The Darke Crusade

by Joe Dever

  Illustration XIV—Whilst observing the distant battle, a large black carrion crow lands on a nearby log and stares at you with a cold, beady eye.

  It is an hour past noon when you first see the forbidding city of Darke. A great battle is raging around its mighty walls and bastions, and the noise and stench of this fierce conflict comes gusting towards you on the chill winter wind. The river current is getting stronger as it approaches the sea, and so you signal to the other boats to row for the bank. You put ashore on the right bank and both Captain Schera and Baron Maquin have their men take up defensive positions here. There is a road close by, running parallel to the river, and beyond it lies a snowy expanse of open plain on which many regiments of Drakkarim, and some Giaks, are marching towards the city. You are observing the distant battle when a large black carrion crow lands on a nearby log and stares at you with a cold, beady eye.

  If you possess Animal Mastery, turn to 168.

  If you do not possess this Discipline, turn to 302.

  263

  You peer through the grimy glass and see a grizzled old Drakkar sitting in front of a blazing fire. A briar pipe hangs precariously from the corner of his bearded mouth and he puffs fitfully at its contents as he reads from a tattered, leather-bound book which lies open in his lap.

  You sense that he is a veteran of many battles who, now that he is too old to fight, has been given the undemanding task of guarding this river crossing. Mindful that time is fast running out, you leave the window and hurry on towards the stables.

  Turn to 115.

  264

  The remaining Gorodon utters a high-pitched and piercing whistle as your killing blow steals its life. Its massive limbs shudder and stiffen; then, with a final gasp, it topples over and lands heavily in the thick mud.

  Prarg brings the boat back to shore and, as he draws closer, you can see by his facial expression that he is greatly impressed by your incredible fighting skills. Respectfully he helps you aboard the boat then sets about rowing towards the west bank.

  ‘Sire, I salute you,’ he says. ‘Never have I seen such courage and skill in the face of so formidable an enemy. I've heard tell of the fighting disciplines of the Sommlending Kai Lords, but, until now, I must admit I'd not wholly believed what I'd heard. The first time I navigated these channels I lost three good men in a Gorodon attack. Those beasts are the bane of this accursed place … yet, 'tis true to say, there are other creatures here that are far deadlier. I count myself lucky indeed to be your guide.’

  Soon you reach the west bank where, once safely ashore, you encamp on a strip of frozen loam that overlooks a bleak expanse of marsh. Night has fallen and so, too, has the temperature. From the shelter of your upturned boat you cast your experienced eye across the darkening skies and see banks of cloud, heavy with snow, scudding the distant horizon. They are an unwelcome sight, the precursors to a winter storm.

  Prarg volunteers to continue the first watch but, mindful that his need for rest is greater than yours, you insist that he gets some sleep. For four hours you sit and scan the bleak horizon, your mind filled with unanswered questions about the mission and the dangers you have yet to face. While you ponder what awaits you in the near future, you remain watchful and alert, your encounter on the east bank still vivid in your mind. Fortunately, the increasing cold dissuades the Hellswamp's inhabitants from leaving their lairs this night and your watch passes without further incident.

  Then the time comes for you to awaken Prarg. With a noticeable lack of enthusiasm he takes his turn while you settle down to catch a few hours of much needed sleep.

  Turn to 327.

  265

  You settle yourself close to the lock which holds the portal secure and, using your Discipline, you cause the ancient mechanism to vibrate. The portal begins to resonate and hairline cracks appear in the stone surrounding the lock. Then there is a loud bang; the lock has disintegrated.

  Confidently you move forward and place your shoulder to the portal. One hard push is all that is needed to break the seal of dirt, and slowly it creaks open.

  Turn to 11.

  266

  You ease open the window and climb in, making an agile and silent entry. The Drakkarim sergeant, who is pilfering his captain's private stock of wine, belches loudly, and then tilts the bottle back to take another long gulp. He is unaware of you moving towards his back, and does not feel the blow to his neck that is to seal his doom.

  The Drakkar shudders and, with an open-mouthed look of surprise, closes his eyes and drops lifelessly to the floor. Quickly you step over his body and hurry to the table to study the map. To your disappointment, the map turns out to be merely a construction plan of the encampment. If offers no clues to Magnaarn's present location.

  If you wish to search this cabin more thoroughly, turn to 10.

  If you choose to leave the cabin and return to Prarg, turn to 277.

  267

  You watch as the cavalry steadily approaches. As they come closer you recognize them to be Zagganozod, a unit of armoured Drakkarim troopers of a type you once encountered many years ago, during a quest that took you to the land of Eru. The enemy horsemen reach the road and you can tell by their gait that they are battle-weary.

  ‘Prepare!’ says Schera, and his whispered command is passed all along the line.

  The enemy cross the road and draw closer; they intend to water their horses at the river. They are less than ten yards distant when Baron Maquin yells the order to attack and, as one, the combined force of Lencians and League-landers rise up from hiding and catch the Drakkarim totally by surprise.

  Turn to 54.

  268

  You are nearing the base of the stone ramp when suddenly you are seen by one of the Tukodak guards. He grunts a warning to his comrade. Quickly you draw your weapon in readiness to meet them as, shoulder to shoulder, they level their spears and move down the ramp towards you.

  Tukodak Guards: COMBAT SKILL 38 ENDURANCE 34

  If you win this combat, turn to 311.

  269

  Unfortunately, you do not act quickly enough to avoid the Drakkar's arrow. It hits you squarely in the upper chest, knocking you flat on your back: lose 6 ENDURANCE points.

  Despite the pain, bravely you take hold of the arrow and wrench it from your chest. Then, using your innate healing skills, you successfully staunch the bleeding. But you are weakened by shock and for nearly an hour you lie in the bottom of the boat staring at the grey sky, allowing the river to carry you downstream, and when eventually you pull yourself upright you find that the Drakkarim renegades are no longer in sight.

  Your voyage continues without further incident until, later in the afternoon; you catch sight of a town on the horizon. You check your map and discover it to be Konozod, a fortified Drakkarim stronghold. As the river carries you closer, you magnify your vision and see that it is built upon the left bank of the Shug. A huge stone bridge spans the river, and beneath this you see that the waterway is blocked by a barrier of chained logs.

  If you wish to allow your boat to drift towards this barrier, turn to 314.

  If you decide to avoid the barrier, you can put ashore and continue on foot by turning to 231.

  270

  You take an Arrow from your Quiver and place it to your bow in readiness to shoot. You gauge the range at forty yards as you take aim at the Drakkarim officer. Patiently you wait for him to reach the execution block, and at the very moment he stops moving, you release your straining bowstring and send your Arrow arcing through the air towards his head.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have Grand Weaponmastery with Bow, add 4 to the number you have picked.

  If your total score is 5 or less, turn to 183.

  If it is 6 or more, turn to 201.

  271

  The creature opens its great jaws and from the depths of its throat it coughs forth a guttering ball of flame. Immediately, your senses alert you to the fact that this is no ordinary fireball; it
is wholly psychic in nature. It comes roaring towards you like a mini-sun trailing fiery orange sparks. You strike at it with the Sommerswerd, and as your divine blade connects, the fiery ball suddenly explodes into a million motes of light which rapidly dissolve.

  The sudden jolt of contact knocks you backwards. Before you fully recover your footing, the creature seizes its advantage and comes leaping through the air towards your chest.

  Turn to 283.

  272

  The misguided knight falls unconscious at your feet. Before he recovers, you take to your heels and continue on across the plain which leads inexorably towards the gates of Darke.

  As you approach the city, the din of battle fills your ears. The shouts of angry men, the neighs of galloping steeds, the clang of riven steel, and the terrible screams of the slain buffet you remorselessly. Then, all of a sudden, you are plunged into the battle and to survive you are forced to cleave your way through a seemingly endless wall of enemy troops. It is as if they are gladly willing to sacrifice themselves in order to prevent you from reaching the apex of the slope that ascends to the shattered gates of the city. Undeterred, you forge a bloody path through this Drakkarim horde, wielding your weapon with deadly precision, every blow claiming an enemy soul. It is not until you are standing upon the very threshold of the gates that you encounter more formidable defenders. The breached gates are being held by a trio of blood-spattered Tukodak. They are in a state of battle-frenzy which you sense has been magically induced. Wild-eyed with savage bloodlust, they scream maniacally as they rush at you with their bloodied blades.

  Illustration XV—The breached gates are held by a trio of blood-spattered Tukodak who rush at you with their bloodied blades.

  ‘For Sommerlund!’ you cry, as you steel yourself to meet their attack.

  3 Tukodak Guardians (in battle-frenzy): COMBAT SKILL 44 ENDURANCE 44

  If you win this combat, turn to 125.

  273

  Shortly you reach a small secluded cove where Captain Prarg discovers a rusty anchor. It is a landmark, left on purpose by agents of King Sarnac to point the way to the cave where they have left your boat and provisions. You find the cave and together you haul the boat down the beach and raise its coal-black sail before pushing it out into the icy waters of the Tentarias.

  Once aboard, you trim the sail whilst Prarg takes charge of the rudder. There is a good wind and within minutes your tiny craft is bobbing towards the far western channel of the Hellswamp, twenty miles distant. You ask Prarg if this dark estuary has a name, and he replies, ‘Yes. The Drakkarim call it “Dakushna's Channel” after the Darklord who once commanded the city-fortress of Kagorst. They say it is a fitting dedication, for the waterway is as deadly and as treacherous as the being after whom it is named.’

  Turn to 60.

  274

  You follow the tunnel for a mile further until it opens into a vast underground cistern. Slimy water splashes down the slick sides of this vertical shaft to mix with the rushing river before disappearing into a whirlpool which is swirling at its centre. The noise here is almost unbearable and you look around for some means of escape. The walkway ends at a rusty iron ladder which is cemented into the wall and ascends the shaft for as far as you can see. Slowly you climb this ladder, testing every rung carefully before trusting it to your weight.

  You climb for an hour before reaching the entrance to a man-sized tunnel set into the wall of the shaft. Here you leave the ladder and follow this damp passageway until you come to a small, smooth-walled chamber. At first it appears to be raining; then you notice that the ceiling is badly broken and water is dripping constantly from the cracks. Opposite the tunnel exit there is a stone door. Anxious to escape, you hurry across the chamber and place your shoulder to this heavy portal in an attempt to force it open, but unfortunately it is locked. Then you detect something unusual, an acrid burning smell. Your heart skips a beat when suddenly you realize that your cloak and tunic are smouldering and giving off wisps of bluish smoke. The fluid raining from the ceiling is not water at all — it is corrosive acid!

  If you possess Magi-magic and wish to use it, turn to 143.

  If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 338.

  If you possess Grand Nexus and wish to use it, turn to 265.

  If you do not possess any of these Disciplines, or if you choose not to use them, turn instead to 203.

  275

  You brief the three Lencians to spread out into an extended line and to watch carefully for your signals before you scale the river bank and make your approach to the trees. They all seem to be competent scouts but you have your reservations. Had it not been for Schera's insistence, you would have preferred to have reconnoitred this copse alone.

  Silently you creep forward through the snow, using the sparse undergrowth to your advantage wherever possible. You are less than a hundred yards into the copse when you spy a small camp hidden among the trees. It comprises four white canvas tents attended by a dozen lean and hungry-looking human soldiers armed with longbows. A furled battle-flag stands propped against one of the tents and you signal to your nearest scout to join you, hoping he will be able to identify its chequered black-and-white design.

  ‘They're League-landers of Ilion,’ whispers the scout, staring at the campsite. ‘I know that flag well. They're good mercenaries, these men, loyal to the King. We fought alongside them at Hokidat.’

  You are anxious about going forward and making contact with the mercenaries. If they are as good as your scout claims, there is a real danger that they will fire first and ask questions later. You tell your companion of your fears and he smiles.

  ‘Don't worry, Sire,’ he says, ‘I know how to contact them.’

  Turn to 316.

  276

  You scramble to your feet to see that your horse is still close by. He is standing at the forest's edge, steam rising from his flanks as hungrily he swallows mouthfuls of snow to cool himself down. You call to the animal, using your Magnakai skills, and at once he responds obediently to your silent commands. Drakkarim archers are now running from the outer defences and you are in danger of being surrounded unless you can make a speedy escape. You and Prarg remount the horse and set off at a gallop along the forest's edge. Only when you are safely beyond the range of the enemy's bows do you rejoin the road and head off towards the north.

  Turn to 230.

  277

  As you are about to leave the cabin, you notice a lantern hanging on a hook beside the door. You take it down, flip up its glass cover, and then cast it into the corner where it immediately sets fire to a heap of clothes. The fire will cover your tracks and, hopefully, cause enough of a diversion to enable you to escape from the encampment unchallenged.

  As you hoped, the fire spreads quickly and, as you sprint across the frozen ground towards the forest's edge, you glance over your shoulder to see bright orange flames roaring from the open doorway, and a pall of black smoke rising into the steel-grey sky. You reach Prarg and together you hurry deeper into the forest. The fire covers your escape, but it also draws several Drakkarim patrols back to the encampment. You are forced to make a wide detour to the west in order to avoid these returning soldiers and your new route takes you across a steep and rugged part of the Tozaz Forest previously unexplored by your guide.

  The difficult terrain slows you down and you cover less than six miles before failing light and the increasing sightings of Drakkarim patrols force you to halt and make camp for the night. From the safety of a treetop, fifty feet above the forest floor, you rope yourself to the trunk before settling down to sleep. You are hungry and, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  To continue, turn to 90.

  278

  You ship the oars and take aim with your bow at the pot-bellied leader of this band of lowly Drakkarim renegades. For a moment your eyes meet and instantly his nerve shatters when he realizes that he is your chos
en target. He drops his bow and turns to run, but it does not save him; your Arrow still finds its mark. As he throws his hands to the sky and tumbles lifelessly into the river, panic breaks out among his motley followers. Any attempt to fire at you is soon forgotten as they scramble desperately up the muddy bank and flee for the safety of the hills.

  Your voyage continues without interruption until, later in the afternoon, you catch sight of a town on the horizon. You check your map and discover it to be Konozod, a fortified Drakkarim stronghold. As the river carries you closer, you magnify your vision and see that it is built upon the left bank of the Shug. A huge stone bridge spans the river, and beneath this you see that the waterway is blocked by a barrier of chained logs.

  If you wish to allow your boat to drift towards this barrier, turn to 314.