Vampirium (7 page)

You call upon your Grand Mastery of the Kai healing skills to deaden the pain of the old man's wound before you draw out the arrow. Then you lay your right hand upon his chest and transmit the power of your healing Discipline into the open wound. Within seconds the wound is sealed, leaving no trace of its existence.

To continue,
turn to 76
.

Beyond the door you discover an empty chamber with a flight of spiral steps. You check your Siyenese Compass and then you lead the rangers up these iron stairs to a wide corridor on the floor above.

You instruct Gildas and his men to wait at the top of the staircase while you make sure the way ahead is clear. Tall arched windows march past on either side as you approach a door at the end of the passageway. You detect the aroma of roasting meat and hear the sounds of feasting, and when you peep through the door's keyhole, you see a soldiers' mess hall beyond.

Carefully you twist its spherical handle and push open the heavy oak door just a few inches. Peering around the door, you see a dozen Bhanarian soldiers sitting at a large table set before a blazing log fire. A side of beef is roasting on a spit above this fire, and the soldier's plates are heaped high with meat and vegetables. Stands of antique armour are positioned around the walls of the hall, and its panelled ceiling is decorated with the portraits of famous Bhanarian generals of old.

Illustration I
—Peering around the door, you see a dozen Bhanarian soldiers feasting at a long table.

Some of the soldiers dining here are Imperial Guards from the squad that you encountered in Sunderer Pass. You scrutinise their faces, yet you cannot see their leader among them. Your Siyenese Compass indicates that the Claw of Naar is nearby; its needle is pointing to a door on the far side of the mess hall. You sense that the Claw is in the room beyond this door, and you resolve to find a way of reaching it without being seen.

If you possess Grand Nexus and wish to use it,
turn to 222
.

If you possess Assimilance and wish to use it,
turn to 98
.

If you possess Elementalism and wish to use it,
turn to 178
.

If you possess none of these skills, or if you choose not to use any of them,
turn to 289
.

The dial emits a loud
Click!
and the heavy door swings inwards without a sound.
¹²
Quickly you step inside, and then beckon the rangers to follow: ‘This way!’

When all three are safely inside, you push the heavy door closed and slide its bolt across, locking it securely.

To continue,
turn to 136
.

‘Wait here, Captain,’ you say to Gildas. ‘I must go to the ravine. I will return soon, I promise.’

And with these words you leave the rangers and make your way to the steep gully where
Cloud-dancer
lay concealed before it was attacked. As you approach the ravine, your Kai tracking skills direct you towards a small metallic tube that lies hidden among the boulders.

Hurriedly you scoop up the tube, flip open its hinged lid, and shake a rolled piece of papyrus onto your palm. On this scrap of material is a hastily written message from Rimoah, telling you that the Claw of Naar must not be allowed to fall into the hands of Autarch Sejanoz. He urges you to find and destroy it.

If this should prove impossible, you must take it to the city of Pensei. There you should make contact with Lord Ghadra, the Dessian envoy, and he will see to its destruction. He will also help you to return home to Sommerlund.

Having memorized its contents, you tear the scrap of papyrus into small pieces and swallow them to ensure that Rimoah's message will never be discovered by the enemy. Then you return to the mountain pass to rejoin Captain Gildas and his men.

You inform them that Lord Rimoah has been forced to flee in order to save
Cloud-dancer
and his crew from the attacking horde. On hearing this they bow their heads in disappointment, fearing that they may never again see Rimoah, or their homeland of Siyen. Then you tell them about the message that Rimoah left behind and, despite their sadness, they each vow to help you capture the Claw of Naar.

Suddenly Ranger Yalin shouts a warning: the flying creatures are returning. Hurriedly you take cover among the rocks and watch as they circle above the pass. Your Kai instincts tell you that these beasts cannot survive for long beyond the mountain borders of the Doomlands, and soon your suspicions are confirmed when you see them returning north to Naaros. When the last of the creatures has disappeared, you beckon Gildas and his men to follow you down onto the mountain trail. Here you discover the bodies of two Imperial Guards who were caught by the rockslide ambush and crushed to death.

If you wish to search their pockets and backpacks,
turn to 80
.

If you choose to ignore their bodies, you may leave the pass by
turning to 291
.

The street is filled with parked wagons, anxious troops, and irate delivery drivers who have been barred entrance to the barracks. An alarm bell continues to toll as you wend your way through the crowds, and your Sixth Sense tells you that the Claw has now been discovered missing.

You turn a corner and ride along an unobstructed avenue that takes you to a far quieter quarter of the city. Guided by your Pathsmanship and tracking skills, you lead the rangers to the South Gate of Yua Tzhan. Here you are able to depart the city along a road that passes through outlying settlements before climbing gently into the Honah Hills.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.

If the number you have picked is 0–4,
turn to 202
.

If it is 5–9,
turn to 194
.

You nod in agreement to Gildas' suggestion, and then you push back your chair and stand up. The fortune-teller protests and demands that you pay him for the card reading.

If you wish to give the man 1 Gold Crown,
turn to 316
.

If you refuse to give him anything,
turn to 283
.

You do not recognize the tree-like shrub and you are wary of any properties its leaves or bark may possess. Rather than risk testing it in case it should prove to be poisonous, you advise Yalin to step away from the strange-looking plant.

To continue,
turn to 240
.

You call upon your improved Kai Mastery to project a noise beneath the first arch of the bridge. Amplified by the water, and the arch itself, this sudden rumbling noise startles the soldiers on the river bank. Fearing that a monster is set to rise up and consume the bridge at any moment, they turn tail and flee in panic from the water's edge.

Turn to 127
.

The death of their leader forces the other winged horrors to break off their attack. They swoop out of the pass and veer away to the east, towards the ravine where
Cloud-dancer
is hidden. There they muster their numbers and, with a hellish chorus of cackling shrieks, they launch an attack upon the grounded skyship and its crew.

You cast a glance down into the pass and see that the squad of Imperial Guards has now halted on the narrow mountain trail. You sense that they are waiting for their winged escorts to return before they dare to venture a step further.

If you wish to hurry back to
Cloud-dancer
and help Lord Rimoah repel the aerial assault,
turn to 345
.

If you choose to stay with Captain Gildas and the rangers,
turn to 302
.

Unfortunately, your ploy fails. The squad leader overhears you and he raises the alarm. Suddenly the door to the antechamber is kicked open and a dozen soldiers burst in, armed and eager to protect their esteemed commander.

You fight bravely and slay most of those who attack you, but the antechamber is soon awash with reinforcements and you are forced to surrender. During the mêlée, the rangers are also captured, and together you are taken before the Sergeant of the Guard. He denounces you as would-be thieves, out to steal provisions, and he orders that your weapons and equipment be confiscated before you are led away and thrown into the dungeons.

As the heavy door to your cell slams shut, you immediately look for a way out of this grim prison chamber. You try to pick the lock, but your attempt is thwarted when the sergeant and his guards return. With them is the squad leader, freshly bathed and sporting a fine new uniform. He is carrying the Claw of Naar, and when the iron door is opened, he points it at you and triggers a fearsome blast of raw energy. In the cramped confines of the cell there is no hope of escaping from its terrible power. In the blink of an eye, you and your brave companions are engulfed and consumed by a terrifying ball of white-hot fire.

Tragically, your life and your mission end here in the barracks dungeon of Yua Tzhan.

You warn the others that a storm is imminent, and that you will need to find shelter before it breaks. Less than a mile further on, you discover an abandoned cottage that overlooks the hill road. A dirt track ascends to its door, and when you reach it, you discover that there is sufficient room inside to shelter you and your horses. Barely minutes after arriving here, the storm breaks and the surrounding countryside is swept by torrential rain.

While you are sheltering from the storm, unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.

To continue,
turn to 303
.

When you crest the ridge, you rein in your horse and stop to look back at the trap you have set. After several minutes, you see your enemy enter the valley and gallop along the trail. You magnify your vision in order to observe them as they approach the pillars, but as they pass by the obstruction, you detect no sudden release of power.

The enemy have failed to trigger your trap and now you have lost a precious advantage. Cursing your ill luck, you urge your stallion to the gallop and speed away from the ridge with your ranger companions following closely on your horse's heels.

Turn to 309
.

You reach the end of the roof and climb down the trunk of the tree. Gildas and his men follow your lead, and when all of you are safely on the ground, you pause for a few moments to assess the situation. From beneath the leafy boughs of the young oak, you look out across the parade ground and scan the buildings that border upon it. Bhanarian soldiers are running everywhere, seemingly in confusion. Then you realize that they all have a purpose: they are rushing to secure every entrance and exit from the barracks.

Gildas points to a building on the west side of the parade ground. Its doors are open and unguarded. You magnify your vision and see that it is part of the barracks stables. Its well-lit interior is busy with troopers who are preparing their mounts for tomorrow's ceremonial parade through the city. Beyond its rows of stalls is an archway that opens on to one of the city's streets. You inform the rangers of what you have seen and you decide that the stables offer you your best hope for an escape from the barracks. Using the perimeter trees for cover, you skirt around the parade ground and make your approach to the stables. You are less than 20 yards from its open doors when you are suddenly called upon to halt. Three Bhanarian guards come weaving through the line of trees towards you, their spears held at the ready. ‘Stay where you are,’ barks the tallest of these soldiers, ‘and all of you — raise your hands!’

Illustration II
—Three Bhanarian guards come rushing towards you, their spears held at the ready.

If you possess Herbmastery and have attained the rank of Sun Lord,
turn to 229
.

If you possess Kai-surge and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Guardian or higher,
turn to 111
.

If you possess neither of these skills, or if you have yet to attain the required level of Kai Mastery,
turn to 274
.