Castle Death

by Joe Dever

  Shortly before dawn, your thoughts are disturbed by a knock at the door of your chamber: it is Rimoah. The time has come for your mission to begin. You follow him through halls and galleries to a rooftop platform nestling among the crimson towers of the Temple of Truth. Here you are greeted by a young man. He is tall and dark-skinned, with plaited flaxen hair and sharp, cat-like eyes, and he wears the gold and scarlet tunic of a Vakeros — a warrior-magician of Dessi. ‘Hail, Paido!’ says Rimoah, bowing to this proud young man.

  ‘Hail, my Lord Rimoah,’ he replies, respectfully. ‘We are ready to sail.’

  The first rays of the dawn light shimmer along the golden hull of a magnificent skyship that hovers above the rooftop platform. As the hum of its powerful engine rises, you thank Rimoah and bid him farewell before following Lord Paido to the boarding ladder at the edge of the platform. Once safely on board, the skyship rises into the chill dawn air, and Lord Rimoah and the Tower of Truth shrink swiftly beneath its golden keel. You look down with growing fascination as the sleek, bat-winged craft passes over the circling waters of the Elzian Canal and speeds northwards above the jungle of central Dessi. As the grey Chasm of Gorgoron looms into view, splitting the emerald-green land like a deep and terrible wound, Lord Paido joins you at the rail. Time passes in conversation, and you learn much about the people of this untamed land and their history. You learn that the Elder Magi are all that remain of a race of great magicians who ruled central Magnamund many thousands of years ago. They were wise and powerful, and their leadership was great until their numbers were decimated by a plague that swept across the world. Those who survived sought refuge in Dessi and have lived here, in the mountains and the jungle, ever since. The Vakeros are native soldiers of Dessi who have been taught the art of battle-magic by the Elder Magi to help them defend the northern border against invasion by the war-like Vassagonians.

  When you tell Lord Paido of your own past battles with the desert warriors, you sense a sadness within him. ‘How I wish my brother Kasin were here with us now,’ he says, staring thoughtfully towards the distant horizon. ‘He could tell many a brave tale of the great desert wars.’ You ask what has become of his brother. There is a long pause before he replies solemnly: ‘Kazan-Oud.’

  The land of Dessi is now spread out beneath you like a gigantic map. To the northwest you can see the foothills of the Carcos Range and a faint ribbon-like glimmer that is the River Doi; to the east, a bank of grey storm clouds advances unchecked across a sea of jungle vegetation. Shortly before noon you sight your destination. The low-domed buildings of Herdos appear on the horizon, followed by the waters of Lake Khor and a blackened finger of rock upon which sits Kazan-Oud. Even at this great distance, the awesome sight of the terrible fortress sends a chill along your spine.

  Lord Paido orders his crew to prepare for landing, and within the hour, the great skyship is casting its shadow upon the flagstones of the Plaza of Herdos. You are welcomed by Lord Ardan, Elder of Herdos, and a detachment of his Vakeros guards. They escort you through the streets of the ancient town, past the tiny stone-walled dwellings of fishermen and miners, to a quay where a glass-domed tower several storeys high commands access to the busy harbour. As you enter the tower, you notice that the glass dome radiates a greenish light that, in spite of the blinding glare of the midday sun, can be seen quite clearly.

  Later, as the sun sinks slowly behind the peaks of the mountains, the light emanating from the tower becomes more visible, covering Lake Khor with an umbrella of ghostly luminescence. Lord Ardan explains: ‘This tower, together with five others that encircle the lake, generates a shield of magical energy that imprisons the evil of Kazan-Oud. No creature, living or dead, can enter or leave the Isle of Khor so long as our shield remains intact. We dare not lower our guard, and, to allow you to land on the island, we have devised a means by which you may pass through the shield unharmed.’ He takes a gem the size of a small apple from the pocket of his silken robe and places it in your hand. It is a dull translucent red, but within its core a swirling mist of glittering sparks flickers with gold and silver fire.

  ‘It is a Power-key. Guard it well, for so long as you possess it you may fulfil your quest; lose it and you will never escape from the Isle of Khor.’ (Mark the Power-key on your Action Chart as a Special Item, which you carry in the pocket of your tunic.) ‘At midnight, my Vakeros will take you by boat to the edge of the shield. On board is a small coracle in which you can pass through the shield and make your way to the Isle of Khor. We shall pray for you, Lone Wolf.’

  Midnight finds you standing on the deck of a square-rigged fishing boat. The sighing night wind and the creak of rope and timber are the only sounds that accompany you across the black waters of Lake Khor. You arrive at a wall of shimmering, green light: the power-shield. The Vakeros whisper their goodbyes, and you paddle through the wall, drawing closer with every stroke to the sinister island fortress.

  Two hundred yards from the glistening black shoreline, you note two places where you can make a landing.

  If you wish to land at a stone jetty to the west of Kazan-Oud, turn to 135.

  If you wish to land at a sheltered bay to the east of Kazan-Oud, turn to 288.

  2

  Your eye is drawn to a panel on the hexagonal wall. The central part of the stonework is much newer than the surrounding edges, a detail which your Magnakai Discipline enabled you to recognize at a glance. After closer examination, you are sure that there was once a door in this wall. The stone does not sound as if it is solid when you tap it, and you suspect it would not withstand several well-placed blows.

  If you wish to try to break through the wall, turn to 228.

  If you do not wish to break through the wall, you can still enter the ruby corridor turn to 349.

  Or, you can enter the jadin corridor; turn to 163.

  3

  The rumble of a massive counterweight descending behind the wall sends a shudder through the flagstones. The portcullis rises and you hear the lever click back to its original position as you duck under the pointed bars.

  Turn to 277.

  4

  Your lungs are close to the bursting point when your persistence finally pays off. The lock clicks and the door is forced wide open by the sheer weight of the water pressing upon it.

  Turn to 172.

  5

  The shadow flares red before dissolving into a dense grey mist that is carried away swiftly on the stormy air. A sudden chill makes you shiver. You pull your cloak around you, taking comfort from its warmth, but it is as if the cold comes not from the damp wind but from somewhere deep inside you.

  You feel hungry and you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points. When you have finished, you make a quick check of your equipment before taking your first cautious steps inside the Great Hall.

  Turn to 293.

  6

  ‘Good!’ booms the voice of Zahda, as you land on the opposite side of the pit. ‘You are brave! But have you brains as well as battle-brawn, I wonder? Ha! Soon we shall see.’

  The voice conjures an image of Lord Zahda in your mind. He is seated on a golden throne with the object of your quest, the Lorestone of Herdos, suspended in the air above him. You resolve to survive this accursed maze and escape. If you can then only find your way back to Zahda's throne hall, the success of your quest will be within your grasp.

  You walk along the passage that leads away from the pit, your mind filled with dismay as you contemplate the problems and perils that lie before you. One such problem looms into view as the passage takes a sharp turn.

  Turn to 100.

  7

  To your horror, you discover that the Quiver is completely empty. Your Arrows have fallen out and lie buried in the nest of vegetation upon which you awoke (erase these Arrows from your Action Chart).

  With a cry of frustration, you shoulder your Bow and unsheathe a hand weapon as the snake draws itself back in preparation to strike.

  Turn to 301.

>   8

  As it springs out of the gloom, you hack at the beast, carving a slice from its great hairy shoulder. But the shock of its attack sends you reeling to the floor, and you scream out in pained surprise. Claws rake your arm; burning saliva stings your face. Desperately, you stab at the snarling beast as it dips its head and closes its massive jaws around your legs. The creature is immune to Mindblast but not Psi-surge.

  Hound of Death: COMBAT SKILL 22 ENDURANCE 40

  If you win the combat, turn to 194.

  9

  A faint rumble grows louder. There is a clatter of chains and the squeal of metal on metal as the portcullis rises jerkily into the roof. Wasting no time, you duck under the spiked bars and hurry into the tunnel beyond.

  Turn to 277.

  10

  Grabbing a Fireseed from the pocket of your tunic, you hurl it at the monster's gaping mouth. It disappears from view, and for a brief moment, you feel the tendril tremble and slacken its crushing grip. Erase one Fireseed from your Action Chart.

  Turn to 170.

  11

  Descending the narrow staircase, you arrive at a tunnel-like corridor, sandwiched between two walls of mouldering masonry. Foul, oily water gurgles along a channel in the slippery floor towards a distant archway, which is blocked by a black iron portcullis. Bolted to the criss-crossed bars is a plaque which bears a curious design:2

  On the wall to your left is a large, rusty dial with a brass pointer. Set around it, like the numerals of a clock, are the numbers 1 to 40, and below the dial is a lever. Your basic Kai instincts tell you that by selecting the correct number, or numbers, and pulling the lever, you will open the portcullis.

  If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Pathsmanship, turn to 306.

  If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Divination, turn to 167.

  If you have neither of these skills, turn to 329.

  [2] For those who cannot use the illustration of the plaque or those who don't have access to it, we offer the following description.

  The plaque can be formed in the following way. A regular hexagon (i.e. a six-sided shape with all sides of equal length and all angles equal) is divided into six equal triangles by three lines which extend from each corner to its opposite (i.e. one line for each of three pairs of opposite corners). A larger triangle is formed from the hexagon by placing three triangles (of the same size and shape as the triangles in the hexagon) next to three alternating sides of the hexagon (i.e. if the sides of the hexagon are numbered 1–6, then the sides of the triangles should be attached to sides 2, 4, and 6).

  Alternately, the plaque could be formed from equilateral triangles (i.e. triangles with three equal sides) in the following way. A single triangle is placed on the plaque with one of its corners pointing down. Three new triangles are attached to the sides of the first triangle. The result so far should resemble a large triangle with one corner pointing up. Two more small triangles (pointing down) are attached to the bottom of this large triangle. Finally, three new triangles (pointing up) are attached to the latest two so that, all together, the plaque forms one large triangle.

  The final, triangular plaque has five interlocking rows of small triangles. Starting from the top, it has a row of one triangle pointing up, a row of one triangle pointing down, a row of two triangles pointing up, a row of two triangles pointing down, and a row of three triangles pointing up.

  12

  ‘We're as good as dead if we stay here,’ says the warrior in a broad Stornlands accent. ‘Come, we best find ourselves a safe tunnel before they release a Trakka. We'll have a horde of Zahda's pets snappin' at our heels if it picks up our scent.’

  You follow the man through a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers; descending by slope and staircase to deeper levels of this subterranean world. Not a word is spoken until, finally, you stop to rest in a small, musty chamber, its entrance partially hidden behind a rockfall of scarlet stone. ‘How long have you been tunnel-running?’ your companion asks. When you reply that you've been in Kazan-Oud no more than a few hours, his face registers a look of surprise followed by disappointment. ‘I'd have stood and fought the Dhax had I known I was so near to the surface,’ he says, shaking his head and staring dejectedly at the floor.

  He tells you that his name is Tavig and that he comes from Suentina, a city in the western land of Slovia. Over a year ago his sister was captured by Sadzar, the slaver of Gzor, when a ship on which she was a passenger was attacked by his pirate fleet off the island of Lio. One thousand Crowns was the ransom Sadzar placed on her head, and Tavig vowed he would raise the gold and save his sister or die in the attempt. Undaunted by the rumours he had heard, he travelled to Herdos to offer his services to the Elder Magi, to attempt the destruction of the evil that haunts Kazan-Oud, in return for his sister's ransom. They agreed to his price, as they had agreed to scores of others' before him, and sent him through the power-shield with their hopes and prayers for success. That was one year ago.

  ‘One man alone could never hope to destroy Zahda, he who commands this fortress, for his power has grown greater than the Elders imagine. I tried and I failed. Twice I've been captured and twice I've escaped from his maze, and now my only wish is to escape from this fortress of nightmares. I'm a tunnel-runner, a survivor, a fugitive from Zahda's law, but I fear my time has nearly run out.’

  Drawing his sword, Tavig walks to the entrance and peers into the corridor outside. ‘Luck be on your side, stranger,’ he says, and hurries away. You call out for him to wait, to tell you more of what he has learnt of Kazan-Oud, but your pleas go unanswered as he disappears into the tunnel.

  If you wish to follow him, turn to 119.

  If you decide to continue alone, turn to 308.

  13

  The shriek of metal on metal reverberates along the tunnel as great iron cogs grind into action.3 Slowly, the portcullis rises into the roof. Wasting no time, you duck beneath the pointed bars and hurry into the passage beyond.

  Rats flee, squeaking, as you stalk along the slippery flagstones. You wince as their claws rasp on the wet rock and their hairless tails furrow the stinking green slime that covers the surface of the tunnel floor. The passage widens as it approaches a staircase that leads down. Halfway down the stairs you disturb a colony of bats nesting in the ceiling. They squeal angrily and whirl around your head, battering you with their wings and nipping at your face with their sharp, needle-like teeth.

  Illustration I—Halfway down the stairs you disturb a colony of bats nesting in the ceiling.

  If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control or Psi-surge, turn to 180.

  If you have neither of these skills, turn to 285.

  [3] This section is the correct answer to the dial problem from Section 306.

  14

  The brick slides in and the secret door slides open. Before you stands an ugly, bearded dwarf, wearing a grimy black velvet jerkin. His pig-eyes twinkle malevolently as he raises a hollow brass tube and points it at your face.

  ‘Sweet dreams,’ he cackles, and a blast of icy cold vapour shoots from the tip, catching you squarely in the face. You reel back, coughing and choking as the bitter vapour fills your lungs. By the time you realize that you have inhaled a powerful sleep gas, your body is already succumbing to its irresistible power.

  Turn to 165.

  15

  You spin a screw-like handle set in the centre of the door, releasing the lock. You open the door and enter: inside, you discover a room of steel. The walls, ceiling, and floor are all constructed of metal plate, which is polished to give a mirror-like shine. Low, iron tables are set out with the implements and accessories of magic: crucibles, retorts, aludels, flasks, and all manner of twisting glass tubes, which bubble and seethe with multi-coloured liquids. Vellum-bound tomes and crumbling parchments litter the shelves, competing for space with repulsive-looking pink organs floating in glass jars of vile-smelling preservative. Quickly you scan the shelves in search of useful items and, to your delight
, rediscover all your confiscated Weapons. (Re-enter on your Action Chart everything that was taken from you before you were sent to the maze.)

  In addition to your Weapons, you discover a large jar of concentrated Laumspur (restores 8 ENDURANCE points) and a Kazan-Oud Platinum Amulet. If you wish to take the Amulet, mark it on your Action Chart as a Special Item, which you wear on your wrist. It will protect you from injury due to exposure to high temperatures.

  Elated by the rediscovery of your equipment, you leave the chamber and press on along the shiny steel tube.

  Turn to 90.

  16

  It takes a few minutes for you to get your bearings in the gloom of the narrow corridor. Outside, strange sounds echo across the beach, making you forget your natural caution and move deeper into the darkness. The uneven floor is coated with mud, and the warm, moist air reeks with a repugnant odour that reminds you of gutted fish. You press on, taking great pains not to slip and fall, but the light soon fades completely and you slow to a halt.

  If you possess a Kalte Firesphere, a Lantern, or a Torch and Tinderbox, turn to 61.

  If you do not possess any of these items, turn to 277.

  17

  A movement at the end of the corridor warns you that more guards are entering the sarcophagus, alerted no doubt by the noise of combat. Rather than be caught without cover in this narrow corridor, you decide to enter the chamber and attempt to escape along the opposite passage.