by Joe Dever
Turn to 140.
282
Soon the densely-packed trees confound your hulking pursuers and you are able to outdistance them. When you sense that it is safe to halt, you throw yourself down upon the cool earth and fight to catch your breath. Chan throws himself down close by, and you can tell that he is shocked and saddened by the ferocity of the encounter and the loss of his favourite stallion. But he proves himself to be resilient, and within the space of a few short minutes, he is back on his feet and ready to go.
‘Come, my lord,’ he says, resolutely. ‘We must press on. Let us flee this accursed place.’
Turn to 121.
283
Captain Chan informs Bazan that he has something confidential to impart. The nomad chief gives him a knowing look, and then he claps his hands three times. Instantly his troupe of entertainers cease their activities and file out of the tent. When you are alone, Chan tells the nomad that the Khea-khan and his family are sitting in the carriages outside. Bazan is both surprised and delighted to hear this revelation, and he assures you that Xo-lin's safety will be of paramount concern while the ruler is here as his guest.
Bazan summons his bodyguard and commands them to prepare tents and a feast for his honoured guests. He spares no expense, and the entertainments he provides for the Khea-khan's courtiers are as breathtaking as they are inventive. During these festivities, you are approached by Bazan's younger brother, Kumal. Politely, he asks if you have anything you wish to trade.
If you wish to trade with Kumal, turn to 192.
If you choose to decline his offer, turn to 53.
284
You ride in an arc towards the west to avoid running foul of the withdrawing enemy cavalry, and then you circle back towards Fort Vlau and rejoin the caravan as it enters the beleaguered stronghold. Your arrival is greeted by Captain Kasarian, the Lissanian garrison commander, a wide-shouldered man with a ruddy complexion and a large, red-veined nose. Chan informs him of who is travelling aboard the caravan and Kasarian blanches. He and his men are grateful that you have drawn the enemy off, but he is daunted by the presence of the Chai ruler and his imperial entourage.
‘The Khea-khan and his family will need a place which affords them secure protection until we are able to leave your fort,’ says Chan.
Kasarian nods enthusiastically. ‘We have such a place, Captain,’ he says. ‘Please, follow me.’
Turn to 171.
285
You gasp aloud as you are struck by one of the speeding missiles. The tip of the barbed arrow rips through the padded upper sleeve of your tunic and scrapes a furrow of flesh from your shoulder blade. The sudden pain makes you feel nauseous, but you quickly recover and use your Kai healing skills to staunch the flow of blood: lose 1 ENDURANCE point.
To continue, turn to 112.
286
You return Prince Kamada to his mother and help carry the Khea-khan from out of these perilous catacombs. You are met by Captain Chan at the portal entrance, and he is greatly relieved to see that the Imperial Family are still alive. But when you tell him that Sejanoz is dead he can hardly believe his ears. ‘Ishir be praised! At last, after 3,000 years, our continent is free of that accursed tyrant!’
Turn to 300.
287
As the ceiling clears the surface, you thrust your head out of the water and gulp great lungfuls of the dank, stale air. The ceiling rises all the way to the top of the shaft, and you begin a climb towards the doorway. The walls of the shaft are deeply ridged and you have no difficulty in reaching the door before the great wooden floor rises up and locks into position.
Beyond the door you discover a dark corridor. As you explore this dingy tunnel, you hear the sound of voices getting steadily louder. You recognize them to be the voices of the tomb robbers who stole your Kai Weapon. They are gloating over your blade, and you hear one man say that it must be worth more than all the treasures of the graveyard put together. At the end of the corridor you see an arched wooden door, banded with strips of black iron. You peer carefully through its keyhole and see the robbers in the room beyond, silhouetted against the flames of a log fire. With grim determination, you resolve to attack them and recapture your stolen blade.
If you possess Kai-surge and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, turn to 254.
If you possess Assimilance and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, turn to 136.
If you possess neither of these skills, have not attained the required rank, or if you should choose not to use them, turn to 71.
288
You are awoken in the middle of the night by the sound of a fearful scream. You unsheathe your Kai Weapon and leap to your feet, and as your night vision adjusts to the darkness, you see movement out of the corner of your eye. One of the troopers standing guard duty at the edge of the camp is struggling with a large worm-like creature that has emerged from one of the bore holes. His desperate cries have alerted the other guards, and they are picking their way slowly across the treacherous ground to go to his aid. You also respond to his cries, but as you are skirting around the rim of one large fissure, suddenly another of the worm-like monstrosities rears up from this hole and spits at you. Your skin crawls when your Kai senses detect that this creature's saliva is a highly corrosive alkaline.
If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 156.
If you possess Magi-magic and wish to use it, turn to 142.
If you possess a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 73.
If you do not possess these skills, nor a Bow, or if you choose not to use any of them, turn instead to 262.
289
When you tell Chan about your Kai Mastery of Astrology, he and his men plead with you to read their fortunes. However, it is a cloudy night and the stars are hidden from view. You try to explain that you are unable to see the sky and read the stellar configurations, but Chan and the others simply refuse to take no for an answer.
From the pocket of his tunic, Chan produces a pair of ornate ivory dice. ‘These are Xi-die,’ he says, and hands them to you. They feel weighty and their intricate gold designs invite your closer inspection.
If you have attained the rank of Kai Grand Defender or higher, turn to 85.
If you have yet to attain this level of Kai Mastery, turn to 104.
290
You return to the junction and then follow the left passageway until you arrive at a chamber that was once an alchemist's workshop. The walls and floor are covered with symbols and glyphs which indicate the many elements, gases, and metals of the universe. Benches and worktables line the walls and some show signs of recent use. On the far side of this chamber you can see a darkened archway and the beginnings of a corridor leading off towards the north.
If you wish to search this workshop, turn to 87.
If you choose to explore the distant archway, turn to 38.
291
On hitting the ground, you roll over to lessen the shock of impact. Your swift action saves you from sustaining serious injury and you escape with cuts and grazes to your head and shoulders: lose 2 ENDURANCE points.
To continue, turn to 200.
292
‘Help! Help!’ cries the rider. ‘Captain Chan and Trooper Saolin are in trouble!’
You respond at once to his plea and urge your horse off the highway. Soon you are galloping headlong across the grassland towards the copse, with the anxious trooper following close on your tail.
You dismount as soon as you reach the tree-line and race through the pines on foot towards a clearing at the centre of the copse. Here you are confronted by a shocking scene. Chan and the other trooper are locked in a desperate battle against two hulking creatures. Although hunched over, you can tell that these beasts are both more than 10 feet tall. They have muscular truncated legs that end in fearsomely twisted claws, and their bony orange heads have slitted eyes that pulse unnervingly. From between their alien eyes protrude beak-like noses, jagged-edged and wickedly sharp, wi
th which they are attempting to stab and slash the Chai guardsmen.
Around their feet lie strewn the mutilated carcasses of many fanji — a breed of swift-footed ruminants native to the plains of Southern Magnamund. You are in no doubt that it was these remains that attracted the plains ravens to this area. Swallowing your fears, you tug your Kai Weapon from its sheath and give vent to your battle-cry: ‘For Sommerlund and the Kai!’ as you race to the guardsmen's aid.
Krakalla: COMBAT SKILL 50 ENDURANCE 48
If you win this combat, turn to 241.
293
You lift the canvas cover and peer into the back of the wagon. It contains an assortment of shovels, picks, and a few battered oil lanterns. They appear to belong to a gang of tomb robbers who have come here to loot this ancient burial site.
Beyond the gate you can see an open crypt door. As you approach it you hear the sound of distant voices. This sound makes you dive for cover among the gravestones. As you peer around one of these grey headstones, you see six saddled horses standing at the rear of the crypt. They are nibbling at the pale tufts of grass that grow on the graves.
If you wish to approach the open crypt door, turn to 274.
If you choose to stay where you are and observe the crypt, turn to 183.
294
You draw upon your powerful mental defences to repel this sudden psychic attack, and swiftly the pain retreats from your skull: lose 1 ENDURANCE point.
To continue, turn to 147.
295
The fight ends abruptly when you deal the last living creature a mighty blow to the base of its deformed head. As it falls lifelessly to the ground, Sergeant Yeng rushes to check that his men have survived intact. Cautiously you inspect the bodies of the slain enemy and quickly determine that they are of Agarashi descent. They have probably come down from the Hyunsei foothills in a desperate search for prey, for all three corpses are emaciated by hunger. Sergeant Yeng confirms your suspicions. He tells you that long ago, during the Age of Eternal Night, this land was stalked by Agarashi — the hellish creations of Agarash the Damned. When Agarash was destroyed by the Elder Magi, his creations were scattered across the wilderness and plains of Chai. The descendants of these beasts are still alive today, hiding in hills, burrows, and caves. They do not usually attack travellers unless driven by disease or famine.
Using your tracking skills, you quickly determine that there are no other creatures like these in this vicinity. Only then do you and the troopers remount your horses and continue along the highway towards the Javai Forest. A few miles short of the forest you discover a freshwater spring which is forded by the highway. It is an ideal site for a night camp, and so you send one of Yeng's men back to the caravan to tell them you shall await their arrival here.
During your wait for the caravan, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
To continue, turn to 45.
296
The scream ends abruptly and you think no more about it until you see two troopers running towards the Princess's carriage. You sense that something is seriously amiss, and you decide that perhaps it would be best if you investigated further.
On reaching the carriage, you discover Princess Mitzu consoling her young son who is shivering with fright. Chan is nearby, holding a dead serpent by the tail. You swallow hard when you see that it is a scarlet viper, a notoriously poisonous snake. One of Chan's troopers is being restrained by two of his comrades, and he is pleading his innocence.
‘What is going on?’ you ask.
Chan explains that the Prince disturbed the viper which was asleep under the covers of his cot.
‘He is lucky to be alive,’ says Mitzu, hugging him close. ‘His cries alerted Captain Chan and me, and when we arrived, we found Trooper Yankin inside the carriage. I suspect he is an enemy agent, one of the Autarch's spies.’
Illustration XX—Chan holds the dead serpent.
‘I'm not, I swear it!’ retorts the accused man. ‘I was nearby when I heard the Prince scream. I rushed into the carriage to save him. I thought he was being attacked.’
You stare directly into the accused man's eyes and your Kai Sixth Sense tells you that he may be speaking the truth.
If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 152.
If you possess Kai-surge and wish to use it, turn to 230.
If you possess neither of these skills, or if you choose not to use them, turn to 244.
297
‘I shall summon Kau-Doshin,’ interjects Shavane. ‘He'll know what to do.’
Quickly the nurse leaves the carriage. While she is gone you retrieve the Laumspur from your Backpack and administer a little to the boy, diluted with water. The Prince is beginning to revive when the court counsellor arrives and takes charge. He thanks you for making the boy comfortable and then he asks you to leave so that he may have room to prepare ‘a proper potion’ to counter the poison. As you descend the steps of the carriage, you hear the door slam shut behind you.
(Remember to erase the Laumspur from your Action Chart.)
If you wish to return to your night shelter, turn to 239.
If you wish to search for the toy soldier that Shavane threw away, turn to 111.
298
You comply with the Princess's wishes and bid her goodnight. When you rejoin Chan in the corridor outside her room, you tell him about the prediction and he is gravely concerned.
‘I pray this will not come to pass,’ he says. ‘We must do all we can to keep Prince Kamada safe. Upon his young shoulders rests the future of Chai.’
Chan says little as he escorts you back to the stables, and you sense that he is lost in his thoughts. But upon arriving at your room he says: ‘I trust you'll sleep well, my lord. Remember that we shall depart from here no later than one hour after daybreak. We'll ride at the head of the column tomorrow, so rest well. We must be extra vigilant.’
To continue, turn to 227.
299
You recite the words of the Brotherhood Spell Lightning Hand, and direct the burst of electrical energy at the chest of the nearest creature. The force of its impact knocks the heavy beast to the ground, but the sight of its mate falling injured infuriates the other creature, and prompts it to launch a fearsome attack.
Turn to 164.
300
The Bhanarian army outside Fort Vlau turns and flees in disarray upon discovering that their leader has been destroyed, for they believed him to be immortal and invincible. The way is now open for the caravan to reach Tazhan unhindered, and upon your arrival there, you discover that the news of Autarch Sejanoz's demise has already spread the length and breadth of Southern Magnamund. The Khea-khan is able to rally the New Kingdom armies and sweep the shattered remnants of the Bhanarian armies back into their own lands and beyond.
Congratulations, Grand Master. Your victory is total. You have rid this continent and its people of a cruel tyrant who has threatened their peaceful existence for many centuries, and your triumph here is set to become legend. In future times the chronicle will tell of other quests that you undertook on the road to becoming a Kai Supreme Master. Until the time comes for their telling, may the Gods Ishir and Kai watch over you, always.
Numbered Sections
1-10: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11-20: 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21-30: 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31-40: 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
41-50: 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
51-60: 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60
61-70: 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70
71-80: 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80
81-90: 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90
91-100: 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100
101-110: 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110
111-120: 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120
121-130: 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130
131-140: 131 132 13
3 134 135 136 137 138 139 140
141-150: 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150
151-160: 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160
161-170: 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170
171-180: 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180
181-190: 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190
191-200: 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200
201-210: 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210
211-220: 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220
221-230: 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230
231-240: 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240
241-250: 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250
251-260: 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260
261-270: 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270
271-280: 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280
281-290: 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290
291-300: 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300
Chai & The Great Lissan Plain
Action Chart
Combat Rules Summary
Add your COMBAT SKILL to any bonus points given to you by your Kai Weapon, Special Items, or Grand Master Disciplines.
Subtract the COMBAT SKILL of your enemy from this total. This number = Combat Ratio.