Dawn of the Dragons

by Joe Dever

  Turn to 340.

  183

  Your slain horse crashes to the ground and you are thrown through the air. You land among the boulders and bracken which border the hill road, but your swift Kai reflexes prevent you from sustaining serious injury: lose 2 ENDURANCE points.

  Bruised but unshaken, you spring to your feet in time to see a yelling horde of leather-clad men, each brandishing a sword or a spear, come rushing from hiding places among the surrounding trees. As they close in upon you, you draw your weapon and prepare to fight for your life.

  Eldenoran Ambushers: COMBAT SKILL 38 ENDURANCE 42

  If you win the combat, turn to 285.

  184

  Your first reaction is to back away from this strange old man and reach for the hilt of your weapon, but then your Kai senses tell you that he means you no harm. You focus your psychic powers at his mind and, in an instant, you sense that he has summoned you here to aid you.

  ‘I am Gwynian the Sage,’ he says, meekly. ‘I am a humble servant of the Gods Kai and Ishir. I seek to help you, Grand Master. Will you not listen to my wisdom?’

  You nod in wary agreement and allow the old man to usher you through the archway into an adjoining chamber. Here you see strange floating bulbs of light that illuminate a stone table covered with charts and scrolls.

  ‘Very well, Gwynian, what news have you of Sommerlund?’ you ask, sceptically.

  ‘Grave news,’ replies the old man, with an ominous tone. He picks up a chart from the table and traces a finger across the intricate lines and calculations that embellish its ancient yellowed surface.

  ‘The Dark God Naar has opened a Shadow Gate in the Durncrag Mountains, a corridor between our world and his. By means of this corridor he has sent a host of winged creatures — the Lavas — to assail your monastery. It is his plan to destroy the young order of Kai warriors while you are not able to lead them. The Shadow Gate opened at the time of the last full moon and, since then, the Kai Monastery has been attacked many times. Naar's servants have your stronghold encircled and cut off from the armies of King Ulnar, who has repeatedly sought to break the siege. Your Kai have withstood the attacks well, Lone Wolf, but they are weakening. Only you can save them now.’

  ‘But how?’ you ask, shaken by Gwynian's account of the events which have occurred during your absence from the monastery. ‘If the armies of King Ulnar are powerless to break the siege, how can I hope to save my brethren?’

  ‘Do not despair, Lone Wolf,’ replies Gwynian, reassuringly. ‘All is not yet lost. You can save your brave order by closing the gate through which Naar sends his Lavas minions.’

  You are about to ask how you could possibly achieve this, how you could close the Shadow Gate, but your urgent question is forestalled when Gwynian raises his hand.

  ‘Patience for just a moment, Lone Wolf,’ he says, and he allows himself a smile. ‘I, humble Gwynian, possess the means by which you can thwart the Dark God's murderous plan.’

  Turn to 100.

  185

  Your hasty dive lands you upon the chest of a sleeping Eldenoran officer who awakes with a start. Before he can cry out, you punch him squarely on the jaw, knocking him unconscious. As you get to your feet you notice that scattered on his makeshift bunk are several leather bags and scraps of paper.

  If you wish to sift through these items, turn to 277.

  If you choose to get ready to leave this dugout as soon as the coast is clear, turn to 133.

  186

  The sides of the ravine are composed of gravel and shale which is loose and treacherous underfoot, yet your natural agility enables you to make the descent without too much difficulty. Climbing up the far side, however, proves to be a far harder task than expected.

  If you possess Kai-alchemy, turn to 262.

  If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, turn to 143.

  187

  You draw upon your Kai Mastery for protection and, gradually, you feel the pain subside. Flashing motes of light are beginning to whirl past you in the inky blackness, and faint sounds are reaching your ears, emanating from a pinpoint of light in the far distance. This speck of light steadily grows until it seems to fill your senses, and, with an abruptness that leaves you gasping for breath, you suddenly find yourself lying face down on a slab of damp granite.

  Turn to 276.

  188

  The woman reaches to her purse and counts out 40 silver Lune into the cleric's trembling hands, and all the while she praises him loudly for taking the pain from her head. The cleric, whose name is Matho, sheepishly accepts her generous donation. Then, quite suddenly, he is swamped by the crowd of onlookers who all rush the stage at once. Each one waves a money purse and demands that he cure them as well. The frail old man is in danger of being crushed to death until you rescue him from this agitated crowd.

  Once safely outside, he offers you all of the woman's donation, for he knows only too well that it was your healing abilities which cured her, and not his own. (If you wish to accept this money, record it on your Action Chart as 40 Lune, which has the equivalent value of 10 Gold Crowns. It takes up the same space in your Belt Pouch as would 10 Gold Crowns.)

  ‘Where are you bound for, stranger?’ he asks.

  ‘The east,’ you reply.

  ‘That's where I've journeyed from. Perhaps I can offer you a word of caution, eh? There's plague in the Stornlands this year. You would be well to avoid the region if you can. If you can't, well, this potion will protect you. I can at least guarantee that.’

  The old cleric pulls a small flask from his pocket and offers it to you. (If you wish to accept this potion, record it on your Action Chart as Matho's Potion.)

  Then the old cleric accompanies you back to the blacksmithy where he, too, is having his mount re-shoed. You collect your horse, and he collects his ragged old mule; then you bid each other good luck and farewell before going your separate ways.

  Turn to 315.

  189

  Stealthily you approach the nearest horse, using your Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control to keep him calm as you untie his reins. But you have only just released them from the rail when suddenly the door of the hut swings open and you find yourself confronted by the horse's rider — an Eldenoran cavalry scout.

  If you possess Kai-surge and wish to use it, turn to 110.

  If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 174.

  If you possess neither of these Grand Master Disciplines or choose not to use them, turn to 33.

  190

  It is the mid-afternoon when the troop resumes the long journey east to Vanamor. During the ride, Lord Nathor voices his grave concern that Eldenoran bandits should be operating in the heart of his country: they have rarely dared to venture this far from home before. Although he does not say so, you sense that he knows the reason why they have become so bold of late. They have been sent here to find and kill you.

  The road climbs out of the valley and zigzags its way through the forested hills to a high pass. Beyond this pass there stretches a wide expanse of lush grassland where herds of wild deer roam and graze freely. It is late in the afternoon when you catch sight of a procession approaching on the road ahead. Mostly they are men dressed in ragged brown robes, and one is carrying aloft a grimy banner which bears the image of a lightning bolt set upon a full moon.

  ‘Shoni pilgrims,’ says Nathor, dismissively. ‘They're wandering beggar-monks who have taken a vow of poverty. Many in Garthen regard them as just a gang of scroungers who pretend to be a holy order so they can fleece the foolish. I suggest we ignore them and press on.’

  Illustration XI—‘Shoni pilgrims,’ says Nathor. ‘They're wandering beggar-monks who have taken a vow of poverty.’

  If you wish to take Nathor's advice and ignore the Shoni pilgrims, turn to 319.

  If you decide to stop and talk to them, turn to 28.

  191

  Beyond the ravine the land becomes increasingly barren. You press on, following
a dried watercourse to a plateau which is dotted with scrub and stunted pines. Here, beneath the twisted boughs of a dead tree, you make camp for the night and settle down to sleep. Before you rest, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  To continue, turn to 313.

  192

  You draw an Arrow and take careful aim at one of the leading Lavas. As it dips its head and opens its jaw, you release your straining bowstring and send your shaft whistling towards its face. The fire-hardened tip penetrates its eye and, with a hideous shriek, it spins end over end before crashing into the parapet of the North Watch.

  ‘Fire at their eyes!’ you shout, and a cloud of fifty Kai arrows are sent screaming through the sky to seek their elusive mark. More than half find their target, decimating the first wave of the Lavas attack at a single stroke, yet those winged creatures who do survive this deadly volley are quickly among the defenders on the wall. Suddenly you are confronted by one of these beasts who attempts to bat you from the battlements with its horny tail. You leap to avoid its scything attack, draw your weapon in mid-air, and strike your first blow the moment your feet return to the flagstones of the North Watch.

  Lavas: COMBAT SKILL 48 ENDURANCE 46

  If you win this combat, turn to 282.

  193

  You leave this accursed town as quickly as you are able, and skirt around its perimeter before joining the road which heads east towards Abisko. Later in the afternoon, you catch sight of a grand, half-timbered bridge in the far distance. It spans a river, swollen by recent rains, which you recognize at once to be the River Reloni. There is a small circular tent near the approach to the bridge, and three Eldenoran soldiers are seated on stools beside it, each smoking a long-stemmed pipe.

  At first you consider avoiding the bridge and finding somewhere else to make a crossing, but the river is wide and fast-flowing, and the three guards look particularly weak and stupid. After some deliberation, you decide to try to bluff your way past them. At your approach, one of the guards gets up off his stool and moves to stand in your way. Casually, he asks to see some sort of identification.

  If you possess a Silver Seal, turn to 283.

  If you do not possess this Special Item, turn to 317.

  194

  Before the angry thieves of Spur Lane can catch you, you cross the square and enter Quill Street. This narrow avenue is flanked by aromatic jala houses and perfumeries, until at length it turns abruptly right into a wider thoroughfare called Brass Street. Here you see the courtyard entrance to a grand building whose brick and marble façade is adorned with the words ‘Halls of Learning’. Suddenly you feel inexplicably drawn towards this building; it is as if it possesses the solution to all your problems.

  You enter and ride along a gravelled path which leads to a building where a sign, hanging over its richly-carved oak door, simply says ‘Library’. You feel compelled to stop here and, without quite knowing why, you dismount from your horse and tie his reins to a ring which is set into the wall. Then you push open the door and enter the library's cool interior.

  Countless thousands of books and parchments crowd the stone shelves of this magnificent library. Your eyes travel along them until they reach another door at the far end of the hall. There, standing framed in its archway, is an old man clad in plain brown robes. He looks at you and smiles knowingly.

  ‘Welcome, Grand Master,’ he says. ‘I have been expecting you.’

  If you have ever visited a hut on Raider's Road, the city of Tahou, or Lake Vorndarol (in previous Lone Wolf adventures), turn to 348.

  If you have never visited any of these places, turn to 184.

  195

  You cross to the far side of the river and wait there as the first few wolf-creatures come racing towards the bridge. The pack leader is a massive brute with chillingly yellow eyes that seem to follow your every move. The moment he reaches the bridge approach, you focus your Kai powers of Animal Control at him in a desperate attempt to turn him away.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. For every level of Kai rank you have attained above that of Kai Grand Guardian, add 1 to the number you have picked.

  If your total score is now 0–4, turn to 179.

  If it is 5–8, turn to 214.

  If it is 9 or higher, turn to 266.

  196

  As you draw an Arrow and raise your Bow at the dragon's massive head, you hear the Lavas emitting a sound that approximates laughter. Clearly they are amused by your reliance on such a primitive weapon. Undaunted by their cackling sneers, you pull the bowstring as taut as you can and place your trust in the Gods Ishir and Kai to guide your aim.

  If you possess Magi-magic and have attained the Kai rank of Sun Lord or higher, turn to 297.

  If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai Mastery, turn to 334.

  197

  After a few minutes the druid ceases to sweep the river's edge with his curious-looking device, and you watch him disappear below the parapet of the trench.

  Rather than attempt to exit the water here, you allow the current to carry you a few hundred yards downstream. Here you discover a shallow bay in the river bank which affords you better cover from the nearest enemy trench. Quickly you crawl out of the water and slither like a snake up the muddy bank to drop silently into this trench. A dull-witted Eldenoran is swiftly dispatched with a blow from the edge of your hand, enabling you to move further along this log-walled ditch. Just as you are passing the opening to a makeshift dugout, you sense danger ahead. A single file of Eldenoran swordsmen is marching along the trench in your direction: it will only be a matter of seconds before they are close enough to see you.

  If you wish to dive into the dugout to avoid being seen by these men, turn to 185.

  If you choose to unsheathe your weapon and prepare for combat with this advancing file of troops, turn to 57.

  198

  ‘In the name of the gods!’ splutters Nathor, spilling liqueur down the front of his tunic. ‘What was that?’

  You hurry to the window and see a large, bat-like shape silhouetted against the moon. A man-sized rider clings precariously to the creature's back as it swoops and soars among the hills and gullies. A knot of fear tightens in the pit of your stomach.

  ‘A Kraan,’ you say, recognizing at once the outline of this unwelcome creature.

  ‘You had best come away from the window, my lord,’ replies an anxious Nathor, ‘lest it detect your presence here.’

  You take heed of the Lord Constable's advice and retreat from the window. Furthermore, you use your Magnakai skill of Psi-screen to shield your mind in case the Kraan rider is able to employ psychic abilities to locate your presence.

  ‘It is not the first time,’ says Rasbarin. ‘Every night for the past ten days we've heard it circling the hills. Sometimes there is more than one of its kind.’ He offers you a bunk in the cellar of the monastery where you may be safe from detection, and you accept gladly.

  Turn to 154.

  199

  The accused man thanks you profusely for proving his innocence, and the merchant, while on his hands and knees gathering up his scattered gems, offers the man one of his glittering stones by way of an apology.

  Red-faced with embarrassment, the merchant then offers you 10 Gold Crowns for having rid him of a thief whom he was about to entrust with his entire cargo of gems and spices from Casiorn. (If you choose to accept the crowns, be sure to adjust your Action Chart accordingly.)

  The tavern owner, however, is not so understanding. He does not like blood being spilled on his premises and he asks you to leave at once. You bid all three goodnight and then return to the stables to collect Wildwind.

  Turn to 31.

  200

  You lead the regiment along the trail to where the surrounding forest opens out into a shallow meadow. Along the centre of this grassy clearing there meanders a small stream, where a dozen of the winged creatures are
spread unevenly along the muddy banks. They are staring intently at the water, seemingly fascinated by the sight of the trout swimming there, and at first they do not see the regiment approaching. You give the signal to change formation, to form into two lines abreast for the charge. Then you glance at the wooded rise on the far side of the meadow, knowing that beyond this ridge lies your goal — the Kai Monastery.

  Suddenly one of the creatures hovering over the stream raises the alarm and his ghastly brothers growl with surprise. Unnervingly, they clack their beaked jaws as they survey the King's Cavalry, as if they are relishing the thought of an imminent feast. You order the men to lower their lances and then, with a smile of grim determination on your lips, you spur your horse forward and give voice to your battle-cry: ‘For Sommerlund and the Kai!’

  The King's Cavalry sweep down the meadow and engulf the winged horrors, driving their lances through their steely hides. You see two of the creatures disappear beneath a thundering wave of hooves, and another two are caught from behind as they attempt to take to the air. You strike one creature a blow to its head as you gallop across the stream. It glances off its iron-hard skull, but the force is sufficient to stun the beast. As it staggers drunkenly in your wake, Captain D'Val, who is leading the second line, veers towards it and runs it through with his lance.

  Once you are over the stream, you spur your horse up the grassy rise towards the top of the ridge, now no more than a hundred yards distant. You are within seconds of reaching the crest of the ridge when suddenly one of the creatures comes swooping out of the sky. It fixes you with its glowing eyes and extends its talons as it comes screaming down towards your face.