Grey Star the Wizard

by Ian Page

  Using the advantage of standing on the higher ground, you deal the Quoku a crushing blow, sending it tumbling down the slope in a landslide of loose stones and dust. It finally comes to rest in the scree. Your attack has cost you 1 WILLPOWER point.31

  Turn to 174.

  [31] If you do not have sufficient WILLPOWER points, you may choose to simply subtract the specified number of WILLPOWER points. This may leave you with a negative WILLPOWER score, or if it was already negative, it will make your score become even more negative. Alternatively, you may choose the method used in Section 175 of War of the Wizards for resolving this problem: For the WILLPOWER points you lack, you use ENDURANCE points at a rate of 2 ENDURANCE points for every 1 WILLPOWER point (i.e. 2 ENDURANCE points = 1 WILLPOWER point).

  258

  Your sad and troubled mind is further disturbed by the death of the priest, and your sleep is plagued with nightmares of torture and persecution.

  Turn to 62.

  259

  Inexplicably, the brooding fear that lurks within you is rising uncontrollably. Shan is shaking, his face panic-stricken. Gingerly, you step through the soft mud of the quagmire. The air smells pungently sweet — a cloying odour that is hard to identify. You cannot escape the feeling that there is someone or something else in the cavern, but it is difficult to see in the eerie darkness. The sucking ooze pulls at your feet, and in the distance you see a faint light from another passage on the far side of the cavern.

  ‘Grey Star!’ shrieks Shan, looking down, his eyes wide with terror. For the muddy cavern floor is comprised of hundreds upon hundreds of corpses, piled high upon each other to form a ghastly mire. Shan is screaming hysterically, but before you can calm him the aura and spirit of this awful place overwhelms your mind, filling it with nightmarish visions.

  You are in the Darkling Room of Mother Magri, and you must combat its fear if you are ever to leave. Add together your WILLPOWER and ENDURANCE points and use this total as your mental COMBAT SKILL, to be pitted against the COMBAT SKILL of the Darkling Room.32

  Darkling Room: COMBAT SKILL 28 ENDURANCE 30

  If you win the combat, turn to 296.

  [32] There are numerous unanswered questions with this combat. The addition of WILLPOWER and ENDURANCE is straightforward, but which attribute do you lower when wounded in this mental combat? A mental combat would suggest that you will lose WILLPOWER as this is the measure of you mental strength. It is possible to have a negative WILLPOWER score which would mean that the combat would only come to an end when the Darkling Room's ENDURANCE was lowered to 0. Using your true ENDURANCE score is the less paradoxical route.

  In either case, if your WILLPOWER or ENDURANCE score is lowered during a round of combat, do you then adjust your combined WILLPOWER and ENDURANCE score which is serving as your COMBAT SKILL for this combat?

  There are no easy answers to these questions. It is up to the reader to decide which solution is most appropriate.

  Also, you cannot use your Wizard's Staff in this combat; since the combat is mental in nature, it would be inappropriate to use it, which means that you should not be able to use WILLPOWER to multiply your opponent's loss of ENDURANCE.

  260

  You turn away and set a swift pace along the tunnel. The soldier Mantiz gives chase, and you break into a run. The fearsome creature is gaining on you when suddenly you see another of its kind coming from the opposite direction, its long feelers and claws reaching out in anticipation. You are trapped between them and must fight them both together.

  2 Soldier Mantiz: COMBAT SKILL 18 ENDURANCE 20

  If you win the combat, turn to 213.

  261

  You wake and raise your body slowly. Your head is pounding, and your vision is blurred. Realization of your terrible plight comes flooding back, and you look around you. In the corner sits a hunched and groaning figure, dressed in furs and gaudy robes now stained with dirt. He sits with his hands clasped over his pot belly. ‘Welcome,’ he says, sardonically.

  You talk to the little man and he tells you about himself. His name is Shan Li, a trader familiar with all parts of the Shadakine Empire and many strange lands beyond. He is a harmless merchant, arrested a few hours ago while in the middle of a drunken reverie in an establishment called the Inn of the Laughing Moon, a popular watering hole for travellers and strangers to the Port of Suhn.

  Turn to 291.

  262

  The blade misses its target. Slowly you are dragged into a clutch of crimson needles. As the barbs sink into your flesh, your body stiffens with paralysis, relaxing only when death comes mercifully to claim you.

  Your life and your adventure end here.

  263

  Your leg is numb and hinders your climb, but somehow you reach the top of the shaft without falling. You feel the brush of an insect's feeler across your leg, and you shudder. A surge of adrenalin rushes through your veins, and you clear the last few feet of the shaft with a tremendous physical effort.

  You have made it to the surface at last, and blinking in the sunlight, you view a large clearing surrounded by towering trees and dense, green foliage.

  Turn to 146.

  264

  Suddenly you remember the Medallion given to you by the ‘Redeemer’ in the Inn of the Laughing Moon. You take it out and stare intently at the rune inscribed upon it. Surely there is some clue here. You take out the pink potion that the ‘Redeemer’ gave you and pull out the stopper of the vial. Sniffing the contents, you recognize the scent of Calacena: a mushroom whose spores induce visions much prized by magicians and illusionists. With some trepidation, you swallow the potion and discard the contaminated vial. (Delete this Backpack Item from your Action Chart.) You stare once again at the Medallion as the potion begins to take effect.

  A close examination of the rune inscribed upon the Medallion will tell you which section number to turn to next.33

  If you cannot solve the riddle of the rune and wish to take Shan's advice, turn to 190.

  If you cannot solve the riddle of the rune and wish to seek the counsel of Jnana the Wise, turn to 134.

  [33] The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.

  265

  Your Staff erupts into fiery power, and you aim a blast at the Shadakine warriors, injuring the sword arm of one at the cost of 1 WILLPOWER point. You must fight the remaining Shadakine to the death.

  Shadakine Warrior: COMBAT SKILL 14 ENDURANCE 18

  If you win the combat, turn to 40.

  266

  The evening is full of the sound of the throaty Quoku call. You both put on a burst of speed, glancing over your shoulders at your pursuers. To your horror, you see that they are no longer on the ground! Instead, they are gliding up into the air, limbs thrust out to reveal large flaps of membrane that stretch from their forelegs to their back legs to form gigantic wings. ‘You didn't tell me they could fly!’ you shout to Shan.

  ‘I didn't know they even existed until an hour ago,’ he apologizes, wheezing, already short of breath. ‘We'll never outrun them now.’

  Illustration XV—The Quoku hurtles towards you with astonishing speed.

  More Quoku are leaping from their towers of stone, pushing high into the air with their powerful back legs and then gliding in circles around their columns, drifting with the warm air currents. The first of the creatures climbs gently, rolls to one side and then pulls into a steep dive. The Quoku hurtles towards you with astonishing speed: a hawk in pursuit of its prey.

  If you wish to try to evade the diving Quoku, turn to 330.

  If you wish to stand and fight, turn to 231.

  267

  Panting heavily you sprint up the steep slope of the tunnel. You glance over your shoulder to see many soldier Mantiz scurrying towards you. The tunnel opens into a circular chamber. Leading from the chamber are three exits: two stone corridors, one leading east and one other west, and a narrow tunnel made of earth leading south. You can h
ear the clack of the insect horde's pincers echoing along the tunnel. You dare not hesitate now.

  If you wish to leave the circular chamber by the east corridor, turn to 332.

  If you wish to take the western exit, turn to 340.

  If you would prefer to take the southern exit, turn to 347.

  268

  Clambering inexpertly upwards from the base of the cliff, you reach the small cave. You are exhausted. Your thoughts are becoming confused and it is difficult to think clearly. The stagnant odour of the mist above Lake Shenwu fills your eyes and mouth, and your senses rail against it. Inexplicably, you lose another ENDURANCE point and you feel your body weaken.

  You pull your head above the lip of the cave and peer in. The interior of the tiny cave is rough-hewn and very small.

  If you wish to crawl into the cave and explore its interior, turn to 8.

  If you wish to continue to scale the towering cliff, turn to 113.

  269

  Sudden as a whiplash, the Quoku opens its mouth to reveal a long, hollow tongue curled like a proboscis, which lashes at Shan, coiling around his waist and dragging him towards the amphibian monster.

  Shan clings to the end of the Rope for all he is worth.

  You pull as Shan's ghastly shrieks echo throughout the gorge, but the Quoku is stronger than you, and the Rope is dragged from your friction-burnt hands. (Delete this item from your Action Chart).

  Turn to 294.

  270

  You know that there is no time to lose. Though you do not have your Wizard's Staff, you must make your escape. Hastily, you finish your bowl of rice containing the powdered petals (restore 1 WILLPOWER point and 3 ENDURANCE points) and try to conceive a plan that will secure your freedom.

  If you wish to try to sleep now in order to build up your strength, turn to 201.

  If not, turn to 144.

  271

  You decide to look for aid on the Elemental Plane. You drift into a trance and begin to chant, meditating on your need and hoping that the elemental spirits will understand the nature of your predicament. The chant over, you wait. At first, all is quiet and you fear that you have failed. Then a rumbling noise echoes below your feet, and a shuddering tremor makes you stumble.

  ‘Stand by the wall, away from the centre of the cell,’ you warn Shan. A large crack appears in the ground, widening to a great hole as the head and shoulders of an Earth Giant smash through the floor. You view the gnarled features of the elemental and his rough, mottled skin of clay with fear and apprehension. Earth Giants are the most stupid of elementals, and you doubt if this one will be able to understand fully your needs.

  ‘Escape?’ says the Earth Giant, in a stony voice.

  ‘Yes … escape,’ you say eagerly.

  ‘Tunnel. Wizard follow … earth is safe … no danger … come.’ The vast head disappears, leaving a great chasm in the ground.

  ‘Quickly Shan, follow me,’ you say, jumping into the open ground. Shan jumps into the darkness behind you, and you follow the Earth Giant as it burrows a tunnel, pushing with its great shoulders and clawing at the dirt.

  Turn to 273.

  272

  You run pell-mell along the tunnel, stopping abruptly at the end. For you have made a terrible mistake. The tunnel opens into a vast chamber full of thousands of worker Cave Mantiz and an even greater number of Mantiz larvae.

  Enraged at your intrusion, the worker Mantiz surge towards you. You turn back and run as fast as your legs will carry you. Jets of acid burn your arms and legs, and you cry out in pain (lose 2 ENDURANCE points).

  But there is worse to come. Blocking the exit of the tunnel are two soldier Mantiz. You must force your way past these insects if there is to be any hope of escaping the furious horde.

  2 Soldier Mantiz: COMBAT SKILL 20 ENDURANCE 15

  If you win the combat in three rounds or less, turn to 322.

  If the combat enters a fourth round, do not continue with the combat but turn immediately to 315.

  273

  Suddenly the Giant bursts into a vast cavern, dark with filthy, black mud. ‘Man make tunnel here … you go up … me go down now … goodbye.’

  With these words, the Earth Giant descends into the ground, the floor rippling to cover his descent as he burrows out of sight. The use of this Magical Power has cost you 1 WILLPOWER point.

  You and Shan stand alone in the gloomy cavern, a vague feeling of disquiet stirring in your heart.

  Turn to 259.

  274

  With a painful jolt, you slam into the lip of the ravine and grab hold of a jutting rock with just one hand. Your grip is slipping. Frantically you search for a secure handhold.

  Turn to 306.

  275

  It seems as if you have only just fallen asleep when morning comes. With aching limbs, you rise to see that Tanith and Shan are already up and waiting for you.

  Turn to 18.

  276

  ‘Kleasá Tanith, Mundi Gudro,’ chants Tanith, repeating the words over and over.

  Suddenly, the darkness is lifted, and you see Tanith throw herself onto the raging fire. The black shadow of the Kleasá flies towards her. As the Kleasá engulfs her burning body, she gives one last, agonized cry, ‘Grey Star, do not fail!’

  The fire erupts, and in a blinding flash, both Tanith and the Kleasá disappear. All that remains is a splash of smoking embers. You swoon and lapse into unconsciousness where you lie.

  Turn to 52.

  277

  Ready for action, you throw open the door, but there is no one there. Warily you enter the shack.

  Turn to 252.

  278

  You close your eyes and search into the future. Your Power of Prophecy tells you that the way south, towards the Azanam, is to your left. The use of this Magical Power has cost you 1 WILLPOWER point.

  Turn to 184.

  279

  With some difficulty, you shear through the vine that pulls at your right leg, using up 1 WILLPOWER point.34

  Shan leaps to your rescue, hacking wildly at the tendril that holds your left ankle. With three clumsy blows, he cuts through the wriggling creeper.

  Turn to 128.

  [34] If you do not have sufficient WILLPOWER points, you may choose to simply subtract the specified number of WILLPOWER points. This may leave you with a negative WILLPOWER score, or if it was already negative, it will make your score become even more negative. Alternatively, you may choose the method used in Section 175 of War of the Wizards for resolving this problem: For the WILLPOWER points you lack, you use ENDURANCE points at a rate of 2 ENDURANCE points for every 1 WILLPOWER point (i.e. 2 ENDURANCE points = 1 WILLPOWER point).

  280

  The harbour is full with ships of varying kinds, though there is little sign of life. Mooring the small boat, you step onto the stone quayside and survey the harbour area.

  ‘Psst!’ a voice hisses at you from out of the darkness. Startled, you spot the crouching form of a one-eyed Suhnese fisherman. ‘Come far have we?’ he asks, patronizingly. ‘And in such secrecy too! Got something to hide have we? Lurking out there at the edge of the bay till nightfall … tsk, tsk, very suspicious.’

  In vain, you try to convince the one-eyed Suhnaman that you have nothing to hide. ‘Saw your sail a long way off,’ he sneers. ‘Perhaps you're a smuggler, or on the run, I'll be bound. Come now, young master. You can't fool me. What'll you offer to buy my silence?’

  With a helpless shrug, you tell him that you have no money. At first, the fisherman seems very angry, but eventually he offers to buy your boat for 20 Nobles, though you cannot be sure that this will keep him quiet.

  If you have the Magical Power of Prophecy and wish to use it, turn to 53.

  If you agree to sell your boat, turn to 16.

  If you would rather not sell your boat and wish to continue into the Port of Suhn, turn to 100.

  281

  The Quoku hovers in the air and then sweeps down in an attempt to poison you with its ven
omous touch.

  The slightest contact with this monster's flesh could spell death for you. You must fight defensively. Deduct 1 point from your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of this combat.

  Large Quoku: COMBAT SKILL 15 ENDURANCE 30

  You may only fight one round of combat as the Quoku flies past.

  If your WILLPOWER score is still more than 10, turn to 331.

  If it is less than 10, turn to 32.

  282

  Urgently you call out to Shan. He looks down, and seeing the grotesque creature that is stalking him, he redoubles his efforts. With uncharacteristic speed he scrambles up the slope, dislodging clouds of dust and gravel with his scurrying feet. As he comes within reach he clutches at your outstretched hand, and you haul him over the edge.

  Turn to 148.

  283

  The raging storm howls all around. Fine dust lashes at your face, courses through your hair and seeps into your mouth until you can hardly breathe. Relentlessly you press on, staggering exhausted against the wind. The choking sand causes you to lose 3 ENDURANCE points. At last the storm subsides, and you find yourself on the other side of the Wilderwastes, at the edge of the Azagad Gorge.