. At first it looks like a defensive action, a show of force to frighten you away, but when the tone of their buzzing suddenly deepens you sense that these angry insects are not preparing to defend their lair at all: they are getting ready to launch an attack.
If you wish to attempt to escape from these angry insects, turn to 212.
If you choose to stand and face them, turn to 318.
168
Suddenly you feel a massive weight hit you between the shoulder blades. You have been struck by a powerful psychic shock wave that propels you head-first through the bloodstained entrance to Naar's inner sanctum. This entrance then closes behind you like a rapidly healing wound: lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
Turn to 68.
169
You sense there is a magical resistance to your Counterspell which grows rapidly until there is a blinding flash of brilliant white light. A wave of searing heat explodes from the slot and you are thrown backwards by the blast: lose 2 ENDURANCE points.
You are left dazed and singed by
the sudden release of energy, but at least your efforts were not in vain. As the crackling noise of the electrical discharge gradually fades, you hear another sound, a grating squeal, and anxiously you watch as the great portal slowly swings open.
Turn to 343.
170
Wielding whips of living flame in each of his eight massive hands, the demonic spectre of Tzor lashes the host of doomed souls without let or mercy. Relentlessly he pursues them around the Plain of Despair, revelling in his sport, allowing them neither rest nor respite from this unending chase. Few avoid his watchful eyes and fewer still escape the searing kiss of his terrible whips of fire.
Illustration IX—The demonic spectre of Tzor wields whips of living flame in each huge hand.
As the towering shape of Tzor looms nearer, you detect a complex web of psychic probes emanating from his being. Clearly he utilizes his prodigious mental powers to monitor the souls of the damned who are trapped here forever upon the Plain of Despair. Then you realize that Tzor's powerful psychic abilities may also alert him to your presence at the edge of the crater. Tzor is fast approaching now; you must act quickly if you are to minimize the risk of being discovered.
