The Prisoners of Time (11 page)

The warrior shrieks his death-cry and falls backwards, his arms outstretched and his fingers clawing blindly at the air. By chance they become tangled in the rope ladder and his body is lifted into the air as the giant black bird takes to the sky. A wave of panic engulfs you. In desperation you leap up and aim a blow at the small sack in an attempt to cut it loose. Your blow slices open the velvet and one of the two Lorestones tumbles into the graveyard below, coming to rest close to the door of the Sepulchre. Angry and crestfallen, you watch as the bird and its precious cargo rise above the trees and listen helplessly as the muffled flap of its wings fades into the distance.

Turn to 237
.

T'uk T'ron slaps the driver's shoulder. Immediately he hauls on the reins and pulls at a lever which activates the wheel brakes, bringing the chariot to a squealing halt. The others stop nearby and the guards clamber down from the riding platforms unsteadily, their legs weak and trembling after hours of riding along the bumpy track. They are familiar with this village and without hesitation they head towards a thatched hut that is set back from the road.

You accompany the captain and his driver into the hut, stooping to enter the Ookor-sized doorway. The villagers seem delighted to receive you as their guest and ply you eagerly with food and wine. One of them, an elderly female with kindly eyes, hobbles to your side and places a deck of cards on the table. ‘She is teller of fortunes,’ says T'uk T'ron. ‘You want she tell your fortune, yes?’

If you wish to have your fortune told,
turn to 24
.

If you wish to refuse her offer politely,
turn to 18
.

As soon as you complete the square it begins to fade. Then a blast of icy cold vapour shoots from a vent beside the door and catches you squarely in the face. You choke and retch as the bitter, poisonous gas seeps into your lungs.

If you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Curing and have reached the rank of Mentora or higher,
turn to 223
.

If you do not possess this skill or have yet to reach this level of Magnakai training,
turn to 99
.

Strewn around the entrance to the fissure are the bleached and shattered bones of what was once a formidable creature. Nervously you reach for a weapon as you approach the narrow gap and peer into its lightless depths. A strange smell, sweet and unwholesome, wafts out of the inky blackness and stops you dead in your tracks. But the deafening roar of the approaching tornado makes you swallow your fear and enter. Cautiously you descend into the dark, your weapon held poised to counter a sudden attack.

If you have a Kalte Firesphere, a Lantern, or a Torch and Tinderbox, and wish to use any of them,
turn to 61
.

If you do not possess any of these items, or do not wish to use them, but still wish to advance deeper into the fissure to avoid the raging tornado,
turn to 313
.

If you choose not to advance but to stay where you are,
turn to 236
.

Your Arrow opens a shallow wound in the creature's belly, but it does not deter it from attacking you with its sword-sharp fangs.

Tazgar Worm:
COMBAT SKILL
 22   
ENDURANCE
 28

This creature is immune to Mindblast (but not Psi-surge).

If you win the combat,
turn to 162
.

You manage to unsheathe your weapon and strike a blow that carves a crimson wedge from the ugly creature's snout. It gives an angry, gurgling cry and recoils in pain, freeing you from its grip and allowing you time to climb through the hole. However, although the beast is wounded, it is not defeated. Driven by pain and a blind lust for revenge, it tears its way through the planking and hurls itself at you recklessly.

Agtah:
COMBAT SKILL
 21   
ENDURANCE
 27

This creature is immune to Mindblast (but not Psi-surge).

If you win the combat,
turn to 289
.

Your Kai skill enables you to identify these plants: they are Senara, exceedingly rare on Magnamund but seemingly abundant here in Vhozada. The unripened buds of this herb have great restorative qualities and when eaten will enable you to regain lost
ENDURANCE
points. Each Meal of Senara will restore 3
ENDURANCE
points and there are enough buds in this field for over 100 Meals.

If you wish to keep any of the Senara buds, remember to make the necessary adjustments to your
Action Chart
.

To continue,
turn to 115
.

Your commands slow the animal's advance but they do not persuade it to pass up the opportunity of a good meal. It growls, weakly but hungrily, and prepares itself for an attack.

Turn to 227
.

The portal is secured by a massive metallic lock, and engraved into its blackened surface is a quartered square. In three of the four quarters there are etched symbols, but the fourth quarter, which is formed of a soft, clay-like substance, remains blank. Your basic Kai instincts tell you that the symbols are a clue to a Meledorian code that unlocks the great door. By inscribing the correct symbols in the soft surface of the blank square, you will cause the portal to open. Study the sequence carefully:

If you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Pathsmanship or Divination,
turn to 116
.

If you possess neither of these skills,
turn to 25
.

The beings scowl with disdain when you offer no reply. Their leader draws a silver rod from inside his Khozinda-scale vest, levels it menacingly at your chest, and slowly repeats the words he has spoken.

If you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Divination and wish to attempt to communicate telepathically with the leader,
turn to 347
.

If you choose to draw a weapon and prepare to defend yourself,
turn to 184
.

If you decide to raise your hands in surrender,
turn to 98
.

As the last of your foul enemies falls dead at your feet, you sheathe your weapon and drag their blood-spattered corpses away from the great door. Then you push closed the heavy portal, making sure that it is secure, before climbing the stair to the roof.

Turn to 27
.

Owing to the awkward position of the beam, it is impossible to apply any leverage to force it back into its proper place. The only way you will get it to move is by using a Rope.

If you have a Rope and wish to use it,
turn to 198
.

If you do not possess a Rope or do not wish to use it,
turn to 43
.

Quickly you try to retrace your route to the stream, but you soon come to an abrupt halt: a group of hairy, squat-limbed creatures is moving through the undergrowth towards you. They are armed with crude spears which they carry at the ready, like hunters stalking their prey.

If you have a Bow and wish to use it,
turn to 256
.

If you wish to take cover in the undergrowth and wait for them to pass,
turn to 75
.

If you wish to avoid them by returning to the monolith,
turn to 301
.

The warrior answers your demand with a mocking laugh, his green, cat-like eyes glinting through the slits of his visor. Hurriedly he snatches the Lorestones with his gloved hands and drops them into a small velvet sack tied to his sword belt. Angered by his audacity and fearful of losing the Lorestones, you unsheathe a weapon and run forward, determined to prevent his escape.

Turn to 22
.

A wave of panic washes across T'uk T'ron's face and he screams frantically at his driver to stop. He pulls on the reins and steers the onipa away from the bridge, but he leaves it too late to apply the wheel brake. With a terrified shriek he and the driver cover their eyes as the muddy water looms into view.

If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control,
turn to 85
.

If you do not possess this skill, you can either leap out of the chariot:
turn to 332
.

Or you can hold on tight and pray that the onipa will stop before they reach the river:
turn to 243
.

At length you emerge from the twisted trees of the chaos-zone and follow the track as it wends its way through the Nahgoth Forest beyond. Your journey passes slowly and without incident until, after countless hours of travel, you arrive at the edge of the Plain of Guakor. You are now very tired and must eat a Meal or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points. Rather than attempting to cross the barren plain immediately, you decide to rest here and continue after some much needed sleep. Ten hours later you wake refreshed and eager to begin the next leg of your journey to Haagadar. After checking your equipment and your map, you set off across the featureless plateau.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.

If the number you have picked is 0–2,
turn to 318
.

If it is 3–9,
turn to 202
.

You return to the first room and peer out of a tall window that looks out over the city. Far below you can see the Yoacor crowding an avenue which leads to an outer level of Yanis. They move with such purposefulness that, from this great height, they resemble a vast community of worker ants. For several hours you stare down at this beautiful alien city and its industrious citizens while you try to make sense of your situation. Eventually you resolve to find out all you can from the one the leader called the ‘Beholder’. Perhaps he will be able to help you locate the Lorestones and find a way back to Magnamund. At length you settle down to sleep.

Turn to 317
.

The rusty bars offer little resistance to a couple of well placed kicks and you are able to gain entry to the circular chute with ease. A narrow walkway runs beside the gurgling channel, ascending by steps and ramps as the climb becomes increasingly steep. The dark stone walls are beaded with moisture and smeared with patches of luminous fungi which keep the sewer bathed in an eerie green half-light. At length you reach a landing where a smaller channel joins the main flow. As you pass it and set foot on the stairs beyond, you hear a sound, like the rustling of leather on stone, and sense that something hungry is advancing along the tunnel towards you.

If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control,
turn to 3
.

If you do not possess this skill,
turn to 168
.

As the sound of your voice begins to fade, a whirling streak of shining silver emerges out of the darkness. The sudden rush of wind knocks you backwards and you see, soaring on wide gossamer wings, a huge, worm-like monstrosity take to the air. It circles the clearing, and then swoops down to attack you with its sword-sharp fangs.

Illustration VIII
—A huge, worm-like monstrosity swoops down to attack you with its sword-sharp fangs.

If you have a Bow and wish to use it,
turn to 284
.

If you wish to draw a hand weapon and prepare to defend yourself,
turn to 257
.

If you choose to evade its attack by running along the path into the forest,
turn to 60
.

The strange, anthropoid creatures pass within a few feet of the bushes where you are hiding, but they fail to detect you. Only when you are sure that the coast is clear do you leave your hiding place and hurry away from the monolith and its protectors.

Turn to 153
.