by Joe Dever
If you do not, turn to 337.
270
The enemy are rallying to launch a counterattack on the hill. To the south you see a mass of leather-clad Hammerlanders, supported by a regiment of grim-faced Brigandi mercenaries, advancing towards the Prince's position. The Palace Guard have fought like lions, but they have lost half their number and must be near to exhaustion. They may not survive a counterattack by a much fresher force that outnumbers them five to one. All that can save them now are the Eruan reserves.
If you wish to take command of the Prince's reserves and march them towards the hill, turn to 49.
If you decide to ride to King Sarnac's camp and ask him to save the Prince, turn to 197.
271
Wiping the sweat from your brow, you sheathe your weapon and search the bodies of your ambushers. All of them are clad in black helmets and scarlet, chainmail hauberks, and each has an assortment of weapons and equipment strapped to his muscular body. You recognize the distinctive armour which identifies them as Zagganozod — a motley unit of Drakkarim cavalry which patrols the Blackshroud Trail. This company must have fled here on foot after the Drakkarim defeat at Cetza, for you can find no sign of their horses.
Your search of their bodies reveals the following items:
2 Swords
3 Quivers
2 Daggers
11 Arrows
3 Bows
2 Axes
1 Mace
1 Broadsword
16 Lune (4 Gold Crowns)
Enough food for 4 Meals
You may take whatever items you wish. When you have made the necessary adjustments to your Action Chart, you ford the river and continue on foot.
Turn to 186.
272
Your Arrow strikes the Baron, but he is saved from a fatal wound by the lip of the steel bevor that protects his neck and back. The Arrow ricochets, gouging a deep furrow across the base of his skull and making him fall heavily to his knees. Bellowing like an angry bull, he glares in your direction as he staggers painfully to his feet.
If you possess the Sommerswerd, turn to 113.
If you do not possess this Special Item, turn to 126.
273
You take your place beside Lord Adamas and charge through the smouldering gap, leaping over the charred and broken remains of the Drakkarim who were caught by the blast. The allied soldiers follow your lead and sweep into the startled city, through a gate now guarded only by the slain. Despite their shock, the defenders begin to rally as they receive fresh reinforcements from other parts of the city, and soon a vicious battle rages in the cramped, gloomy streets.
You lead a group of Palmyrion men-at-arms across a courtyard and into a dingy street where you find yourselves confronted by a regiment of Drakkarim garrison troops. They have gathered to make a wall of shields behind a pair of small figures, black-robed and cowled, each holding a yellow globe.
If you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Divination and have reached the rank of Tutelary or higher, turn to 22.
If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to reach this level of Magnakai training, turn to 57.
274
Desperately the two men fight to defend themselves from your deadly attack. You cannot evade this combat and must fight them both to the death.
Pirsian Swordsman 1: COMBAT SKILL 18 ENDURANCE 31
Pirsian Swordsman 2: COMBAT SKILL 17 ENDURANCE 29
If you win the combat, turn to 68.
275
‘My mission is secret,’ you reply. ‘If it is to succeed it is vital that it remains so.’ You glance at the other men seated around the fire and they return your glance with suspicion.
‘They are my brothers. Whatever you wish to say to me can be said in front of them.’
If you wish to tell these men about your quest, turn to 216.
If you would prefer not to tell them anything, turn to 51.
276
You recognize the plants: they are Laumwort, a herb very similar to the healing plant, Laumspur. You can regain lost ENDURANCE points by eating the leaves.
Each Meal of Laumwort restores 2 ENDURANCE points and there are enough leaves here for 3 Meals. If you decide to pick this herb and keep it, remember to adjust your Action Chart accordingly.
To continue, turn to 325.
277
The sniper's second arrow splinters harmlessly against the wall behind which you shelter. Close to where you lie is the crimson-splashed body of a Drakkarim Death Knight. Wounded during the fighting at the bridge, he crawled here to die. A Broadsword and an Axe hang from his belt, and among the contents which have spilled out of his pack you see a Bottle of Water, a Torch, a Blanket, and enough food for three Meals.
You may take any of these Backpack Items or Weapons before leaving the ruins and pressing on towards the centre of the town.
Turn to 155.
278
A key to the cell door hangs on a hook nearby. You grab it, twist it in the lock, and kick the heavy slab of metal. It creaks open and Paido rushes forward to embrace you.
‘Thank the gods you have found me, Lone Wolf,’ he says, his voice filled with emotion. ‘The Drakkarim said you were dead, that your body lay rotting in the Danarg, but I never once believed their lies.’
Paido is overjoyed to hear that the Torgar Gate has fallen and that a battle is raging in the streets above.
And when you inform him of your mission he replies with news that raises your hopes of success.
Turn to 307.
279
Your lightning reflexes save you from the snake's deadly bite. Its jaws snap shut around air and instantly it recoils into its hollow in case you retaliate. Rather than attempt to kill the snake in the tight confines of the shaft, you snatch the opportunity to escape.
Turn to 205.
280
At the break of dawn the soldiers of Lencia and Eru rouse themselves and adopt their positions for the fight. You gather your equipment and join the Prince at the top of the hill on which he has established his command post. He is observing the enemy line through a telescope and dictating orders to his heralds, who commit his words to parchment and dispatch them to his regiments in the field.
Illustration XVI—The Battle of Cetza: Troop positions at dawn.
‘We outnumber the enemy two to one, but they are well positioned to receive our attack,’ comments the Prince, handing you his telescope so that you can scan their lines.
The town of Cetza is little more than a handful of ruined cottages clustered on a flat-topped hill. To the north lies a wood and a small hill on which a ruined temple stands; to the south lies an orchard surrounded by a low wall, and further on, open grassland bisected by a ditch that runs the whole length of the battlefield. The road from Luomi crosses the ditch at a stone bridge which is barricaded and heavily defended. The enemy have also been busy to the north. A mass of pointed stakes form a barrier between the two hills to impede any attempt by cavalry to break through the centre, and all along this defensive line are row upon row of Drakkarim archers.
An unnatural calm descends on the field, as though time momentarily stands still. Suddenly the quiet is shattered by a fanfare of trumpets from King Sarnac's camp. It is the signal to advance.
Turn to 150.
281
You focus your Magnakai skill and launch a wave of psychic force which batters the energy field surrounding the ghosts. You sense their power fading away as you increase the intensity of your attack, and gradually their filmy bodies evaporate into the darkness.
Your psychic attack has saved you from a terrifying death, but at a cost to your strength and stamina. Pick a number from the Random Number Table (0=10), and deduct this number from your current ENDURANCE points score.
If you survive this loss of ENDURANCE, turn to 156.
282
Shortly after dawn you discover a track which winds its way northwards through the rough-barked pines. ‘This old game-trail will lead us down to S
muggler's Nook,’ says Jarel, chewing on a piece of dried meat he has pulled from his pack. ‘I reckon we should get there this side o' noon.’
His prediction comes true, for it is mid-morning when you arrive at a ragged group of plank huts on the bank of a fast-flowing river. At one time these shanties were the thriving centre of illegal trafficking in gold and gems. The citizens of Pirsi, who mine these rich resources in the Eru Range, used to smuggle their precious cargoes out of the country by boat, choosing to risk the dangers of the Hellswamp rather than pay the Prince his taxes. It was only after the Prince decreed the death penalty for such smuggling, and employed Pathfinders to help enforce his law, that the Pirsians finally gave up their illegal trade.
Turn to 231.
283
A black-shafted arrow gouges a furrow of skin from your forearm and knocks you backwards out of the saddle: lose 3 ENDURANCE points. Your horse panics and gallops away, disappearing over the brow of the ridge as you stagger to your feet. Then, with a harsh yell, your ambushers pour out of the log hut. They are eager to finish you before you can offer any resistance. Three of them are armed with bows which they reload as they advance towards you.
If you wish to evade them by wading across the ford, turn to 166.
If you have a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 131.
If you wish to draw a hand weapon and prepare for combat, turn to 251.
284
As the Palace Guard advance majestically, their serried ranks of steel slowly change formation in preparation for the Prince's order to charge. Heavy lances rise like the spines of a steel porcupine and their scarlet and yellow pennons unfurl to the wind. A wave of arrows comes flying towards you, sent by the Drakkarim standing behind their fence of stakes, but the range is long and the black shafts rattle harmlessly off Eruan armour and shields.
The first rank of horsemen reach the ditch to find the earth soft and waterlogged. The ruined temple lies 300 yards ahead, and before it a line of Drakkarim pikemen stand grimly silent on the slope of the hill. A war-horn blares its signal and suddenly all hell breaks loose. Arrows pour down on all sides: from the enemy archers to the right and from archers, previously unseen, lurking in the woods to the left. Many shafts find their way through the sides of helmets and between plates of polished armour. Still the Prince commands his men onwards and they force their horses across the ditch, braving the savage hail of death. You survive the arrows and steer your horse through the cloying mud, but you are knocked from the saddle by a riderless steed maddened by the pain of its wounds.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Magnakai Disciplines of Animal Control and Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have picked.
If your total is now 0–4, turn to 236.
If it is 5 or more, turn to 183.
285
Beyond the staircase lies a circular parapet which overlooks a huge, cavernous crater. It is filled with thousands of human slaves toiling with pick and shovel deep in the sulphurous heart of Torgar. Their bodies are filthy and covered with sweat despite a freezing wind, which howls in the depths like a hungry wolf. Drakkarim overseers urge them to greater effort, and the crack of their whips is answered by the slaves' anguished cries of pain.
Angered by what you have seen, you leave the parapet and enter a dimly lit passage that descends to a door of black steel. A twist of the handle reveals that it is locked.
If you have a Black Key, turn to 80.
If you have a Skeleton Key, turn to 219.
If you possess neither of these Special Items, turn to 130.
286
You draw your golden sword, and its cleansing light washes over the Demonlord's unwholesome form. He growls uneasily, as if sickened by the close proximity of such a noble blade, and slowly he withdraws into the temple. Roark and his followers huddle in the corner and watch with fearful eyes as their master prepares to attack.
Demonlord Tagazin: COMBAT SKILL 45 ENDURANCE 65
This supernatural being is immune to Mindblast (but not Psi-surge).
If you reduce his ENDURANCE to 20 points or less,8 do not continue combat but turn instead to 20.
[8] If you automatically kill Tagazin, he doesn't die but is severely weakened. You should still turn to Section 20.
287
‘Very well,’ says the captain. He looks towards the bar and shakes his head. Your muscles tense as you get ready to dive to the floor but, to your relief, all you hear is the owner placing his crossbow on the counter. ‘I shall take you to Jarel, but you must agree to wear a blindfold: it's a safeguard, for your own good as well as his. If you were to be captured and tortured by the enemy, you would be unable to tell them where the partisans are encamped.’
He summons the owner, who produces a square of black cloth from his pocket and winds it around your eyes. The captain leads you outside and helps you onto your horse and the two of you set off along a secret forest trail. After two hours in the saddle you reach your destination and the blindfold is removed.
Turn to 25.
288
You fight with breathtaking skill and every blow you land leaves an enemy dead at your feet. ‘Pull back!’ you shout, as you cut and thrust at the snarling Hammerlanders. ‘Pull back to the bridge!’
Gradually the survivors extricate themselves from the ambush and run back along the alley, leaving just you and two Lencian knights to cover the withdrawal. A knot of Hammerlanders, armed with axes, scream their blood-curdling war-cry and rush forward to hack you down.
Hammerlanders: COMBAT SKILL 29 ENDURANCE 40
Add 2 points to your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of the fight, for you are helped by the Lencians fighting by your side.
If you win the combat, turn to 44.
289
The collision with the far wall leaves you breathless but otherwise unharmed. Gripping firmly with both hands, you haul yourself out of the chasm, untie the stick from the end of your rope, and wind it back into your pack before setting off deeper into the eerie forest.
Turn to 50.
290
‘So you are the one they call Lone Wolf,’ he says, thoughtfully. ‘And you have come here to break into Torgar and claim that which belongs to you. How strange it is that our goals should be so similar. Come, follow me, perhaps cooperation will hasten our success.’
Turn to 127.
291
It is soon after sunset when you arrive at Pirsi. Fog swirls through the gloomy streets and crooked alleys, but you can see light seeping from chinks in the reinforced shutters and doors of only a few of the cabins. You bring your horse to a halt and dismount beside the steps of a large log hut that serves as both a general store and tavern. Your steed neighs uneasily, drawing your attention to a group of stony-faced men who are advancing along the street. Torches blaze in their work-worn hands, casting a vivid yellow glow in their suspicious eyes as they approach you warily. Their leader, who is dressed in the uniform of an Eruan Pathfinder captain, steps to within inches of your face. Coldly he stares into your eyes, his jaw set in a rigid sneer of contempt.
‘Have you forgotten how to salute, soldier?’ he growls, menacingly. ‘Or perhaps you're not a Pathfinder after all. Perhaps you're just another skulking Drakkarim spy?’ You notice that several of the men carry Bor pistols, primitive but very deadly weapons, especially at such close range. If you are to save your skin you had best salute the captain immediately.
If you choose to salute by touching your forehead, turn to 193.
If you choose to salute by raising your hand, palm outwards, turn to 60.
If you choose to salute by placing your hand across your chest, turn to 7.
292
The fight raging on the hill becomes a vicious struggle as the Hammerlanders hurl themselves like hungry wolves at the battle-weary Guard. Doggedly you advance until you are close enough to shout the charge. Then, with a rousing cheer from the Prince's men to speed them on their way, your command rush forward and the leadi
ng pikemen take the enemy in the flank. The attack is devastating. The Hammerlanders and the Brigandi are split in two and swept from the hill like autumn leaves. The pikemen halt and you order the archers forward to fire into the retreating enemy.
The retreat becomes an all-out rout as the enemy flee the battlefield in chaos.
Turn to 66.
293
The two diminutive magicians see you level your Bow and realize that they are in danger. As you take aim, they get ready to hurl their spheres at the Palmyrions.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table and add any missile bonuses you have to this number.
If your total is now 7 or less, turn to 149.
If it is 8 or more, turn to 164.
294
The sun is strong in the cloudless sky and it quickly dries your sodden clothes and warms your aching limbs as you stand surveying your new surroundings. A stony trail leads into a forest of mist-enshrouded trees and, despite the heat of the sun, you feel a sudden chill of premonition. Instinctively you know that this is the Isle of Ghosts Prince Graygor spoke of so fearfully.
With caution guiding your every step you follow the trail, treading carefully through saw-briar that tears mercilessly at your boots and breeches, until you are forced to stop at the edge of a narrow chasm that bisects the trail. A tangle of yellowed bones lies at the bottom and a damp, unwholesome smell rises from a number of tiny caves that riddle the sheer walls.