by Ian Page
Illustration XIV—A young Chaksu, a much sought after beast.
Chaksu are capable of a primitive form of mind speech and you can clearly sense its distress. As Urik moves to tend its wound, the Shadakine break from cover and come running straight at you. It was these same Shadakine that injured the young Chaksu, leaving it for dead when they sighted you and Urik.
If you wish to make a stand in this clearing and protect the Chaksu from further harm, turn to 11.
If you wish to flee, turn to 20.
226
In a state of anxiety, you throw the force of your will into the formation of a Shield of Sorcery. Your undisciplined state of mind and the need for haste rather than precision causes you to expend as much as 4 WILLPOWER points.
The air shimmers before you but you have acted wisely and just in time to deflect the volley of quarrels that flies towards you. At last, the Earth Elemental makes his presence known. A ripple, like a single fold moving across the land, emerges beneath the feet of the Shadakine warriors. Then, suddenly, a miniature earthquake erupts beneath their feet scattering those not killed.
‘Urik,’ you say, ‘is there anything you can do about the Eijalfish?’ He gives you a broad grin and produces a small boomerang lined with rows of tiny, razor-sharp teeth. He throws the boomerang at the eye stalks of the Eijalfish. Neatly, it slices an eye before twisting in the air and returning to land at his feet. A slick of green blood discolours the water where the Eijalfish was.
‘Time to go?’ says Urik, still grinning.
Turn to 74.
227
If you wish to build a Shield of Sorcery around yourself at the cost of 2 WILLPOWER points, turn to 107.
If you have the Mind Gem and wish to use it, turn to 63.
If you wish to draw on the energy of the Astral Plane and throw it against the creature at the cost of 3 WILLPOWER points, turn to 24.
228
You call on the Element of Water in the language of the Elementals. In the space of a heartbeat, the waters of the lake swirl and rise high into the air dispersing the flames.
A ball of water and flame splashes your arm, burning through the material of your robe and scorching your flesh. Lose 2 ENDURANCE points. However, the crisis has passed and the water settles back to its former self, the flames now extinguished.
Turn to 74.
229
The rippling shadow of the Kleasá blurs momentarily and the yellow eyes like fangs shine with hunger that almost forces you to step back: such is the intensity of the malice glinting there.
If you wish to fire a beam at the Kleasá using the power of the Black Rod, turn to 264.
If you wish to throw the Black Rod at the Kleasá, turn to 172.
If you wish to give the Black Rod to the Kleasá, turn to 218.
230
With eyes closed, you send the power of your thought racing out to the Elemental Plane, the realm of the powers of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. At the expense of 2 WILLPOWER points, you make contact but a strange phenomenon occurs that you have never encountered before. Instead of the silent aid of the Elementals, you are confronted by four humanoid beings of normal stature but each composed of the element that it represents. You give a grim smile; surely this is evidence of the growing mastery of your Power? Each of the beings gives a bow, their arms opened wide in a gesture of humble service.
You must choose which Element you wish to aid you.
If you choose the Element of Air, turn to 7.
If you choose the Element of Fire, turn to 34.
If you choose the Element of Earth, turn to 51.
If you choose the Element of Water, turn to 86.
231
With closed eyes and at the cost of 1 WILLPOWER point you concentrate on the future. You try to uncover the nature of your peril and your vision warns you of an imminent attack. A wild, filth-encrusted man, dressed in rags, jumps from the roof of a small building to your left. With a sure-footed sidestep you dodge aside and then turn to face him.
If you wish to fire a long-range attack at the man who claws the ground where you once stood, turn to 241.
If you wish to close in and fight him hand-to-hand, turn to 83.
If you wish to evade combat by running into a side street, turn to 84.
232
Trembling as the icy cold washes through your body, you sink to your knees, hovering on the very edge of unconsciousness. The Deathgaunt fades and as you see it dematerialize, you fall into darkness.
Turn to 17.
233
You tip the contents of the sack onto the rough stone floor. The moonlight illuminates a grisly assortment of bones and skulls. Hugi wanders over to your side, his curiosity aroused by the promise of plunder. He kicks the tangle of bones and uncovers a small velvet pouch. Eagerly, he snatches the bag to his chest and rips open the drawstring. The little sack contains five Nobles and a Gold Tooth. Hugi grins, his teeth glinting in the ashen light as he swiftly pockets the money. He offers the Gold Tooth to you as your share of the loot. If you wish to keep the Gold Tooth, mark it on your Action Chart as a Special Item and keep it in a pocket of your robe.
The others are getting restless — they are eager to reach the surface. Without further delay you lead them up the stairs.
Turn to 245.
234
You release a beam of radiant energy at the sickly yellow light of the Kazim Stone. The Kazim light flickers and fades briefly before surging back with renewed vigour. Your attack has cost you 2 WILLPOWER points.
If you wish to throw more WILLPOWER points into your attack, turn to 29.
If you possess the Magical Power of Sorcery and wish to use it, turn to 6.
If you have the Magical Power of Enchantment and wish to use it, turn to 146.
235
Waist-deep in the marsh, you keep perfectly still, counting the rapid beat of your heart but not daring even to breathe. Very gradually you feel yourself sinking. Urik has fallen on solid ground, but looks completely unharmed. You look towards him, helplessly. He places a finger to his lips and slowly reaches out for your Staff which, miraculously, you have managed to retain. After what seems an eternity, he grasps the end of your Staff and begins to pull. As the shouts of the Shadakine grow fainter, Urik manages to pull you free.
Just as you are thinking how lucky you have been, you hear a new and ominous sound, a discordant howling that makes your blood run cold. Cautiously, you raise your head and peer along the tops of the rushes. Standing in a small clearing, some two hundred yards off, you see a frightened-looking peasant — a Shadakine slave. He is barely able to control two snarling hounds, who tug at the lengths of chain attached to their harnesses. These are no ordinary hounds: they each have two heads with a single horn protruding from each, and a pair of outsized fangs showing through their slavering jowls. Urik peers over your shoulder and swears under his breath. ‘Big trouble, Wizard,’ he mutters. ‘They catch our scent pretty soon.’
Suddenly the peasant calls out. ‘Master! Master!’ he cries to a tall Shadakine, undoubtedly the officer in charge. ‘The Magdi — they smell something.’ The tall Shadakine officer screws up his eyes, a wicked smile playing across his face. You must act and quickly. There is no time to prepare any elaborate magic before the Shadakine officer releases his monstrous hounds.
A shallow waterway leads away from the bog and if you wish to enter this, turn to 25.
If you prefer to attempt a long-range attack with your Wizard's Staff, turn to 105.
236
You plunge into the waters of the lake and splash your way to the far shore. Suddenly a volley of arrows burrows into your flesh, inflicting mortal wounds. Your body stiffens and you sink to the bottom of the lake.
Your life and your quest end here.
237
You wield the Power of Sorcery against the door. In a flash of sparks, your energy bolt ricochets off the granite surface and slams into the cavern floor inches from Hugi's feet. You sense th
at the door is held by a power far greater than your own.
If you have the Magical Power of Psychomancy and wish to use it, turn to 170.
If you have the Magical Power of Prophecy and wish to use it, turn to 224.
If you do not possess either of these skills, or if you do not wish to use them, turn to 242.
238
You draw out the red Mind Gem and stare at it for a few minutes — you have never used anything like this before. You must now decide on the most effective way of fighting the Kazim light that controls the Shadakine like puppets.
If you wish to attempt to control the mind of the user of the Kazim Stone, turn to 174.
If you wish to try to wrest control of the minds of the approaching Shadakine, turn to 292.
If you have the Magical Power of Psychomancy and wish to use it, turn to 198.
239
The sky darkens and storm clouds gather to hurl gouts of rain upon you, as you are cut to pieces by the advancing Shadakine.
Your quest is over.
240
This wall of fire is nothing but an illusion, cast long ago by the wizard of Taklakot. Something of great importance must lie beyond this stone doorway. You pass through the flames and, as you cross the threshold, the flames simply melt away: you have dispelled the wizard's illusion.
Turn to 54.
241
The wretch tumbles across the floor in a cloud of dirt and dust, stunned and dazed by the speed of your evasion. He never regains his feet; you throw a blast from your Staff that tears his body apart. Your attack has cost you 2 WILLPOWER points.
Turn to 197.
242
Gradually you become aware that the temperature is dropping. A chill wind rises from nowhere and a shiver runs down your spine. But it is not the cold air that causes you to shake; it is the familiar presence of a Deathgaunt. It materializes in the centre of the cavern, close to where you stand. ‘Welcome,’ it hisses, menacingly, its icy talons clutching at your life and soul. You fight to hold on to your life but it is a fight you cannot win. Here, in the chamber of Shasarak the Wytch-king, the Deathgaunt draws on a power that you cannot resist and swiftly you are borne away from the realm of the living.
Your life and your quest end here.
243
You turn and run across the plain, half-dragging Urik along with you. ‘Where is it?’ you cry, desperately.
‘Down … below our feet. I feel it but cannot see it.’
The Scree Wyrm slithers towards you and Samu battles the monster as it tries to coil around him.
If you wish to try to help Samu, turn to 262.
If not, turn to 85.
244
It is well known by experienced Wizards that Earth Elementals are notoriously stupid and slow to act. Before you have a chance to discover what kind of help was sent, the Shadakine have hacked you to pieces.
Your life and your quest end here.
245
Cautiously, you ascend the staircase, taking care not to slip on the slimy steps. As you near the surface, you catch your first glimpse of the full moon that shines down on the desolate plain of Taklakot. It is covered with pot-holes and as the night wind blows across them, they sigh and wail like some monstrous creature in pain. ‘How long has the full moon been shining?’ you ask Urik.
‘Me know not,’ he says, shrugging his shoulders. Once more you push on across the moonlit valley, taking pains to avoid the many fissures and holes that crack the surface. ‘I feel the Shadow Gate,’ says Urik suddenly. ‘It below the ground.’
At that moment there is a long, baleful cry and a gruesome sight emerges from the shadow of a crevice; a snake-like creature, its body is bone-white and skeletal. ‘Scree Wyrm,’ breathes Hugi, his voice shaking with fear.
If you wish to stand and fight the Scree Wyrm, turn to 273.
If you wish to evade it, turn to 243.
246
You discover a small door at the far end of the hall which opens on to a narrow alley. A loud banging warns you that the wretches are attempting to break down the door of the hall.
If you wish to stand and fight, turn to 260.
If you wish to enter the alley, turn to 84.
247
The Magdi crumples and falls lifelessly to the ground but still the Shadakine remain. They each wear a menacing grin, sensing victory. The tall Shadakine captain steps forward. ‘Surrender yourself, Wizard. You cannot hope to win.’ As he speaks, the Chaksu utters a long trilling cry like a forlorn plea for help. The captain laughs scornfully, but his smug, self-satisfied expression changes to one of terrified disbelief as two large Chaksu burst out of the undergrowth, roaring with fury and searching for their lost offspring. The largest of the Chaksu, and mother of the young Chaksu you have protected, reaches out and grabs the Shadakine officer by the neck. With a deathly grip, she lifts him off the ground. His eyes bulge and his face turns purple; he is asphyxiated before she hurls him to the ground breaking his body in several places. With a triumphant howl, the Chaksu rush towards the Shadakine, who are running in all directions. Those Shadakine who are too slow of foot are mercilessly broken underfoot; the carnage is terrible to behold.
Illustration XV—Two large Chaksu burst out of the undergrowth, roaring with fury in search of their lost offspring.
When no Shadakine remain, the Chaksu turn and bow low before the mother sweeps her baby into her arms. Although they do not speak, their thanks echo in your mind. They give you a small set of wooden pipes. Should you need help, you have only to blow the pipes and they will come to your aid. Gratefully, you accept the Chaksu Pipes and place this Special Item in a pocket in your robe. (Remember to mark it on your Action Chart.) Then, the Chaksu are gone, trampling the thick foliage as if it were matchwood.
‘ “Great in might is the power of kindness”,’ says Urik, quoting from The Way of the Shianti.
‘ “Oft comes help when help is unlooked for”,’ you reply, anxious not to be outdone. Urik chuckles.
Turn to 249.
248
After you have been going down the passage for a few minutes, you notice that Hugi is missing.
If you wish to walk back along the passage and search for him, turn to 161.
If you wish to look for Hugi in the throne room, turn to 302.
If you wish to continue without Hugi, turn to 127.
249
The darkening sky blossoms like a vast purple flower as the sun sets. The chirping of cicadas fills the air and you both decide to stop and rest. Urik gathers up handfuls of berries and offers you a strange new food, a blue fungus that grows beneath the soil. Cautiously you bite into it then smile with surprise, for it is delicious and tastes remarkably like cured meat.
‘It is called Lianor,’ says Urik. ‘Grows everywhere, yet hard to find. The secret gift of Magnamund. Urik sees the secret places below the ground. Is it good?’ You nod and hungrily finish the delicious fungi. The Lianor is packed with goodness and you may restore 1 ENDURANCE point. You rest beneath a twisted toa tree while Urik stands watch; eventually you drift off into a peaceful sleep.
Turn to 194.
250
A patch of brush and foliage is pulled aside to reveal a concealed entrance. Following Sado, you enter a wide tunnel lit with torches. ‘This tunnel leads all the way to our secret headquarters beneath the city of Karnali,’ he says.
The tunnel twists and turns for many miles before opening into a large cavern. You and Urik are given food and wine, and while you eat, he tells you of his army — the Freedom Guild, a rebel band resisting the rule of the Shadakine Empire.
‘Karnali was the last city to fall to Shasarak,’ Sado explains. ‘The spirit of unrest was never truly crushed, and so we fight on in our small way, striking blows against the Wytch-king whenever we may. Our attacks are based in the marshes, for we hope to avoid the retribution of the Warward, Kiro, against our people by making him believe that we come from outside the city. The Shadakine waste much
effort patrolling the marsh, seeking to flush us out, and attention is drawn away from the city. Only our fear that the citizens of Karnali would be punished for our actions prevents us from rising up within the city walls. And,’ he shrugs, ‘our numbers are small while the Shadakine maintain a heavy garrison. But what of you?’
A thin man comes and begins to clear away your plates and empty wine goblets. He brushes past you and, to your amazement, attempts to pick your pocket. ‘You, man!’ shouts Sado, ‘What do you think you're doing? Guards, arrest this man.’
He turns and apologizes to you, explaining that the bulk of his army is recruited from the criminal ranks of the city. You explain your quest and the land that you seek. Sado's eyes widen with astonishment. ‘Then the legends are true?’ he gapes. ‘The Shianti still exist!’
You nod. ‘If my quest should finally succeed and I retrieve the Moonstone, the full might of their wisdom and magic will be turned against Shasarak,’ you tell him.
‘How the people would rejoice to know that a Shianti walked among us once more,’ says Sado, ‘though I understand the need for secrecy. Nevertheless,’ he continues, his eyes lighting up, ‘I would ask a boon of you. Tonight, we attempt our most daring stratagem against the corrupt rule of the Shadakine. Stand with us in battle tonight; aid us if you will. With the might of a Shianti Wizard in our ranks, who knows what we could achieve! Help the Freedom Guild, Grey Star, in our struggle to free the people of Karnali.’