The Cauldron of Fear (2 page)

You keep a record of your adventure on the
Action Chart
.

During your training as a Kai Master you have developed fighting prowess —
COMBAT SKILL
 — and physical stamina —
ENDURANCE
. Before you set off on your adventure you need to measure how effective your training has been. To do this take a pencil and, with your eyes closed, point with the blunt end of it onto the
Random Number Table
. If you pick 0 it counts as zero.

The first number that you pick from the
Random Number Table
in this way represents your
COMBAT SKILL
. Add 10 to the number you picked and write the total in the
COMBAT SKILL
section of your
Action Chart
(i.e. if your pencil fell on the number 4 in the
Random Number Table
you would write in a
COMBAT SKILL
of 14). When you fight, your
COMBAT SKILL
will be pitted against that of your enemy. A high score in this section is therefore very desirable.

The second number that you pick from the
Random Number Table
represents your powers of
ENDURANCE
. Add 20 to this number and write the total in the
ENDURANCE
section of your
Action Chart
(i.e. if your pencil fell on the number 6 on the
Random Number Table
you would have 26
ENDURANCE
points).

If you are wounded in combat you will lose
ENDURANCE
points. If at any time your
ENDURANCE
points fall to zero or below, you are dead and the adventure is over. Lost
ENDURANCE
points can be regained during the course of the adventure, but your number of
ENDURANCE
points can never rise above the number you started with.

If you have successfully completed any of the previous adventures in the
Lone Wolf
series
, you can carry your current scores of
COMBAT SKILL
and
ENDURANCE
points over to Book 9. You may also carry over any Weapons and Special Items you have in your possession at the end of your last adventure, and these should be entered on your new
Action Chart
. (You are still limited to two Weapons and eight Backpack Items.)

You many choose one bonus
Magnakai Discipline
to add to your
Action Chart
for every
Lone Wolf Magnakai
adventure you successfully complete (Books 6–12).

During your training as a Kai Lord, and in the course of the adventures that led to the discovery of
The Book of the Magnakai
, you have mastered all ten of the basic warrior skills known as the Kai Disciplines.

After studying
The Book of the Magnakai
, you have also reached the rank of Kai Master Superior, which means that you have learnt
three
of the Magnakai Disciplines listed below. It is up to you to choose which three skills these are. As all of the Magnakai Disciplines may be of use to you at some point on your adventure, pick your three with care. The correct use of a Magnakai Discipline at the right time can save your life.

The Magnakai skills are divided into groups, each of which is governed by a separate school of training. These groups are called ‘Lore-circles’. By mastering all of the Magnakai Disciplines in a particular Lore-circle, you can gain an increase in your
COMBAT SKILL
and
ENDURANCE
points score. (See the section ‘
Lore-circles of the Magnakai
’ for details of these bonuses.)

When you have chosen your three Magnakai Disciplines, enter them in the Magnakai Disciplines section of your
Action Chart
.

This Magnakai Discipline enables a Kai Master to become proficient in the use of all types of weapon. When you enter combat with a weapon you have mastered, you add 3 points to your
COMBAT SKILL
. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Weaponmastery with Bow, you may add 3 to any number that you choose from the
Random Number Table
, when using the Bow. The rank of Kai Master Superior, with which you begin the Magnakai series, means you are skilled in
three
of the weapons in the list below.

The fact that you are skilled with three weapons does not mean that you begin the adventure carrying any of them. However, you will have opportunities to acquire weapons during your adventure. For every
Lone Wolf
book that you complete in the Magnakai series, you may add an additional weapon to your
Weaponmastery Checklist
.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Weaponmastery: +3
COMBAT SKILL
points’ on your
Action Chart
, and tick your chosen weapons on the
Weapons List
. You cannot carry more than two Weapons.

This Magnakai Discipline enables a Kai Master to communicate with most animals and to determine their purpose and intentions. It also enables a Kai Master to fight from the saddle with great advantage.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Animal Control’ on your
Action Chart
.

The possessor of this skill can restore 1 lost
ENDURANCE
point to his total for every numbered section of the book through which he passes, provided he is not involved in combat. (This can only be done after his
ENDURANCE
has fallen below its original level.) This Magnakai Discipline also enables a Kai Master to cure disease, blindness, and any combat wounds sustained by others, as well as himself. Using the knowledge that mastery of this skill provides will also allow a Kai Master to identify the properties of any herbs, roots, and potions that may be encountered during the adventure.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Curing: +1
ENDURANCE
point for each section without combat’ on your
Action Chart
.

This Magnakai skill allows a Kai Master to blend in with his surroundings, even in the most exposed terrain. It will enable him to mask his body heat and scent, and to adopt the dialect and mannerisms of any town or city that he visits.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Invisibility’ on your
Action Chart
.

This skill ensures that a Kai Master will never starve in the wild; he will always be able to hunt for food, even in areas of wasteland and desert. It also enables a Kai Master to move with great speed and dexterity and will allow him to ignore any extra loss of
COMBAT SKILL
points due to a surprise attack or ambush.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Huntmastery’ on your
Action Chart
.

In addition to the basic skill of being able to recognize the correct path in unknown territory, the Magnakai skill of Pathsmanship will enable a Kai Master to read foreign languages, decipher symbols, read footprints and tracks (even if they have been disturbed), and detect the presence of most traps. It also grants him the gift of always knowing intuitively the position of north.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Pathsmanship’ on your
Action Chart
.

This psychic skill enables a Kai Master to attack an enemy using the force of his mind. It can be used as well as normal combat weapons and adds 4 extra points to your
COMBAT SKILL
.

It is a powerful Discipline, but it is also a costly one. For every round of combat in which you use Psi-surge, you must deduct 2
ENDURANCE
points. A weaker form of Psi-surge called
Mindblast
can be used against an enemy without losing any
ENDURANCE
points, but it will add only 2 extra points to your
COMBAT SKILL
. (Psi-surge and Mindblast cannot be used simultaneously.) Psi-surge cannot be used if your
ENDURANCE
falls to 6 points or below, and not all of the creatures encountered on your adventure will be affected by it; you will be told if a creature is immune.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Psi-surge: +4
COMBAT SKILL
points but −2
ENDURANCE
points per round’ and ‘Mindblast: +2
COMBAT SKILL
points’ on your
Action Chart
.

Many of the hostile creatures that inhabit Magnamund have the ability to attack you using their Mindforce. The Magnakai Discipline of Psi-screen prevents you from losing any
ENDURANCE
points when subjected to this form of attack and greatly increases your defence against supernatural illusions and hypnosis.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Psi-screen: no points lost when attacked by Mindforce’ on your
Action Chart
.

Mastery of this Magnakai skill will enable you to withstand extremes of heat and cold without losing
ENDURANCE
points and to move items by your powers of concentration alone.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Nexus’ on your
Action Chart
.

This skill may warn a Kai Master of imminent or unseen danger or enable him to detect an invisible or hidden enemy. It may also reveal the true purpose or intent of a stranger or strange object encountered in your adventure. Divination may enable you to communicate telepathically with another person and to sense if a creature possesses psychic abilities.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Divination’ on your
Action Chart
.

If you successfully complete the mission as set in Book 9 of the
Lone Wolf
series
, you may add a further Magnakai Discipline of your choice to your
Action Chart
in Book 10. This additional skill, together with your other Magnakai skills and any Special Items that you have found and been able to keep during your adventures may then be used in the next adventure in the
Lone Wolf Magnakai
series, which is called
The Dungeons of Torgar
.

Before leaving Dessi on your journey to the city of Tahou, the Elder Magi give you a
map of the Republic of Anari
and its surrounding lands, and a pouch of gold. To find out how much gold is in the pouch, pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. Add 10 to the number you have picked. The total equals the number of Gold Crowns inside the pouch, and you should now enter this number in the ‘Gold Crowns’ section of your
Action Chart
. If you have successfully completed books 1–8 of the
Lone Wolf
adventures, you may add this sum to the total sum of Crowns you already possess. You can carry a maximum of only fifty Crowns, but additional Crowns can be left in safekeeping at your Kai Monastery.

The Elder Magi offer you a choice of equipment to aid you on your perilous mission. You can take five items from the list below, again adding to these, if necessary, any you may already possess. However, remember that you can carry a maximum of two Weapons and eight Backpack Items.

• Sword (Weapons)
  
  
• Bow (Weapons)
  
  
• Quiver (Special Items) This contains six Arrows. Tick them off as they are used.
  
  
• Rope (Backpack Items)
  
  
• Potion of Laumspur (Backpack Items) This potion restores 4
  ENDURANCE
  points to your total when swallowed after combat. There is enough for only one dose.
  
  
• Lantern (Backpack Items)
  ¹
  
  
• Mace (Weapons)
  
  
• 3 Meals (Meals) Each Meal takes up one space in your Backpack.
  
  
• Dagger (Weapons)
  
  
• 3 Fireseeds (Special Items) When thrown against a hard surface, these Fireseeds explode and burn fiercely.
  

List the five items that you choose on your
Action Chart
, under the heading given in brackets, and make a note of any effect they may have on your
ENDURANCE
points or
COMBAT SKILL
.

Now that you have your equipment, the following list shows you how it is carried. You do not need to make notes, but you should refer back to this list in the course of your adventure.

• Sword — carried in the hand.
  
• Bow — carried in the hand.
  
• Quiver — slung over your shoulder.
  
• Rope — carried in the Backpack.
  
• Potion of Laumspur — carried in the Backpack.
  
• Lantern — carried in the Backpack.
  
• Mace — carried in the hand.
  
• Meals — carried in the Backpack.
  
• Dagger — carried in the hand.
  
• Fireseeds — carried in your pocket.
  

Weapons

The maximum number of weapons that you may carry is
two
.

Backpack Items

These must be stored in your Backpack. Because space is limited, you may keep a maximum of only eight articles, including Meals, in your Backpack at any one time.

Special Items

Special Items are not carried in the Backpack. When you discover a Special Item, you will be told how to carry it.

The maximum number of Special Items that can be carried on any adventure is twelve. Surplus Special Items may be left for safekeeping at your Kai Monastery.

Gold Crowns

These are always carried in the Belt Pouch. It will hold a maximum of fifty Crowns.

Food

Food is carried in your Backpack. Each Meal counts as one item.

Any item that may be of use and can be picked up on your adventure and entered on your
Action Chart
is given initial capitals (e.g. Gold Dagger, Magic Pendant) in the text. Unless you are told it is a Special Item, carry it in your Backpack.

Weapons

Weapons aid you in combat. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Weaponmastery and a correct weapon, it adds 3 points to your
COMBAT SKILL
. If you enter a combat with no weapons, deduct 4 points from your
COMBAT SKILL
and fight with your bare hands. If you find a weapon during the adventure, you may pick it up and use it. (Remember that you can only carry two Weapons at once.) You may only use one Weapon at a time in combat.

Bow and Arrows

During your adventure there will be opportunities to use a Bow and Arrow. If you equip yourself with this weapon, and you possess at least one Arrow, you may use it when the text of a particular section allows you to do so. The bow is a useful weapon, for it enables you to hit an enemy at a distance. However, a Bow cannot be used in hand-to-hand combat; therefore it is strongly recommended that you also equip yourself with a close combat weapon, like a Sword or Mace.
In order to use a Bow you must possess a Quiver and at least one Arrow. Each time the Bow is used, erase an Arrow from your
Action Chart
. A Bow cannot, of course, be used if you exhaust your supply of Arrows, but the opportunity may arise during your adventure for you to replenish your stock of Arrows.
If you enter combat armed only with a Bow, you must deduct 4 points from your
COMBAT SKILL
and fight with your bare hands.

Backpack Items

During your travels you will discover various useful items which you may wish to keep. (Remember you can only carry a maximum of eight items in your Backpack at anytime.) You may exchange or discard them at any point when you are not involved in combat.

Special Items

Special Items are not carried in the Backpack. When you discover a Special Item, you will be told how to carry it. If you have successfully completed previous
Lone Wolf
books, you may already possess Special Items.
The maximum number of Special Items that a Kai Master can carry during an adventure is twelve. Surplus Special Items may be left in safekeeping at your Kai Monastery.

Gold Crowns

The currency of Anari is the Lune, but Gold Crowns are readily accepted at an exchange rate of four Lune for every 1 Gold Crown.

Food

You will need to eat regularly during your adventure. If you do not have any food when you are instructed to eat a Meal, you will lose 3
ENDURANCE
points. If you have chosen the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery as one of your skills, you will not need to tick off a Meal when instructed to eat.

Potion of Laumspur

This is a healing potion that can restore 4
ENDURANCE
points to your total when swallowed after combat. There is enough for one dose only. If you discover any other potion during the adventure, you will be informed of its effect. All potions are Backpack Items.