The Plague Lords of Ruel

by Joe Dever

  If you wish to use your Magnakai Discipline of Divination in order to detect any psychic residues which may be lingering at this site, turn to 111.

  If you decide not to use this ability, turn to 32.

  207

  You focus your power at the Tzarg and will it to leave the hall along the passage by which you entered. At first you sense resistance to your command but this soon collapses and the Tzarg obeys. It waddles into the passageway with an excited group of Vazhag close on its heels, all of them now convinced by the Tzarg's reaction that it has picked up your trail.

  Patiently you wait until the sound of their footsteps has faded before you emerge from your hiding place and leave the hall by the stairs.

  Turn to 75.

  208

  You notice a flicker of suspicion register in the creature's eye.

  ‘The Arch Druid is not present in his chamber at this hour,’ he says, reaching once more for his quill. ‘Dictate your report to me and I shall see that he receives it this day.’

  You approach the desk and, as you draw closer, you see that the creature has no legs. Its body rests in a crevice hollowed out from the seat of its stool. Its bulbous body is wedged there like an egg in a cup.

  Carefully it charges its pen with ink and prepares to commence writing.

  ‘Report your news, brother,’ it says, impatiently, ‘I am waiting for you to begin.’

  If you choose to attack the creature, turn to 310.

  If you decide to try to bluff your way past, turn to 108.

  209

  Calling upon your Grand Mastery, you order the vicious war-dogs to cease their attack immediately. Instantly they obey your psychic command; they scrabble to a halt and turn their eyes to the floor, their once-chilling howls now little more than a weak chorus of kitten-like whimpers.

  Having cowed them, you now use your power to redirect their latent aggression against their masters and, suddenly, they are transformed once more into a host of gnashing, snarling beasts. Horror fills the eyes of the Vazhag guards as their dogs turn around and come bounding towards them, hungry for the kill.

  In the ensuing chaos, you skirt around the hall and escape through the entrance unchallenged. For a moment you are blinded by the early morning sunlight which illuminates the surrounding hills, but, as you escape along the trail which leads away from the caverns, your vision clears and you see a vast expanse of forest away to the east. This sea of sickly grey-green trees radiates an unmistakable aura of evil that immediately identifies it as the Forest of Ruel.

  Your escape is not pursued and, after a few minutes, you stop among a cluster of boulders in order to catch your breath. The surrounding land appears deserted, the only unusual feature being the track which wends its way eastward through the hills towards a gap at the edge of the unwelcoming forest. You consult your map and conclude that this is the Skardos trail, the secret route used by the Ceners which leads all the way to Mogaruith itself. You resolve to follow the trail, but first (unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery) you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  To continue, turn to 230.

  210

  The Vazhag literally shiver with fright. Frantically they acknowledge your order and set off towards Mogaruith, with you following close behind, but they have only gone a little way when suddenly they drop the zombie's chain and flee headlong towards the forest.

  If you possess a Bow and a minimum of two Arrows, turn to 43.

  If you do not, turn to 89.

  211

  The flame-creature seems to swell and contract, as if it is inhaling and exhaling a huge lungful of air; then suddenly a wall of blinding white light erupts before your eyes as a blast of psychic energy comes crashing into your mind. You reel from the unexpected shock of its impact, but instantly your Kai senses react by erecting defences to shield you from the onslaught: lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  An unholy screech, full of fear and frustration, echoes loudly in your ears. The flame-thing has detected that you are capable of defending yourself and this realization is far from its liking. For a few fleeting seconds it whirls around your head, and then, with a final howl of anguish, it dives away into the gloomy depths of the stairwell and is gone.

  Disappointedly, the caged creatures watch the flame-thing depart before they shuffle dejectedly to the rear of their cells and settle themselves down once more. Shaken, but relatively unharmed by your psychic encounter, you stare down the stone staircase into the gloom below. Tentatively you put one foot forward, but your Kai skills and your common sense tell you that to go any further in this direction would be sheer foolhardiness. With reluctance you turn and leave this landing and retrace your steps all the way back to the junction where you continue instead by way of the north tunnel.

  Turn to 85.

  212

  You draw your weapon and attack the druid with lightning speed, but this Cener is more of a match than he first appears. In the blink of an eye he creates a magical shield which deflects your initial blow, causing you to stumble and nearly overbalance. As you recover you feel a wave of psychic energy washing over your mind and, for an instant, you see his cold eyes widen with shock as he discovers who you really are.

  He screams a curse and suddenly there is a dagger in his hand, its blade a yellow spike of fiery luminescence. He lunges at your throat, forcing you to retreat into the room as he stabs and slices the air with this sorcerous weapon.

  High Priest: COMBAT SKILL 47 ENDURANCE 30

  This enemy is immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge (but not Kai-surge).

  If you win the combat, turn to 340.

  213

  At first the Vazhag and the Cener seem unaware of your presence and you feel confident that your Kai skills are keeping your location secure. However, just as they are about to leave the cavern and head off towards the south tunnel, the Cener suddenly spins around and points directly at your hiding place.

  ‘Scarzh — nah!’ he screams, and with such vehemence that you are left in no doubt that you have been detected.

  The Vazhag draw their weapons and rush towards the steps in response to their leader's cry. The sudden danger galvanizes you into action and, like a panther hungry for the kill, you spring to your feet and leap among the onrushing rat-men, striking down the two nearest with one wide, sweeping blow. Before they have fallen you kick out at the chest of another and feel its ribs crack under the impact. A side-swipe puts paid to a fourth of their number, neatly parting its disease-riddled head from its shoulders and, as you pause to draw breath, you see the remaining enemy backing away in shocked confusion.

  Ineptly they fumble with their weapons while the Cener screams at them to avenge their slain comrades. One Vazhag plucks up enough courage to attack you but you duck its whistling sword stroke with ease. Before it can strike again, you dispatch the beast with a lightning-fast stab through the heart. Your strike is executed with such economy of movement that, to the druid and the remaining Vazhag, it looks as if you hardly moved at all. For the sole surviving Vazhag it is the last straw and, with a squeal of abject terror, it drops its torch and rusty blade and abandons the druid for the dark safety of the south tunnel.

  Cursing vilely, the Cener retreats until his red-robed back is pressed flat against the cavern wall. His mask hides his entire face, yet even so you can sense the blazing hatred that is pouring from his eyes, as if it is a stream of liquid fire. You raise your weapon and advance, eager to finish him swiftly, but you are halted by a sudden, unexpected pulse of psychic energy that crashes like a wave against your mind.

  If you possess Kai-screen, turn to 107.

  If you do not possess this Grand Mastery, turn to 272.

  214

  You follow the narrow passageway which gradually ascends towards the north. The clanging of a distant alarm bell reminds you that all of Mogaruith has been alerted to your presence and, in light of the devastation you have caused, you know better than to expect mercy from the Cenerese i
f they should catch you now.

  After a few minutes the passage arrives at a hall where a railed balcony overlooks a deep circular shaft. A broad stone staircase at the north wall ascends to the next level and you stride swiftly towards it. As you pass the balcony you pause for a moment to stare down at a fascinating sight. Hundreds of feet below, at the base of the shaft, huge vats filled with a sickly brown fluid bubble and seethe as if they are boiling on a hob. You notice scores of robed druids standing on a great iron gantry suspended above these vats, each one equipped with what appears to be a gigantic butterfly net. They are busily scooping up large brown objects which keep bobbing to the surface of the morass. You use your Magnakai skills to magnify your vision and, as the scene looms larger, you see that the objects are alive. Your stomach churns with revulsion when you suddenly realize what it is that you are looking at. These are the spawning vats in which the Ceners create their loathsome, disease-ridden Vazhag.

  Illustration XIII—You stare down at the base of the shaft where huge vats filled with a sickly brown fluid bubble and seethe.

  A noise from the staircase attracts your attention; it is the sound of shuffling footfalls descending the stairs. Moments later your keen sense of smell identifies the threat: a Vazhag patrol is hurrying towards the hall.

  If you wish to attempt to hide from this patrol, turn to 8.

  If you decide to stand and fight them, turn to 262.

  215

  You spit out the words of a Brotherhood Spell and instantly you rise into the sky, as if plucked off the ground by some invisible giant. The crackling ray speeds past below your feet and explodes harmlessly among the ancient rocks. As the dust settles, you arrest your levitation and lower yourself back towards the ground, your muscles tense in readiness to run as soon as your boots touch down.

  The druid is visibly stunned by your display of magic. However, he quickly recovers his senses, and as soon as you return to the ruins he shouts at his Vazhag minions, commanding them to attack and rip you to shreds.

  With hatred blazing in their blood-red eyes, the Vazhag advance towards the ancient ruins, each carrying a rusty weapon poised for the kill.

  If you wish to stand and fight these disease-ridden Vazhag, turn to 25.

  If you decide to attempt to evade them, turn to 279.

  216

  The sound of scraping metal and rattling chains echoes in your ears. You stoop to retrieve your weapon and, as you spin around, the first thing you see is the knife-like glint of fangs. From a semicircular hole in the wall a pack of war-dogs come charging into the hall, their jaws agape and their claws scrabbling on the shiny flagstones as they race towards the desk. With the cool battle-confidence of a Grand Master you brace yourself in readiness to meet their attack.

  Ruel War-dogs: COMBAT SKILL 36 ENDURANCE 22

  If you win this combat, turn to 323.

  217

  The glass orb explodes on impact with a loud bang and you are engulfed by a cloud of sickly grey gas. At once you feel your throat tighten and your stomach churn as the deadly bacteria-infested vapour penetrates deep into your lungs: lose 5 ENDURANCE points.

  Coughing and retching, you stagger towards the entrance, your escape hidden by the cloud of poisonous gas. You have inhaled a deadly cocktail of plague viruses to which the Vazhag are naturally immune, a cocktail which would have killed an average human within seconds; only your Magnakai skills have saved you from an agonizing death.

  In the ensuing chaos, you escape through the entrance unchallenged. For a moment you are blinded by the early morning sunlight which illuminates the surrounding hills but, as you stumble along the trail which leads away from the caverns, your vision clears and you catch sight of a vast expanse of forest away to the east. This sea of sickly grey-green trees gives off an unmistakable aura of evil that immediately identifies it as the Forest of Ruel.

  Your escape is not pursued and, after a few minutes, you stop among a cluster of boulders in order to catch your breath. The surrounding land appears deserted, the only unusual feature being the track which wends its way eastward through the hills towards a gap at the edge of the unwelcoming forest.

  You consult your map and conclude that this is the Skardos Trail, the secret route used by the Ceners which leads all the way to Mogaruith itself. You resolve to follow that trail, but first (unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery) you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  To continue, turn to 230.

  218

  The wagon is filled with the bodies of dead soldiers — human soldiers — all of whom have perished from the effects of a virulent disease. They have been stripped of weapons and armour but their tunics bear a scarlet crest emblazoned with a black stallion, readily identifying them as Slovians. Several have minor wounds caused by tiny fragments of glass. The wounds are a tell-tale sign that these troops were killed by narbul bombs: spheres of glass filled with a mixture of explosive and deadly plague spores. They have become one of the most feared battlefield weapons used by the Cenerese against the Freeland armies.

  As the wagon trundles across the drawbridge you ponder why the Vazhag should be transporting a wagonload of dead Slovian soldiers to Mogaruith. Before you can fathom an answer, the wagon passes through the great arch and comes to a halt on the north side of the stronghold's keep, close to an open doorway. Before the Vazhag disembark, you leap from the wagon and hide just inside this shadowy entrance to avoid being seen.

  Turn to 98.

  219

  Your killing blow decapitates the monstrous lake creature, sending its vile head, with its fanged jaws still clashing madly, spinning through the air to splash into the foam-flecked waters close to the platform. For a few moments the weaving neck, its scaly stump oozing reptilian gore, thrashes the surface before it, too, is swallowed up by the cold dark waters of this underground lake.

  Aching and breathless, you sheathe your weapon, and then wipe the spatterings of Dholdaarg blood from your face with the back of your trembling hand. The Tzargs, who were silent throughout your titanic struggle with the lake monster, now rattle the bars of their cage and croak incessantly. You recognize their crude language enough to realize that their captors are returning. However, before you can act on their warning, a shudder runs through the timbers of the drawbridge and you are forced to grip tightly with both hands as jerkily it begins to descend.

  Inexorably the bridge approaches the platform, inching you nearer and nearer to the cold, bloodstained waters of the lake.

  If you wish, you can leap for the shore of the lake before the drawbridge fully descends, by turning to 96.

  If you choose to remain where you are, clinging to the underside of the bridge, turn to 112.

  220

  The cauldron smashes down into the centre of the hall and explodes with devastating effect, spewing its deadly contents in all directions. A tidal wave of acid engulfs the tables, submerging and burning everything not made of stone, porcelain, or glass. The pitiful screams of the druids rise above the thunderous din as they and their deadly work are consumed by a merciless sea of corrosive.

  Suddenly an arrow passes within a few inches of your face. The Vazhag archers have reached the top of the ladder and are poised to rush onto the platform itself. Anxiously you look around for some means of escape, but when none readily appears you fear you are trapped. Then you notice an observation platform jutting out of the wall. It is over on the far side of the hall, more than thirty yards away, and lies some ten feet below your present position.

  A daring escape plan forms in your mind's eye and hurriedly you cast off your Cener Robe and Mask, a disguise which is now redundant, and prepare to enact your vision (erase the Robe and Mask from your Action Chart). You reach out and grab hold of the chain which once supported the cauldron. Then, using all your strength, you draw it back and leap into the air as the momentum carries you off the platform.

  Your stomach churns as you swing across the hall and glance down at the
dreadful carnage taking place a hundred feet below. Angry squeals and a clutch of arrows follow in your wake as the Vazhag archers try desperately to prevent you from getting away. Grimly you cling to the chain as it nears the end of its arc, and try to ignore the arrows that are whistling by on either side.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have chosen. If your current ENDURANCE score is 28 or higher, add 1.

  If your total score is now 0–2, turn to 42.

  If it is 3–6, turn to 267.

  If it is 7 or higher, turn to 71.

  221

  There is a moment of terror when first you glimpse the hideous visage which emerges from the portal. It is of a gigantic hound with mad red eyes that burn into your mind with a furnace-like intensity. It sees you and howls ferociously, baring yellow fangs dripping with foam.

  Before it can leap up you release your Arrow and plant it deep into the creature's ghastly skull. The beast roars as the Arrow penetrates its head but the wound does not stop it from attacking. Aghast, you drop your Bow and unsheathe a weapon to meet its assault. Moments before it strikes, you glimpse the outline of an armoured warrior standing in the open doorway. He is shouting at the beast, commanding to rip you to shreds.