The Captives of Kaag

by Joe Dever

  If you wish to follow the avenue southwards, turn to 142.

  If you choose to clamber over the rubble which fills the entrance to the west avenue, turn to 35.

  261

  As the last Egorgh crashes lifelessly to the ground, you turn and hurry towards the adjoining passage. Sheathing your weapon as you run, you follow the passage for several minutes before arriving at an empty circular room. The only feature here is a rusty iron ladder fixed precariously to the wall, which ascends through a hole in the ceiling to a level above. There is no other exit from this chamber and so, with caution guiding your every move, you climb the rust-eaten rungs.

  You rise through the hole to find yourself in a corridor which is strewn with human bones. Skeletons lie mixed in tangled heaps and many of the skulls and loose bones seem to have been gnawed. The psychic residues of pain and terror left by these luckless victims press in upon your senses, making you feel queasy and claustrophobic. With pounding heart you advance along the bone-choked passage, stepping carefully through the skeletons to avoid making a sound. But you have taken less than a dozen steps when something unexpected makes you freeze in your tracks.

  Turn to 218.

  262

  Hastily you push Banedon aside then dive to avoid the falling net, the sheer speed with which you react saving you both from becoming trapped like two foxes in a snare. Quickly you spring to your feet and rush to help your fallen companion. As you stoop to lift him, you hear a deep voice cursing you quietly in the shadows. You turn to face the voice, weapon in hand, ready to cut him down. But you are shocked to the core when you see who it is who emerges into the grey light of the pen.

  Turn to 54.

  263

  Hurriedly you retreat, drawing a hand weapon in your defence as the two evil-eyed horrors come rushing forwards with murderous intent.

  Illustration XIV—Two evil-eyed horrors rush forward with murderous intent.

  2 Xaghash: COMBAT SKILL 52 ENDURANCE 60

  If you wield the Sommerswerd, its power doubles in strength for the duration of this combat (+16 COMBAT SKILL).

  If you win the combat, turn to 276.

  264

  You step back from the dead war-dog and wipe away the splashes of its foul blood from your face. The sound of footfalls outside the door warns you that the noise of the fight has attracted some unwanted attention. A Drakkar shouts, demanding to know who is in the room. You rush to the door and pull across the bolt just in time to prevent him getting in. With the warrior pounding on the door, you turn and run into the adjoining chamber which is littered with Giak bones and half-chewed haunches of meat. To your right you notice another curtained archway, and through its threadbare cloth you see a stone staircase spiralling down into the dark.

  The dingy stone staircase leads down to an empty torchlit chamber, its floor strewn with filthy straw. To the right there is a stout wooden door secured by a rusty bolt, and ahead you see a damp passage. Your Magnakai senses tell you that it heads due south.

  If you wish to take a closer look at the door, turn to 242.

  If you wish to investigate the passage, turn to 343.

  265

  A ghostly mist issues from the parting jaws of the throne-statue. You step back, your weapon raised, but it does nothing to protect you from the piercing screech which suddenly fills your head. You reel under the onslaught as, desperately, your Magnakai senses try to block this violent psychic attack. Before you can muster your defences to repel the attack, you suffer shock and injury to your central nervous system: lose 4 ENDURANCE points.

  Turn to 293.

  266

  Although you race along the street with the Death Knights hot on your heels, you are confident that you will soon outrun them. However, your confidence is severely shaken when you see that the way ahead is blocked by a hill of rubble, the remains of a collapsed watchtower.

  If you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, turn to 22.

  If you do not possess this skill or have yet to reach this level of Kai Grand Mastery, turn to 232.

  267

  With trepidation you follow the passage, praying all the while that Banedon's vision proves to be correct. Then at last your prayers are answered when, in the distance, you catch your first glimpse of the Zlanbeast pens.

  You soon arrive at the entrance to the pens, where, from the safety of the shadows, you stop to observe the activity taking place inside. Lining the walls of the chamber you count more than a dozen cages, each holding a Zlanbeast or several smaller Kraan. Most are feeding, but there are some saddled ready for flight. One of these saddled Zlanbeast is perched nearby on a landing platform from where it casts its idle gaze upon the city far below.

  You are contemplating how long it will take you and Banedon to reach the platform and climb aboard the waiting Zlanbeast, when suddenly you notice something strange that arouses your suspicions: there are no handlers or guards on duty in the pen.

  If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, turn to 294.

  If you do not possess this skill, turn to 168.

  268

  You pull the door slightly ajar then quickly gather up some sacks and boxes which you stack in a heap near the opening. The guttering wall torch that illuminates this chamber provides the flame to set this little makeshift bonfire alight. Soon the tinder-dry pile is ablaze, sending clouds of acrid blue-grey smoke billowing along the corridor towards the guards.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table.

  If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 347.

  If it is 5–9, turn to 175.

  269

  Barbed arrows whistle past you to shatter on the marble steps as you force your aching legs to cover the final twenty feet which separate you from the safety of the tunnel ahead.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, add 3 to the number you have picked.

  If your total is 0–1, turn to 71.

  If it is 2–6, turn to 236.

  If it is 7 or more, turn to 316.

  270

  You watch with fascination as the two wispy figures glide to a halt before the door. Their dark bodies are amorphous and indistinct, as if some spell or charm was preventing you from focusing clearly upon their true forms. They whisper words in a sombre musical tone, and slowly the slab of steel recedes into the wall.

  A sudden probe invades your mind; you have been detected psychically. The wispy creatures solidify into the shapes of two dragon-like creatures, each the size of a small horse and, as they turn to face you, the probe in your mind is transformed into a red-hot lance of pain.

  If you possess the Discipline of Kai-screen, turn to 174.

  If you do not possess this skill, turn to 45.

  271

  The passage runs in an uninterrupted straight line for several hundred yards before arriving at a great circular room constructed of granite blocks. Cold air falls from a dark opening overhead and dozens of ropes and pulleys extend from this shaft, hanging down to touch the flagstoned floor. A large square door, furnished with brass and iron studs, is situated to your left. Apart from the shaft it appears to be the only exit from this chamber.

  If you possess a Brass Key, turn to 141.

  If you do not have this Backpack Item, turn to 255.

  272

  Beyond the door you find a small chamber, its wood-panelled walls hung with bridles and saddlery. You push the door closed and hold your breath as the footfalls of the Drakkarim steadily grow louder. To your relief, they pass by the door and continue without slowing down. When you can detect no sounds in the passageway, you leave this tack room and hurry away.

  Turn to 332.

  273

  Like a shadow, you slip across the bridge and enter the alleyway unnoticed. At the far end of this narrow, foul-smelling passage you see the iron staircase which ascends to an arched portal, an opening which is framed by the coils of a black stone ser
pent. Cautiously you climb the stairs, taking care to avoid those steps eaten through by rust, your eyes fixed upon the portal above. Suddenly you freeze in your tracks when a splash of sparks illuminates the face of a Drakkarim warrior who is standing on guard in the shadows. He is striking a flint, trying desperately to ignite a braided cord with which to light the briar pipe clenched between his rot-blackened teeth. Beside him, propped against a heavy iron door, is a spear.

  If you possess the Grand Master Discipline of Assimilance, turn to 19.

  If you do not possess this skill, turn to 163.

  274

  Using your Magnakai Discipline of Telegnosis, you induce a trance that allows your conscious mind to leave your physical body and float across the fiery moat towards Banedon's prone form. Telepathically you call to him, trying to awaken him to consciousness, but you are unable to make contact. Then unexpectedly, your psychic calls are answered by a blood-chilling scream.

  Horror floods your mind when you realize that the person before you is not your friend Banedon — it is a Helghast. As the creature rises and its features twist and distort before your gaze, you cast an anxious glance back across the moat to the place where your physical body stands. Through the great door come two Drakkarim guards behind a slavering boar-like creature which is straining on its leash. With relish they release the beast and it bounds towards your inanimate body, its jaws snapping wildly. Fear blazes scarlet as you will your spirit towards your body, desperate to reunite before the boar-thing tears your flesh to shreds.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If your current ENDURANCE points score is 20 or more, add 1 to the number you have picked. If your ENDURANCE is 19 or less, deduct 1.

  If your total score is now 3 or less, turn to 299.

  If it is 4 or more, turn to 122.

  275

  An arrow strikes your friend in the side and silently he falls to his knees, his hands still clinging to you for support. You stoop to lift him, but suddenly there is a flash of light and a blinding pain fills your head. The pain soon passes, but it is replaced by a blackness which fills your vision. You feel yourself falling forwards into an infinite void, as if you had, in the middle of a moonless night, just stepped over the edge of a towering cliff. Reluctantly you surrender to the sensation for it is the last sensation you will ever feel.

  Sadly, your life and your quest end here.

  276

  You step back from the slain bodies of these two deadly foes, and lean against a table for support until your strength returns. By chance, you notice a strange key lying there. It has been carved from a green metallic substance which radiates a dim, phosphorescent light.

  If you wish to keep this Green Key, mark it on your Action Chart as a Special Item which you carry in your tunic pocket.

  As soon as your strength returns, you leave this chamber and press on with your search for Guildmaster Banedon.

  Turn to 133.

  277

  You sprint across the empty street and crouch at the base of the tower wall. The brick surface is plastered with mouldering grey cement and, as you look up at the roof twenty feet above, you steel yourself for what could prove to be a difficult climb.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess a Rope, add 1 to the number you have picked. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 2.

  If your total score is now 3 or less, turn to 253.

  If it is 4–6, turn to 198.

  If it is 7 or more, turn to 63.

  278

  A few minutes later you see two Giaks coming down the corridor, both carrying wooden buckets filled with sand. Hesitantly they push open the door, tip the sand haphazardly over the smouldering remains of the fire, and then turn and scurry away.

  For a while there is a hubbub of activity in the hallway as the guards and the Giaks speculate at length about the cause of the fire. While you are waiting for things to calm down, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points (unless you possess Grand Huntmastery).

  Your first plan having failed, you decide instead to exercise your Kai skills of persuasion, aided by the use of the discarded Drakkarim uniform.

  Turn to 70.

  279

  You draw back the bolt and push the rickety door. It opens out to a passageway which runs alongside the abattoir, deserted and empty save for a few piles of Giak bones freshly stripped of their flesh.

  You follow this passage to its end, keeping to the shadows to minimize the risk of being seen by those who may be lurking in the ruins, yet, unfortunately, you neglect to notice the Kraan which are circling high above. As you reach the end of the passage and turn the corner, three of these flying spawn come swooping down out of the smoky sky to batter you with their claw-tipped wings. Twice you are knocked down before you manage to draw your weapon and fight back.

  3 Kaag Kraan: COMBAT SKILL 45 ENDURANCE 60

  If you possess the skill of Kai-surge and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, double any psychic combat bonuses you may be entitled to (for the duration of this combat only).

  If you win this fight, turn to 190.

  280

  Defiantly you face the Helghast, your weapon at your side. The creature looks upon you and sneers, revealing two sharp fangs which protrude from its lower jaw. It emits a chilling cackle, full of hatred and contempt, and its eyes blaze like two hot coals as it confidently quickens its gait. You take a breath and utter the word of power that you learned from your mentor, Lord Rimoah: Gloar!

  The word forms a ball of energy that speeds across the hall and slams into the approaching Helghast. The force of this power-word lifts the creature into the air and sends it tumbling, like some hideous rag doll, backwards into the flame-filled moat.

  Open-mouthed, the two Drakkarim stumble to a halt and stare down into the all-consuming fire. Nervously they glance at each other, fearful of suffering a similar fate, but years of fierce battle discipline soon override their anxiety and, like two automatons, they raise their swords and continue to advance towards you.

  Drakkarim Veterans: COMBAT SKILL 30 ENDURANCE 35

  If you win this combat, turn to 340.

  281

  The hovering shadow is changing shape once more. It expands and thickens, its misty outline now becoming hard and clearly defined. Your heart quickens when the transformation is complete for now you see before you a scaly dragon, with frosty-white skin and eyes as black as deep space. It fixes you with a murderous gaze and opens a mouth that is packed with razor-sharp fangs. Then a chilling gust of super-cold breath blows over you, leaving you shivering. Your Magnakai skills save you from being instantly frozen to death by this icy blast, but they will not keep you safe from the creature's fangs, its horny tail, or its sword-like claws. With a hungry growl, the dragon comes stalking forwards. Its jaw hangs open in expectation of an easy feast.

  Illustration XV—A scaly dragon with frosty white skin and razor- sharp fangs fixes you with a murderous gaze.

  Ice Dragon (polymorphed Nadziran): COMBAT SKILL 48 ENDURANCE 52

  If you win this combat, turn to 50.

  282

  The Kraan glides towards the semi-ovoid platform and you swing one leg over its neck in readiness to leap from the saddle the moment it lands. With graceful agility, you jump the last few feet onto the platform and run through the open entrance. A Giak Kraan-handler suddenly appears before you, but your quick wits and Kai camouflage skills keep you from being seen. As he shuffles out onto the platform to tend to the screeching Kraan, you run towards the rear of the pen where there are two exits: one to the south, the other to the west.

  If you wish to enter the south arch, turn to 181.

  If you choose to enter the west arch, turn to 55.

  283

  An arrow clips your forearm, making you cry out in pained surprise: lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  ‘It's no good, Banedon,’ you shout, as you watch the Drakkarim rushing towards you, ‘we'll have to take our chan
ces in the pen.’

  Cursing your predicament you turn around and hurry back towards the waiting ambush. But you have taken less than five steps inside the pen when an unexpected sound makes you look up. To your horror, you see a weighted net falling from the ceiling directly onto your heads.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have Grand Huntmastery and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, add 3 to the number you have picked.

  If your total is now 0–4, turn to 27.

  If it is 5 or more, turn to 262.

  284

  Before you land the killing blow which parts the head of this ghastly Vordak, it shrieks a cry of alarm that attracts a Zlanbeast circling in the smoky sky above. The winged reptilian answers its call by swooping down and raking you with its serrated beak.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table and add 1 to this number. The resulting total is equivalent to the number of ENDURANCE points you lose due to the Zlanbeast's attack.

  Before you can retaliate, the winged creature soars into the air and disappears. Cursing its departure, you look down to see that the body of the slain Vordak is no longer there. It has transformed into a foul-smelling green gas.