Beyond the Nightmare Gate
Page 4
If you wish to attack the Jahksa, turn to 148.
25
At the cost of 2 WILLPOWER points, you weave a shimmering wall of sorcery around yourself. The Elessi raises his jewelled crozier and carries out the sentence. Nothing happens. The Elessi looks at you in amazement; the power he sought to bring to bear on you has failed.
Turn to 322.
26
You have landed in a large field. In the distance you see the hazy outline of a city, gleaming in the sunlight. You take out the Gyronome and its tone confirms that you are in the Realm of the Singing City. Several people are running towards you from the city; they are fair haired, have strange, circular ears, and are dressed in short, white togas. They are calling to you in a language you do not understand.
They soon reach you and chatter enthusiastically as they point excitedly at both the Ethetron and the sky. You smile and nod and try to communicate with them the best you can. Their soft voices have a flute-like sound and their language, incomprehensible though it is, possesses a lilting, musical quality that is pleasing to the ear. They are Elessin and they are asking you to accompany them.
If you wish to go with the Elessin, turn to 45.
If you decide that it would be wiser to refuse, turn to 66.
27
Immediately ahead, the bank of rolling cloud is fast transforming into a violent storm. Quickly, it surrounds the Ethetron. The Jahksa has summoned against you the Elementals that have served you so well in the past. You close your eyes and call out in the sibilant tongue of the Elemental spirits.
Within the depths of your trance, four figures stand before you representing the principal Elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.
If you desire the aid of the Fire Elemental, turn to 41.
If you desire the aid of the Water Elemental, turn to 54.
If you desire the aid of the Earth Elemental, turn to 73.
If you desire the aid of the Air Elemental, turn to 88.
28
The sentence is death. Before you can react, the Elessi lifts his jewelled crozier and a searing pain fills your head. The terrible noise drills into your brain, bursting your ear drums and hurling you to the floor in agony.
Your life and your adventure end here.
29
You bend down and examine the inscription and read:
‘A life that's spent at odds with death,
Can dull the mind — the broadsword's edge.
But even-tempered swords and heads,
Fall easy where the foolish tread.’
While crouching, you catch sight of the ceiling. A dense mass of swords are suspended, points downward, in the air above your head. You feel sure that there is a connection between these swords and those inscribed in the flagstones.
If you wish to step on the flagstone directly ahead of you that bears two swords, turn to 349.
If you wish to step on the flagstone to the left that bears one sword, turn to 318.
If you decide to step on the flagstone ahead and slightly to the right that bears one sword, turn to 234.
30
There are many crevices and projections in the wall and you climb it with little difficulty. Unfortunately, the other side of the wall is smooth and falls sheer, twenty feet to the ground below.
If you possess a Rope and wish to use it, turn to 58.
If you decide to jump, turn to 155.
31
At the cost of 2 WILLPOWER points, you hurl a flaming bolt at the screeching eagle that is rushing towards you. Your attack devastates the bird in an explosion of golden feathers and magical flame but somehow the eagle manages to stay airborne. You raise your Staff and prepare to engage the eagle in close combat.
‘Wait, Grey Star,’ says Tanith, her voice hard and forceful. ‘I can handle this.’
If you wish to allow Tanith to deal with the eagle, turn to 150.
If you decide to ignore her command, turn to 137.
32
Above your head, where the sky should be, the blue waters of an ocean roll, rippling with foam-crested waves. Below, green hills and fields shift and move like water. The Ethetron rocks violently. You are no longer able to choose between up and down, left or right. Mountains stand upon their peaks; towns and cities drift past; night becomes day, and day becomes night in quick succession; a huge fist rears up, poised to strike, and then passes through you like a phantom. All around you is the sound of crazed laughter.
If your current WILLPOWER score is 12 or more, turn to 67.
If your WILLPOWER score is less than 12, turn to 104.
33
Anxiously you search around but there is no indication that this realm contains any peculiar features. Then a strange symmetrical shape, quite unlike a star, catches your eye. You steer the crippled Ethetron towards the object and, when you are close enough to recognize it, you give a gasp of joy. It is a Trianon, a creation of the Shianti; instinctively you know that this must be the place where the Moonstone is hidden.
Suddenly, a fearsome shriek distracts your attention from the ancient Shianti tomb. The starlit sky is now full of terrible creatures.
Turn to 75.
34
At the expense of 1 WILLPOWER point you cause the tip of your Wizard's Staff to glow with a dull light. The feeble light merely confirms that you are in the midst of an impenetrable blackness, devoid of all sound and movement but at least the light holds your terror at bay.
Turn to 60.
35
Tanith takes out the Dragon Key and begins to chant. The Jahksa realizes what she is doing and aims a blow at her. With a lightning reflex you are able to jolt his arm and spoil his aim. A cloud of magical fire explodes a few feet from Tanith but she does not flinch as she nears completion of her spell. The sound of leathery wings and the looming shadow of a dragon now threaten your dark twin. He curses and swiftly his body becomes transparent.
Turn to 273.
36
You raise your Staff. Drear makes no attempt to defend himself, and you strike him with a mighty blow that costs you 1 WILLPOWER point. As the magical fire of your attack breaks the silence of the Neverness, Drear vanishes without a trace. Tanith regains her senses abruptly and shakes her head to clear her mind. ‘I was almost his to command,’ she says with shocked disbelief.
‘Come,’ you reply, ‘to the Crystal Tower. We are sure to learn something of the Moonstone there.’
Turn to 50.
37
Quickly, you draw out the Mind Gem and attempt to master the Elessi, but he is a powerful telepath and easily resists your power. Unperturbed, he carries out the sentence.
Turn to 28.
38
With a curt nod you keep walking, praying all the time that your bluff will work. The guard says nothing more and, with a sigh of relief, you walk unhindered into the city.
Turn to 175.
39
You reach out and touch the statue. To your surprise, it feels warm and life-like. You concentrate your Power of Psychomancy (at the cost of 1 WILLPOWER point) and, as you focus your power upon the statue, a violent surge shudders through your body and a terrible, inhuman scream echoes momentarily in your brain. The force of the blast throws you backwards to the floor and you lose 1 ENDURANCE point.
You stare at the statue with a mixture of horror and loathing: it is alive!
Turn to 346.
40
You are walking forwards when suddenly a sword falls from the ceiling and skewers you from head to toe. You keel over in an ever-widening pool of blood.
Your life and your adventure end here.
41
Fortunately, the Fire Sprites realize that you do not wish to set fire to the Ethetron, but as there is little else to burn, they do not come to your aid. The use of this Magical Power has cost you 1 WILLPOWER point. If you wish, you may maintain this trance state and seek the aid of one of the other Elements.
If you desire the aid of the Earth Elemental, turn
to 73.
If you desire the aid of the Water Elemental, turn to 54.
If you desire the aid of the Air Elemental, turn to 88.
If you wish to cease using Elemental Magic, turn to 165.
42
You make it to the foot of the stairs without injury. Tanith traces out a similar course and, still alert and ready to act, you ascend the stairs.
At the top of the stairs there is a narrow landing from which there is only one exit through a very heavy door. You try the handle and, to your delight, discover that it is open.
If you wish to rush into the room beyond, turn to 110.
If you wish to open the door just a crack and peer in, turn to 8.
If you have the Magical Power of Prophecy and wish to use it, turn to 149.
43
Taking Tanith by the arm, you make to move away. Drear is working a subtle magic, an enchantment that is hard to resist, and Tanith has already succumbed to his power.
If you wish to attack Drear with your Wizard's Staff, turn to 36.
If you wish to use the Magical Power of Sorcery, turn to 15.
If you wish to resist Drear's call without the aid of magic, turn to 3.
44
You stagger through the palace entrance. The Elessin follow but keep a respectful distance. You view the long flight of steps leading down from the palace with trepidation. You dare not discard the statue for you are sure that it is only the Elessin's fear of it that keeps them from attacking you.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. Add this number to your current ENDURANCE points total.
If your total is now 20 or more, turn to 59.
If your total is now less than 20, turn to 65.
45
With smiling faces and much laughter, the Elessin lead you to their home. As you draw closer to the Singing City, you gaze in wonder upon the dazzling display of glass and fragmented light that gleams beneath the bright sun. Rainbows of colour splash from the delicate spires and splendid ivory towers that point towards the sky. Like the distant ringing of a million tiny bells, the music of the city reaches your ears. You hear the warm resonance of a shifting bass accompanied by pure, whispering harmonies as delicate as a breeze, and you are awestruck by the magnificence of the city. The Academicians told you that the Elessin are cruel creatures, but their city suggests a purity of spirit beyond any mortal imagining.
Illustration II—The Singing City with its delicate spires and splendid ivory towers.
You pass through the arched gateway of the city and walk along a long avenue of crystal paving stones.
Turn to 238.
46
In the lonely terror of the absolute darkness your voice is swallowed up by the fathomless void. However, the chant conjures fond memories of your gentle Shianti masters and your fear swiftly subsides. You are gratified that even here, in this terrible limbo, the power and wisdom of the Shianti is still within your grasp. You regain 1 WILLPOWER point.
Turn to 60.
47
You enter a door. To your surprise, you and Tanith find yourselves standing in a circular chamber filled with a milky-white light. Your heart lifts when you recognize that the source of the light is the Moonstone itself. ‘So you found it at last,’ says a voice behind you. It is the Jahksa.
Illustration III—You and Tanith find yourselves in a circular chamber filled with milky-white light.
Turn to 275.
48
The wall has many crevices and projections and the foliage makes climbing easy. However, when you reach the top, you look down to see that the other side of the wall is smooth with a sheer drop to the ground of at least twenty feet.
If you possess a Rope and wish to use it, turn to 244.
If you do not have a Rope, turn to 212.
49
The Elessi raises the jewelled crozier and prepares to carry out his sentence. At the expense of 3 WILLPOWER points, you wrench your Wizard's Staff from his hand and draw it towards you. The Elessi watches amazed.
If you wish to fire a long-range attack at the Elessi, turn to 340.
If you wish to try to engage the Elessi in close combat, turn to 322.
50
Hastily, you walk across the plain of clouds, crossing the Neverness and gaining on the Crystal Tower, which gleams faintly with a strange light. The tower is built from great shards of black crystal, and its design is entirely alien to your eyes.
Illustration IV—The Crystal Tower gleams faintly with a strange light.
Turn to 167.
51
You are still losing height as the greyish mist contained in the glass dome seeps from the Ethetron. Swerving like a tiny insect to avoid the weird creatures, you battle for control but the ship is becoming harder and harder to steer. Then, suddenly, they are no longer there.
Turn to 33.
52
You shake your head and the guard looks at you with a puzzled frown. He directs a stream of unintelligible phrases at you and you curse under your breath. Now you're really in trouble!
If you wish to make a run for it, turn to 184.
If you wish to nod your head, turn to 232.
If you wish to shake your head and continue, turn to 254.
53
You have not taken more than a few steps when Tanith's scream causes you to look up. A sword hurtles towards you and slices cleanly through your chest, inflicting a fatal wound.
Your life and your adventure end here.
54
The only available source of water is from within the storm clouds that surround you and, to the howling delight of the Jahksa, it begins to rain heavily. The use of this spell has cost you 1 WILLPOWER point. You may maintain this trance state if you wish and seek the aid of another Elemental spirit.
If you desire the aid of the Fire Elemental, turn to 41.
If you desire the aid of the Earth Elemental, turn to 73.
If you desire the aid of the Air Elemental, turn to 88.
If you wish to stop using Elemental Magic, turn to 165.
55
At the cost of 1 WILLPOWER point, you reach out with your mind, seeking guidance from the future. You sense an imminent catastrophe if you take the Threnogem from the statue's mouth. The statue is a source of evil power and it is only the Threnogem that keeps this evil at bay.
Turn to 346.
56
Soon you are back where you started, having completed a circuit of the Crystal Tower. To your immense surprise, however, there is now a door beneath the metal plate. Tanith has an incredulous look upon her face. ‘There is strange sorcery at work here,’ she comments.
The iron-shod door is tall and uninviting. You try the handle but the door is locked. You notice a keyhole and five Keys hanging on five hooks by the door. Each Key has been shaped into the likeness of a beast.
Illustration V—The iron-shod door is locked and five keys are hanging by it.
If you wish to use the Serpent Key, turn to 240.
If you wish to use the Eagle Key, turn to 227.
If you wish to use the Wolf Key, turn to 235.
If you wish to use the Spider Key, turn to 252.
If you wish to try the Dragon Key, turn to 277.
If you wish to read the inscription above the door, turn to 10.
If you wish to strike the door with your Wizard's Staff, turn to 97.
If you have the Magical Power of Prophecy and wish to use it, turn to 161.
If you have the Magical Power of Psychomancy and wish to use it, turn to 193.
57
With a brave cry you launch yourself at the Elessi. He is surprised by your bold move and you are able to drag him to the ground. Amidst a tangle of thrashing limbs, you attempt to wrestle him into submission. As you are fighting without a weapon, you must deduct 8 points from your COMBAT SKILL total for the duration of the fight, unless you possess a Jewelled Dagger, in which case, deduct only 6 points from your COMBAT SKILL total.
> Elessi Leader: COMBAT SKILL 12 ENDURANCE 25
If you are still fighting the Elessi after three rounds of combat but have the higher ENDURANCE total, and wish to cease fighting, turn to 99.
Otherwise, if you have already killed the Elessi after three rounds, or if you continue on and win the combat, turn to 107.
58
You fasten the Rope around a glass gargoyle and slide down to the street below. The Rope is still fastened to the top of the wall and you must leave it there. (Remember to delete the Rope from your Action Chart. ) You turn and head down the street. You have only gone a short way when you are alerted by a shout: an Elessi is calling to you. Without hesitation, you run away from him but the Elessi calls for the aid of others and soon a crowd of Elessin are in hot pursuit. You turn the first corner that you come to and find yourself running across a lawn of blue grass. You can see no hiding place. The cries of the Elessin draw closer as you reach an ornate fountain in the centre of the lawn.