by Joe Dever
At the end of Oxyoke Way, on your right you find a large stable and coach station. It is now very dark and you must find somewhere to spend the night. Climbing a ladder at the side of the building, you spend a comfortable night hidden in the hay-loft.
Turn to 32.
267
As you surface, you see that battle now rages all around you and the sea is choked with the bodies of the dead and drowning. You manage to swim thirty yards and scramble over the rail of a Durenese warship. Here, a bitter struggle is being waged against a long death-hulk that has grappled alongside. The zombies have clambered aboard and are slaughtering the terror-struck Durenese soldiers.
If you wish to draw the Sommerswerd and charge into battle, turn to 128.
If you wish to jump onto the long death-hulk, turn to 309.
268
‘You are indeed a Kai Lord,’ says the sailor, but the astonishment on his face quickly changes to an unpleasant sneer.
‘Or should I say you were!’
Illustration XVI—You turn to see three harbour thugs advancing towards you.
As he speaks, a door crashes open behind you and you turn to see three harbour thugs advancing towards you. Each is armed with a scimitar and you have no choice but to fight all three as one enemy.
Harbour Thugs: COMBAT SKILL 16 ENDURANCE 25
You may evade after two rounds of combat by running through a side door. Turn to 125.
If you win this combat, turn to 333.
269
The horrific sight of the writhing creature fills you with loathing for the Darklords and their evil minions.
When the Helghast has finally crumbled to nothing and you are quite sure that it has been destroyed, you remove the Magic Spear and wipe the tip on its smouldering robe.
Anxious to leave this place, you run down the tunnel as fast as you can.
Turn to 349.
270
Ganon rolls away from his chair and draws his sword. An instant later his brother Dorier is by his side. You must fight them both as one enemy.
Ganon + Dorier: COMBAT SKILL 28 ENDURANCE 30
Due to the surprise of your attack, add 2 points to your COMBAT SKILL for the first round of combat only. Because of their exceptional strength of will, they are immune to Mindblast.
If you win this combat, turn to 33.
271
You enter the tower archway and climb a stone stair where you are suddenly confronted by an armoured warrior. His head is encased in a steel helm and he wears the emblem of a black ship on a red crest. He steps forward and draws his sword saying, ‘Halt and give the password!’
If you have the Kai Discipline of Camouflage, turn to 151.
If you wish to attack him, turn to 157.
If you wish to evade him by running from the tower, turn to 65.
272
Someone or something is approaching the door of the hold from the other side. If you climb out through the shattered deck, you will leave your legs vulnerable to attack from below and there is no other way out. You sense that it is an evil creature of some considerable power. Raise the Sommerswerd and prepare for combat.
Turn to 5.
273
You are about to strike when your assailant shouts, ‘I am Ronan, my lord. I mean you no harm.’
You manage to divert your blow at the last moment and your weapon smashes the back of a wooden chair. The beads of sweat that have broken out on the sailor's face appear to confirm that he speaks the truth.
Lower your weapon and turn to 160.
274
A quick search of the bodies reveals a Sword, 6 Gold Crowns, and a Mace. Take what you wish and mark them on your Action Chart.
Before you can leave by the front door, more angry villagers have forced their way into the shop. You can only leave now by the first-floor window.
Turn to 132.
275
You become weaker and weaker until your body finally surrenders to the welcoming arms of death. Your assassin has successfully completed his mission.
Your adventure ends here.
276
A grim-looking sailor is challenging all-comers to an arm-wrestling contest. He is so confident of winning that he will pay 5 Gold Crowns to anyone who beats him. As you approach his table, a serving girl whispers in your ear, ‘Be careful stranger, he is an evil man. He breaks the arms of those who lose, and murders any who beat him.’
As you face the sailor across the table, bets are made throughout the tavern.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Mindblast, turn to 14.
If you do not have this skill, conduct the wrestling contest as if you were in combat. The first one to reach 0 ENDURANCE points, loses the match.
Sailor: COMBAT SKILL 18 ENDURANCE 25
When the contest is over, restore your ENDURANCE points to the same total that you had before the contest.
If you lose, turn to 192.
If you win the contest, turn to 305.
277
As Rhygar and his men gallop nearer to the riders, one of the cloaked horsemen draws a black staff from beneath his robes. A fierce blue flame shoots from its tip and explodes beneath Rhygar's horse, sending him head over heels into the dense undergrowth. Rhygar's men furiously attack with their swords. Their sharp blades slice clean through their enemies' cloaks and bodies, and then you realize that they are having no effect. For these are Helghast, fell captains of the Darklords. They have the ability to adopt human form but they are invulnerable to normal weapons. The cloaked staff-bearer gives a hideous laugh that tears at your mind. He is using a very powerful Mindblast against you. You know you are outnumbered by a superior enemy and you must act quickly if you are to survive this ambush at all.
If you wish to abandon your horse and dive for cover in the thick undergrowth, turn to 311.
If you wish to aid Rhygar's men, turn to 59.
278
You desperately wave your Kai cloak above your head until you are near to exhaustion.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table to see if your effort has been rewarded.
If the number you have picked is 0–6, turn to 41.
If the number is 7–9, turn to 180.
279
You recognize the creature to be a Noodnic, an intelligent but mischievous mountain-dwelling native of Durenor. The Noodnics inhabit a maze of smaller shafts and fissures that honeycomb the Hammerdal Mountains, and live off whatever they can steal from the merchant caravans that travel the Tarnalin. It occurs to you that if you can catch the Noodnic, you may be able to learn if the Helghast are hiding within the tunnel.
If you wish to follow the Noodnic, turn to 23.
If you would rather let it go and continue on your journey, turn to 340.
280
You sleep deeply without being disturbed before rising at dawn, gathering your equipment, and joining the others as they board the coach.
For two days and nights, the coach follows the trade route across the flat, treeless Wildlands. It stops only to allow the driver to sleep. But on the morning of the ninth day of your quest, there is an unfortunate accident.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 2.
If the number is 5–9, turn to 108.
281
You beg the captain to pick up the unfortunate castaways but he ignores your pleas and orders the crew to continue with their duties. As the longboat disappears from view, you have a premonition that a similar fate awaits you. Shaken by the thought, you descend below decks and retire to your cabin.
Turn to 240.
282
Both soldiers stab at you with their spears and try to force you off the bridge. As you lash out at one, the other dodges past you and attacks you from behind.
You cannot evade and you must fight them both to the death.
Bridge Guard 1: COMBAT SKILL 16 ENDURANCE 24
Bridge Guard 2: COMBAT SKILL 16 E
NDURANCE 22
If you win this combat, turn to 187.
283
You stare in awe at the variety of merchandise. Silk and spices from the opulent bazaars of Vassagonia; jewels from the mines of Bor; the finest weapons and armour from the smithies of Durenor; furs from the Brumalmarc of Kalte; cloth from Cloeasia; and all kinds of food and drink cover the tables.
Near the centre of the trading post you notice that the prices are displayed on large pieces of stretched vellum. One of the signs in particular catches your eye:
Swords 4 Gold Crowns each
Daggers 2 Gold Crowns each
Broadswords 6 Gold Crowns each
Spears 5 Gold Crowns each
Fine Foods 2 Gold Crowns per Meal
Gold Rings 8 Gold Crowns each
Fur Blankets 3 Gold Crowns each
Backpacks 1 Gold Crown each
If you have enough money, you may purchase any of the above items. When you have concluded your purchases, you may leave the trading post by a side exit.
Turn to 245.
284
Cautiously, the soldiers surround you and take your Weapons and Backpack. (You do not need to adjust your Action Chart.) The knight steps forward and raises the visor of his helm.
‘Who are you? What is your purpose in Tarnalin?’ he demands in a gruff voice.
Illustration XVII—The knight is Lord Axim of Ryme, commander of King Alin's personal bodyguard.
You tell him that you are a Kai Lord from Sommerlund on an urgent mission to King Alin. He seems unconvinced by your words until you show him the Seal of Hammerdal. Then, without hesitation, he orders his men to return your belongings and ushers you through the wall of wagons. Beyond, you can see a horse-drawn carriage waiting in the centre of the crowded tunnel.
‘Back to Hammerdal without delay,’ he orders the driver, and you are thrown back in your seat as the coach moves off at breakneck speed.
You soon learn that the knight is Lord Axim of Ryme, commander of King Alin's personal bodyguard. He was on his way to Port Bax when the Helghast entered Tarnalin. He and ten soldiers were the only ones to survive a deadly encounter with these evil creatures.
During your ride through the Tarnalin, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points. The journey to the capital will take five hours and you are advised by Lord Axim to get some rest. As you slowly drift off to sleep, you begin a dream about the Sommerswerd. You picture a triumphant return to Holmgard and the defeat of the Darklord siege. Perhaps it will be a good omen of events to come?
Turn to 9.
285
You feel the snake's fangs catch in the arm of your tunic, but that is all. You are lucky that the only damage done was to your clothing. As the serpent disappears into the long grass, you quickly climb the tree and spend the rest of the night safely above the ground.
Turn to 312.
286
You hit the water and swim submerged for over a minute to avoid the falling bodies and burning debris of the battle. When you are finally forced to the surface for air, you catch a glimpse of a sight that raises your hopes of fulfilling your quest.
Turn to 109.
287
You focus your concentration on the small, brass lock. After a few seconds, you hear a faint click that tells you that the inner latch is now unlocked. Inside is a scroll bearing the royal seal of Sommerlund and containing confidential orders about your mission to Durenor. As you put the box back into its hiding place, you notice that a deadly trap had been hidden in the lid. Your Kai Discipline has saved you from the swift death of a poison needle. Closing the drawers, you quickly check that nothing looks as though it has been disturbed before joining the captain on deck.
Turn to 175.
288
Without uttering a word, the knight points to the woods behind you and returns to the watchtower. He disappears inside and bolts the door.
The forest here is very thick and the undergrowth is a tangle of weeds and briars. It will be impossible to enter the wood on horseback. You realize you will have to abandon your mount and continue on foot.
Turn to 244.
289
You are welcomed by an old woman dressed from head to toe in white. She smiles and offers you a delicious cup of jala. Your experience of Ragadorn so far makes you suspicious of the dark liquid and you politely refuse her offer.15 As you push the steaming mug away, she notices the Seal on your finger.
‘What a magnificent ring! Is it for sale?’ she asks, her eyes lighting up with excitement. You tell her firmly that it is not but she will not accept your refusal. She offers you any choice of the hundreds of potions that fill the glass cabinets behind her counter. As you turn to leave, she offers you 40 Gold Crowns.
If you wish to accept her offer, turn to 165.
If you wish to leave the shop, turn to 186.
[15] To preserve continuity, if you no longer possess the Seal of Hammerdal, you leave the shop immediately. Turn to Section 186.
290
The food smells delicious, but you notice that there are two or three drops of clear liquid on the side of the plate and another on the tray. At first you suspect that it is only water, until you touch the fluid and notice that it is sticky. You recognize it as sap from the gnadurn tree, a deadly poison used by assassins because of its lack of flavour or scent. The shock of your discovery soon turns to anger and you race out of the room, intent on discovering the identity of your enemy.
Turn to 200.
291
The forest here is extremely dense and the undergrowth is a tangle of bushy weeds. You ride for a mile in either direction and discover no track or path near the watchtower. If you are to reach Port Bax you must dismount and enter the forest on foot.
Turn to 244.
292
You have been walking in the rain for over three hours when you are confronted by seven horsemen. They are mercenaries employed by the Overlord of Ragadorn and they bear his emblem, a black ship on a red crest, upon their shields.
They demand that you hand over all your gold or they will kill you. When they discover that you have no gold, they chase you and eventually cut you down with their longswords. As you lie dying on the road, the last sight that you remember is the outline of Ragadorn on the distant horizon.
Your life and your quest come to a tragic end here.
293
This road eventually ends at a deserted forest cabin. Although it is furnished, a layer of fine dust covers everything inside and indicates that this place has not been used for several months. It is a dead end, and you have wasted precious time. You must return to the fork and take the left path without further delay.
Turn to 155.
294
As you wrap the injured man in a large blanket, he drifts off into a sleep from which he will never awake. Back on deck, the bodies of the dead crew have been laid together.
Captain Kelman approaches and hands you a vicious-looking blade. ‘This is no pirate sword, Lone Wolf. This weapon was forged in the furnaces of Helgedad. It is a Darklord blade.’
You cast the evil sword into the sea where it quickly sinks beneath the waves, and return to the Green Sceptre. As the crew make ready to set sail for the east, you watch with sorrow as the Durenese trader sinks beneath the waves.
Turn to 240.
295
A creature, much larger than the others and dressed in a magnificent robe of patchwork silk, screams an order in their strange language. All of the furry creatures arm themselves with spears and swords that look as if they have been crafted from broken wagon spokes and broom handles. With a strange battle-cry that sounds like ‘Gashgiss — Nashgiss’, they charge towards you. Your curiosity soon gives way to the realization that you must evade them or be trampled to death by the sheer weight of their numbers.
You turn and sprint along the narrow corridor until their angry cries begin to fade. You reach the entrance to where the passage connects with the main tunnel, and contin
ue your journey from there.
Turn to 340.
296
The people flee the tavern as the town guard attack. There are six of them and you must fight them one at a time.
Town Guard Sergeant: COMBAT SKILL 13 ENDURANCE 22
Town Guard Corporal: COMBAT SKILL 12 ENDURANCE 20
Town Guard 1: COMBAT SKILL 11 ENDURANCE 19
Town Guard 2: COMBAT SKILL 11 ENDURANCE 19
Town Guard 3: COMBAT SKILL 10 ENDURANCE 18
Town Guard 4: COMBAT SKILL 10 ENDURANCE 17
You may evade at any time by running out of the back door and turning to 88.
If you kill all of the town guard in combat, turn to 221.
297
Halfway along this street on the left-hand side is a large stable and coach station. As it is now completely dark, you decide to enter. You spend the night safely hidden in the hay-loft of the stables.
Turn to 32.
298
You hear the footsteps behind you quicken, and you spin round just in time to see them draw their daggers to attack you. You must deduct 4 points from your COMBAT SKILL and fight them open-handed. They attack you one at a time.
