Vampirium
Page 5
If you possess Elementalism and wish to use it, turn to 178.
If you possess none of these skills, or if you choose not to use any of them, turn to 289.
12
The dial emits a loud Click! and the heavy door swings inwards without a sound.12 Quickly you step inside, and then beckon the rangers to follow: ‘This way!’
When all three are safely inside, you push the heavy door closed and slide its bolt across, locking it securely.
To continue, turn to 136.
[12] This is the correct answer to the combination lock in Section 226.
13
‘Wait here, Captain,’ you say to Gildas. ‘I must go to the ravine. I will return soon, I promise.’
And with these words you leave the rangers and make your way to the steep gully where Cloud-dancer lay concealed before it was attacked. As you approach the ravine, your Kai tracking skills direct you towards a small metallic tube that lies hidden among the boulders.
Hurriedly you scoop up the tube, flip open its hinged lid, and shake a rolled piece of papyrus onto your palm. On this scrap of material is a hastily written message from Rimoah, telling you that the Claw of Naar must not be allowed to fall into the hands of Autarch Sejanoz. He urges you to find and destroy it.
If this should prove impossible, you must take it to the city of Pensei. There you should make contact with Lord Ghadra, the Dessian envoy, and he will see to its destruction. He will also help you to return home to Sommerlund.
Having memorized its contents, you tear the scrap of papyrus into small pieces and swallow them to ensure that Rimoah's message will never be discovered by the enemy. Then you return to the mountain pass to rejoin Captain Gildas and his men.
You inform them that Lord Rimoah has been forced to flee in order to save Cloud-dancer and his crew from the attacking horde. On hearing this they bow their heads in disappointment, fearing that they may never again see Rimoah, or their homeland of Siyen. Then you tell them about the message that Rimoah left behind and, despite their sadness, they each vow to help you capture the Claw of Naar.
Suddenly Ranger Yalin shouts a warning: the flying creatures are returning. Hurriedly you take cover among the rocks and watch as they circle above the pass. Your Kai instincts tell you that these beasts cannot survive for long beyond the mountain borders of the Doomlands, and soon your suspicions are confirmed when you see them returning north to Naaros. When the last of the creatures has disappeared, you beckon Gildas and his men to follow you down onto the mountain trail. Here you discover the bodies of two Imperial Guards who were caught by the rockslide ambush and crushed to death.
If you wish to search their pockets and backpacks, turn to 80.
If you choose to ignore their bodies, you may leave the pass by turning to 291.
14
The street is filled with parked wagons, anxious troops, and irate delivery drivers who have been barred entrance to the barracks. An alarm bell continues to toll as you wend your way through the crowds, and your Sixth Sense tells you that the Claw has now been discovered missing.
You turn a corner and ride along an unobstructed avenue that takes you to a far quieter quarter of the city. Guided by your Pathsmanship and tracking skills, you lead the rangers to the South Gate of Yua Tzhan. Here you are able to depart the city along a road that passes through outlying settlements before climbing gently into the Honah Hills.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 202.
If it is 5–9, turn to 194.
15
You nod in agreement to Gildas' suggestion, and then you push back your chair and stand up. The fortune-teller protests and demands that you pay him for the card reading.
If you wish to give the man 1 Gold Crown, turn to 316.
If you refuse to give him anything, turn to 283.
16
You do not recognize the tree-like shrub and you are wary of any properties its leaves or bark may possess. Rather than risk testing it in case it should prove to be poisonous, you advise Yalin to step away from the strange-looking plant.
To continue, turn to 240.
17
You call upon your improved Kai Mastery to project a noise beneath the first arch of the bridge. Amplified by the water, and the arch itself, this sudden rumbling noise startles the soldiers on the river bank. Fearing that a monster is set to rise up and consume the bridge at any moment, they turn tail and flee in panic from the water's edge.
Turn to 127.
18
The death of their leader forces the other winged horrors to break off their attack. They swoop out of the pass and veer away to the east, towards the ravine where Cloud-dancer is hidden. There they muster their numbers and, with a hellish chorus of cackling shrieks, they launch an attack upon the grounded skyship and its crew.
You cast a glance down into the pass and see that the squad of Imperial Guards has now halted on the narrow mountain trail. You sense that they are waiting for their winged escorts to return before they dare to venture a step further.
If you wish to hurry back to Cloud-dancer and help Lord Rimoah repel the aerial assault, turn to 345.
If you choose to stay with Captain Gildas and the rangers, turn to 302.
19
Unfortunately, your ploy fails. The squad leader overhears you and he raises the alarm. Suddenly the door to the antechamber is kicked open and a dozen soldiers burst in, armed and eager to protect their esteemed commander.
You fight bravely and slay most of those who attack you, but the antechamber is soon awash with reinforcements and you are forced to surrender. During the mêlée, the rangers are also captured, and together you are taken before the Sergeant of the Guard. He denounces you as would-be thieves, out to steal provisions, and he orders that your weapons and equipment be confiscated before you are led away and thrown into the dungeons.
As the heavy door to your cell slams shut, you immediately look for a way out of this grim prison chamber. You try to pick the lock, but your attempt is thwarted when the sergeant and his guards return. With them is the squad leader, freshly bathed and sporting a fine new uniform. He is carrying the Claw of Naar, and when the iron door is opened, he points it at you and triggers a fearsome blast of raw energy. In the cramped confines of the cell there is no hope of escaping from its terrible power. In the blink of an eye, you and your brave companions are engulfed and consumed by a terrifying ball of white-hot fire.
Tragically, your life and your mission end here in the barracks dungeon of Yua Tzhan.
20
You warn the others that a storm is imminent, and that you will need to find shelter before it breaks. Less than a mile further on, you discover an abandoned cottage that overlooks the hill road. A dirt track ascends to its door, and when you reach it, you discover that there is sufficient room inside to shelter you and your horses. Barely minutes after arriving here, the storm breaks and the surrounding countryside is swept by torrential rain.
While you are sheltering from the storm, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
To continue, turn to 303.
21
When you crest the ridge, you rein in your horse and stop to look back at the trap you have set. After several minutes, you see your enemy enter the valley and gallop along the trail. You magnify your vision in order to observe them as they approach the pillars, but as they pass by the obstruction, you detect no sudden release of power.
The enemy have failed to trigger your trap and now you have lost a precious advantage. Cursing your ill luck, you urge your stallion to the gallop and speed away from the ridge with your ranger companions following closely on your horse's heels.
Turn to 309.
22
You reach the end of the roof and climb down the trunk of the tree. Gildas and his men follow your lead, and when all of you are safely on the ground, you pause for
a few moments to assess the situation. From beneath the leafy boughs of the young oak, you look out across the parade ground and scan the buildings that border upon it. Bhanarian soldiers are running everywhere, seemingly in confusion. Then you realize that they all have a purpose: they are rushing to secure every entrance and exit from the barracks.
Gildas points to a building on the west side of the parade ground. Its doors are open and unguarded. You magnify your vision and see that it is part of the barracks stables. Its well-lit interior is busy with troopers who are preparing their mounts for tomorrow's ceremonial parade through the city. Beyond its rows of stalls is an archway that opens on to one of the city's streets. You inform the rangers of what you have seen and you decide that the stables offer you your best hope for an escape from the barracks. Using the perimeter trees for cover, you skirt around the parade ground and make your approach to the stables. You are less than 20 yards from its open doors when you are suddenly called upon to halt. Three Bhanarian guards come weaving through the line of trees towards you, their spears held at the ready. ‘Stay where you are,’ barks the tallest of these soldiers, ‘and all of you — raise your hands!’
Illustration II—Three Bhanarian guards come rushing towards you, their spears held at the ready.
If you possess Herbmastery and have attained the rank of Sun Lord, turn to 229.
If you possess Kai-surge and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Guardian or higher, turn to 111.
If you possess neither of these skills, or if you have yet to attain the required level of Kai Mastery, turn to 274.
23
You snatch an Arrow from your Quiver and place it to your Bow. As the leading creature comes swooping down towards your hiding place, you pull back your bowstring and take aim at the beast's open jaw.
If you possess Magi-magic and have attained the Kai rank of Sun Lord, turn to 284.
If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai Mastery, turn to 172.
24
You draw your Kai Weapon and Gildas unsheathes his sword, and together you attack the Autarch. Your heaviest blows fail to mark his armour and you are forced to retreat for fear of striking your companions.
The Autarch swivels his helm towards you. ‘Give me the Claw!’ he demands, his voice booming around the chamber. ‘Give me the Claw and I shall spare all your worthless lives! ’
If you choose to obey his command, turn to 35.
If you choose to refuse his command, turn to 338.
25
The woman launches a bolt of psychic energy that pierces your mind and engulfs your head with a fiery, agonizing pain: lose 4 ENDURANCE points.
Slowly your innate mental defences knit together to repair the damage you have sustained from this opportunistic attack, and gradually the pain in your head recedes.
To continue, turn to 96.
26
You exasperate yourself attempting to pick this lock by the use of your Grand Mastery of Nexus alone (lose 1 ENDURANCE point), and after thirty minutes of futile effort, reluctantly you concede defeat. The mechanism is formidable: you may have to resort to force to get it to open.
If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 65.
If you possess Magi-magic and wish to use it, turn to 263.
If you possess neither of these skills, or if you choose not to use them, turn to 324.
27
You inform Gildas and the others of your discovery, and tell them to rest awhile beneath the wooden bridge while you attempt to lure a distant group of stallions towards the stream. By the use of your Animal Mastery, you are soon able to entice four horses to approach the bridge. At first they are nervous, for they can detect the vile stench of the Doomlands' dust which impregnates the rangers' tunics. But they are also thirsty and they cannot resist the temptation of the sparkling stream.
You allow them to drink at the stream for several minutes and, as they settle, you use your Kai Mastery to subdue their natural instincts. At your command, Gildas and the others emerge from beneath the bridge and each man chooses a stallion. They are all expert horsemen, and they are able to make bridles and saddlecloths from ropes and blankets that they carry in their packs, Within the hour, all four of you are ready to leave the bridge and ride south in pursuit of the Imperial Guards.
Before you set off, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
To continue, turn to 130.
28
You place your mouth close to the door and use your Magnakai Disciplines of Pathsmanship and Divination to help you mimic the sound of the squad leader's voice. ‘Go away!’ you say, tersely. ‘I've no wish to be disturbed.’
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, add 1 to the number you have picked. If you possess Telegnosis, add 2.
If your total score is now 3 or lower, turn to 19.
If it is 4 or higher, turn to 162.
29
Your Arrow causes the cannon's pressure cylinder to erupt like a geyser, and it sprays the Bhanarians with deadly pieces of jagged iron shrapnel. Those who are not felled instantly by the force of the explosion are blinded and blistered by jets of scalding steam.
Turn to 47.
30
As the dust settles, you see that the avalanche of rocks has blocked the mountain pass. Two of the enemy warriors have been crushed by the deluge, and three others can be seen staggering away wounded. Most of the squad appear to have survived the rockfall and you cannot help but begrudgingly admire the swiftness of their reactions. At first you cannot see their leader; then you notice him crawling along a channel which runs alongside the mountain trail. He jumped into this shallow gully to avoid the tumbling rocks and now he is climbing back towards the track.
You command Captain Gildas and his rangers to cover you as you leave your hiding place and go after this squad leader. He is clutching the Claw of Naar in his right hand and you are determined to seize the chance to capture it before he can rally his scattered men. Swiftly you traverse the mound of rocks that now blocks the pass, and as you leap into the gully behind the squad leader, you draw your Kai Weapon in readiness to strike. Your adversary hears the slick swish of your weapon leaving its scabbard and instantly he spins on his heel. Shock blanches his sallow, moustachioed face and his almond eyes widen with alarm, but he quickly recovers his composure.
He raises the mace-like Claw of Naar defensively and, with a terse laugh, he levels its taloned tip at your chest. There is a crackling hum of power and a bolt of black fire leaps from this evil artefact. You act on reflex and dive to the bottom of the trench as the supernatural bolt of dark flame comes streaking through the dusty air towards you.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 1 to the number you have picked.
If your total score is now 1 or lower, turn to 308.
If it is 2–6, turn to 278.
If it is 7 or higher, turn to 147.
31
Only the swiftness of your reactions saves you and your companions from a watery death. You race back along the hill road, through the blinding rain, with a surging torrent of mud and debris chasing you all the way. Trees are uprooted and loose boulders are sent hurtling into the air by the destructive force of this merciless flow. You are struck by pieces of debris and you suffer cuts to your head and back: lose 2 ENDURANCE points.
You succeed in outrunning the mudsling but at some cost. Your horses are so drained by the ordeal that two of them die of exhaustion, and a third becomes too lame to continue. You are forced to abandon them and continue your journey on foot. You head east, and take shelter on a wooded hillside while you wait for the rains to abate.
While you are resting, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
To continue, turn to 59.
32
Y
ou detect that the woman is attempting to ensnare you with a powerful mind charm. You draw upon your psychic defences to block the effects of her spell, and you are able to resist her mesmeric command. Unfortunately, your companions do not possess your formidable mental defences and they continue to ride along the track, drawn by her hypnotic voice. You call out to them to halt but they are oblivious to your presence. You must act quickly if you wish to save them from her sinister spell.
If you possess a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 312.
If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 151.
If you possess Magi-magic and wish to use it, turn to 53.
If you possess Elementalism and wish to use it, turn to 124.
If you possess Kai-surge and wish to use it, turn to 281.
If you possess none of these skills, nor a Bow, or if you choose not to use them, turn instead to 164.
33
Your spell fails to split the iron skin of the cannon's pressure cylinder. Alerted now to your presence, a handful of Bhanarians leave the fight at the archway and come running towards the antechamber with their swords and axes raised to strike. You offer up a short prayer to Ishir to protect you as you draw your Kai Weapon ready to meet their determined attack. With your battle-cry upon your lips, you pull open the door and flail at the first Bhanarian who comes within striking distance of your deadly blade.