by Joe Dever
Street Thief Leader: COMBAT SKILL 15 ENDURANCE 23
Street Thief 1: COMBAT SKILL 13 ENDURANCE 21
Street Thief 2: COMBAT SKILL 13 ENDURANCE 20
You may evade the combat at any time by turning to 121.
If you win the combat and kill all three street thieves, turn to 301.
299
For six hours you run without rest. The Helghast are on the highway and you are forced to make your way through the steep and wooded foothills to avoid the risk of capture. Many times you feel that you just cannot go on, that the pain and the fatigue are too much to bear. But each time you falter, you are spurred on by Rhygar. You marvel at his endurance, for he is not a young man and he is clothed in the heavy armour of a Sommlending knight.
By nightfall, you have reached the entrance to Tarnalin, the western tunnel through the Hammerdal Mountains. The three tunnels of Durenor were excavated during the age of the Black Moon, and each tunnel is over forty miles long and passes through the huge circle of the Hammerdal Range to the capital. The tunnels provide the only access to the city.
Rhygar sits beside you and takes some bread and meat from his pack. ‘Eat this, Lone Wolf. You must sustain your strength for the journey to Hammerdal, for from here you must venture alone through the Tarnalin. I shall remain here and hold the enemy back for as long as I have the strength to fight. Do not argue — that your mission should succeed is the only thing that matters.’
If Rhygar is to hold off the Helghast, he will need a magic weapon as his own sword is of no use against the creatures.16
If you wish to give him your Magic Spear so that he can defend the tunnel entrance, or if you do not possess a Magic Spear, turn to 118.
If you possess a Magic Spear but do not wish to give it to Rhygar, turn to 102.
[16] See the erratum for this section for details of the gameplay changes made to this section. Note: the results of the choices presented here are discussed.
300
As you paddle towards the sleek trade caravel, you notice to your surprise that the boarding ladder is being pulled up. A mean-looking sailor leans over the gunwale and curses at you. He seems to think that you are a refugee trying to stowaway on board. But when you shout that you are Lone Wolf and you were ambushed by an impostor at the tavern, the ladder is soon lowered again. As you climb over the side of the ship, you are met by a tall man in a gold-braided uniform. His face is almost totally covered by a shock of bright red hair and a bright red beard.
‘Haul anchor!’ he booms. The crew spring into action as if their very lives depended on it.
The captain ushers you below to his cabin where he pours two glasses of wanlo, a strong spirit. His face shows concern as you tell him what has happened.
‘There is evil treachery at work and the enemy already has plans afoot to thwart your quest,’ he begins when you've told your tale. ‘It seems that you have lost the element of surprise — and I have lost a courageous first mate. Let us only hope that the voyage to Durenor be swift and safe.’
You leave him to go up on deck just in time to see the outline of Holmgard on the horizon. With mixed feelings of pride and apprehension, you descend the stairway to your cabin as the last spire of the capital disappears from view.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number that you have picked is 0–1, turn to 224.
If the number is 2–3, turn to 316.
If the number is 4–5, turn to 81.
If the number is 6–7, turn to 22.
If the number is 8–9, turn to 99.
301
You search the bodies and discover 3 Gold Crowns, 3 Daggers, and a Short Sword. If you wish to take any of these, mark them on your Action Chart.
Turn to 20.
302
Stepping over the body, you set about a quick search of these living quarters. You find:
Mace
Broadsword
Quarterstaff
Healing Potion (restores 3 ENDURANCE points)
Enough Food for 3 Meals
Backpack
12 Gold Crowns
Take whatever items you wish and quickly leave the watchtower in case someone discovers you.
You realize that the forest is very thick in this area and you will have to abandon your horse and continue on foot.
Turn to 244.
303
Piles of rotting garbage litter this stretch of the waterfront, giving off such an evil smell that you are forced to cover your mouth and nose with your cloak. Ahead to your left, you notice the glow of torchlight streaming from an open door. Above the door is a sign.
If you wish to enter the trading post, turn to 173.
If you wish to continue on your way south, turn to 18.
304
It may be of some consolation to learn that your death was mercifully swift. The Helghast's fingers tore and burnt their way through your throat within a few seconds. But now the Seal of Hammerdal is on its way to the Darklords' city of Helgedad.
Your life and your quest come to a tragic end here.
305
There is a shocked silence as you scoop up the 5 Gold Crowns from the table and turn to leave, but as you reach the tavern door, an ugly thug draws his sword and blocks your exit. Just as you are wondering what to do, there is a loud thud, and the man keels over onto the floor. Behind him, to your surprise stands the serving girl with a large wooden club in her hand. You thank her politely and race out of the door into the darkened street beyond.
After running for ten minutes in the dark, you spot a large stable and coach station through the gloom ahead. With the shouts of angry sailors still ringing in your ears, you quickly enter the building and spend the night safely hidden in the hay-loft.
Turn to 32.
306
The soldier stabs at your chest with his spear, but you quickly sidestep and it merely grazes your arm. The guard is determined to fight but you do not want to have to kill him in combat, so you decide to try to knock him unconscious.
Fight the following combat as normal, but double all ENDURANCE points lost by the enemy. When his score reaches zero or below, you will have succeeded in knocking him out. All ENDURANCE points that you lose still count as wounds and are deducted from your current ENDURANCE points total.
Border Guard: COMBAT SKILL 16 ENDURANCE 24
If you successfully reduce his points to zero or below, turn to 35.
307
The guards look angry and ready to attack. You will have to think of something quickly.
If you decide to offer them a bribe, turn to 57.
If you decide to show them the Seal of Hammerdal (if you still have it), turn to 140.
If you think it is safer to draw your weapon and attack, turn to 282.
308
A sailor called Sprogg sits beside you and explains the rules of the game ‘Portholes’. First he shows you two diamond-shaped dice made of red glass. Each die has ten sides and they are numbered 0–9. Each player rolls both dice and adds the numbers together (0 = zero). If anyone throws two 0s, they shout ‘portholes’ and automatically win.
Each player stakes 3 Gold Crowns per throw. There are two other players in the game and they all place their stake money into a hat before the dice are rolled.
Pick two numbers from the Random Number Table for each of the other two players, and note these scores down. Now pick two numbers from the Random Number Table for yourself. If your total is higher than the other players, you win 6 Gold Crowns. If either of the other players beat your score, you lose 3 Gold Crowns. You may leave the game at any time, but you must stop playing if you lose all your Crowns (bad luck!).
When you finally decide to leave, you may return to your cabin by turning to 197.
309
As you advance along the deck, the hideous creatures turn and flee from the golden light of your sword. You notice something strange about this death-hulk, something familiar, but you are not quite s
ure what it is. Suddenly, a ghastly voice behind you cries out your name.
You raise the Sommerswerd and spin around to face the voice. The sight that confronts you fills your senses with a mortal terror.
Turn to 26.
310
You soon reach the end of Oxyoke Way where it is crossed by another street running north to south. It is now so dark that you are unable to read the street signs. You must find shelter for the night. To your right you see a light above a sign.
Ragadorn Stables and Coach Station
Under cover of the dark, you enter by a side entrance and spend the night safely hidden in the hay-loft.
Turn to 32.
311
You come to rest face downwards in a tangle of thick bracken. The ringing of steel and the horrible cries of the Helghast echo through the trees around you. You are stunned and cannot move until a hand grabs your arm and pulls you upright. It is Rhygar. His face is bloodied and his armour is battered and charred.
‘We must flee these demons, Lone Wolf.17 Strength and steel will not avail us here.’
You glimpse the silhouette of six Helghast on the forest road above. Their minds bent on the slaughter of Rhygar's men, they fail to see you both slip away under cover of the wooded hillside.
Turn to 299.
[17] If you have not already been told, the Helghast are the riders who attacked your party. Helghast are ‘fell captains of the Darklords. They have the ability to adopt human form but are invulnerable to normal weapons.’
312
Although you awake to a cold and rain-swept dawn, the branches of the tree and your Kai cloak have kept you warm and dry during the night. Looking along the coast road, in the distance you can see a wagon heading towards you.
If you wish to get down from the tree and flag it down, turn to 117.
If you wish to try to jump onto it as it passes beneath your branch, turn to 89.
313
The gruesome death-cries of the Helghast finally fade and you risk stopping for a few seconds to catch your breath. You wince as you discover that the creature's fingers have burnt into your neck. The wounds are very sore and painful and you must lose 4 ENDURANCE points. Tearing the edge of your tunic, you make a bandage before continuing on your journey through the Tarnalin tunnel. (Erase the Magic Spear from your Action Chart.)
Turn to 349.
314
The innkeeper is a thin old man with only one eye. He hands you a key and points to a balcony opposite. ‘Number two, the red door,’ he says.
The other travellers each pay their one Crown, collect a key, and make their way across the crowded tavern floor towards the stairs.
‘We must make plans for tomorrow,’ says Dorier. The others all nod in agreement. ‘I suggest we meet here in the bar in one hour to decide what to do.’
As you close the red door of your room, for some unknown reason you recall the words of Captain Kelman when you left Holmgard harbour: ‘There is evil treachery at work and the enemy already has plans afoot to thwart your quest.’
An hour has nearly passed when your thoughts are disturbed by a knock at the door. It is the innkeeper and he is carrying a tray of hot food.
Illustration XVIII—The innkeeper, a thin old man with only one eye, is carrying a tray of hot food.
‘With the compliments of one of your friends,’ he says, and leaves before you can ask which one. The food smells most appetizing. You have not eaten today and now you must eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Hunting, turn to 290.
If you wish to eat the hot food put before you, turn to 36.
If you do not want to eat this food, turn to 178.18
[18] Remember to deduct 3 ENDURANCE points if you turn to Section 178. Depending on how strictly you interpret the text, you may also need to deduct 3 points if you turn to Section 290 (remember that Hunting cannot be used in the Wildlands to find Meals).
315
Keeping one eye on the door, you quickly search the drawers of an ornate chart table. There does not appear to be anything unusual about the contents. You find mainly charts, island maps, and navigational instruments. You are about to abandon this fruitless search when you notice a small lever hidden below the tabletop. You push it and a panel flips open to reveal a small wooden box with a brass lock.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Mind Over Matter, turn to 287.
If you wish to prise open the lock, turn to 190.
If you wish to replace the box and join the captain on deck, before he suspects something is wrong, turn to 175.
316
The following morning you are woken by the cry of the ship's lookout high in the crow's nest: ‘Ship ahoy! Ship off the starboard bow!’
You climb up on deck and brace yourself against the fresh sea breeze. On the horizon, you can see the wooded coastline of eastern Sommerlund, but in the middle distance is a merchant ship that looks badly damaged. It is low in the water and has only one mast remaining intact. It flies the flag of Durenor but the flag is upside down, a signal of distress.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 107.
If the number is 5–9, turn to 94.
317
The shriek of the dying Szall is soon echoed by your own death-cry as two crossbow bolts embed themselves in your back.
Your mission and your life end here.
318
You are standing in a large, empty hall. Opposite are two doors, each with a brass sign above them.
If you wish to enter the door marked ‘White Passes’, turn to 75.
If you wish to enter the door marked ‘Red Passes’, turn to 62.
If you wish to leave and approach the guards at the end of the street, turn to 246.
319
The street ends abruptly at a large stone watchtower.
If you wish to enter the watchtower, turn to 271.
If you wish to return to the tavern, turn to 177.
320
You search in his pack and are horrified to find that it contains a scroll of human skin upon which a message has been written in a strange runic script. The only word that you can make out is ‘Kai’. You also find an evil-looking dagger with a black blade, and a block of cold obsidian.
These items bear the signs of the Darklords' craft. Something is very wrong here. You drop the pack as quickly as if it were red-hot and turn to mount your horse. To your dismay, you find it is no longer there: the Szalls must have stolen it. Wearily, you realize you will now have to continue your journey on foot.
Turn to 138.
321
The meal is poor. It is made up of yesterday's leftovers, and what the captain tells you as you finish your meagre supper confirms your suspicions.
‘I have a confession to make, Kai Lord. The fire destroyed our entire food store; we had barely enough in the galley for this meal. I fear that we will have to survive on a diet of fresh fish until we reach Port Bax.’
Unless you have food in your Backpack, the poor meal leaves you hungry and you lose 2 ENDURANCE points.
After dinner, the captain challenges you to a game of Samor, a board game a little like chess, involving skilful strategy and bluff. To add a little excitement, he suggests a small wager.
If you wish to accept his offer, turn to 12.
If you wish to decline the game, bid the captain goodnight and return to your cabin to sleep by turning to 197.
322
There is a strong aura of evil surrounding these cloaked riders. Your Kai sense warns you not to follow Rhygar and his men on their impetuous charge. You shout a warning to them to stop them attacking, but it is too late. You cannot be heard above their battle-cries and the thundering hooves of their mounts.
Turn to 277.
323
You follow this dingy street until it turns sharply eastwards into Lookout Street. In the far distance, you can see th
e River Dorn which separates the east and west sides of Ragadorn.
As you walk through the pouring rain, three suspicious men appear from an alley and start to follow you.
If you wish to stop and confront these men, turn to 131.
If you wish to continue walking, turn to 298.
If you would prefer to run towards the river, turn to 121.
324
Will you:
Say you are lost and ask for shelter for the night? Turn to 135.
Pretend to be a peasant looking for work? Turn to 174.
Decide to ask directions for Port Bax? Turn to 288.
325
You sense that the left tunnel is the quickest route to Hammerdal by about two miles. Just before you reach the junction you come across a large puddle in the centre of the highway. You notice that two sets of footprints, about the size and shape of a man's boot trail away from the water and lead off into both tunnels. The prints are still wet and you judge that they were made within the last twenty minutes.