by Joe Dever
Kekataag pounds the floor repeatedly with his armoured boot to demonstrate his eagerness to commence combat. In response, you give voice to your battle-cry — ‘For Sommerlund and the Kai!’ — and launch yourself at your fell adversary in an attempt to land the first blow.
Kekataag the Avenger: COMBAT SKILL 60 ENDURANCE 58
This enemy is an undead warrior. Your sword is especially effective against him and you may therefore add 3 to your COMBAT SKILL (in addition to all other combat bonuses for this Special Item) for the duration of this combat.
If you win the fight, turn to 29.
212
You turn and run back towards the causeway but, as you flee, your boot becomes entangled by a submerged briar and you fall face-first into the swamp: lose 2 ENDURANCE points.
As you stagger to your feet, the insect swarm forms into a long line that comes diving towards your head. You duck to avoid their whirling tail-blades as they buzz by on either side of your face. You must fight them.
Muntaag swarm: COMBAT SKILL 47 ENDURANCE 40
These insects are especially susceptible to all forms of psychic attack: double all appropriate bonuses.
If you win this combat, turn to 285.
213
Feverishly you search among the smouldering treasures, many of which have been damaged by the fiery bolts that issued from the mouth of Huan'zhor during your fierce combat. You pray to Ishir that the scarab has not been destroyed and your heart skips a beat when, moments later, you discover the item you are seeking. It is protruding from the broken shell of a golden orb that has been damaged by one of the Dragonlord's fire bolts. You prise the scarab from its hiding place and then rush towards the transporter beam. You are eager to escape this nest before the arrival of the Lavas horde.
Turn to 155.
214
You press the Gold Crown into the square slot and instantly you are blinded by a flash of white light. A searing pain runs down the length of your arm and you are thrown backwards by this sudden release of energy: lose 4 ENDURANCE points.
Turn to 257.
215
You pull yourself to your feet and look with mounting dread at a nightmarish landscape which stretches in every direction to a horizon dancing with fire. Streams of blazing lava cut fissures through the coal-black soil, and pools of molten mud, glowing cherry red, spout geysers of yellow flame that claw vengefully at the smoky orange sky.
You are aware that your Platinum Amulet is affording you protection from the searing heat and poisons of this realm. However, your Kai Sixth Sense tells you that a fire-storm is brewing in the skies above and you fear that the powers of the amulet will not be sufficient to save you when this storm breaks. Anxiously you scan the bleak horizon in search of anything that may provide shelter from the coming storm. The only feature which promises to provide cover is the cone of a seemingly dormant volcano several miles away on the distant horizon.
If you possess Kai-alchemy and have attained the Kai rank of Grand Crown or higher, turn to 245.
If you possess Telegnosis and have attained the Kai rank of Sun Lord or higher, turn to 165.
If you possess Grand Huntmastery and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Guardian or higher, turn to 230.
If you do not possess any of these skills, or if you have yet to attain the required level of Kai Mastery, turn to 144.
216
You work the turgid water with your paddle and enter the sluggish tidal flow of the estuary. Warily you scan the jungle which fringes both banks of this wide river mouth, your eyes peeled for signs of danger. You sense the presence of hostile creatures yet, even with your advanced Kai skills, you can detect no evidence that this territory is inhabited. You have progressed more than a mile up river when you notice the jungle on the left bank is receding, leaving an expanse of marshy ground dotted with shrubs and sparse vegetation. You bring the canoe towards this bank where it grounds in the shallows less than twenty feet from the muddy shore. Not wishing to get any muddier than is necessary, you leap from the canoe towards the grassy bank but land a few feet short. To your dismay, you immediately sink up to your knees in the soft, sludgy mire.
Suddenly you hear the sound of churning water. You glance behind and are horrified to see three large spider-like monstrosities rising up out of the murky water at the rear of the canoe. These creatures are the size of large dogs and their bulbous bodies are covered with short stubbly hairs. With unnerving stealth they creep across the mud and attack with their barbed forelegs and needle-sharp teeth.
If you possess Grand Huntmastery and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Guardian or higher, and wish to use this skill, turn to 162.
If you possess Telegnosis and have reached the rank of Sun Lord or higher, and wish to make use of this skill, turn to 240.
If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 283.
If you possess a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 271.
If you do not possess any of these Grand Master Disciplines, nor a Bow, do not wish to use them, or if you have yet to attain the required level of Kai Mastery, turn instead to 197.
217
You manage to hold on to a beam and pull yourself into the tangle of ceiling joists. Hurriedly you wedge yourself between one of these supports and the rough ceiling. Then, seconds later, you glimpse the back of the gigantic beetle-creature as it thunders through the tunnel just a few feet below where you are hiding. A cloud of dust and a long line of ore wagons follow in its wake. Some of these heavy wagons are empty but the majority are piled high with grey metallic rock, heavily veined with a mineral that radiates a strange yellow luminescence.
If you wish to leap onto the last ore wagon as it passes by below you, turn to 181.
If you do not wish to leap onto the wagon, turn to 204.
218
From the depths of the void seven glowing shapes appear. At first they defy your direct gaze, as if these shadowy semblances can only be observed from a particular angle, but as steadily they draw closer, they solidify and their fearsome shape becomes plain to see. They appear as seven skeletal riders, each cloaked in a glowing robe and mounted upon a hellish, supernatural steed. They wield lances wreathed with white flames and their eyes are pinpoints of red fire.
Illustration XIV—Seven skeletal riders appear, mounted upon hellish steeds.
If you have ever visited Yanis, the Shining City, in a previous Lone Wolf adventure, turn to 176.
If you have never visited this place, turn to 47.
219
You feel the terrible power of the hostile Mindforce colliding with the fabric of your consciousness like a tidal wave that leaves you reeling under its impact. Your Kai defences absorb and deflect much of its destructive energy, and you are able to survive the attack with little damage to your psychic senses: lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
To continue, turn to 290.
220
The piles of building materials and the partially-finished dwellings which surround the base of the main temple make it easy for you to approach this edifice without being seen. Your Kai senses confirm that this grand construction is the lair of Huan'zhor, the master of this fiery domain, and they also confirm that the evil Dragonlord is not in residence. You skirt around the base of the temple until you locate an entrance which is guarded by two armoured reptilians. Using your Magnakai skills you lure these guards away from their posts just long enough for you to gain entry. Once inside, you discover that at ground level the temple comprises just one large chamber which is supported by a single central pillar that runs through the middle of the building. A circular stair winds around the outside of this pillar, giving access to the levels above. Cautiously you ascend the stairs and pass through four levels, all empty. The higher you climb, the hotter it becomes until, when you reach the uppermost tier of the temple, only your Platinum Amulet saves you from being roasted alive. In the roof of this narrow circular chamber you discover an open trapdoor through which you can see a mass of fli
ckering orange flames. You sense that it is the base of the nest of fire, the location, as told in the Tome of Darkness, of the Scarab of the Wingless Dragon, the artefact that can secure your escape from this domain. With bated breath you climb the scorched steps which lead to the open trapdoor in the base of the nest of fire, but as you draw closer, your Sixth Sense warns you that the opening is not all it seems. It is protected by an invisible shield of magical energy.
If you possess a Blue Diamond, turn to 295.
If you do not possess this Special Item, turn to 239.
221
You suddenly feel your stomach tightening and the skin on your face and hands becomes sore and inflamed: lose 2 ENDURANCE points. You sense that it is the insidious effect of the radioactive ore and, rather than wait a moment longer, you leap from the rear of the speeding wagon.
You hit the tunnel floor and roll expertly to reduce the shock of impact. Despite the high speed and hard surface, your Kai skills and natural agility help you to survive the landing without sustaining further injury.
To continue, turn to 88.
222
You choose the exact moment to release your Arrow and it finds its mark with pinpoint accuracy. The creature emits a high-pitched squeal and rears up with its forelegs scrabbling the air in a last futile effort to get at you. Finally, it surrenders to death and comes crashing down upon the canoe.
You negate the spell and return to the muddy shore. Once you are free from the mud, you set off across the clearing towards the perimeter of jungle where you happen upon the remnants of a track. You follow this overgrown trail for nearly a mile until you come to the edge of another clearing. This expanse of level ground is devoid of foliage yet it is littered with strange fruits that resemble gigantic grey pineapples. Beyond these curious fruits you can see the ruins of a settlement partially overgrown with moss. Warily you leave the jungle, make your way around the fruits, and hurry across the clearing towards a statue which is crouching among the ruins. It is constructed of a smooth, lustrous black mineral and is fashioned in the likeness of some evil beast of prey. It reminds you of a hyena, but one with a massive lower jaw set with a pair of sabre-toothed fangs. Between its forelegs is a flight of rubble-strewn steps leading down to an open door. You detect waves of power emanating from somewhere beyond this darkened doorway, but you are unable to determine just how deep below the ground the source of this energy is located.
If you possess Telegnosis and wish to use this skill to spirit-walk through the doorway to investigate what lies beyond, turn to 76.
If you do not possess this skill or choose not to use it, turn to 177.
223
You accompany the members of the secret council to the deepest chamber below the Guildhall wherein lies the Daziarn Portal. It is a perpetual entrance to a Shadow Gate and is one of only a handful which exist upon Magnamund. For many centuries the magicians of Toran have used this portal to banish criminals and traitors from Sommerlund, believing that it led to the limbo of deep space from where there could be no escape. However, in recent years their understanding of this portal has greatly increased following your own journeys through similar Shadow Gates. Inspired by your accounts of the planes of existence which lie beyond the material universe of Aon, and by their own experimentation, the Brotherhood magicians and the Elders of the High Council of Dessi have since been able to achieve limited control over the forces which exist within these supernatural portals.
Using this newly-acquired knowledge of Shadow Gates, coupled with their powerful arcane lore, the council members begin preparations for a ritual which will culminate with you stepping into the Daziarn Portal. Rimoah oversees the drawing of an intricate pentagram upon the flagstones at the threshold of the portal, whilst Guildmaster Banedon instructs his guildsmen in the recital of complex spell chants and the placing of magical artefacts at key points around the chamber. The preparations are painstaking and lengthy. During this period you reflect on the quest you have vowed to undertake and Lord Rimoah takes time to reassure you of the vital importance of your mission. He also offers you some magical items which could prove invaluable during your quest for the Moonstone.
If you possess the Sommerswerd, turn to 27.
If you do not possess this Special Item, turn to 307.
224
The warrior raises his black sword and releases a crackling surge of electrical energy from its tip. It passes over your head and earths itself to the end of the stone beam, at the place where it joins the chasm wall. You feel a jolt beneath your feet as the beam cracks and breaks away from the wall and, to your amazement, you watch as this solid spar of rock curls up and slowly rolls in towards you, like a snake's tongue returning to its mouth.
The coiled beam retracts towards the mouth of the dragon-gate, forcing you nearer and nearer to the fearsome black warrior. As he watches your reluctant approach he swings his mighty sword above his head, slicing and stabbing at the air with it in eager anticipation of the coming fight. When you are pushed to within ten yards of the gate itself, you reach for your own weapon and brace yourself for a fight that now seems unavoidable.
If you possess the Sommerswerd or Skarn-Ska, turn to 254.
If you possess neither of these Special Items, turn to 147.
225
Using your improved Grand Mastery, you cause yourself to soar at great speed towards the distant bridge. Your sudden and unexpected acceleration takes Avarvae and her minions completely by surprise. By the time they react to your escape it is already too late: you have reached the Bridge of the Damned, the exit from Avarvae's domain.
Turn to 150.
226
You dig your heels into the soft loamy soil and steel yourself to fight these greedy bloodsucking vines.
Haemodyls: COMBAT SKILL 49 ENDURANCE 47
These creatures are immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-blast and Kai-ray. If you possess Animal Mastery, you may add 2 to your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of this fight.
If you win the combat, turn to 19.
227
The unexpected sight of your face in the pool fills Shamath with a blind rage, for it has alerted her to your presence in her Throne Room. As her burning rage subsides, you sense that she is communicating telepathically with her two lieutenants. Suddenly, all three turn to stare at the icy pillar behind which you are hiding, and your Sixth Sense warns you that they are preparing to launch a combined psychic attack.
If you possess Kai-surge and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Guardian or higher, turn to 267.
If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai Mastery, turn to 335.
228
Seated on the two throne-like chairs perched upon the back of the rotting carcass appear the ghastly forms of the Künae, the Lords of Decay. They are a hideous sight, and your stomach churns with revulsion as you struggle to comprehend their abominable manifestation. Their torsos resemble two mounds of glistening black jelly, studded with polyps and ulcers and sores that exude a noxious grey slime. They have flat heads that are oval-shaped and shell-like, with puckered mouths and indented eye-slits that radiate an evil yellow light. From their rubbery sides protrude two snaky limbs ending in three-fingered hands coloured a sickly, leprous green-grey. And fixed upon the first fingers of their right hands you see rings of gleaming gold that are exquisitely crafted and embellished with intricate patterns. These rings are exceptionally beautiful and seem glaringly out of place upon the fingers of these grotesque beings.
As you stare at the rings you recall the text of the Tome of Darkness and its instruction that if you are to leave this rotting domain, you must first obtain a ring from the Künae. Your Kai Sixth Sense confirms that these are the rings, and the tunnel-like opening in the body of the carcass is the exit from this realm of putrefaction. Your senses also reveal that the Künae are communicating with each other telepathically. Their eyes glow with increasing intensity and you fear that they are getting
ready to launch a magical assault against you.
If you possess Assimilance and have attained the Kai rank of Sun Prince, turn to 273.
If you possess the Sommerswerd and wish to use it, turn to 188.
If you possess Skarn-Ska and wish to use it, turn to 347.
If you do not possess Assimilance, have yet to attain the required level of Kai rank, or do not possess either Special Item (or have chosen not to use it), turn instead to 306.
229
The poisonous fumes are highly corrosive and, despite your natural Kai defences, your close proximity to the smouldering bundle causes painful blisters to erupt on the exposed parts of your hands and face.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If the number you have picked is odd (i.e. 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9) deduct 3 ENDURANCE points from your current total. If the number you have picked is even (i.e. 2, 4, 6, 8, or 0) deduct 5 ENDURANCE points.
Gritting your teeth against the pain of these chemical burns, you draw on your powers of infravision to counter the effects of the blinding smoke. At once you are able to see again and you can clearly make out the leaders of the shambling legion; they are now just a few yards from the entrance.
If you wish to attempt to escape before they block the entrance completely, turn to 151.