by Joe Dever
During your wait, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
To continue, turn to 340.
242
Your Arrow penetrates the dragon's skull, but the only effect it has is to make him angrier than he already is. He stomps his massive forefoot down onto the black soil and sends a splash of molten mud and flame into the air.
You shoulder your Bow and reach for your weapon as the great beast comes lumbering slowly towards you with his 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.
243
Swiftly you unshoulder your Bow and draw an Arrow to your lips. You take aim at the thug's head and let fly your shaft but in an instant before it strikes, he twists around and the arrows tip merely scratches a crimson line across his cheek.
Unfortunately, this wound does not make him loose his grip; it simply makes him more frightened and murderous than before. You are forced to shoulder your Bow and unsheathe a hand weapon as you rush towards him in a desperate attempt to prevent him from wounding his innocent captive's child.
Turn to 167.
244
You ride out of Rhem by its east gate and head off along a wide road that is bordered by hovels and farmsteads. Shortly you come to a signpost where the road ends and a track begins. It marks the entrance to the Forest of Salony, and indicates the distances to two Salonese towns:
Ellio — 50 miles
Amory — 100 miles
You follow the track deep into the forest and spend your first night in Salony here, surrounded by the leafy comfort of this rich timberland. At dawn, you resume your ride and, by nightfall, you find yourself approaching the outskirts of the forest town of Ellio.
During your long day's ride through the forest, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
Turn to 138.
245
You have found the body of a Kai Master. His torn and crushed remains are clothed in the grey cloak and tunic that denotes his rank within the New Order. He has been dead for two or three days.
At first you can hardly bear to look at his face, but when you do, you recognize him at once: it is Swift Fire. He was the fastest runner of all the Kai, and you suspect he may have volunteered to use his speed to try to break through the enemy lines. Sadly, it seems, he could not outrun his fate.
Respectfully you cover his face with his cloak and say a short prayer to the God Kai to watch over his spirit. Then you return to the regiment and continue the ride along the trail.
Turn to 280.
246
In the warm comfort of the inn, you use your Kai healing skills to mend the Lord Constable's injuries. He is carefully testing his weight on his newly-mended ankle when suddenly there is a commotion outside in the street. An angry mob of hard-faced men, many clutching torches, staves, and coils of rope, are marching down the cobbled avenue towards the inn.
‘Hang the Talestrian thieves!’ they shout. ‘String up the murdering swine!’
‘What's going on? Who are these men?’ asks Nathor. The innkeeper's face turns white and he begins to tremble with fear.
‘I … I don't rightly know,’ he stammers. ‘I ain't never seen 'em before. They's not from these parts. We've never had no quarrel with Talestria. You've always been our friends.’
Suddenly a chunk of cobblestone smashes through a window and an angry cry arises from the mob:
‘Come out, you Talestrian dogs. Come out or we'll burn you out!’
Nathor calls everyone to the rear of the inn where a passage leads directly to the stables.
‘I fear this is some kind of crude ploy to murder you, Grand Master,’ he says. ‘If you are to stand any chance of reaching your homeland, you must continue your journey at once. I and my men will do what we can to hold this mob at bay, but you must leave now and you must go alone.’
Another window shatters and a burning brand is hurled into the inn.
‘Very well,’ you reply, uneasily. ‘I shall leave at once.’
Turn to 161.
247
The instant you pass through the Shadow Gate, you are assailed by howling gales and winds. Yet, despite the freezing coldness of this abyss, you feel no pain. Your body is protected, cocooned and shielded by your advanced mastery of the Discipline of Nexus.
You feel as if both you and the Lavas are whirling downwards in ever-decreasing circles into the core of a vortex, and rapidly you lose all track of time. Then, as abruptly as it began, the whirling ceases and the frigidity of the abyss is transformed into a harsh and blistering heat. Shielded as you are, this extreme temperature feels pleasantly warm. Nevertheless, with fearful apprehension, you force open your eyes to look upon the nightmare realm that now surrounds you.
Turn to 64.
248
The druid suddenly detects you in hiding at the water's edge. He shouts a hurried order to a group of Eldenoran crossbowmen in the trench beside him and immediately they open fire, sending a volley of deadly bolts whistling about your ears.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Assimilance, add 1 to the number you have picked.
If your total score is now 4 or less, turn to 332.
If it is 5 or more, turn to 27.
249
Through the foliage you see six well-armed horsemen riding two abreast. They are followed by a carriage, behind which there are another two horsemen guarding the rear. The coach is quite small, suitable for no more than two passengers at most, and its lacquered black wood looks dull. It is covered with the dust of a long journey. It has curtained windows and a crest adorns its doors.
As they draw closer, you see one of the leading horsemen raise his hand to bring the column to a halt. Your heart sinks when you realize that he has seen your horse. Rather than take the risk of losing your mount, you call out to the horseman, commanding him to continue on his way.
‘Show y'self,’ he shouts in reply, and draws his sabre. ‘Unless you be a brigand, you have no need to fear us.’
You remain hidden for a few moments longer, using your Kai skills to determine their purpose. When you can detect no aura of evil about them, you rise from behind the bush so that you can be seen. A pale hand parts the carriage curtains and you glimpse the face of a handsome young woman with jet-black hair. Judging by the finery of her dress and the elegance of her demeanour, you assess her to be of noble birth.
‘You, Sir!’ she calls, with a refined Palmyrion accent. ‘I … I know you. Please, won't you approach my coach so that I can be sure?’
If you wish to do as she requests, turn to 201.
If you decide to ignore her request and stay where you are, turn to 123.
250
You crest the ridge and your spirits soar when you see the Kai Monastery two miles distant. The chequered battle-banner of the Kai flutters atop the Tower of the Sun, proudly defiant in the face of the hordes of winged Lavas circling overhead. The monastery is largely intact, though much of its surrounding wall has been damaged and plumes of smoke rise from the inner keep and training park. Yet, even at this distance, you sense that it is still being held secure from Naar's loathsome minions.
Illustration XV—The chequered battle-banner of the Kai flutters proudly atop the Tower of the Sun.
The New Order have indeed proved themselves worthy in your absence. However, the pride you feel for your young acolytes is tempered by the price that has been paid. At the base of the Tower of the Sun you can see the blackened wreckage of the Skyrider, Banedon's skyship, twisted and gutted where it fell to earth. There are bodies strewn about it, but at this distance, even with your magnified vision, you cannot tell if they are friend or foe.
Dusk is already upon the land and darkness will be total within the hour. Mindful of
the circling Lavas who command the skies, you decide to abandon your horse and continue from here on foot. It will be harder for the enemy to spot you moving through the forest on foot than if you were to continue on horseback.
If you possess Kai-screen and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian or higher, turn to 96.
If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai Mastery, turn to 328.
251
Suddenly, you are gripped by spasms which paralyse your leg and stomach muscles. Incapacitated by cramp, you are unable to prevent yourself from sinking rapidly to the bottom of the River Storn.
Tragically, your life and your journey home to Sommerlund end here.
252
You request the King to excuse you from the council of war for a few moments. He grants your request, thinking that you wish to be alone to grieve the loss of your friends, Banedon and Rimoah, and he allows you the use of his royal chamber.
Once you are alone, you use your Kai Mastery to attempt to make contact with Guildmaster Banedon telepathically. You concentrate with all your power, straining your psychic energies in your effort to connect with your friend's mind. To your surprise, you detect a barrier in the ethereal plane, a wall of dark energy that has been placed there purposefully to prevent telepathic contact. You sense that the barrier is the work of the Dark God Naar and you call on all your reserves of psychic strength in an effort to break through it.
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 7 or less, turn to 312.
If it is 8 or more, turn to 286.
253
You draw on your Magnakai skill of Psi-screen to protect your mind from Roark's assault, but before it can deflect his attack, you suffer the numbing effects of psychic shock: lose 5 ENDURANCE points.
As you recover your senses, you see his ghastly apparition galloping past. It stirs in its wake a whirling maelstrom that is filled with rocks, broken glass, and other city debris. This whirlwind assails you physically and knocks you to the ground.
Ghost of Roark: COMBAT SKILL 48 ENDURANCE 30
You conduct this combat in the normal way. If you possess a Jewelled Mace, you may add +3 to your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of this fight. While attacking the ghost of Roark using your psychic Kai abilities, you must defend yourself from the injurious effects of the debris-storm. Only by defeating Roark's ghost in combat will you cause the maelstrom to cease.
If you win the combat, turn to 146.
254
You focus your psychic powers and launch a pulse of energy at the prisoner's mind in an attempt to weaken his resolve (reduce your ENDURANCE score by 1 point). You sense that his memory is protected by a magical shield, but it proves to be ineffective against your psychic probe. The man shrieks with fear as his body is racked by uncontrollable tremors.
You command the prisoner to reveal the identity of the person who sent him here to Garthen to murder you, and a mass of images begin to swirl and solidify in your mind's eye. They are the 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.
255
Cearmaine is overcome with grief by his son's death. With trembling hands he takes the bloodstained tunic from beneath the young man's head, unfolds it, and drapes it over his lifeless body. To your surprise, you note the insignia on the lapels are similar to those on Cearmaine's uniform; his son held the rank of captain, the same as his father.
‘I must go to his regiment,’ he says, his voice wavering. ‘It is right and fitting that I take command of them now.’
After attending to the burial of his son, the grieving captain returns to the Canatarium to find out where his son's regiment is stationed. He learns they are at the Reloni Bridge, at the very heart of the battle. Before he leaves, he thanks you for trying to save his son's life and he suggests two routes by which you can reach the distant city of Casiorn from here.
The first route is the most direct, but it is also the most hazardous. It requires you to pass through the enemy lines at the Reloni Bridge, cross the southern tip of Eldenora, and then continue your journey north by way of the Slovarian Plain.
The second route will avoid the fighting at the Reloni Bridge, but it would mean having to pass through the city of Duadon — Prince Lutha's stronghold.
(Consult the map before making your choice.)
If you choose to take the Reloni Bridge/Slovarian Plain route to Casiorn, turn to 271.
If you decide to take the Duadon/Rhem route instead, turn to 38.
256
You return to the Grand Hall where Banedon and Rimoah tell you of the location of the Shadow Gate.
‘Kai scouts sighted it in the foothills of the Durncrag Mountains, less than five miles distant, at a place called Raven's Eyrie,’ says Banedon.
‘I know this place,’ you say. ‘My old tutor, Storm Hawk, and I camped there on a hunting trip when I was an acolyte, before the war with Darklord Zagarna. There is a track that leads there — I know it well.’
You are determined to destroy the Shadow Gate and you resolve to go to Raven's Eyrie tonight, to carry out the mission. Also you are aware that tomorrow is a very special day. It is Fehmarn — the first day of Spring, a holy day in Sommerlund when traditionally all of the Kai gather at the monastery to reaffirm their fealty to King Ulnar and the God Kai. It is also the anniversary of the massacre of the First Order, the day upon which all of your warrior caste, save you, were massacred by Darklord Zagarna's hordes.
‘I will destroy the Shadow Gate tonight,’ you vow resolutely, ‘and tomorrow we shall celebrate Fehmarn, secure in the knowledge that a lasting peace has returned to our land.’
Moments later, a doleful bell sounds from atop the Durncrag Tower: it is the alarm.
‘Hurry, my lords!’ shouts a young Kai Savant who comes rushing breathlessly into the Grand Hall. ‘The enemy are attacking in force!’
‘To your battle positions, my lords!’ you command, as you stride towards the door. ‘The time has come for you to avenge your dead brothers. Fight well! Fight true! The spirit of the Sun-god Kai is with us this night!’
A great cloud of winged Lavas is speeding towards the monastery from the northwest and they will arrive within a few minutes at most. As you watch the young Kai Lords arm themselves and take up their positions around the monastery, you consider where best to position yourself for the imminent battle.
If you wish to join the acolytes who are lining the battlements of the North Watch, turn to 114.
If you choose to fight from the top of the Tower of the Sun, the highest point in the Kai Monastery, turn to 158.
257
The numbing blast leaves you slumped against the wall of the pit. Rather than invite a second devastating blast from Lutha's Ring of Power, you pretend to be dead in the hope that you may be able to escape when Lutha's guards come to dispose of your body.
High above you, you hear Prince Lutha howling delightedly at the sight of your seemingly dead corpse. He calls for his guards and, a few minutes later, you hear them entering the pit. There follows the tinny sound of metal scraping on metal before you feel yourself being lifted by the shoulders and feet and lowered into a slippery chute. A wave of panic makes you open your eyes and struggle to break free of their grip. This sudden and unexpected resurrection in t
urn makes the guards scream and drop you. They scurry away, gibbering like idiots, and you are left to slide headlong down a chute which leads to a fast-flowing underground river. You hit the cold waters head-first and are carried swiftly away by the strong undercurrent.
Turn to 150.
258
You tumble head-first down the slope and knock yourself unconscious on a jagged outcrop. Minutes later, the halo of energy which surrounds the Shadow Gate begins to crackle fiercely. The surge of energy has great significance, for on the Plane of Darkness, Naar has just consigned his newest champions to the Shadow Gate through which you escaped from his realm.
As the first rays of the dawn sun spread across the surrounding rocks, the first of Naar's mighty dragon herd emerge from the Shadow Gate. Drawn by the glow of the Sun-crystal, they descend on your unconscious form and, in a frenzy of retribution, they rend you limb from limb.
Tragically, on the threshold of victory, your life and the future of Sommerlund end here.
259
Lacking cash, you decide instead to try to barter with the blacksmith in return for his services. You offer him a choice of any item in your Backpack and, after some initial reluctance, he decides to accept. (Erase the third item you have recorded on your list of Backpack Items.)