The Dungeons of Torgar (15 page)

The Palmyrions are eager to attack the Drakkarim and rush forward, heedless of your warnings. The two robed figures draw back their arms and hurl the spheres at the onrushing soldiers. They hit and shatter with devastating effect.

Turn to 106
.

Behind the black door lies a vast temple lit by a ghastly green glow, which radiates from columns of crystal that rise from the floor and ascend into the dark reaches above. Near the centre of the room sits a giant block of sculptured marble and around it stands a group of hooded men, their faces hidden behind hideous masks of glass. The dismal sound of their chanting fills the chamber and, as their leader steps forward and removes his mask, so their voices rise in pitch and fervour.

If you have travelled the Stornlands of Central Magnamund in a previous
Lone Wolf
adventure,
turn to 104
.

If you have never been to the Stornlands,
turn to 263
.

You walk around the pit and soon realize that if you are to retrieve the Lorestones safely you must shut off the energy which is bombarding them. However, by doing so, you would remove the means by which they are being kept suspended in the air, and they would then fall into the pit.

You ponder the problem for several minutes before you hit upon a solution.

Turn to 5
.

Quickly you step away from the dead wolf and steel yourself as Jarel cries a warning: ‘There's another one!’

There is a brief flash of feral eyes then the great hound charges out of the darkness and flings itself at your companion's chest. Jarel sidesteps and ducks, and the howling wolf meets with a swift death as Jarel's sword slices upwards and opens its heart.

Breathless and blood-splattered, you gather up your equipment and hurry deeper into the forest before the smell of the dead wolves attracts more of their kind, or worse.

Turn to 282
.

Despite the agony of your wounds you rise to your feet and stagger on towards the allies' camp. The arrows tear open your wounds with every jolting step you take and the terrible pain is too much to bear. With consciousness fading, you drop to your knees. The only hope you have of surviving is if you can wrench the arrows free.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Curing, deduct 3 from the number you have picked. The remaining number equals the number of additional
ENDURANCE
points you lose as a result of pulling the arrows from your back.
⁶

If you survive the trauma of this action,
turn to 190
.

Cautiously you investigate beneath the bridge, and to your relief discover that it is deserted. You are hungry and exhausted after your ordeal and must now eat a Meal or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points. Too tired to continue, you settle down on the soft mattress of leaves and drift off into a deep sleep.

Turn to 295
.

You claw your way out of the bore-hole and collapse onto the damp earth that surrounds the fissure. As your energy returns, you pull yourself to your feet and try to get your bearings before venturing deeper into the eerie forest.

Your wounds and the energy expended during your ordeal in the chasm have sapped your strength. You must now eat a Meal or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.

Turn to 50
.

All around you the battle rages. Having lost the bridge, the Drakkarim draw together in desperate groups and attempt to throw barricades across the narrow street. While Captain Prarg rallies the pikemen and leads an attack along the main street in an effort to break through one of these hastily built defences, you gather about you a score of men and enter an alley to your left in pursuit of a handful of retreating Drakkarim Death Knights.

If you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Pathsmanship and have reached the rank of Tutelary or higher,
turn to 225
.

If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to reach this level of training,
turn to 345
.

Slowly he drags himself to his feet and stumbles drunkenly towards the rampart. You shout encouragement, and then suddenly a starburst of pain explodes in your head and the taste of blood fills your mouth: you have been struck in the face by a Drakkarim arrow. It has pierced your eye and lodged itself in your brain. Death is instantaneous.

Your life and your quest end here.

Instinctively you dodge aside, but the dagger gouges your neck before embedding itself in the door behind: lose 2
ENDURANCE
points. The man curses as he pulls free his studded leather Bullwhip and lashes out. With deadly accuracy the plaited whip snakes towards your throat.

Illustration XII
—The man curses as he pulls free his studded leather Bullwhip and lashes out.

Halgar:
COMBAT SKILL
 24   
ENDURANCE
 30

Owing to the speed of his attack you cannot make use of a Bow or evade combat.

If you win the fight,
turn to 145
.

You swap seats with Jarel and take up the oars. The flow is much stronger here at the river mouth, but you are rested and you row with a strength and determination that overcomes the current. You have travelled over ten miles upstream when the bow rams against a submerged obstruction. The boat is near the middle of the river and you can see no obvious hazards, such as shoals or mud banks, but it is stuck fast, and no matter how hard you row you cannot free it.

If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Pathsmanship and have reached the rank of Tutelary or higher,
turn to 191
.

If you do not possess this skill or have yet to reach this level of Magnakai training,
turn to 28
.

With a shout of rage, you leap forward and strike a blow that would decapitate a creature of flesh and blood. But Tagazin is no such creature. A shower of icy-blue sparks explodes where you strike his neck and your weapon disintegrates into a thousand frozen fragments: lose 2
ENDURANCE
points (and remember to delete this Weapon from your Action Chant).
⁷

Laughing maniacally, Tagazin bares his sword-like fangs and closes in for the kill.

If you possess another weapon, you can attempt to cut the amulet from around his neck;
turn to 128
.

If you decide to attack Roark and take the amulet he is holding,
turn to 41
.

Using your innate Kai skill of healing, you tend to the Prince's wounded leg and he soon stirs to consciousness. The Palace Guard have captured the hill and their banner flutters overhead proudly proclaiming their victory and inspiring the Lencians who are fighting at the bridge.

The Prince orders that a signal be sent to his reserves, instructing them to advance without delay, for the enemy are rallying to counterattack. Tensely you watch as a mass of leather-clad Hammerlanders, supported by a regiment of grim-faced Brigandi, advance up the hill. The Palace Guard link their shields and prepare to welcome the enemy with sharpened steel. Onward they come, their banners held high, their war-horns filling the air with a noisy clangour. They surge forward and with a yell the front rank slams into the shield-wall. Sword blades fly, striking sparks and drawing blood. Axes and maces fall with crushing blows. A knight falls dead at your side and his slayer hurls himself through the gap. He scrambles to his feet and attacks you with his reddened blade.

Hammerlander:
COMBAT SKILL
 24   
ENDURANCE
 31

Owing to his state of battle-frenzy the Hammerlander is immune to Mindblast (but not Psi-surge).

If you win the combat,
turn to 87
.

Lord Adamas opens his hand and the coin shows ‘tails’ — you have guessed correctly. ‘Very well,’ he says, unbuckling his cumbersome sword belt and shouldering the satchel which contains the crystal explosive. ‘Wish me luck!’

He orders the vanguard to provide covering fire with their crossbows; then he clambers over the rampart and sprints towards the Torgar gate.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.

If the number you have picked is 0–4,
turn to 221
.

If it is 5–9,
turn to 32
.

A numbing chill leaves you shivering uncontrollably as a surge of psychic energy rips into the fabric of your mind: lose 5
ENDURANCE
points.

The attack soon passes but your fear grows as you watch the jackal-like Demonlord leap from the marble block and come bounding towards the door.

If you have a Bow and wish to use it,
turn to 147
.

If not,
turn to 174
.

High above, crouched in their hiding places around the rim of the gorge, a company of partisans watches you succumb to the aroma of the flowers. When they are sure that you are unconscious, their sergeant leaves his position and descends by rope into the gorge, his nose and mouth covered by a pad of Golta leaves to counter the intoxicating scent. He had intended to bundle you onto your horse and lead you from the gorge to where the mountain air would revive you, but on reaching your body his suspicions are aroused. The ring and uniform you wear indicate that you are a Pathfinder with a message from Prince Graygor, but the weapons you carry, and your fair hair and Northland features are not those of an élite Eruan soldier. He rolls you over onto your stomach and is horrified to discover Halgar's Bullwhip tied to your backpack, its copper-studded coils stained with his blood. He knows that Halgar would never have parted willingly with the weapon, for it had made him as respected a fighter as his brother, Sebb Jarel. Anger, fuelled by shock, stirs the sergeant to a fit of rage. He is convinced that you are a Drakkar, an assassin sent by Baron Shinzar to murder the brothers Jarel. With a cry of anguish he unsheathes his sword and delivers a fateful blow that commits you to everlasting sleep.

Your life and your quest end here.