The Cauldron of Fear (11 page)

The deadly arrows pierce your heart and stomach. Pain engulfs you like a raging fire, but a chilling numbness soon follows, washing over you like a wave of soothing balm. You fight to stay on your feet but darkness encroaches on all sides: it is the cold embrace of death.

Your life and your quest end here.

The officer in charge of the mounted escort rides forward to meet you. He wears silvered Anarian mail and a winged helmet embossed with the crest of Tahou.

‘Hail, captain!’ says Banedon, upon seeing his crown-shaped badge of rank. The man narrows his eyes and regards you both with suspicion. He is about to reach for his sword when a woman shouts from the leading wagon.

‘Banedon! Banedon! Is that you?’

Your companion recognizes the woman and returns her wave. ‘Lortha! By the stars, I had not expected to meet you here,’ he says in a surprised tone. The captain relaxes his guard and motions to the wagons to move on, anxious that his entourage is not delayed on the highway.

‘You can fall in with us or save your reunion till we reach Navasari,’ he says, curtly, and rides on without waiting for a reply.

‘Lortha is the wife of Chiban, a famous Tahouese magician. He was my mentor when I lived and studied in the city,’ says Banedon.

If you wish Banedon to talk to this woman,
turn to 209
.

If you insist that you both continue your journey without delay,
turn to 274
.

‘They are lying,’ you say, your voice calm yet forceful. ‘We have never seen these men before.’

‘We have only just arrived in the city,’ says Banedon. ‘We know nothing about your missing gold.’

Contemptuously, the mercenary leader hurls the trembling men aside and reaches for his sword. ‘We too have only just arrived. Our silver was stolen during our march here.’ He steps back a pace and draws his blade. ‘Take 'em, lads!’ he cries, and leads the attack.

Deldenian Mercenaries:
COMBAT SKILL
 26   
ENDURANCE
 34

If you wish to evade combat after one round,
turn to 223
.

If you stay and win the combat,
turn to 174
.

The Zakhan gloats over your pain and moves forward to exploit his advantage. You grit your teeth and raise your sword to defend yourself against his attack. You are aware of the Zakhan's troops fighting a desperate battle at the West Gate, and you know that you must defeat him or the city will be lost.

Zakhan Kimah:
COMBAT SKILL
 39   
ENDURANCE
 46

He is immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge.

If you win the combat,
turn to 350
.

In the depths of the tunnel, a glistening form is slowly slinking into view. Gnarled plates like armour encase its barrel chest, and lidless slit-pupilled eyes stare coldly from beneath its ridged forehead. A low, grating rumble issues from its fanged mouth as it increases its pace and makes ready to pounce.

Illustration VIII
—The glistening form of the Cave Leekhon slinks into view.

Cave Leekhon:
COMBAT SKILL
 27   
ENDURANCE
 38

This creature is immune to Mindblast (but not Psi-surge). Unless you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control, reduce your
COMBAT SKILL
by 2 points for the duration of the combat.

If you win the fight,
turn to 169
.

Cautiously you descend the staircase, expecting the unexpected, your weapon held ready in case the reptilians attempt a surprise attack. The glow of your light washes over the black stone stairs below and you freeze in your tracks when you notice a poorly concealed trap. Carefully you step over the snare and continue towards a door at the bottom of the stairs. It is unlocked and slightly ajar.

If you have a Mirror,
turn to 237
.

If you wish to push open the door and continue,
turn to 324
.

If you wish to push open the door and flatten yourself to the floor in case the reptilians have prepared an ambush for you,
turn to 46
.

The iron door to the tower is unlocked and you enter unopposed. At the top of the steep stone steps you find a ladder to a trapdoor. Quickly you climb the ladder and emerge onto the roof. ‘By the gods!’ exclaims Banedon, when you appear. ‘My prayers have been answered. You are alive, Lone Wolf. You are alive!’ Tears of joy fill his eyes as he welcomes your return warmly.

He and his mentor Chiban have been viewing the siege from this vantage point for the last three days. From this position they control the movement of the few reserves allocated to the north and west city walls, using them to fill in the gaps where the enemy's attacks have weakened the defences. Banedon recounts how the siege has progressed; how twice the enemy has broken into the city and been repelled by the determined defenders. Attacks from the air have set the city ablaze, but the enemy has lost great numbers of their flying Kraan, and now they are too weak to dare use the few that remain. The Anarium was destroyed in the first few hours of the siege and many senators lost their lives, including Senator Chil and President Toltuda.

Then he asks of your quest and is overjoyed to hear of its success. ‘The gods smile on you, Lone Wolf. So long as you live there is hope for us all.’

Turn to 258
.

‘I'll not have you sleeping in the stables, old friend!’ says Banedon, as he flicks open his money pouch. He hands the tavern owner twenty-four freshly minted Lune, and in return Guyuk gives you each a key to your room and offers you both a glass of lovka on the house. Gratefully you accept and down the warming liquor in one gulp.

You notice that a man and his two young sons are sitting at the far end of your table. They appear to be gambling with a group of plains farmers seated opposite, although you see no money change hands.

If you wish to move along the table and sit next to them,
turn to 339
.

If you wish to engage Guyuk in conversation,
turn to 268
.

If you wish to order some food,
turn to 88
.

Your Kai Mastery alerts you to a trap set immediately ahead. The surface of one of the stairs is thin and conceals a shallow box lined with barbed hooks. If you were to tread on the stair, your foot would shatter the cover and become ensnared among the hooks, incapacitating you and injuring your foot severely. Carefully you step over this trap before continuing down the stairs.

Suddenly you are bathed in a white light that emanates from holes in the stone ceiling, and at once you see the bottom of the staircase twenty yards ahead. There is a door at the foot of the stairs and it is slightly ajar.

If you have a Mirror,
turn to 237
.

If you wish to push open this door and continue,
turn to 324
.

If you wish to push open the door and flatten yourself to the floor in case the reptilians have prepared an ambush for you,
turn to 46
.

The iron door slams shut and you are left alone to contemplate your unfortunate arrival in Tahou. The cell is narrow and damp, with patches of mould that discolour the red stone walls. The uneven floor is strewn with filthy, mouldy straw and the stale air is heavy with the stench of rotting food and sewage. A solitary window is criss-crossed with bronze bars, green with age, and below it a thousand scratches record the passing days of another visitor that fell foul of the gatehouse guard. Anxiously you cast your eyes around this filthy prison, searching for a chink in its armour that could lead to your escape.
⁷

If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Nexus,
turn to 202
.

If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Psi-surge and have reached the Kai rank of Primate or higher,
turn to 47
.

If you possess neither of these skills,
turn to 227
.

Amid chaos and confusion you leave the ale cellar through a concealed door in the wall of the arch. It opens on to a sloping passage that descends to a tunnel lit by oil-soaked torches fixed at random along the tiled walls. A foul smell assails your nostrils — the unmistakable stench of an underground sewer. You follow Sogh along a narrow ledge that runs parallel to a sluggish sewage channel, taking care not to slip on the slime-encrusted tiles. After a few minutes, he halts beneath one of the sputtering torches and presses its rusty iron bracket. There is a grating rumble and a section of the tunnel wall opens to reveal an amazing sight.

Turn to 243
.

The burly sergeant snatches the parchment from your hand and studies it carefully. Without raising his head he asks how two Northlanders came to possess a personal invitation to one of Tahou's most respected households. When Banedon explains your meeting with Lortha, and how he was once a student of Chiban, her husband, the sergeant somewhat reluctantly accepts your story and returns the Invitation. ‘Stay on the highway and make sure you reach Tahou by sunset,’ he says, as he signals to his troop to let you pass. ‘Enemy scouts have been sighted in the hills south of the capital. If you're not inside the city walls by nightfall … ’ He draws his finger quickly across his throat.

You thank him for his advice and watch as he and his troop wheel away and ride south. You pocket the Invitation and glance apprehensively at Banedon before pressing on with your own journey north.

Turn to 213
.

A bronze beacon, the Anarian symbol of law and order, is fixed into a plinth of marble that stands beside the President's chair. He moves his finger to a button on the arm of the chair and all eyes turn to stare at the beacon. There is a flash of ignition and a jet of red flame roars upwards towards the domed ceiling. ‘Seize him!’ shouts Senator Chil. ‘Seize Lone Wolf!’

The President has voted against you, and now the Senate guards are closing in on all sides to arrest you. In a single bound, you leave your seat and sprint along the gallery towards an empty staircase. To your right a guard is rushing to intercept your escape. He is unarmed but he has a net with which he hopes to ensnare you. He casts it as you are about to descend the stairs.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, add 1 to the number you have picked. If you have completed the Lore-circle of Fire, add 2.

If your total is now 3 or less,
turn to 182
.

If it is 4 or more,
turn to 236
.