The Prisoners of Time (21 page)

The cards you have drawn from the pack are marked with varied and colourful symbols. The first shows a bed, the second a young Ookor child, and the third a sword. The aged fortune teller weaves her crooked fingers around the cards. She mutters incessantly to herself and T'uk T'ron is obliged to act as her translator.

‘She say you will dream of when you were young. In your dream much will be made clear to you. This dream is good. It will help you grow strong and defeat your enemies.’

Turn to 96
.

Your mastery of dialect and mannerisms convinces them that you are one of the minions who serve the Master of the City. Slowly they step aside, sniggering like spiteful children as they watch you enter the temple door. You glance back to see one draw a warty forefinger across his throat, and hear the other laugh.

Turn to 195
.

Your Kai Mastery enables you to understand the bizarre language these creatures use. The one who spoke introduced himself as L'yan-K'ril, an elder of the Ookor. He then asked if you came from somewhere called Meledor, and from the tone of his voice you get the distinct impression that he is hoping you will answer ‘yes’.

If you wish to answer ‘yes’,
turn to 194
.

If you wish to answer ‘no’,
turn to 16
.

If you choose to say nothing,
turn to 108
.

You dive to avoid the gout of yellow flame that shoots from its mouth, but it catches your feet and legs and you suffer extensive burns: lose 7
ENDURANCE
points.

If you survive this wounding,
turn to 329
.

You sense that Serocca is imprisoned in a cage of psychic energy which surrounds her chamber and prevents her from passing through the opening. This energy is extremely powerful and has been synchronized to react to her brainwaves alone. To enter the chamber would cause you no injury, but if she ever attempted to pass through the invisible wall, the resulting release of force would be enough to destroy both her and the entire city of Thas.

Turn to 58
.

Waves of raw psychic energy radiate from the golden sphere, hovering motionless above the tower. Your highly developed spirit skills enable you to tap this energy and use it to replenish lost
ENDURANCE
points.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
(in this instance 0 = 10). The number you have picked indicates the number of
ENDURANCE
points you are able to restore to your current total.

Make the necessary adjustments to your
Action Chart
before
turning to 106
.

The uneven floor is riddled with deep pot-holes which impede your progress. Unless you have completed the Lore-circle of Solaris, you must deduct 3
ENDURANCE
points due to injuries sustained to your legs. At length the narrow fissure widens and, as your eyes become accustomed to the gloom, you are able to detect that a small cavern lies ahead. Just at this moment a rumbling cacophony surges along the fissure and the floor shudders and heaves beneath your feet. Then a great blast of dust and debris knocks you off balance as it is sucked out of the cavern by the whirlwind now raging directly above. The turmoil soon subsides but, as you drag yourself to your feet, you notice that you are not alone.

Turn to 161
.

With a gesture of his hand Lorkon Ironheart dismisses the scouts and you are left alone in his company.

‘So you are the Aonian for whom Mistress Serocca would have me postpone the war against chaos,’ he says sardonically, reaching for a decanter of ruby red wine. He fills two crystal goblets and offers one to you. ‘Let us toast the success of your treasure hunt,’ he says, raising his glass on high.

Illustration XIX
—‘Let us toast the success of your treasure hunt,’ says Lorkon Ironheart, raising his glass on high.

‘And to your triumph over chaos,’ you add diplomatically.

He smiles as he sips the bitter vintage and you regard each other with thoughtful curiosity. He has a youthful face, with high cheek-bones, narrow jaw, and a thin, chiselled, aristocratic nose. His silver hair is a mass of silken threads flowing from beneath the rim of his ornate conical helmet to fan across his wide shoulders and thick, vermilion cloak. But it is his eyes that fascinate you most, for they are filled with knowledge and ancient wisdom.

You talk at length about events which have brought you to the Nahgoth Forest in search of Lorkon's help, and in return he tells you of the dangers you may face at Tolakos.

Turn to 80
.

Below are shown four groups of symbols. One of these, when inscribed upon the blank square, will complete the sequence and open the lock that secures Baylon's Tomb. Study the symbols carefully and compare them with those shown in the illustration accompanying
entry 166
.

When you think you have found the correct group of symbols, turn to the entry given below it:

If you believe A completes the sequence,
turn to 14
.

If you believe B completes the sequence,
turn to 253
.

If you believe C completes the sequence,
turn to 125
.

If you believe D completes the sequence,
turn to 88
.

Suddenly two hairy, clawed paws reach up, hook themselves into the backs of your legs, and drag you through the hole in the bridge. You swing in the void, clinging to the beam with one hand while trying desperately to free a weapon with the other. Your attacker, a huge, misshapen beast banded in black and brown fur, lunges repeatedly with its head as it tries to sink its sharp fangs into your thigh.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control, add 3 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now 4 or more,
turn to 128
.

If it is now 3 or less,
turn to 214
.

A strong hand on your shoulder shakes you roughly from your sleep. ‘The Beholder requests your company,’ says the Yoacor leader stepping back and motioning you to rise. ‘You must come with me.’

Together with six attendant guards, the leader escorts you from the watchtower, across an open courtyard paved with polished steel, and into the entrance hall of the crystal citadel. There a superb spiral staircase forms the central core of this stronghold, carved from a solid mountainous chunk of a sky-blue mineral unfamiliar to you. The stairs soar upwards towards the turreted roof where the chamber of the Beholder is situated.

With ease the Yoacor ascend and you struggle to keep pace. You count over 300 steps before the staircase opens on to a silent hallway where a massive door of solid ebony inlaid with gold fills an entire wall. A bell is rung and while you catch your breath and wait for the massive door to open you speculate on who the Beholder could be. You imagine him as a Yoacor warrior-king, tall and strong, with wisdom and intelligence beyond mortal reckoning. With this image in mind you feel optimistic that he will aid your quest. However, when the black door finally swings open your hopes are dashed — the sight of him shocks you to the core.

Turn to 93
.

Before you lies a vast sea of grey-brown dust that stretches to the cloudy horizon. It is a drear and haunting panorama: a land once rich and fertile murdered by the curse of chaos. It instils in you a dread uncertainty that deepens as you trudge each weary mile from boulder to crag, and from crag to dry scrub — the only landmarks in this desert of desolation. You fight your growing despair, drawing strength from your vow to complete your quest. For the fate that has befallen Guakor will befall Sommerlund if you fail to find the last Lorestone and return to Magnamund to defeat Darklord Gnaag.

It is during your third stop for rest that you hear a noise in the silent wilderness. It comes from a group of tall boulders to your left. Immediately you rise to your feet and unsheathe a weapon as a huge but emaciated reptile, as grey as the dust, slinks slowly into view.

If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control,
turn to 109
.

If you do not possess this skill,
turn to 227
.

Suddenly a chilling scream, like the baying of a crazed wolf pack, echoes from the trees on either side of the bridge, and lumbering hordes of twisted shapes stagger from the shadows. They appear to be neither animal nor human but a ghastly fusion of the two. The Ookor guards tremble with fear and whisper the word ‘Agtah’ as the monstrosities hurl themselves at the chariots. A dog-headed creature with two mouths claws its way onto the platform and launches itself at your unprotected legs.

Agtah:
COMBAT SKILL
 21   
ENDURANCE
 31

The creature is immune to Mindblast (but not Psi-surge). Owing to the speed of its attack, reduce your
COMBAT SKILL
by 3 points for the first two rounds of combat (unless you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery).

If you win the combat,
turn to 201
.

A lever operates the portal and, when you pull it, the circular hatch creaks open and a shaft of grey light washes over your head and shoulders. Your senses burn with expectation. You grip the rim and start to pull yourself through the hole, but a dark shadow and a cold wind sweep over you, making you flinch and fall back on the stairs. There is a loud crack, like a sharp clap of thunder; then a terrible scream of agony echoes through the forest. Fear and anger grip your senses as you realize that you have just heard the dying scream of Odel, your guide. Enraged, you leap for the portal and pull yourself onto the roof, where the Lorestones and an unexpected enemy await you.

Turn to 200
.

You shout to T'uk T'ron that you sense danger ahead, but a rack of spears has worked loose from its mounting and in his struggle to tie it down, he does not hear your warning. You are now fast approaching the bridge and the driver shows no intention of slowing down.

If you wish to grab the reins and steer the horses away from the bridge,
turn to 266
.

If you wish to pull the brake lever,
turn to 33
.

If you decide to shake T'uk T'ron by the shoulder and repeat your warning,
turn to 137
.

Swiftly you draw an Arrow and take aim at one of the creature's eyes. But instinctively it senses danger and twists its head furiously from side to side to spoil your shot.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Weaponmastery with Bow, be sure to add the appropriate bonus as well as any other missile bonuses.

If your total is now 8 or less,
turn to 105
.

If it is 9 or more,
turn to 286
.

As you move away from the sarcophagus you hear the faint sounds of battle coming from beyond the tomb door. You run back along the corridor and press your ear to the cold stone: the faint sounds become more distinct. The clash of swords and the angry cries of Meledorian voices excite your curiosity, prompting you to climb the stairs to the roof to find out exactly what is going on.

Turn to 27
.

The sickness and nausea begin to subside but they are replaced by a fearful numbness that drains the strength from your limbs. Odel's face and the dark canopy of branches swirl and grow dim as the deadly poison paralyses your heart. Painlessly you slip into the timeless oblivion of death.

Your life and your quest end here.