by Joe Dever
Lord Ardan picks up a seemingly plain leather scabbard from the table and offers it to you.
‘Here, Grand Master. I urge that you sheathe Skarn-Ska with this. It is woven from strands of pure korlinium and it will keep hidden the blade's true power from Naar's foul spawn.’
You accept the scabbard from Ardan and affix it to your belt. (Record this Korlinium Scabbard on your Action Chart as a Special Item.)
‘The scabbard will shield your blade, Grand Master,’ comments Lord Rimoah, ‘but what of yourself? You are imbued with Kai powers that may readily be detected. There is a danger that your natural skills could alert Naar's minions to your presence among them.’
If you possess a Platinum Amulet, turn to 180.
If you do not possess this Special Item, turn to 296.
51
Swiftly you draw an Arrow to your Bow and take aim at the beast's snout. The creature narrows its evil eyes and begins to sway from side to side. It is as if it senses the danger that your missile poses and it is trying to reduce its chances of being struck.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess Grand Weaponmastery with Bow, add 5 to the number you have picked.
If your total score is 7 or lower, turn to 175.
If it is 8 or higher, turn to 203.
52
Freed from the constraints of the force-field, Alyss is able to use the power of the Moonstone to bring into being a Shadow Gate which materializes in the floor of the chamber.
‘Come, Grand Master,’ she implores as she gets ready to step into the whirling black abyss. ‘Follow me!’
And with these words she is swallowed up by the inky abyss. Seconds later, you drop the heavy axe and take a running leap into the Shadow Gate, escaping in her wake barely moments before a pack of screeching, gnawing, parasitic horrors engulf the place where you last were standing.
Turn to 350.
53
You reach to your throat, unbutton the collar of your Kai robes, and withdraw the Platinum Amulet by its braided cord.
‘Ah, I see that you already possess a sigil of power,’ says Lord Rimoah, approvingly. ‘It seems you are better prepared for the quest than we had anticipated.’
With a nod of his head he motions to Lord Ardan who then retrieves an almost identical amulet from among the items on the table. Ardan gives the amulet to Rimoah and he slips it into his pocket.
‘You'll not be requiring this after all,’ he says, ‘but there is something which I'm sure you will find most useful. And I'm certain that you have not come across anything of its like before.’
Once again Rimoah motions to Ardan and the elderly wizard responds by taking up a small package that is wrapped in a silk handkerchief. Carefully he unfolds the patterned silk square to reveal a book which is bound in jet-black hide. A wave of nausea makes you swallow hard as your natural Kai instincts detect that the origins of this book are wholly evil. Ardan offers it to you and, reluctantly, you take it from him.
‘It was discovered a decade ago in Northern Dessi,’ says Ardan. ‘A party of our brethren found it on the Isle of Khor. It was buried in the ruins of Kazan-Oud.’
Carefully you open the stiff black cover and, to your surprise, you discover that the inner pages comprise several sheets of pliable metal. They have the feel of parchment but they sparkle and glimmer like plates of polished steel. You turn through the pages and note that every one appears to be empty, devoid of script, pictures, or diagrams of any sort.
‘I do not see how this book will help my quest,’ you say, as you flick back and forth through the seemingly empty pages.
‘This may be true while you are here in Sommerlund,’ replies Lord Rimoah, ‘but once you arrive upon the Plane of Darkness I suspect that its secrets will be revealed. We of the High Council believe it contains information about the many realms and territories within Naar's domain. It may help guide you to the location of his throne hall and, with luck, to the Moonstone of the Shianti.’
You are dubious as to the true value of this item but, in deference to Lord Rimoah's judgement, you agree to take it. (Record this Tome of Darkness on your Action Chart as a Special Item. You need not discard another Special Item in its favour if you already hold the maximum number permissible.)
To continue, turn to 329.
54
The Demoness and her minions sense that they have wounded you and they howl with undisguised glee. But this sudden lull in the psychic combat allows you precious seconds in which to recover and strengthen your damaged mental defences. When they cease their cawing and launch their second attack, your defensive protections prove strong enough to deflect all of the combined psychic energies that are ranged against you, and the power of their attack rebounds upon them with devastating effect. The Lieutenants of Night fall screaming to the floor where they writhe in agony like wounded snakes. The Demoness reels and totters backwards, slumps down heavily upon her throne, and then grips her disfigured head in both hands as she struggles in vain to regain control of her disrupted mind.
Seizing your advantage, you unsheathe your weapon and rush forward. With two swift and deadly blows you dispatch the lieutenants in passing and then rush towards Shamath's gigantic throne. Through the red haze of the agony that fills her head, the Demoness sees you approaching. Immediately she slams her right hand down upon the arm of her throne, to where a glowing opal is set into the stone.
‘Gnekasha!’ you scream, giving voice to her secret name, and she freezes as still as a stone statue. But not before her clenched fist has struck the glowing gem.
Suddenly you hear a terrible sound: it is the screams and cries of Shamath's vengeful legions. With dread you glance over your shoulder and look to the source of the cacophony: the chamber of tunnels beyond the archway of the Throne Room. What you see there sends an icy cold shiver of fear coursing down your spine.
Turn to 201.
55
You throw yourself towards the adjoining tunnel, but in your desperate effort to get clear, you trip and fall in the path of the onrushing leviathan. This gigantic beetle-creature flattens you beneath its vast bulk, yet amazingly you survive this collision — but not for very long. Trailing in the creature's wake is a long line of wagons piled high with grey metallic ore. You are hit by several of these heavy iron carriages and killed instantly.
Sadly, your life and your quest end here in the Mines of Zantaz.
56
You shout the name ‘Lukha’ aloud but it has no effect. For a moment there is an uneasy silence; then the rubbery mouth of Nza'pok emits a hideous, bubbling laugh. He is mocking your futile attempt to save yourself by calling upon the powers which bind him in fealty to the Dark God. As his foul form wobbles with undisguised mirth, you quickly unshoulder your Backpack and tear open the flap to retrieve the Tome of Darkness. Nza'pok ceases to laugh when he glimpses its jet-black cover for he is aware of its origins and the powerful secrets it contains.
With a terse growl, he gives the signal to his minions and they hurl their spears into the pit with chilling accuracy. You are struck by more than a dozen of these deadly lances and, unlike most who have fallen foul of Nza'pok, your death is mercifully swift and almost painless.
Sadly, your life and your quest for the Moonstone end here.
57
As you pass through the curtain of black flames, the three magical items vanish from your hands. (Erase the Nza'pok Amulet, the Künae Ring, and the Scarab of the Wingless Dragon from the Special Items section of your Action Chart.)7 Beyond the flaming curtain lies a hall of grey adamanite which is seemingly devoid of all life. You scour this eerie chamber and your senses detect Alyss's life-force. Hers is the only goodly presence, save your own, in the whole of this evil stronghold, and although her aura is weak, it is sufficient enough for you to be able to track it.
Guided by your instincts and shielded by your Kai Disciplines, you follow Alyss's trail as it wends its way deeper into the heart of this citadel of Evil. Durin
g your exploration you encounter many of Naar's newest creations who populate the halls and dungeons of Dazganon. Their repugnant forms and depraved and brutal behaviour provide you with an unsavoury insight into Naar's seemingly infinite capability to create evil and monstrous life forms. You shudder to imagine these foul beings running loose upon your home world of Magnamund, and the thought strengthens your resolve to fulfil your quest for the Moonstone.
For what seems like an hour, your camouflage and psychic skills make you invisible to the creatures that dwell within Dazganon. It is not until you reach a busy junction at the heart of a maze of tunnels that your skills are truly put to the test. Your senses detect the presence of Alyss at the end of an adjacent tunnel, yet the entrance to this wide passage is virtually blocked by creatures who are bickering with Naar's armed guards.
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, or Grand Pathsmanship, add 1. Also, for every level of Kai Mastery you have attained above the rank of Kai Grand Guardian, add a further 1.
If your total score is now 3 or less, turn to 189.
If it is 4 or higher, turn to 116.
[7] This is the correct answer to the total of the numbers on the three Special Items required to enter Dazganon (cf. Sections 297 and 338).
58
The crackling gout of flame comes shooting across the hall. At first it seems to be targeted at your illusory double; then it veers in mid-air and comes speeding towards your chest.
If you possess the Sommerswerd or Skarn-Ska and wish to use it in an attempt to deflect this onrushing column of fire, turn to 44.
If you possess neither of these Special Items or choose not to use them, turn to 173.
59
You draw upon your Magnakai Discipline of Psi-screen to form a shield around your mind as defence against the risk of possible psychic assault. This precaution proves to be a wise one for, as the net hits the ground, the Dentaag unleash a violent psychic attack in an attempt to weaken and subdue you.
Automatically your psychic defences knit together to shield the fabric of your mind, but the speed and intensity of the attack is such that it threatens to pierce your mind-armour. Just how successful your prepared defences will be against this attack is now dependent upon your previous experience of psychic combat.
If your current level of Kai rank is Sun Knight or lower, turn to 187.
If your current level of Kai rank is between Grand Thane and Sun Lord, turn to 219.
If your current level of Kai rank is Grand Crown or higher, turn to 82.
60
As you pass into the void, a sensation of unimaginable speed assaults your senses. You fly through the stellar darkness and a universe unfolds before you, like a million gems strewn upon an endless sea of black velvet. Your physical body is sheathed within a casing of pale white light, and you sense that it is a protective shell generated by your Platinum Amulet to protect you from the icy chill and airlessness of this astral starscape.
You surrender yourself to the invisible currents that ebb and flow through the void and, as you glide across this immeasurable no-space, once more you consult the Tome of Darkness. The transparent page that revealed information about Shamath's realm is now blank, but the one which follows has changed in colour and texture. Lines of glowing text have appeared on a page that is as dark as deep space. Again, using your Magnakai Discipline of Pathsmanship, you are able to decipher much of the text and you discover that it tells of ‘Avarvae the Tormentress’. It reveals that this void, which is her domain, is called ‘The Oblivion of the Tortured Souls’. You ignore the list of her cruel and evil deeds, and search out her secret name.
Unfortunately you discover that there is no name to bind her. However, you do learn that no special artefact is required to leave her realm and there are two exits: The Gates of Darkness, by which you entered, and the Bridge of the Damned. Having no desire to return to Shamath's domain, you put away the Tome and resolve instead to find the Bridge of the Damned. Yet, as you stare across the infinite distances of this void, it is hard to dispel your fears that you may end your days lost here forever.
If you possess Shamath's Potion, turn to 315.
If you do not possess this item, turn to 218.
61
You draw your weapon and strike out, cleaving through the end of the deadly creeper which emits a high-pitched squeal as it recoils, trailing a spray of sticky green slime from its sundered tip. Gagging at the stench of the creature's foul ichor, you pull yourself upright and stagger away along the trail. You are within sight of the beach when your escape is suddenly blocked by a wall of flailing vines which descend with alarming speed from the canopy overhead.
If you possess Grand Weaponmastery and have reached the Kai rank of Sun Lord or higher, turn to 299.
If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai Mastery, turn to 226.
62
You sense that the beast suspects it has a stowaway hiding amongst its cargo, but its eyesight is poor and it is unsure of what it is seeing. However, you cannot take the risk of the beast alerting the Lavas that are flying close by. Their eyesight is keen and they would be sure to spot you. Defiantly you return the dragon's stare and use your psychic Kai skill to discomfort and distract it.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If your current ENDURANCE score is 10 or lower, deduct 1 from the number you have picked. If it is 20 or higher, add 1.
If your total score is now 2 or lower, turn to 45.
If it is 3 or higher, turn to 114.
63
Through the criss-crossed ropes of your net prison you see the surrounding flock. They are swooping and cawing delightedly, like successful hunters returning home with their captured prey. Above, you can make out the claws and leathery black bellies of the three winged creatures that are hoisting you ever higher into the rain-swept clouds. You are tempted to use your Kai powers to break free and slay your abductors, but a glance below at the rapidly receding ground is enough to dissuade you, at least for now.
For more than an hour the flock transports you northwards through sickly green skies, hundreds of feet above a ceiling of storm clouds. Gradually this cloud cover thins until you are able to note that the swamp has given way to a tropical jungle which is thinly veiled by a swirling mist. A river snakes through this dense foliage, winding its way towards a coastline on the horizon. As you approach the distant sea, the river becomes wider and flows into a delta. Your captors follow the river and begin a slow descent to an islet on the eastern side of the delta, towards an area near its seaward shore where the jungle has been hacked down to make room for a primitive settlement.
As the flock encircles the settlement prior to landing, you are able to make out a cluster of strange-looking huts, seemingly constructed from the hides of reptiles and the bones of huge fish. In the middle of these huts there is an expanse of cleared ground and a large circular pit. The shrieks of the fliers draw an expectant crowd, a score of creatures of two distinctly different species. From the air they resemble gigantic ants and deformed, pale-skinned humanoids.
If you have ever visited the icy realm of Ixia in a previous Lone Wolf adventure, turn to 97.
If you have not, turn to 301.
64
Two great scaly legs, each tipped with razor-clawed talons, precede the huge bulk of Huan'zhor as he lowers himself down upon his nest of flames. You take cover as best you can among the piles of treasure, but when his talons descend to within an arm's length of where you are cowering the Dragonlord suddenly detects your presence. He emits a deafening roar and bolts of flame shoot from his mouth to explode with shattering effect among the piles of precious artefacts that lie close to where you are sheltering. Hurriedly you roll away from your hiding place and unsheathe your weapon as you scramble to your feet. There is now no place for you to hide. Your quest and your survival now depend on the out
come of your imminent combat with the mighty Huan'zhor.
Illustration IV—Bolts of flame shoot from Huan'zhor's mouth and explode close to your shelter.
Huan'zhor the Dragonlord: COMBAT SKILL 56 ENDURANCE 60
This being is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-blast and Kai-ray. If you possess a Blue Diamond, you may add 3 to your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of this combat. If you possess Skarn-Ska, you may add 2 (in addition to all other combat bonuses applicable for this Special Item) to your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of this combat.
Conduct this fight using normal combat procedures. However, as soon as your enemy's ENDURANCE score falls to 20 or less, do not continue. Instead, turn immediately to 344.
You may evade this combat at any time after the first three rounds by leaping into the transporter beam. If you evade further combat in this way, turn to 155.
65
Moving as close to the door as you dare, you carefully examine the three small openings and see that there are narrow chutes at the rear of each slot which drop to the base of the door. Your Kai Sixth Sense warns you that a powerful magical energy is present in the base of this portal, an energy that could prove dangerous if the door is forced or tampered with.
If you possess Kai-alchemy, turn to 208.
If you do not possess this Discipline, turn to 190.
66
You notice, close to the entrance to the bridge, that there is a pulley and chain which is rigged to a stout stone beam overhanging the chasm. A team of five reptilians are busy at this pulley, hoisting buckets of molten lava from the base of the chasm which they then pass along a line to a place where a dwelling is being built. Here a construction team are using the molten lava as cement for their building blocks.