Star Wars Missions 008 - Togarian Trap

Home > Science > Star Wars Missions 008 - Togarian Trap > Page 3
Star Wars Missions 008 - Togarian Trap Page 3

by Dave Wolverton


  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference +3 to your MP total. You dodge the mist and leap away. You may now proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. The mist seeks to enter your mouth and nostrils. You must fight (below).

  To fight: Choose your weapon. Your weaponry# + your weapon’s dose-range# is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice to fight the mist.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference to your MP total. The heat of your weapon seems to puncture the mist, causing a glowing gas to escape the beast with a hissing sound. You won’t have to worry about it anymore. You may now proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. You are choking. Subtract 1 from your confront# for your new confront#. Repeat the confront using this new confront# until you have destroyed the mist creature.

  You stumble away from the mist, watching intently for more of these monsters. Several times, you see the pale glow above hot pools. You avoid these places at all cost.

  You run through the swamp. Hot pools are all around, and eventually you run out of ground to walk on. The only way across the burning water is a trail of giant slip pads. In order to cross the swamp, you must leap from slip pad to slip pad. And you must be careful — around the slip pads, you see the glowing forms of mist creatures.

  You must leap across the pads as silently as possible, with or without power.

  To cross the burning water (using Power)*: Choose your Balance Power. Your strength + your Power’s low-resist# + your Power# is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference +2 to your MP total. You silently hop past the gathered monsters. You may now proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract 4 MP from your MP total. The mists detect your presence and come searching for you. You must escape using an alternate route. Repeat this confront until you escape the mists and cross the burning water.

  *Note: This counts as one of three Power uses you are allowed on this Mission.

  To cross the burning water (without Power): Your stealth# + your strength# is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice to evade the mists.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference +3 to your MP total. You silently leap past the gathered monsters. You may now proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. The mists detect your presence and come searching for you. You must escape using an alternate route. Add +1 to your confront# for your new confront#, and repeat this confront using the new equation until you escape the mists.

  You pass the mist creatures, but find that the farther you go into the water, the farther apart the slip pads become, until you can barely see the next one from where you stand. Perhaps if you were a Togorian, this would not pose such a challenge. But you do not possess the Togorians’ skill at leaping. You reach a point where it will require all of your strength to leap between the pads. You draw a weapon, just in case the mist creatures appear. Choose your weapon now.

  To leap to the next pad: Your strength# is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice to leap.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference +7 to your MP total. You leap easily to the new pad. You may now proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. You fall into the burning water with a loud splash. You climb out quickly, with only minor burns. But your weapon has been damaged — you must have knocked it when you landed. You must try to repair it (below).

  To repair a damaged weapon: Your skill# +1 is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice to repair the weapon.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference to your MP total. The weapon might be a little bent up, but it works fine. You may now proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. You’ll have to work on this one at home, where you’ve got the proper tools. Remove this weapon from your arsenal for the remainder of this Mission.

  You continue to leap from slip pad to slip pad. Through the fog ahead you see land, and on the shore you see a large creature — like a giant woolly pig, with enormous curved tusks. As you approach, it rapidly transforms into a creature that looks exactly like the Togorian leader, Fassool! Then it morphs into a snarling mass of teeth and fur.

  Spotting you, the creature leaps. You may evade the creature, put it to sleep using Power, or fight it.

  To evade the monster (without Power): Your stealth# +2 is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice to evade the monster.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference +5 to your MP total. You easily dodge the monster and hide from it in the brush. You may now proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. The monster chases you, towering over your head. You must fight (below).

  To put the monster to sleep (using Power)*: Choose your Sleep Power. Your Power# + your Power’s low-resist# + your stealth# is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference +4 to your MP total. The creature sleeps so soundly, you wonder if it will ever wake up. You may now proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. The monster chases you, towering over your head. You must fight (below).

  *Note: This counts as one of three Power uses you are allowed on this Mission.

  To fight the monster: Choose your weapon. Your weaponry# plus your weapon’s mid-range# +4 is your confront#. Roll the 12-dice to fight the monster.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference +6 to your MP total. The monster takes a hit and goes rushing off into the dark. You may now proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. The monster rushes you. As it does, it morphs into a perfect image of... you. Now you must fight this evil twin (below).

  To combat your monster duplicate: Your weaponry# + your weapon’s close-range# + your stealth# +3 is your confront#. Roll the 12-dice.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference to your MP total. You watch in horror as you see yourself fall wounded. For a moment, you forget you are seeing a duplicate. Then the creature begins to morph into its original state, hairless and evil. It staggers and dies.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. You must try again. Add +1 to your confront# for your new confront#. Repeat the confront using the same new confront# until you have defeated the horrific duplicate.

  That wasn’t easy. Reward yourself with 30 MP (40 MP for Advanced Level Players).

  You climb a small hill, drawn to the raucous laughter of Togorians. They’ve been watching you from afar. Fassool smiles, his teeth flashing beneath the light of three pale green moons. You wonder if it is really Fassool, or if the being in front of you is also some kind of monster.

  “So, little human,” the Togorian says, “you do not look so happy to see me. Does my appearance not please you?”

  “What was that creature back there?”

  “The shaper? That particular breed is called a Toothsome Image, since it has far too many teeth. But there are other species of shaper on Togoria, too. Be glad that you didn’t meet something more horrific. Now, while we wait for your friends, we must call our mosgoths. Help us pull out this fire bush.”

  The Togorians point at some small bushes. You grasp a bush and pull at it. The roots are deep, but when you twist the trunk it pulls out easily. The Togorians pull out a dozen similar bushes and lay them down in an odd shape — a bar with wings on one end and an arrowhead at another. They set fire to the
bushes, which burn with an amazing green, smoky flame. They also sputter and crackle, causing you to realize that they must be filled with some sort of alien salts.

  Together the fires create an odd hieroglyph of flame. You wait patiently, and soon an enormous flying reptile lands just outside the fire. The creature stands ten meters tall, and has a wingspan of forty meters. Its green scales reflect the firelight, and in the darkness it is a creature of profound beauty, glittering like millions of emeralds, with onyx horns curling backward.

  A Togorian races up to the giant reptile and pats its snout affectionately. You realize that this must be a mosgoth. It must have been feeding recently, for dried blood crusts its lips and teeth. The mosgoth nuzzles the Togorian, who loops a halter of thin rope over the beast’s head.

  In moments, more mosgoths begin to drop from the sky. You see them wheeling overhead, shadows in the moonlight until they drop. They stand around your little group, silent winged giants.

  Fassool warns you, “Take care with your mount. The mosgoths are wild creatures, and a bit clumsy. They may step on you by accident.”

  “Wild?” you ask. “But aren’t these your mounts?”

  “They are not ours,” the leader answers. “Mosgoths belong to the sky, and to themselves, just as Togorians belong to the trees. But for generations we have built our camps near their nesting grounds, and protected them from their enemies. So they have learned to respect us, to understand some of our tongue, and to treat us as allies. We are not friends to them, merely allies in the battle for survival on our harsh world. Perhaps someday, a thousand generations from now, we will earn their friendship. But for tonight, we are merely allies. These mosgoths are well fed, and have consented to fly us to Caross.

  “You must hang on tight,” Fassool warns. “The beasts are anxious tonight.”

  You climb onto the back of a mosgoth, as the Togorians begin to snarl directions to their mounts. There isn’t any saddle — the only thing to hold onto is a thin cord of rope. You cling tightly to the mosgoth with your legs, and grab the rope with all your strength.

  As the Togorians take off, your mosgoth bounds forward in three great steps, bouncing so hard it jars your bones.

  To keep from falling off the mosgoth: Your strength# +1 is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice to hang onto the mosgoth.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference to your MP total. You cling to the mount as it takes to the sky.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. The monster dislodges you, and you must climb back on immediately (below).

  To climb back on: Your skill# + your strength# is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, you’ve climbed back on. Now you must keep from falling off again (above).

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. Not good enough! Repeat this confront until you have climbed back on.

  With a great rush, the mosgoth takes to the sky. You feel the wind in your face, and hear the pulsing air beneath your mount’s wings. With a throaty cry the mosgoth rises up toward the moons, as you gaze all around, amazed.

  You fly for what seems like a long time. A warm front blows in, bringing clouds and a light rain. The rain is icy on your face, and it makes the scales of your mosgoth slick. The Togorians begin shouting to your mount, urging it higher up into the clouds.

  A bolt of lighting flashes nearby, and the peal of thunder shakes you. You hear a startled cry, and see that one of the other mosgoth’s wings has been torn by a bolt of lightning. Both the creature and its Togorian passenger plummet through the rain toward the ground, thousands of feet below.

  You rise above the clouds, into the gentle glow of moonlight. The three small green moons hang in the sky, and their light reflects from the tops of clouds.

  Suddenly, you hear a throaty roar. At first you think it is thunder once again, and then you realize that no — it is the sound of something living. The Togorians shriek in terror — “Liphons! Liphons are after us!”

  Something enormous blots out the sky above you. Your heart races. The Togorians — who had until now seemed so fierce — feel fear.

  The enormous flying monster dives toward you with a roar. Its wings blot out the moons and the clouds. Other batlike liphons flicker behind it, wheeling in the night.

  Your mount cries out a challenge and opens its mouth, baring enormous teeth that gleam in the darkness. Stealthfully, it climbs toward its attacker. The liphon dives, its jaws opened wide. You have no choice but to fight.

  To fight the liphon: Choose a weapon. Your weaponry# + your weapon’s long-range# +4 is your confront#. Roll the 12-dice.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference +10 to your MP total. It was a perfect hit The limp form of the liphon falls away in the darkness, and you hope it doesn’t fall on someone below. You may now proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. The liphon draws closer. Add +1 to your confront# for your new confront#. Repeat this confront using the same new confront# until the liphon plummets.

  Other liphons are attacking your allies below. You see a liphon hurtle toward a Togorian and sweep him from his mount with the claw at the end of its wing. There is nothing you can do for the hapless Togorian but to battle on. Nearby, Fassool is fighting for his life. As he grapples with one of the liphons, another wings toward him from behind.

  You must save him

  To save the leader of the Togorian band: Choose your weapon. Your weaponry# + your weapon’s long-range# +1 is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference +5 to your MP total. With shooting like that you should probably consider entering the galactic tournaments. You may proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. Repeat the confront until you blow this liphon from the sky.

  For defeating the liphon, award yourself 60 MP (85 for Advanced Level players).

  The liphon drops into the darkness with a shriek. Fassool looks up and catches your eye. He knows that you may have just saved his life.

  His own mount rips a hole in the second liphon’s wing, and Fassool is face to face with the monster when he finally brings it down.

  “Retreat into the clouds!” he then shouts.

  The mosgoths dive with a cry of rage and defeat.

  Soon you find cover in a dense fog.

  You hear wounded Togorians grunting and crying out. One of them raises a dim red light, to show his companions where he is in the fog, and in moments the others do the same. They begin to talk in their hissing language.

  After a few moments, Fassool says to you, “You hunters have fought well. There are those among us who owe you our lives. What boon would you have as payment?”

  Now is the moment, you realize. You want his support.

  “The man Han Solo must be taken to justice,” you say. “I fear that your Margrave-sister will cut him to pieces, but if I get him to justice alive, I will get a large reward. Help me catch him.”

  Fassool studies your face from afar. “This is a hard thing you ask,” he says. “The Margrave-sister rules in the city. It would not be lawful.”

  “Your clan is mighty,” you answer. “Did you not say that on Togoria, the mighty rule?”

  You know you must persuade Fassool to help you without question. Choose now whether to use Power.

  To persuade Fassool and his clan (without Power): Your charm# +1 is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference to your MP total. Your arguments seem wise to Fassool, and he pledges to help you.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. Fassool is no fool. Though he owes you his life, he takes
more persuading. Repeat this confront until you have him thoroughly convinced.

  To persuade Fassool to follow you (using Power)*: Choose your Persuasion Power. Your Power# + your Power’s medium-resist# + your charm# is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference to your MP total. Fassool would gladly lay his life down for you. You may proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. Repeat the confront until Fassool is convinced.

  *Note: This counts as one of three Power uses you are allowed on this Mission.

  Blinded by your persuasive powers, Fassool says, “For your acts of heroism this night, we will give you aid in your hunt. We of the Mindnight Fire clan promise this.”

  This news makes you optimistic. There must be a dozen Togorians in this band, and they will be a great help in your fight against Han Solo. He and his Rebel outlaws are as good as captured...

  After some time, your mounts descend from the mist once more. Below, the world is a moonlit sea of fog, and in the distance you see the lights of a city. After a bit of study, you realize the city is resting on a series of platforms made of stone, shaped like an enormous tree.

  “Caross,” Fassool growls. “We are almost there. It is good that most of the city is under cover of the clouds.”

  Within seconds, your flight of mosgoths drops down, spiraling into the fog to land on a platform in the city.

  You prepare yourself for a jarring landing.

  To avoid being thrown from your mount upon landing: Your strength# + your skill# +4 is your confront#. Roll the 12-dice.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference +4 to your MP total. You now ride as if you were born on a mosgoth. The landing is no problem.

 

‹ Prev