Wolf's Bane (18 page)
Unfortunately you are detected by one of the grey-skinned creatures as you pass directly over their fluid-filled trough. It raises the alarm and frantically its ragged brothers scramble to unshoulder and load their bows.
If you wish to use your Discipline of Kai-alchemy again,
turn to 198
.
If you do not,
turn to 231
.
Arrows splash into the mire, dangerously close. You sense that this volley was not aimed at you; it was let loose in the hope of hitting you by chance. Anxious to avoid a second volley, you increase your pace and sprint across the vault towards the exit tunnel.
Your advanced psychic defences save you from sustaining severe damage to the fabric of your mind. However, the surprise assault on your mental defences has bought this castle guardian the precious few seconds he needs in which to advance upon you. As the pain in your head recedes, you see the armoured warrior striding towards you with his sword raised high, poised ready to deal you a mighty blow.
Meghanic:
COMBAT SKILL
48
ENDURANCE
48
This being is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.
If you win the combat,
turn to 338
.
Looking around the walls of this tomb brings back memories of the time that you ventured into the Graveyard of the Ancients. The shape of the urns which stand here are identical to those that you discovered by chance in the tombs beneath that forbidden burial ground. The recollection chills you, for clearly you recall that those urns contained deadly Crypt Spawn.
12
You focus your Sixth Sense on the urns that line this chamber and, to your relief, you detect no living creatures lurking within. You instruct the others to examine them with care and, to your surprise, they discover that some contain Laumspur leaves. They are spotted with age but they still possess their healing powers. (There are enough leaves here for three Potions of Laumspur. Each potion counts as one Backpack Item and will restore 4
ENDURANCE
points when swallowed immediately after combat.)
You are helping Blazer to tilt one of the urns when a sudden and unexpected noise at the far end of the chamber sets your pulse racing.
[12] It is possible for Lone Wolf to have visited the Graveyard of the Ancients without encountering any Crypt Spawn.
Kekataag the Avenger is attired in battle-armour that glimmers like slime-dulled gold. Beneath his helmet there is a hollow skull-face from which emerges a sickly stench that permeates even the foul air of this hall. The skulls and bones of humans bedeck his armoured hide and in his mighty hands he carries a great two-handed axe, its blade stained black with the blood of his countless victims.
This fearsome warrior holds you with his glowing eyes and you feel waves of powerful psychic energy buffet your mind. Your advanced Kai defences repel this attack, but you are left in no doubt that he is deeply jealous of your supposed defeat of Lone Wolf.
You call upon your advanced mastery to mask the goodly aura that radiates from your body. Then, having mustered your Kai camouflage skills, you enter the vault and make your way stealthily towards the exit on the far side.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess Assimilance and Grand Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked.
If your total score is 5 or less,
turn to 313
.
If it is 6 or higher,
turn to 236
.
You race towards the hover-wagon and, as it sweeps by, you hurl yourself towards its open cargo bay. You hit the side of the vehicle with numbing force (lose 2
ENDURANCE
points), but you manage to keep your grip and haul yourself aboard.
By the time the wagon reaches the windswept moat, you have concealed yourself in amongst its cargo of steel cylinders and bales of wire. You hear the distant
clang
of a bell and, from your hiding place, you are able to watch as the drawbridge extends from beneath the portal to span the deep chasm. Swiftly the wagon passes across the semi-transparent bridge and glides through the tower's open portal unchallenged.
Your killing blow opens a gash across the giant insect's belly and brings the creature crashing down into the plant's corolla. Hurriedly you retreat along the stamen and narrowly avoid being crushed to death beneath its huge rainbow-coloured torso. You have triumphed in combat, yet the creature's death has thwarted your chances of escaping this way. Slippery ichor drips from its fatal wound and runs along the stamen, making it difficult for you to maintain your grip, and the bulk of its lifeless body now blocks any chance of your being able to escape upwards.
Reluctantly you are forced to retreat all the way down to the bowl of the corolla, to where the hollow stem is the only chance you now have of getting out of this sinister plant alive.
You concentrate your attention upon the cutting edge of your weapon and, using your advanced skill, cause tongues of magical flame to ignite along its length. Then you vigorously attack the sticky strands of the net and cleave through them with surprising ease. They shrivel at the touch of your fiery weapon and drop in smouldering heaps onto the floor of the tunnel. Within a matter of seconds you have cut a path through and are able to continue your pursuit.
You approach the hut and crouch down beside its mud wall, close to its open door. Your senses detect no glyphs or other traps here, and there are no residues of magical energy that might betray the presence of illusions or shielding spells. However, your Kai senses do detect a strong aura of Evil lingering at the rear of the hut, close to the water's edge.
You move around to the rear of this hovel and discover that the bank is deeply undercut where the soft earth has been eroded by the fast-flowing stream. Standing in a line in the shadow of the undercut are a dozen wooden cages, each containing a fleshless skeleton. A shiver runs down your spine as your Magnakai Discipline of Divination detects the lingering agonies of these luckless victims. They suffered cruelly at the hands of the natives of this settlement before death finally ended their torment. The shock of your discovery is unnerving: lose 1
ENDURANCE
point.
You leave the stream and return to the front of the hut. Inside the open doorway you discover several fruits stacked in mounds on a mat of woven rushes. Somewhat to your surprise, your senses reveal that they are nutritious and safe to eat. (There are sufficient fruits here for 3 Meals.)
Wary of further delay, you approach the trench at the centre of the hut and descend a flight of steps that lead down to an underground tunnel. You can detect no traps, yet you have gone only a few yards along this narrow passageway when you hear the terrifying roar of a large cat. With an abruptness that takes your breath away, a huge tiger-like beast comes bounding from out of the darkness ahead. So sudden and unexpected is this creature's attack, that you only just have time in which to unsheathe a hand weapon as it hurls itself upon you.
Rahjaz:
COMBAT SKILL
48
ENDURANCE
41
This creature is immune to all forms of psychic attack, except Kai-surge and Kai-blast.
If you win this combat,
turn to 249
.
You ask Steel Hand to give you his rope and he obeys dutifully. You sling its coiled length around your shoulder and then you commence your climb. The rough, pitted wall offers many handholds and you progress swiftly to the ceiling where you are able to work your way quickly across to the middle of the chamber, directly above the fissure. Once you are in position, you fix one end of the rope to an exposed stone beam and cast the other end to your companions waiting below. One by one you watch them swing across the void and, when all have crossed safely, you untie the rope and make your way over to the far side to join them.
‘Come, my lords,’ you say, anxious to waste not a minute more, ‘we must press on. We've a trail to find.’
You rush to the nearest dragonfly pen and use your Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control to subdue its hostile occupant. Reluctantly the creature submits to your will and allows you to climb upon its back. It has no saddle, and so you are forced to grip its scaly back as best you can as it rapidly takes to the air. Fear is running ice cold in your veins as you urge the creature towards the open portal in the roof, for you know that the bomb is set to explode at any moment.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.
If the number you have picked is 0–3,
turn to 335
.
If it is 4–6,
turn to 278
.
If it is 7–9,
turn to 218
.
You emerge from the cave mouth, staying as low as you can and making the most of what little foliage there is in the clearing. You are so successful that you come to within twenty yards of your enemy's hiding place before he spots your approach.
The sudden realization that you are so close shocks your adversary to the core. You see his mouth drop open, revealing teeth that show white against the green of the jungle; then he regains his senses and rapidly disappears into the undergrowth. Determined that you are not going to allow him to get away so easily, you leap to your feet and give chase.
The sudden shock of impact nearly knocks you off the back of your flying steed. Frantically you scramble to regain your seat and, as you pull yourself upright, you notice that the enemy is now more than a hundred feet below; the momentum of its attack has carried it deeper into the cavern.
Your mount seizes its slim advantage and climbs as fast as it can to get away from the larger dragonfly. The enemy circles about, as if preparing to pursue; then it emits a loud buzz and changes its course. You watch with relief as it spirals away towards a cluster of smaller dragonflies that are hovering near the centre of the gorge.
Several minutes elapse before your tireless mount reaches the apex of the cavern and soars into the light-filled vent. Upon entering this vast aperture you are buffeted by crosswinds which sweep you and your air-steed precariously close to its rocky lip. The shock of the unexpectedly violent wind causes your mount to circle around the lip and attempt to dive back into the cavern. Blind with fear, it no longer responds to your commands, forcing you to take drastic action to avoid being carried back into the gorge. As you swoop past a rocky outcrop, you leap from the creature's back and abandon yourself to the mercy of the crosswinds. Only your Kai Mastery and your lightning-swift reactions save you from being crushed to death as you are blown towards the jagged, volcanic edge.
Miraculously, you survive the impact and are able to haul yourself out of the vent and climb safely onto a surface that, you assume, is the roof of the cavern. Seeking shelter from the raging crosswinds, you squeeze yourself into a hollow in the porous rock from where you are able to take stock of your new surroundings. The sight makes you gasp, for it is a view to rival the fertile wonders of the cavern below.
You are within a dozen paces of the stairs when suddenly one of the grey-skinned creatures turns and sniffs the air; it has detected your scent. It scans the hall and the moment its ghoulish eyes focus on your body it raises the alarm. Frantically, its ragged brothers scramble to the stairs to deny you access to the balcony and archway above.
Illustration X—One of the grey-skinned creatures sniffs the air — it has detected your scent.
6 Avarosi:
COMBAT SKILL
44
ENDURANCE
48
You cannot evade this combat; you must fight these foes to the finish.
If you win the fight,
turn to 325
.
Mentally you recite the words of the spell
Breathe Water
and feel strength coursing through your limbs as the pain in your air-starved lungs melts away. The creature is unaware of your ability to survive underwater and this gives you a strong advantage; it is slow to react to your initial attack.
Ekmakon:
COMBAT SKILL
40
ENDURANCE
25
Ignore any
ENDURANCE
point losses you may sustain in the first two rounds of this combat.
If you win the fight,
turn to 9
.