The Fall of Blood Mountain

by Joe Dever

  At length you arrive at a small cavern where a section of wall has collapsed.

  ‘That is where the Shom'zaa horde emerged,’ says Leomin, pointing to the gaping hole. Mining tools litter the floor of this chamber, and you see a wider passage leading off to the south. It is laid with track for wagons to carry away the korlinium ore. When you magnify your vision, you see a group of Shom'zaa Agarashi at the far end of this passage.

  If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 101.

  If you do not, turn to 247.

  64

  Prompted by the warnings of your Kai Sixth Sense, you speak the words of the Brotherhood Spell Sense Evil and focus your powers upon the lever, the alcove, and its surrounding wall. You detect that there is indeed a concentration of evil nearby, but suddenly you realize that it is nowhere near the alcove wall. The evil is in the passageway leading to the door of the chamber … and it is approaching fast!

  If you wish to pull the lever, turn to 99.

  If you wish to rush across the chamber and bolt the door shut, turn to 134.

  65

  Your swift dispatch of the Shom'zaa Agarashi sends a shock wave through the others. Nervously they back away, despite the hysterical shrieking of their cadaverous commander who orders them to attack you en masse. Before they can rally themselves and carry out the order, you steal away into a section of the vast laboratory that is crowded with siege machinery and engines of war. Here you take cover behind a large shield on wheels and observe the Shom'zaa minions as they mill about in confusion.

  Suddenly their commander recaptures their attention by freezing two luckless minions to death with an icy blast. When he then commands the portcullis to be lowered to prevent your escape, a zealous minion rushes forward and begins hacking at its securing rope with a battle-axe. The rope snaps, and you watch with horror as the portcullis comes crashing down to seal off the exit.

  Turn to 320.

  66

  By the use of your improved mastery of Assimilance, you are able to create a thunderous sound and project it directly above the heads of the Shom'zaa Agarashi guards. Fearing that the roof of the cavern is about to collapse upon them, they drop their spears and dive for the shelter of the tunnel. As they hit the ground, you leave the shadows and set off towards the archway at a run, building speed rapidly as you draw closer. With a mighty leap you clear their bodies and land in the cavern beyond.

  Without looking back, you scramble to your feet and race towards the barricade. You are halfway across the chamber when, to your surprise and relief, you note that the only Shom'zaa minions who now occupy this hall are those lying dead on the ground around you. Your Kai Sixth Sense tells you that you are no longer in any immediate danger, and so you slow your pace as you approach the barricade.

  Turn to 315.

  67

  You follow this brick-lined tunnel for a mile before you reach a cavern that is filled with heat and noise. At its centre there stands a huge smelting furnace belching scarlet fire and evil-smelling gases. Great iron chutes feed the furnace with a stream of crushed ore, and from a vent at its base you see a river of molten copper flowing away along a great stone channel. The wagon track enters the cavern and passes beneath the channel before disappearing into a tunnel in the far wall.

  Twenty of Shom'zaa's minions occupy this smelting chamber where, with wicked glee, they amuse themselves by torturing dwarven warriors whom they have captured in battle. A wretched prisoner is hung from a chain and dangled above the blazing furnace until he succumbs to the heat and poisonous fumes. Then the body is fed to the fires and another is hoisted aloft to take his place.

  To the left of the entrance archway you can see an iron prison cage. It contains more than fifty dwarves destined for the furnace.

  If you wish to try to release these dwarven prisoners, turn to 222.

  If you choose to attempt to reach the exit to this cavern without being seen, turn instead to 153.

  68

  You enter the tunnel and follow the newly-laid wagon track to a junction where a smaller passage leads off to the right. The entrance to this smaller tunnel is blocked by a criss-cross of timbers. An iron sign is fixed to one of the planks, but its Drodarin runescript has been eaten away by acid. When you look closer, you determine that the sign was defaced by Shom'zaa himself. Traces of the acid are identical to the corrosive fluid that ate through Prince Leomin's armour.

  If you possess Deliverance and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Defender or higher, turn to 138.

  If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai Mastery, turn to 308.

  69

  You offer up a prayer to Ishir before you get ready to attempt to forge a way through this white-hot wall of fire. With fear running cold in your veins, you close your eyes, lower your head, and then sprint towards the roaring fire like a charging bull. You hit the flaming wall and you are consumed by its terrible, searing heat. But you do not falter or lose your footing, and within a few seconds, you emerge from it to crash headlong into a sea of soft, cool barley.

  Miraculously, you have suffered only minor burns to the exposed parts of your body (lose 3 ENDURANCE points), but when you prise open your eyes and take stock of your clothes and equipment, you quickly discover that every item you are wearing is on fire.

  If you possess Elementalism and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Master Superior or higher, turn to 326.

  If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai Mastery, turn to 235.

  70

  The Shom'zaa minions fire their crossbows at your hiding place and only one of them hits its mark. Unfortunately, this bolt passes through the empty barrel and wounds your thigh: lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  To continue, turn to 280.

  71

  Patiently you wait at the entrance to the weapons laboratory, where you observe the enemy attempting in vain to master the deadly devices they have discovered here. The portcullised arch offers the only way out of this hall, and you decide that you must attempt to reach it at the first opportunity. Your chance comes after a few minutes when one of the Shom'zaa minions naïvely scoops a clawful of sodium from a sealed clay pot, and then drops it into a pitcher of water. The resulting explosion decapitates the spawn-creature and creates a dense cloud of choking white smoke.

  Under cover of the smoke, you enter the hall and steal past the enemy undetected. You are able to reach the middle of the laboratory before you are forced to take cover among a stack of oak barrels to avoid the gaze of the creature on the platform.

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

  If your total score is now 4 or lower, turn to 334.

  If it is 5 or higher, turn to 251.

  72

  You shape your mouth to utter the Old Kingdom power-word and get ready to direct its energy at the Shom'zaa commander: Gloar!

  The force of your spell-word hurtles across the cavern and strikes the creature with devastating effect. Its skull shatters, and its limp body collapses to the ground to be trampled under the feet of its slavering horde.

  To continue, turn to 244.

  73

  As you approach the stone-built farmhouse, your Kai tracking skills detect that the Shom'zaa lancers have already paid this dwelling a visit. Its oak door is hanging off its hinges, its windows are broken, and splintered furniture lies scattered throughout the rooms of the ground floor. Few items of any value remain intact.

  Among the wreckage of the kitchen you discover enough food for 2 Meals, a Jug of Vinegar, and a Candle. You also discover a concealed drawer beneath its refectory table. This compartment contains 2 Potions of Laumspur (they each restore 4 ENDURANCE points when swallowed following combat).

  You are preparing to leave when suddenly your keen ears detect a faint bubbling sound. It is coming from beneath a trapdoor set i
nto the middle of the kitchen floor.

  If you wish to open the trapdoor and investigate the source of this curious sound, turn to 217.

  If you choose to leave the farmhouse, turn to 332.

  74

  As the rock golem crumbles to dust, you rush to Prince Leomin's side and try to revive him with your Magnakai Curing skills. The healing warmth of your powers pass through your hands and into his body, and his eyelids flicker open as his consciousness stirs. (The healing of Leomin's wounds costs you 2 ENDURANCE points.)

  When his senses return, firstly he retrieves his battle-axe from the floor, and then he turns to offer you his thanks. Suddenly his eyes widen and he gasps with shock: Shom'zaa is approaching silently behind you. Leomin grabs you by the tunic and pulls you aside as he raises his battle-axe in readiness to hurl it at Shom'zaa's hideous form. But before he can release the axe, he is felled by a stream of clear fluid intended for you. It strikes his chest and boils as it eats through his crimson breastplate. With a heart-rending scream he collapses to the ground, mortally wounded.

  Illustration IV—With a heart-rending scream Leomin collapses, mortally wounded.

  You wrench the Sun-crystal from your pocket and turn to confront Shom'zaa, your arm poised ready to throw your deadly device. But already the fell creature has retreated and taken cover among the stalagmites. You run to the stone ramp to scan the cavern, and your Kai Sixth Sense alerts you to his hiding place. His body is hidden, but the top of his ghastly head can be seen protruding above a stalagmite less than 30 feet from where you stand.

  If you wish to throw the Sun-crystal at Shom'zaa's head, turn to 38.

  If you wish to attempt to get a clearer view of Shom'zaa before you hurl the Sun-crystal, turn to 272.

  75

  As the icy bolt passes through the wall of hot air, it is transformed into a cloud of harmless water vapour. Your effective use of your Kai Mastery to counter the creature's attack shocks the watching minions. Nervously they back away, defying the hysterical shrieking of their cadaverous commander who orders them to attack you en masse. Before they can rally themselves and carry out the order, you steal away into a section of the vast laboratory that is crowded with siege machinery and engines of war. Here you take cover behind a large shield on wheels and observe the Shom'zaa minions as they mill about in confusion.

  Suddenly their commander recaptures their attention by freezing two luckless minions to death with another icy blast. When he then commands the portcullis to be lowered to prevent your escape, a zealous minion rushes forward and begins hacking at its securing rope with a battle-axe. The rope snaps, and you watch with horror as the portcullis comes crashing down to seal off the exit.

  Turn to 320.

  76

  You speak the words of the Brotherhood Spell Levitation and step into the yawning pit. The spell prevents you from falling and, for a few moments, you stand suspended in mid-air. Then you begin to rise as the spell takes full effect. Immediately you recite the arcane words which counter it and, by so doing, you are able to make a controlled descent to the base of the pit shaft.

  When your feet alight upon the roof of the elevator cage, you cancel the spell and jump to the floor of a small cavern. The alien sound of your attackers' voices can be heard echoing down the shaft from above. They have reached the edge of the pit and some are loosing off arrows in the hope of hitting you by chance. Promptly you step away from the cage as the first of their missiles ricochet off its buckled iron roof.

  Turn to 131.

  77

  Through your advanced mastery of herbcraft, you are able to neutralize the poisons in the Ashexa fungus. When you swallow a potion of Ashexa it will restore 5 ENDURANCE points. You do not need to consume an equal quantity of Laumspur to benefit from its effects.

  Unless you have already done so, you may keep some of the Ashexa that is growing here. There is enough for 2 potions.

  To continue, turn to 221.

  78

  You draw upon your advanced psychic abilities to launch a rapid volley of energy bolts at these axe-wielding horrors. Your attack rips through their rudimentary minds and instantly paralyses their limbs. As they crumple to the ground, you stretch out your arm and set your light to the cannon's touch-hole. The powder ignites with a flash, and a great tongue of flame roars from the muzzle.

  To continue, turn to 210.

  79

  You run to the alcove and pull the lever. It clicks down and a secret panel in the wall slides open to reveal a narrow passage. Hurriedly you take hold of the stonework that frames the panel, and you pull yourself towards the passageway. But you are only halfway through the opening when two orbs of white-hot fire leap from the creature's glowing fists and come roaring towards your spine.

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

  If your total score is now 0–5, turn to 44.

  If it is 6–8, turn to 262.

  If it is 9 or higher, turn to 30.

  80

  The creature spins another loop of thread around your chest, and your vision fades as the last of the air is expelled from your lungs: lose 6 ENDURANCE points.

  You are beginning to lose consciousness when the crushing coils of thread are suddenly loosened. As you gasp air into your burning lungs, your vision begins to clear and you see the reason why the torture has stopped.

  Turn to 165.

  81

  You draw upon your elemental powers and focus them at a large oil-filled lantern which hangs directly above the platform. You summon a gust of wind to buffet this lantern in the hope that it will cause some of its blazing fuel to splash onto the kegs below.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table.

  If the number you have picked is 0–3, turn to 56.

  If it is 4–9, turn to 111.

  82

  As you land the killing blow upon the last of the Shom'zaa Agarashi guards, you leap over its falling body and run towards the barricade. You are halfway across the chamber when, to your surprise and relief, you note that the only Shom'zaa minions who now occupy this hall are those lying dead on the ground around you.

  Your Kai Sixth Sense tells you that you are no longer in any immediate danger, and you slow your pace as you approach the throne chamber barricade.

  Turn to 315.

  83

  The lancers shriek maniacally as they come galloping across the flattened crops, their spears and lances lowered in readiness to run you through.

  If you possess Elementalism, have attained the rank of Kai Grand Defender or higher, and you now wish to use this ability, turn to 276.

  If you possess Assimilance, have attained the rank of Kai Grand Guardian or higher, and you now wish to use this ability, turn to 155.

  If you possess neither of these skills, or if you have yet to attain the required level of Kai Mastery, turn instead to 128.

  84

  You snatch the Phosphor Bomb from your Backpack and hurl it into the trench. It explodes with a searing flash, peppering the Shom'zaa minions with fragments of glass and white-hot metal. The few who survive the explosion are soon lost in a cloud of blinding white smoke.

  Turn to 129.

  85

  You hit the ground and tumble head over heels across the rocky red soil. It is a bruising fall, but your natural agility saves you from colliding with an ore wagon and you come to a halt a few feet from the quarry's edge: lose 1 ENDURANCE point.

  To continue, turn to 254.

  86

  You pull the lever and a secret panel in the wall slides open to reveal a narrow passage beyond. As you are peering along this gloomy little tunnel, suddenly the door bursts open and slams against the wall.

  An icy trickle of fear runs down your spine when you turn to look upon the squat creature that is now framed in the doorway. It has a bloated, veined body and waxy skin that is as pale as a frozen corpse. From its
fanged mouth there flickers a forked tongue, and its scarlet eye-slits radiate an evil light that chills the marrow in your bones. It advances into the chamber with its arms outstretched, as if it is walking in its sleep; then it levels these arms at your chest and you see that the creature's fists are glowing like two balls of red-hot plasma.

  Illustration V—A squat, bloated, forked-tongued creature approaches.

  If you wish to attack this creature, turn to 273.

  If you wish to evade the creature by entering the secret passage, turn to 159.

  87

  You utter the Old Kingdom power-word and direct its energy at this formidable barrier: Gloar!

  The hammer force of your spell-word hits the door with no effect. Several times you repeat the power-word, but every attempt to open the door by this method fails. This magically-sealed portal cannot be opened by any means, except by the use of its crystal runestone key.

  Reluctantly you admit defeat, and return to the basket to make your way back to the cavern at the entrance to Shom'zaa's hive.