The Curse of Naar (20 page)
You make a brave leap for the last wagon in the line and land among its cargo of glowing ore with a stunning jolt: lose 2
ENDURANCE
points. This wagon is only partially filled and you are able to stay hidden as it trundles on its way. You soon pass a junction where another tunnel joins with this main passageway, and from here onwards you feel the temperature steadily rising. Although your Platinum Amulet protects you from the increasing heat, your senses warn you that you are in grave and ever-increasing danger. The ore in this wagon is highly radioactive and your Kai skills and amulet can afford you only limited protection from its deadly gamma rays.
Fearful of this deadly cargo, you haul yourself over the rear of the wagon and get ready to abandon your ride. Your pulse races in anticipation of the jump for the wagon is moving at high speed and the rocky tunnel floor is no more than a speeding blur just inches below your feet.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, add 1 to the number you have picked. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add another 1.
If your total score is now 0–2,
turn to 342
.
If it is 3–7,
turn to 117
.
If it is 8 or higher,
turn to 221
.
You speak the arcane words of the Old Kingdom Spell
Invisible Fist
and project your clenched right hand at the attacking creature. The beast is in mid-air when an invisible shock wave hits it squarely in the chest and sends it spinning head over tail to crash heavily against the wall. Limp and unconscious, it slides down the moisture-slick wall and arrives at the bottom of the ramp in a twisted heap.
With the beast now unconscious, you turn your attention to the portal and examine its surface in the hope of finding a way to open it. Using your advanced Kai skills you are able to decipher enough of the runic text to discover the secret code which keeps it secure. Confidently you press a section of the surface and, just as you believe it will, it moves inwards with an audible
clunk!
Moments later the portal creaks open and you hurry through, slamming it shut behind you to prevent the beast from following in your wake when eventually it recovers its senses.
Seated on the throne is a huge being whom you judge to be more than seven metres tall. She appears to have the body of a human female, although it is difficult to be completely sure for she is slumped forward over the adjacent table, her face buried in her crossed arms as if asleep. She has a coarse mane of black hair and the skin of her hands has a deathly corpse-like pallor. The few remaining parts of her body which are visible are sheathed in pieces of shiny black armour. Your skin prickles with apprehension when you stare at this sleeping giantess for you sense that she is the Demoness Shamath, the ruler of this realm.
Suddenly the sound of approaching footsteps echoes from one of the nearby tunnels. Anxious to avoid the risk of a confrontation, you slip into the chamber and take cover behind one of the icy pillars that encircle the walls. Moments later, you see two robed figures glide into the hall. They are carrying between them a large phial of golden fluid which rests upon a pillow of purple silk. As they pass close by your hiding place, you hastily call upon your Kai skills to mask your physical and mental presence.
With your back pressed hard against the wall of the pit, you quickly recite the words of the Brotherhood Spell
Invisible Shield
as you draw a circle in the air directly above your head. Nza'pok growls the order to his minions and immediately a clattering deluge of spears rains down upon you. Most shatter when they hit the invisible barrier you have created, but some ricochet off the pit wall and their sharp tips gouge your flesh.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess the Grand Master Discipline of Assimilance, add 2 to the number you have picked.
If your total is 4 or less,
turn to 206
.
If it is 5 or more,
turn to 154
.
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, and you dare not enter the transporter beam without the Scarab of the Wingless Dragon for fear of certain death. Your quest and survival now depend on the outcome of your imminent combat with the mighty Huan'zhor.
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 70
.
Your killing blow sends the warrior tumbling from the stone beam to plummet headlong into the yawning black chasm. A ring of fire bursts around him as he falls, illuminating the distant base of this vast pit which is filled with a sea of black flame. You observe his fall with a sense of grim satisfaction until you suddenly become aware that you are still in mortal danger. The tongue of rock is continuing to roll steadily towards the dragon-gate, and unless you hurry to enter this glowing portal you risk being crushed to death in its stony coils.
If your current
ENDURANCE
score is 4 or less,
turn to 276
.
If your score is 5 or more,
turn to 303
.
You feel the raw power of the attacking Mindforce crash into the fabric of your consciousness like a tidal wave that leaves you reeling under its impact. Your Kai defences absorb much of the destructive mind-energy; however, you do sustain damage from this assault which leaves you in a state of psychic shock: lose 6
ENDURANCE
points.
If you have survived this psychic wounding, you can continue by
turning to 290
.
You draw your sword and sense at once that its mere physical presence within their throne hall is causing the Künae a great deal of discomfort. You detect a surge of anxiety in the mental communication passing between them. The creature seated upon the left throne becomes agitated and begins to flail the foul air with its snaky limbs. Then it utters a sinister command to its partner and you hear the words echo in your mind:
Slay him, Jantoor!
Illustration XI—The sinister command echoes in your mind:
Slay him, Jantoor!
The creature seated upon the right throne responds immediately. It raises its right limb and a gout of fire shoots from the palm of its leprous hand and comes speeding towards your chest.
If you wish to attempt to dodge this gout of fire,
turn to 130
.
If instead you wish to try to deflect it with the blade of your sword,
turn to 319
.
Your camouflage proves to be inadequate and your presence is swiftly detected by Naar's bodyguards. Then, with devastating speed and ruthlessness, a host of monstrous creatures descends upon you from the surrounding maze of tunnels. You fight bravely but your resistance is to no avail; you are captured, disarmed, blinded, and hurled from the battlements of Dazganon out onto the Plain of Despair, where you are fallen upon by thousands of vengeful spirits, many of whom were slain by your hand. Your physical death is swift, but tragically your spirit is doomed to spend the rest of eternity running endlessly with the host of lost souls, here upon the Plain of Despair.
Your life and your quest end here.
Your intuition and Kai Sixth Sense inform you that the circular slot is the keyhole to this portal. Not having the proper key to fit, you decide to improvise as best you can by using something metallic to trigger the lock.
If you possess a Dagger,
turn to 164
.
If you possess an Arrow,
turn to 244
.
If you possess neither of these Weapons,
turn to 199
.
The insects fall under the spell of your mental command and enter the core of their hive to sleep. When all their number have entered and you are sure that it is safe to approach, you squeeze yourself through a gap in the stones and take shelter here from the rain.
As you wait for the rain to abate, you inspect the inside of the hollow and the pendulous insect hive. Despite the seemingly haphazard lie of the stone slabs, the rain does not penetrate into the interior, and the inside of the hollow stays remarkably dry. On the ground lies a thick carpet of soft leathery leaves. They are spattered with a yellow, honey-like substance which is oozing from the base of the hive. It smells sweet but your Kai senses warn you not to taste any: it is poisonous. (If you wish to take some of this, record it on your
Action Chart
as Muntaag Honey. You can wrap it in a leaf and store it as a Backpack Item.)
You are busy cleaning the acidic rain from your equipment with a handful of leaves when suddenly your Sixth Sense warns you of approaching danger. You peer out through a crack in the stones and catch sight of a flock of bat-winged creatures. They are swooping down from out of the rainy sky towards your hiding place.
If you have ever been to the Ruins of Maaken in a previous
Lone Wolf
adventure,
turn to 107
.
If you have never visited this place,
turn to 252
.
You are approaching the entrance when Alyss suddenly raises her bowed head and screams a telepathic warning that you are about to enter a trap. Instantly you skid to a halt, but moments later you feel a massive weight hit you between the shoulder blades. You have been struck by a powerful shock wave that propels you head-first through the bloodstained entrance to Naar's inner sanctum, which closes behind you like a rapidly healing wound.
You leap to your feet and unsheathe your weapon in readiness to defend both Alyss and yourself against any threat that Naar may launch at you.
You draw your magical blade and sever the blood-sucking vine with one swift stroke. The sundered creeper screeches as it recoils, spraying you with sticky green slime, and it whips away into the trees above. Gagging at the stench of the creature's foul ichor, you pull yourself upright and stagger away along the trail. You are within a few yards of the beach when your escape is suddenly blocked by a wall of flailing vines which descend with alarming speed from the canopy of low branches. You must fight them.
Haemodyls:
COMBAT SKILL
47
ENDURANCE
47
These vine-creatures are especially vulnerable to your magical blade: add 2 to your
COMBAT SKILL
(in addition to all other combat bonuses for this Special Item) for the duration of this combat. Also, if you possess Animal Mastery, you may add a further 2 to your
COMBAT SKILL
for the duration of this fight. However, these vines are immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-blast and Kai-ray.
If you win the combat,
turn to 19
.
Upon reaching the lip of the crater you discover that the lining of the cone is surprisingly smooth. You look down to the vent at its centre and your suspicions are further aroused when you note that it is perfectly symmetrical. No natural volcanic forces could have created this precisely circular hole and it prompts you to slide into the cone to take a closer look. When you reach the vent you discover it consists of a circular platform of carved stone blocks with a well-like opening at its middle. It immediately reminds you of the Tahou Cauldron, a well in the centre of the city of Tahou which gives access to the ancient subterranean city of Zaaryx located a mile below its streets. However, unlike the open vent of the Tahou Cauldron, this hole is filled with a shimmering blue light.