The Fall of Blood Mountain

by Joe Dever

  If it is 3 or higher, turn to 152.

  188

  You make a circle in the air with your right hand and hurriedly recite the words of the Old Kingdom Spell Shield. The air shimmers as the spell takes form, and the deadly blast of ice slams into it with spectacular effect.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If your current ENDURANCE score is higher than 24, add 3 to the number you have picked. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 1.

  If your total score is now 3 or lower, turn to 234.

  If it is 4 or higher, turn to 306.

  189

  As the last of your alien foes crumples to the ground, fatally wounded, you hear the chilling laugh of its cadaverous commander echoing around the hall. You look up at the platform and your throat tightens with fear when you see that this creature is pointing at you with its clawed hand. Then you hear a frosty crackle and glimpse a flash of light as a blast of icy vapour shoots from its palm and comes arcing towards your chest.

  If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 284.

  If you possess Magi-magic and wish to use it, turn to 219.

  If you possess Elementalism and wish to use it, turn to 6.

  If you possess none of these skills, or if you choose not to use any of them, turn to 305.

  190

  Upon entering the chamber, you see a huge throne of silver adorned with hundreds of precious gems. It rests upon a dais of marble and it dominates the centre of this circular hall. A halo of golden light surrounds the Throne of Andarin, and when these rays wash over your body, you feel cleansed and invigorated (restore 5 ENDURANCE points).

  As you approach the fabled throne, you see many injured Drodarin warriors seated around its base. Some have suffered grievous battle-wounds, yet the goodly light of the throne is healing their torn flesh and broken bones. Your grey-bearded escort ushers you to a corner of the chamber where two warriors are engaged in a heated debate. From the colour of their armour and the royal crests of Bor emblazoned upon their surcoats, you deduce that they are King Ryvin's missing sons: Prince Leomin and Prince Torfan.

  Illustration XI—You approach the fabled throne and see many warriors recovering around its base.

  The two princes cease their argument when they see you approach. Torfan comes bounding forward to greet you, offering his hand in friendship, yet his elder brother appears sullen and dejected. You introduce yourself to the princes and give an account of the events that have brought you to this meeting. When you show them the Sun-crystal and tell of your mission to destroy Shom'zaa, a glimmer of hope shines in Prince Leomin's red-rimmed eyes. You sense that he has been racked with remorse since the escape of Shom'zaa and its vile minions. He longs for the chance to redeem his foolish actions, and readily he offers to help you destroy the creature and its hordes.

  Turn to 109.

  191

  Despite the treacherous condition of the shaft wall, your natural climbing skills enable you to reach the roof of the elevator cage without suffering a fall and from here you are able to 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 now 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.

  192

  You unsheathe your Kai Weapon and steady yourself to take a swing at this fearsome creature. The beast slams its fists together, and suddenly a ball of white-hot plasma surges towards your chest. You feel its searing heat upon your face as you lash out and attempt to bat it aside with the flat of your Kai blade.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Weaponmastery with the type of Kai Weapon that you are using, add 3 to the number you have picked.

  If your total score is 5 or lower, turn to 125.

  If it is 6 or higher, turn to 311.

  193

  You swoon and fall heavily to your knees. Nausea wells up in the pit of your stomach and you are violently sick. As you are struggling in vain to get back onto your feet, you suddenly remember something that you learned at the Kai Monastery while you were perfecting your Magnakai healing skills.

  There is an invisible, scentless, highly poisonous gas called Zaxx, which forms in pockets within the granite mountains of Bor and Boden. For centuries it has been the bane of all Drodarin miners. This chamber is filled with the deadly gas and you are suffering the early stages of its poisoning. When you remember that the next stage is paralysis, you force yourself to crawl towards the exit as fast as you are able.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If your current ENDURANCE score is 25 or higher, add 1 to the number you have picked. If your ENDURANCE score is 10 or lower, deduct 2.

  If your total score is now 4 or less, turn to 249.

  If it is 5 or more, turn to 48.

  194

  You have taken less than a hundred steps before you emerge from the smouldering wheat into a small clearing of flattened crops. Here you find yourself confronted by six Shom'zaa lancers mounted on Brozal steeds. They snicker wickedly as they watch you stagger into view; then they level their spears at your chest in preparation to charge.

  If your possess Bardsmanship and have attained the Kai rank of Sun Knight, turn to 295.

  If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai Mastery, turn to 83.

  195

  You recite the words of the Old Kingdom Spell Invisible Fist and hold out the palm of your right hand, directing it at the creature's chest. A tingle runs down your arm, and then you feel an invisible ball of concussive energy streak away from your hand and strike its torso. The force of the impact jolts the creature and cracks its surface, but it does not slow its determined advance.

  Turn to 340.

  196

  An icy blast from the creature's claw collides with your lightning bolt in mid-air and deflects it from the target. Then the creature emits a loud, hellish shriek, and you feel a fiery pain welling up inside your skull as a powerful stream of destructive psychic energy batters your mind. Rapidly the pressure builds in your head until your skull feels fit to burst. Your vision is clouded by a scarlet haze, and you are unable to stifle a cry of pain as you collapse to your knees: lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

  Desperately you struggle to erect a defensive wall around the core of your mind, using your power of Psi-screen. Slowly, as your mental defences lock together, the pain eases and your vision clears. Through the receding red mist you see a group of Shom'zaa Agarashi closing in on you with their swords drawn. You force yourself to stand, and you unsheathe your Kai Weapon just in time to meet their determined attack.

  Shom'zaa Agarashi: COMBAT SKILL 40 ENDURANCE 30

  If you win this combat in three rounds or less, turn to 65.

  If you win the combat in four rounds or longer, turn to 189.

  197

  The open portal reveals a great stone staircase that descends to a magnificent marble hall. Vast columns brace the sculptured ceiling and tall silvery mirrors line the walls, creating the illusion that this cavernous chamber is even larger. Seated upon a chair in the centre of the echoing hall is King Ryvin, clad in his golden battle-armour and wolfskin cape. Surrounding him are members of his royal family and other high-ranking Drodarin nobility. They are greatly distressed and several are weeping openly. A herald announces your arrival and the crowd parts as you approach the foot of Ryvin's chair.

  Illustration XII—King Ryvin sits surrounded by family and nobles.

  ‘Praise Ishir!’ booms the dwarf king. ‘We have prayed that you would return to aid us, Lord Rimoah. And I see you bring a Kai champion. We are doubly glad. You've arrived not a moment too soon.’

  King Ryvin rises from his chair and motions to you and Rimoah to accompany him into an antechamber. In the privacy of this adjoining room, he tells of the nightmare t
hat has engulfed his kingdom following the release of Shom'zaa. The creature and its horde of mutant spawn have spread like a voracious plague throughout the chambers and tunnels of his vast subterranean realm. All contact with the Drodarin communities surrounding Boradon has been severed, the lower levels of the kingdom have been lost to the enemy, and more than half of his army are unaccounted for.

  ‘So many have been slain,’ he says, his deep voice cracking with emotion. ‘Only the swift destruction of Shom'zaa can save us now. But all is not yet lost. I draw strength from the certain knowledge that my sons — Leomin and Torfan — are still alive, and the Throne of Andarin is intact.’

  Suspended upon a chain around his neck is a bloodstone amulet which is divided along its centre. One half of this gemstone glows faintly crimson, the other half pale amber.

  ‘This is the Andarin Bloodstone,’ he says. ‘It contains the crimson light of Leomin and the amber light of Torfan. These lights will remain aglow so long as my sons shall live.’

  Then he points to a flowering shrub that stands in a copper urn beside the chamber door. ‘That Xanthoa is evidence that the throne of my ancestors has not been destroyed, for it would wither in an instant if the throne were sundered. From these signs, and the eternal mercy of Ishir, I draw strength.’

  For more than an hour you deliberate how best to defeat Shom'zaa and save the Throne of Andarin, and finally you agree upon a plan of action that could save this beleaguered realm from total destruction.

  To continue, turn to 323.

  198

  Your speedy action has countered the immediate threat, but the entangled enemy are quickly dragged away and replaced by other Shom'zaa Agarashi that are equally determined to destroy the fabled throne. An icy clarity fills your mind, and suddenly you realize that you alone must seize the initiative if you are to save the throne from destruction.

  Turn to 328.

  199

  In spite of your brave efforts to avoid a collision, you hit the sharp rocks and suffer deep gashes to your calves and thighs: lose 4 ENDURANCE points.

  If you have survived your impact with this treacherous reef, turn to 349.

  200

  As you sweep the remnants of the Shom'zaa horde from the barricade, the sound of a bronze war-horn echoes around the battle-torn cavern. Prince Torfan and his War-thanes cheer loudly in response, for they recognize immediately the bugle call of King Ryvin's advance guard.

  Turn to 60.

  201

  As you descend, you hear a faint buzzing sound resonating from the rock-face. Rapidly this sound becomes an angry drone when the basket draws level with a cavity in the wall. Suddenly, a swarm of large wasp-like insects pour out of this hole and encircle the basket. The lower stripy sections of their bodies begin to glow as they gather together in a cloud and hover menacingly above you.

  ‘Antah wasps!’ exclaims Leomin, as he frantically works the rope and drops the basket at a stomach-churning speed. The wasps give chase, but when you call upon your improved Discipline of Pathsmanship and command them to disperse, they return immediately to their nest in the wall of the shaft.

  Prince Leomin is impressed and, for the first time in many days, a smile creases his sullen face. He commends your skill as he slows the rope and lowers the basket gently to the base of the shaft.

  Turn to 63.

  202

  You follow Lord Rimoah out onto the windswept deck and look down in awe at the mighty city of Boradon. Rooted directly in the granite escarpment of Andar, the highest mountain of the Great Bor Range, its fortifications and turrets are barely distinguishable from the rugged copper-red cliffs surrounding them. Night has fallen and the moonless sky is as black as jet, yet the crew of the Cloud-dancer have no difficulty in locating the approach to this ancient mountain metropolis. Torches burn in every turret and arrow slit, and blazing beacons illuminate a safe passage through the snow-capped peaks to the city's central square.

  A unit of King Ryvin's élite War-thanes have been stationed in the main square in anticipation of your arrival. Their captain, a robust-looking dwarf with a plaited beard and a shock of bright red hair, offers you both a hearty welcome when you step from the boarding cage. He says that King Ryvin is waiting and he bids you accompany him without delay. His torch-bearing warriors escort you along a winding path that ends at a stone bridge which arches across a deep, natural moat. Beyond the bridge is a great bronze portal set into the mountainside. A horn sounds as you approach and the huge door swings open to reveal a wondrous sight.

  Turn to 197.

  203

  You speak the words of the Brotherhood Spell Lightning Hand and level your right arm at the creature's eyes. A bolt of blue-white flame leaps from your fingertips and arcs towards the beast, but as it nears its head, the creature slams its glowing fists together and catches it in mid-air. Instantly, your bolt explodes in a shower of sizzling sparks. The shock of this violent discharge stuns the creature and it recoils with a high-pitched shriek. But it quickly recovers, and then it comes lumbering towards you with both its fiery fists raised.

  Fearful that your missile's fate could be your own if you allow this creature to get too close, you turn to face the secret panel and step towards the passageway that lies beyond.

  Turn to 159.

  204

  You insert your Kai Weapon between the timbers and prise one loose. Then you climb through the gap and explore the dark passage beyond. Soon you arrive at a small excavation chamber. It is lit by the glow of a rich seam of korlinium which permeates the walls. New mining equipment lies discarded on the floor, and beneath an overturned packing case you discover a dead bird in a cage.

  If you possess Grand Nexus, turn to 147.

  If you do not, turn to 16.

  205

  You break away from the combat and rush headlong into the tall wheat. The Shom'zaa lancer attempts to pursue you but, with the aid of your Kai camouflage skills, you are able to evade it and make good your escape. You hear the creature loping away into the distance and, after a few minutes have elapsed, you begin to feel confident that the riders have lost your trail.

  You head north and have just crossed into an adjoining field of barley when suddenly a barrier of piercing light erupts in front of you as first one explosion and then three more detonate among the crops. In a desperate attempt to flush you out, the riders are hurling incendiary bombs into the fields. Within seconds the tinder-dry crops are ablaze, fanned by a strong breeze. You retreat to the wheat field to avoid the roaring flames but, as you retrace your steps, your Sixth Sense tells you that you are being forced back into a trap.

  If you wish to continue retreating into the wheat field to avoid the approaching fire, turn to 194.

  If you wish to try to pass through the wall of fire and reach the safety of the barley fields beyond, turn to 42.

  206

  Your mastery of herb lore enables you to identify the fungus growing here. It is Ashexa. This rare variety of toadstool is deadly poisonous, unless it is consumed with an equal quantity of Laumspur.

  If you wish to pick some of this Ashexa, there is enough growing here for 2 potions. When swallowed with Laumspur, each dose of Ashexa will restore 5 ENDURANCE points (in addition to the ENDURANCE points restored by the Laumspur).

  If you have reached the rank of Kai Grand Defender or higher, turn to 77.

  If you have yet to attain this level of Kai Mastery, turn to 221.

  207

  As you run towards the archway, you utter the words of the Brotherhood Spell Lightning Hand and level your right arm at the Shom'zaa Agarashi. A bolt of blue-white flame erupts from your fingertips and rips a hole in their ranks, sending those in the middle cartwheeling backwards into the chamber beyond. Before the survivors can rally themselves and seal the gap, you charge through and sprint towards the throne chamber barricade.

  Turn to 135.

  208

  The lantern begins to rock from side to side, but the squeak of its
rusty chain captures the creature's attention. Unfortunately, the creature senses the danger and it counters your attempt to tip the lantern by freezing it solid with a blast of ice-magic. Then it shrieks at a group of Shom'zaa Agarashi, and immediately they close in on you with their swords drawn. You unsheathe your Kai Weapon and hold it ready, steeling yourself to meet their determined advance.

  Shom'zaa Agarashi: COMBAT SKILL 40 ENDURANCE 32

  If you win this combat in three rounds or less, turn to 65.

  If you win the combat in four rounds or longer, turn to 189.

  209

  With Prince Leomin watching your back, you cautiously explore this stinking hive. Beyond the cocoons you come to an adjoining cavern where a rough stone ramp descends to a sunken floor, ankle-deep in brackish slime. Clusters of large grey eggs are attached to conical stalagmites, and the surface of the mire is littered with the remnants of these leathery grey sacs. Your Kai Sixth Sense tells you that these torn egg pouches once contained the creatures that are now wreaking havoc in the dwarven kingdom.

  You approach the edge of the stone ramp and come to an abrupt halt when you detect an overpowering aura of evil. You cast your eye across the field of stalagmites and your blood runs cold when you catch your first glimpse of Shom'zaa lurking in the darkness. He is a four-legged being, and his great head is triangular in form. Two pale green, radiant eyes are set above a three-cornered mouth filled with crystalline fangs. Below his jaw protrudes a slender proboscis, and from the crown of his bony skull sprout antenna tipped with barbed spikes. Slime drips from his every pore, sheening his leprous hide.