The Captives of Kaag (4 page)

There will be occasions during your adventure when you have to fight an enemy. The enemy's
COMBAT SKILL
and
ENDURANCE
points are given in the text. Lone Wolf's aim in the combat is to kill the enemy by reducing his
ENDURANCE
points to zero while losing as few
ENDURANCE
points as possible himself.

At the start of a combat, enter Lone Wolf's and the enemy's
ENDURANCE
points in the appropriate boxes on the Combat Record section of your
Action Chart
. The sequence for combat is as follows:

1. Add any extra points gained through your Grand Master Disciplines and Special Items to your current
   COMBAT SKILL
   total.
   
2. Subtract the
   COMBAT SKILL
   of your enemy from this total. The result is your Combat Ratio. Enter it on the
   Action Chart
   .
   Example
   Lone Wolf (
   COMBAT SKILL
   27) is attacked by a pack of Doomwolves (
   COMBAT SKILL
   30). He is taken by surprise and is not given the opportunity of evading their attack. Lone Wolf has the Grand Master Discipline of Kai-surge to which the Doomwolves are not immune, so Lone Wolf adds 8 points to his
   COMBAT SKILL
   , giving him a total
   COMBAT SKILL
   of 35.
   He subtracts the Doomwolf pack's
   COMBAT SKILL
   from his own, giving a Combat Ratio of +5. (35-30 = +5). +5 is noted on the
   Action Chart
   as the Combat Ratio.
   
3. When you have your Combat Ratio
   , pick a number from the
   Random Number Table
   .
   
4. Turn to the
   Combat Results Table
   . Along the top of the chart are shown the Combat Ratio numbers. Find the number that is the same as your Combat Ratio and cross-reference it with the random number that you have picked (the random numbers appear on the side of the chart). You now have the number of
   ENDURANCE
   points lost by both Lone Wolf and his enemy in this round of combat. (E represents points lost by the enemy; LW represents points lost by Lone Wolf.)
   Example
   The Combat Ratio between Lone Wolf and the Doomwolf Pack has been established as +5. If the number picked from the
   Random Number Table
   is a 2, then the result of the first round of combat is:
   
   • Lone Wolf loses 3
     ENDURANCE
     points (plus an additional 1 point for using Kai-surge).
     
   • Doomwolf Pack loses 7
     ENDURANCE
     points.
     
5. On the
   Action Chart
   , mark the changes in
   ENDURANCE
   points to the participants in the combat.
   
6. Unless otherwise instructed, or unless you have an option to evade, the next round of combat now starts.
   
7. Repeat the sequence from
   Stage 3
   .
   

This process of combat continues until
ENDURANCE
points of either the enemy or Lone Wolf are reduced to zero or below, at which point that combatant is declared dead. If Lone Wolf is dead, the adventure is over. If the enemy is dead, Lone Wolf proceeds but with his
ENDURANCE
points possibly reduced.

A
summary of Combat Rules
appears in the back of this book.

During your adventure you may be given the chance to evade combat. If you have already engaged in a round of combat and decide to evade, calculate the combat for that round in the usual manner. All points lost by the enemy as a result of that round are ignored, and you make your escape. Only Lone Wolf may lose
ENDURANCE
points during that round (but then that is the risk of running away!). You may evade only if the text of the particular section allows you to do so.

The following table is a guide to the ranks and titles you can achieve at each stage of your journey along the road of Kai Grand Mastership. As you successfully complete each adventure in the
Lone Wolf Grand Master
series, you will gain an additional Grand Master Discipline and progress towards the pinnacle of Kai perfection — to become a Kai Supreme Master.

1. Kai Grand Master Senior
   
2. Kai Grand Master Superior
   
3. Kai Grand Sentinel
   
4. Kai Grand Defender —
   You begin the
   Lone Wolf Grand Master
   adventures at this level of Mastery
   
5. Kai Grand Guardian
   
6. Sun Knight
   
7. Sun Lord
   
8. Sun Thane
   
9. Grand Thane
   
10. Grand Crown
    
11. Sun Prince
    
12. Kai Supreme Master
    

As you rise through the higher levels of Kai Grand Mastery, you will find that your Disciplines will steadily improve. For example, if you possess the Discipline of Grand Nexus when you reach the Grand Master rank of Grand Thane, you will be able to pass freely through Shadow Gates and explore the nether realms of Aon and the Daziarn Plane.

If you are a Grand Master who has reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian (5 Disciplines), you will now benefit from improvements to the following Grand Master Disciplines:

Animal Mastery

Kai Grand Guardians with this Discipline are able to summon a limited number of forest animals to their location. The creatures so summoned will become loyal and willing allies, willing to do the Kai Grand Guardian's bidding. This ability can only be used in an outdoor setting.

Assimilance

Kai Grand Guardians who possess this skill are able to create a cloud of fog-like vapour within 15 yards of their location. This fog will obscure both normal and infravision. The duration of the fog increases as a Grand Master rises in rank.

Grand Huntmastery

Kai Grand Guardians with this skill enjoy increased mobility when travelling across all types of terrain, whether on foot or on horseback. This improved ability is very useful when used to outdistance a pursuing enemy.

Kai-surge

Kai Grand Guardians who possess mastery of this Discipline are able to attack up to three enemies in psychic combat simultaneously.

Kai-screen

Kai Grand Guardians who possess this Discipline are able to exercise a defensive psychic skill known as Mindblend. This cloaking ability enables them to both protect and hide their minds from being detected by a hostile psychic probe.

Magi-magic

Grand Masters who have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian are able to use the following battle-spells of the Elder Magi:

• Splinter
   — This causes breakable items such as bottles, jugs, mirrors, windows, etc., to shatter to pieces. The range of this spell increases as a Grand Master rises in rank.
  
• Flameshaft
   — This causes the tip of any Arrow, or arrow-like missile, to burn fiercely with a magical flame which cannot readily be extinguished by normal means.
  

The nature of these additional improvements and how they affect your Grand Master Disciplines will be noted in the Improved Grand Master Disciplines section of future
Lone Wolf
books.

Your mission to enter old Darklord city-fortress of Kaag and rescue Guildmaster Banedon will be fraught with deadly dangers. Be wary and on your guard at all times, for the inhabitants of Kaag are still a formidable enemy despite the demise of their Darklord masters.

Some of the things that you will find during your mission will be of use to you in this and future
Lone Wolf
books, while others may be red herrings of no real value at all, so try to be selective in what you decide to keep.

Choose your Grand Master Disciplines with care, for a wise choice will enable any player to complete the quest, no matter how weak their initial
COMBAT SKILL
and
ENDURANCE
scores may be. Successful completion of previous
Lone Wolf
adventures, although an advantage, is not essential for the completion of this Grand Master adventure.

The survival of your countryman and close friend Banedon depends on the success of your mission. May the light of Kai and Ishir be your guide as you venture into the grim darkness of Kaag.

For Sommerlund and the Kai!

Preparations for the quest take no more than a day to complete. The following morning, shortly before dawn, you and Lord Rimoah leave the Kai Monastery by a secret route which takes you to a clearing deep in the heart of the Fryelund Forest. There awaits the means by which you will travel swiftly to Kaag.

Your journey to the Darklands will be made aboard Guildmaster Banedon's airship — the
Skyrider
. This magical craft has borne you on many quests to distant lands, yet never before without your friend and companion at its helm. Now, in his absence, the stewardship of the
Skyrider
has passed to its bo'sun — Nolrim of Bor.

‘Welcome aboard, Grand Master,’ says Nolrim, proud to be serving under your command. You clasp his strong hand in friendship and compliment him and the crew for the pristine condition of their craft. There is no doubting that he and his company of dwarves are sorely grieved by the absence of their Captain, yet they have not allowed their anguish to give way to hopelessness or despair. These sturdy warriors are renowned for their formidable fighting spirit and you know they willingly risk their lives to help you rescue Banedon from the minions of darkness.

Soon the frost-laden fir trees are receding beneath the
Skyrider's
bow as Nolrim steers a westward course towards the grey, snow-capped peaks of the Durncrag Mountains. You spend the flight inside the captain's cabin, where you and Lord Rimoah discuss your dangerous mission. The plan is to traverse the Durncrag Range and enter the Darklands under cover of a dust storm which is currently sweeping southwards towards Kaag. A landing will be made ten miles to the northeast of the city-fortress, beyond a ridge of hills that will keep the
Skyrider
hidden from the eyes of Kaag's watchful lookouts. From there you are to make your way to the fortress on foot, enter as best you can, locate and rescue Banedon, and then return with him to the
Skyrider
which will carry you back to the safety of Sommerlund. You will have 48 hours in which to complete your mission. If, after the two days have elapsed, you have not returned, Rimoah will be forced to assume that you and the Guildmaster have perished. The dust storm will not last for more than two days, after which time there is a grave danger that the
Skyrider
will be spotted and attacked by the Kraan and Zlanbeasts which are known to patrol the skies around Kaag.

In a little under two hours you reach your destination where the weather conditions are atrocious. A fierce, dust-choked wind buffets the craft mercilessly during the final descent and visibility is no more than a dozen yards at best. Yet, despite these terrible conditions, Nolrim brings the
Skyrider
in for a faultless landing behind the ridge. The moment the keel beds into the soft ground, the crew leap into action with ropes and chains. Nolrim soon enters the cabin to inform you that the craft is secure and, with trepidation, you get ready to set off for Kaag.

‘Godspeed, Lone Wolf,’ says Rimoah, with a smile of encouragement. ‘I shall pray to Kai and Ishir for your safety and success. May their light guide you on your journey into darkness.’

You acknowledge his blessing gratefully before bidding him, and Nolrim, farewell. Then, without looking back, you pull your warm cloak tight about you and set off into the storm.

Turn to 309
.

The sound of arrows whistling towards your back provides all the incentive you need to keep running. You bound up the steps and, as the deadly barbed shafts fly past only inches from your back and legs, you run headlong into the tunnel.

The dingy passage beyond descends by slope and stair to a rectangular hall which is lined with ancient stone statues, their features made unrecognizable by age. Tar-soaked torches fixed to the two longest walls illuminate this musty chamber with a flickering amber light, and the air is heavy with their oily stench. In the distance you see an archway and the passage continuing away into darkness.

If you wish to stop here for a few minutes and try to revive Banedon,
turn to 29
.

If you decide to press on without stopping here,
turn to 177
.

On the third tap the lock emits a distinct
click
and, slowly, the great door swings open to reveal a dark, smoky tunnel.
⁴
Warily you pass through the door and enter the unwelcoming passage.

Turn to 200
.