Dawn of the Dragons

by Joe Dever

  ‘I know this place,’ you reply, quietly. ‘The monastery lies beyond the next ridge of trees. If we are to break through here, we must be quick about it. These creatures can take to the skies — it would not take them long to summon reinforcements.’

  ‘You are right, Grand Master. The risks are indeed great, but I and my men are willing to take them to ensure your return to the Monastery of the Kai. You must get through. You are the only one who can destroy the Shadow Gate and remove this curse from our land.’

  ‘Very well, then, captain,’ you reply, unsheathing your weapon. ‘Pass the order to prepare to charge.’

  Turn to 200.

  68

  The pack leader is torn to shreds by the blast, and several of his followers are left mortally wounded. The sight of their injuries, coupled with the deafening sound of the unexpected explosion, is more than the remaining pack members can bear. With a howl of fear and frustration, they turn away and race back to the safety of Castle Tranius.

  Turn to 86.

  69

  The howling winds of the abyss buffet you unmercifully as you spin around this whirling black vortex. Pressure begins to build in your body, and soon the pain in your head and chest become almost unbearable: it feels as if you are being torn apart.

  If you possess Grand Nexus and have attained the rank of Grand Thane, turn to 187.

  If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai Mastery, turn to 305.

  70

  You ride to a barricade that is within twenty yards of the river's edge. To the astonishment of the soldiers who are sheltering here from a hail of fire bombs and arrows, you leap from your horse and sprint headlong towards the river. The moment you hit the freezing water, you stay submerged as you begin the long swim to the opposite bank.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table.

  If the number you have picked is 0–5, turn to 163.

  If it is 6–9, turn to 125.

  71

  You tell Captain D'Val to take the regiment fifty yards back along the trail. When he has complied with your order, you move upstream until you can see, at an angle, the source of the ultraviolet beam: it is a shiny metallic polyhedron, studded with rivets.

  Using your Kai Mastery of Nexus, you cause the device to rise. You have lifted it no more than a few inches when suddenly it is torn apart by a violent explosion that peppers the area around the ford with sharp splinters of rock. As the dust of the explosion clears, you signal to D'Val to bring the regiment forward.

  ‘Thank Ishir you're with us,’ says the captain, as he leads the men across the ford. ‘Without you, this wicked sorcery would have cost us dear.’

  Turn to 235.

  72

  The figure at the fireplace does not reply. Instead, it stretches out a gloved hand and takes up an iron rod which is lying upon the stone mantle. The instant its fingers close around the haft, a crackling blue flame ignites at its tip.

  Illustration IV—The instant its fingers close around the haft, a crackling blue flame ignites at its tip.

  ‘Draw steel!’ commands Nathor, and his men respond by unsheathing their swords in readiness for combat. You focus your psychic powers at the figure and sense that it is not human: it possesses an aura of evil that marks it as a dark disciple, a magician versed in the forbidden black arts of the Nadziranim.

  Suddenly there is a low, concussive boom and a spiral of blue flame shoots the length of the hall, fired from the tip of the figure's iron stave. You are its intended target and you dive to the floor to avoid being hit. The bolt ricochets off the stone wall close behind you and shatters one of the tall windows into a thousand glittering shards.

  ‘Take him!’ shouts Nathor, and his men rush forward, but a second blast from the stave puts an end to their brave advance. All three are cut down by an arc of blue fire that leaves their corpses heaped and smouldering in the middle of the hall.

  Nathor curses the sinister figure and it responds by uttering a chilling, inhuman laugh. Now you sense a new danger approaching — the being's sickly laughter is summoning its minions to the hall.

  ‘Lord Nathor!’ you cry. ‘We cannot prevail here. We must escape … Follow me!’

  And with these words, you race to the window and leap feet-first through its shattered pane.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table.

  If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 219.

  If it is 5–9, turn to 301.

  73

  Within a matter of seconds, the remaining pack members catch the scent of their leader's blood and it drives them into a frenzy. They increase their speed and, knowing that you cannot outrun them, you are forced to turn and face them as they launch a simultaneous attack.

  Eldenoran War-dogs (in blood-frenzy): COMBAT SKILL 42 ENDURANCE 47

  Due to their frenzied state, these War-dogs are immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.

  If you win the combat, turn to 295.

  74

  You leave behind the Denka Gate and follow a road that twists and climbs through densely wooded highland. Once you crest the last timbered hill, you begin a gradual descent towards the Taunor Valley — a fertile expanse of cropland and grassy plain. By dusk you can see the River Quarl ahead and, shortly before nightfall, you cross its fast-flowing waters at a bridge in the centre of Quarlen, a busy town on the caravan route to Casiorn.

  Just beyond the bridge you see an impressive hostelry, with adjoining stables. A shield hangs above the courtyard gate displaying its name: ‘The Barrel Bridge Tavern’.

  If you wish to stop and enter this hostelry, turn to 211.

  If you choose to continue your ride to Casiorn, turn to 31.

  75

  In the twilight before dawn, you catch sight of the River Kinam less than a mile away to the west. You scan the surrounding landscape and note several small tracks (which lead to tiny farmsteads dotted around the vast plain) converging at a hamlet which nestles in a bend of this great river. During the past hour your horse has developed a slight limp, and a cursory look at his affected leg reveals that he has thrown a shoe. You know that unless you replace the missing shoe, and soon, he will be too lame to carry you further. Reluctantly, you decide to enter the hamlet and go in search of a blacksmith.

  A signpost at the entrance to the hamlet announces its name: Kalma. It is a quiet, sleepy sort of place that in many ways reminds you of Dage, the Sommlending village where you were born and where you spent your early years. Near the centre of this humble village you discover a smithy where, even at this early hour, you can hear the sound of a hammer beating iron. You tether your horse to a rail alongside a moth-eaten old donkey, and call out for the blacksmith.

  ‘In 'ere,’ comes the curt reply. On entering you discover a tall, broad-shouldered man clad in a leather apron, busily shaping a horseshoe on an anvil.

  ‘My steed has shed a shoe,’ you say. ‘Can you replace it?’

  ‘Aye,’ he says, without bothering to look up from his work, ‘but it'll cost you 20 Lune. In cash, and in advance, if you please.’

  If you have sufficient cash to pay the blacksmith (20 Lune = 5 Gold Crowns), turn to 234.

  If you do not, turn to 259.

  76

  Your Arrow glances harmlessly off the dragon's skull, making him even angrier than he already is. He stomps his massive forefoot down onto the black soil and sends a splash of molten mud and flames soaring into the air.

  Hurriedly you shoulder your Bow and reach for your weapon as the great beast comes lumbering slowly towards you with his massive jaw agape.

  Unless you possess a Platinum Amulet, a Talisman of Ishir, or the Discipline of Grand Nexus, you must now deduct 3 ENDURANCE points due to the debilitating effects of the heat and atmosphere.

  Turn to 316.

  77

  You avoid, as best you can, any contact with your fellow passengers as the ferry sets off on its return trip to t
he city of Rhem. It docks inside the city's famous horseshoe-shaped harbour, and you make sure that you are among the first to disembark.

  Using your Kai camouflage skills and your natural stealth, you avoid the attentions of the watchful Salonese guards at the harbour and, once inside the city proper, you merge with the crowds. Soon you find yourself in a square that is overshadowed by the twin towers of Rhem Cathedral. An avenue runs along the cathedral's south side and, at its far end, your eye is drawn to a rusty suit of armour which stands beside the door to a dingy-looking weapons shop.

  If you wish to enter this armoury, turn to 339.

  If you decide not to enter, turn to 36.

  78

  You shout the order to fire and the Kai let loose their straining bowstrings. A cloud of arrows with armour-piercing tips, hardened in the fires of the monastery forge, whistle towards the swooping Lavas with impressive accuracy. All find their target, but only one of the winged creatures falls from the sky. You see that the beast has been struck in the eye. Hurriedly the acolytes reload as the Lavas prepare to land on the battlements.

  ‘Fire at their eyes!’ you shout, and a cloud of fifty Kai arrows are sent screaming through the sky to seek their elusive mark. This time more than half find their target, decimating the onrushing Lavas at a single stroke, yet those winged creatures who do survive this deadly volley are quickly among the defenders on the wall.

  Turn to 165.

  79

  Using the Brotherhood Spell Mind Charm, you command the prisoner to reveal the identity of the person who sent him here to Garthen to murder you. At first you are unable to penetrate the man's mind — his memory is protected by a magical shield. Then you draw on your psychic Kai skills to boost the Mind Charm spell and suddenly you feel the man's magical shield begin to crack and disintegrate.

  The man shrieks with fear as his body is racked by convulsions. A mass of images swirls and solidify in your mind's eye — they are images of a past meeting in a far-off place which you recognize to be Duadon, the capital city of Eldenora. You see a shadowy figure, sheathed in ornate chainmail, handing a bulging pouch of gold to the prisoner in a dimly lit alleyway. The figure speaks your name before melting away into the shadows.

  ‘Who is this person?’ you say, commanding the trembling prisoner to answer. He parts his bruised lips and tries to utter a name but no sound emerges. You sense that he is fighting to overcome the remnants of the shielding spell placed upon his mind. Moving closer, you try to make out the name he is struggling hard to whisper.

  Turn to 326.

  80

  The herd of coppery-red dragons continues its relentless advance across the fiery plain. You count more than a hundred in total, and each one is as long and as broad as a galleon. The largest of their number, who is also the swiftest of foot, comes looming towards you, breathing blasts of blue flame. His scaly brethren halt in their tracks and watch expectantly, through hooded black eyes, as their leader stalks you like a cat preying upon a helpless dormouse.

  Illustration V—The scaly dragon brethren watch as their leader stalks you like a cat.

  High above, swooping in and out of the clouds, are scores of cackling Lavas. You sense also another presence, a wispy dark shadow that exudes malevolence. You shudder when you realize that you are in the presence of a manifestation of Naar himself. He has come to witness your doom, to enjoy the sport of your final, futile battle, before he unleashes his dragons upon Sommerlund. The Lavas' attacks were but a preliminary phase of his master plan to destroy Sommerlund and the Kai.

  With terror in your heart you retreat across the moving sands in a desperate attempt to reach the Shadow Gate — your only hope of escape. The dragon continues to advance and it utters a thunderous roar as it bares its fangs in preparation for its attack.

  If you have a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 196.

  If you do not, or if you choose not to use it, turn to 122.

  81

  As the riders approach, your initial suspicions are confirmed: these are unquestionably Eldenoran brigands. Their saddle-cloths bear their emblem and their steeds are laden with sacks and pouches that bulge with ill-gotten gains. You decide to remain hidden until they have passed by, but as they draw level with the copse, your horse suddenly shrieks and rises up on its hind legs. With shocked dismay you see that a harmless grass snake has coiled itself around your horse's foreleg.

  The cry of your frightened horse betrays your hiding place. The Eldenorans wheel away from the road and come charging towards the copse, their swords drawn in eager anticipation of yet another easy kill.

  If you wish to unsheathe a weapon and get ready to defend yourself, turn to 293.

  If you choose to retreat deeper into the copse in an attempt to evade these brigands, turn to 241.

  82

  Using the Old Kingdom Battle-spell Hold Enemy, you command the Eldenoran to cease all movement. Instantly, the drunken thug freezes like a stone statue, enabling the young woman and her child to break free from his grasp. She runs towards you, cradling the sobbing child in her arms.

  ‘Thank you, thank you … ’ she cries as she falls to your feet. Gently you lift her, assuring her with kind words that her ordeal is over. She smiles, reassured, but her expression quickly changes when she spots something moving behind you.

  ‘There he is, that cur Holkar!’ she spits. ‘He's the murdering leader of these bandits. All this chaos is his doing.’

  You turn to look at the object of her hatred, and see a swarthy brigand dodging between the gravestones that line the abbey grounds. He has a sack full of loot slung over his shoulder and he is hurrying towards his horse which stands close to the abbey's perimeter wall. Determined not to let him escape, you rush into the grounds of the abbey and give chase.

  Turn to 206.

  83

  Once outside the broken gate of Amory, you turn to the north and follow the road which leads to Varetta, the principal city of Lyris. At noon you come to a fork in the road where a signpost indicates two different destinations: Soren (left) and Varetta (right). You take the right-hand road and spend the afternoon riding across a lonely stretch of gently undulating plain. During this ride, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  Daylight is beginning to wane when you arrive at a village that is dominated by a fortified manor house. Rain clouds are fast closing in from the west and your thoughts turn, once more, to finding shelter for the night.

  If you wish to seek shelter at the manor house, turn to 318.

  If you choose to seek shelter in the village, turn to 42.

  84

  ‘Grand Master, let me introduce you to Captain Cearmaine,’ says Elector Manatine, formally presenting the tough-looking officer to you. ‘I have chosen him to see you safely to Holona. He will do all he can to help you through the battle zone so that you may press on with your urgent journey to Casiorn.’

  You recognize the captain's name and recall having heard tales of his bravery during the Darklands War. His acts of heroism turned many battles to the favour of the Freeland Armies and earned him a respected reputation throughout Northern Magnamund. You could not have asked for a better man to escort you on the next, difficult stage of your vital journey.

  He offers you his hand in friendship and you are mildly shocked when your fingers close around a palm crafted from cold steel.

  ‘A keepsake from the Battle of Vellino,’ he says, smiling at his metal hand. ‘Sadly, the first was stole away by a Drakkar's axe.’

  Turn to 130.

  85

  As the last of the Eldenorans falls to the ground, you turn and vault onto the freed horse's back. With a flick of your heels, you urge him to gallop and steer him into the woods. You keep to the trees and head south in a wide arc around the Eldenoran settlement at Fabri. During your ride through the timberland, you discover the following items in the bags and blanket roll which are attached to the horse's saddle:

  S
word

  Rope

  Tinderbox

  Blanket

  Bow

  Quiver containing 5 Arrows

  12 Lune (equivalent to 3 Gold Crowns)

  Spyglass

  If you wish to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your Action Chart accordingly.

  Shortly before sunset, you emerge from the trees at a place where three trails meet. A wooden signpost propped against a boulder indicates three directions, destinations, and distances:

  Chod: 250 miles North

  Holona: 50 miles West

  Tenzha: 20 miles South

  You are anxious to leave hostile Eldenoran territory as soon as possible and, after checking your map, you set off to the south, towards the Slovian border town of Tenzha.

  During your ride, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  To continue, turn to 343.

  86

  You ride to Scade with all the speed your exhausted horse can muster and return at once to the Lucky Bucket Inn where the remaining members of the troop are billeted. The news of your encounter at Castle Tranius comes as a shock, both to the troopers and to the innkeeper who fears for the safety of the real Knight Tranius.