The Legacy of Vashna (21 page)

Having decided not to approach the circle of boulders, the only option left to you is to turn back to the fork in the trail and take the other path that leads into the foothills. By the time you arrive there, you are tired and very hungry. Unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.

To continue,
turn to 61
.

You focus your power of Animal Control on the leader of this predatory flock and will him to abandon his attack. The speed of his descent is making it difficult for you to target him, but your persistence and your Kai skills overcome this. At the last moment the ugly black bird banks away, cawing frantically, and the remainder of his flock follow suit without pressing home their attack. You watch with grim satisfaction as the flock return to the mountains, cawing with frustration, their hunger unsatiated.

You manage to regain control of the raft and, at length, you reach the far side of the river and disembark safely. A stony trail runs along the bank, heading north, and you follow it with high hopes of reaching Lake Vorndarol before sunset. All day the sun blazes supreme in a cloudless sky and waves of heat create a shimmering, distorted view of the trail ahead. The distant horizon is streaked with myriad colours and the dry air crackles with electricity, a legacy of last night's violent storm. Late in the afternoon you come to the ruins of an ancient settlement and stop here to allow your horse to rest awhile in the shade.

If you possess Grand Pathsmanship,
turn to 102
.

If you do not possess this Discipline,
turn to 260
.

For three miles you trek stolidly through the hills towards a deep magenta glow that is bathing the horizon. Then as you round a knoll of rock shaped like an accusing skeletal finger, you are confronted by a spectacle which leaves you staring open-mouthed with awe and horror.

An expanse of dead land, littered with cracked and shattered rocks, slopes down to the edge of an immense chasm that stretches more than a mile from rim to rim. It is the Maakengorge. Hordes of screeching Vortexi ride a violent electrical storm which rages in the clouds above this vast abyss, and the earth shudders in echoing response to the booming thunder. Near the rim of the chasm there stands a towering arch, hewn of stone, that shimmers with such a supernatural brilliance that you cannot fully focus upon it. Peering closer you see before the arch an elaborate, multi-tiered dais constructed entirely of crystal. Around it kneel hundreds of acolytes who are chanting devoutly. Their dreary voices add to the dreadful noise.

Illustration XV
—You follow the procession as it winds its way towards the dais.

You follow the procession as it winds its way towards the dais and soon you see that a solitary figure is standing upon its uppermost tier. He faces the shimmering arch, his hands outstretched, and with every movement of his fingers there is a subtle shift in the spectrum of colours within the angry clouds above. It is as if he is manipulating the storm as a conductor would an orchestra. With a grand sweep of his arms he calms the turbulent sky; then he turns to face his kneeling congregation.

If you have ever been to Kaag or Mogaruith,
turn to 224
.

If you have never been to these city-fortresses,
turn to 295
.

The tip of your Arrow clips the man's calf and you hear him yelp with pain. But the wound is superficial and it does not prevent him from making his escape out onto the balcony.

With weapon in hand, you climb out of the window. You are expecting the archer to attack you the moment you appear but the balcony is deserted: he has disappeared. Then your keen eyes notice fresh bloodstains on the balcony rail and you catch a glimpse of movement on the roof of the building opposite. It is the archer. Despite his wounded leg he has leapt across the narrow street and is now making his escape across the rooftops of the north quarter.

With the grace of a panther you spring onto the balcony rail and leap across to the roof opposite. Without breaking your stride, you set off after the fleeing assassin and pursue him to the edge of a flat-topped warehouse at the end of Tavern Lane. Here a plank of wood has been laid down to span the gap of fifty feet to the rooftop opposite. The man limps across the plank, and then kicks it away to prevent you from following him.

If you are determined to follow him and wish to try to leap across the gap,
turn to 42
.

If you do not wish to make the jump,
turn to 191
.

You sense that Cadak is playing for time. It is his wish to keep you imprisoned within this umbrella of light until the Demoness Shamath arrives. Then you recall the words of the young girl whom you encountered in the cavern —
Be brave, Grand Master. But most of all — be swift!

If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it,
turn to 123
.

If you possess Kai-surge and wish to use it,
turn to 267
.

If you possess neither of these skills, or if you choose not to use them,
turn to 54
.

You use your advanced healing skills to staunch the flow of blood from your gashed neck and to mend the torn tissue. Within a few moments the pain subsides, and sufficient strength returns to your aching limbs to enable you to break from cover and run after your horse.

You enter the dense pine copse to find Bracer standing among the trees, whinnying nervously. You calm him down and secure his reins to a branch; then you go back and try to catch a glimpse of your attackers. As you reach the edge of the trees you have no difficulty seeing them: a dozen brigands, brandishing crossbows and swords, are rushing through the knee-high undergrowth towards your hiding place.

If you possess a Bow and wish to use it,
turn to 330
.

If you do not,
turn to 136
.

You draw an Arrow and take aim in the direction you can hear the beast approaching from. It sounds as if it is no more than twenty yards away when you release the straining bowstring and send the Arrow streaking into the fog. The shaft has travelled barely a few yards when it ignites with a flash and is instantly transformed into a line of glowing splinters which float away on the mist.

As soon as the Arrow passed beyond the perimeter of the protection of your Platinum Amulet, it was subjected to the true temperature of this domain: a temperature which reduced it to glowing embers in less than a second.

Suddenly, with a deafening roar, the unseen beast is upon you. You drop your Bow and unsheathe your weapon as it tries to rake you unmercifully with fang and claw.

Zarthyn:
COMBAT SKILL
 48   
ENDURANCE
 50

If you win this combat,
turn to 90
.

The Runic Disc that you found in Helgor falls from your pocket as the Elder hauls you roughly off the bench. It bounces off the deck and comes to rest on his foot. He releases his grip on your robe and stoops to pick it up, thinking that it is booty you have looted from Vorn. But his temper quickly cools when he recognizes it to be the mark of the Guild of Rhem, the most feared brotherhood of assassins in all of northern Magnamund. He is aware that some guild assassins have been employed as agents to carry out missions for the acolytes, and he assumes at once that you are such an agent.

Nervously he returns the disc to you. Then, without further word, he backs away a few paces, bows his head, and leaves to attend to other matters at the prow of the boat. Those seated around you have now become uncomfortably curious. To avoid their attentions, you get up and move to the stern where a score of acolytes are kneeling in prayer.

Turn to 124
.

Your advanced Kai skills and the mud make it easy for you to tell that these tracks were made by humans travelling on foot. You count eight different pairs of footprints: six made by sandalled feet, and two by heavy hobnailed boots. The tracks are two days old and they are all heading in a northeasterly direction.

Turn to 67
.

You raise your weapon and bring your horse about to face this fearsome beast's attack. The instant he sees the creature he panics and rears up on his hind legs, neighing with fright, his hooves scrabbling frantically at the air. You bring him under control using your innate Kai skills, but in doing so your attention is diverted from the attacking beast as it moves in and swipes at you with its clawed paw.

Black Corvayl:
COMBAT SKILL
 46   
ENDURANCE
 58

Reduce your
COMBAT SKILL
by 10 for the first round of this fight only.

If you win the combat,
turn to 210
.

Your psychic defences hold fast and the Elder learns nothing from his attempt to read your mind. Rather than admit to failure, he curses and denounces you as an empty-headed cretin.

With a growl of disdain, he orders you to rejoin the end of the procession and pushes you out of his way as he strides back to rally those acolytes who are fleeing down the path.

Turn to 250
.

You race up the staircase and kick open the door through which the black-clad archer disappeared. Inside, you discover a group of gamblers standing at a circular table with playing cards in their hands. They have all risen from their seats to look at something on the far side of the room. When you follow their gaze, you see it is the archer; he is climbing through an open window onto a balcony outside.

If you possess a Bow and wish to use it,
turn to 301
.

If you do not,
turn to 197
.

You leave the ancient settlement and continue your ride along the sun-baked river trail. As dusk approaches, you keep a weather eye open for the signs of a storm. Clouds are rapidly forming over the mountains to the east, and the metallic smell of ozone is strong on the evening breeze.

In the middle distance you see a large herd of Vythaz. These timid, goat-like mountain animals are rarely seen at this time of the year, yet here are more than two hundred of them drinking at the river's edge. You sense that they are nervous and confused; the eerie weather has disrupted their natural migratory instincts and they have descended to the river a season earlier than is usual.

Suddenly, there is a flash of lightning and a mighty clap of thunder explodes in the sky overhead. The herd scatter in all directions, terrified by the noise. Then an incredible ball of light shoots down from the heavens and hits the trail, scattering stones like shrapnel and leaving a huge, smoking crater in its wake. You pull your horse off the trail and run with the fleeing Vythaz herd as more of the lightning balls streak down from the stormy sky.

If you possess the Sommerswerd,
turn to 321
.

If you do not possess this Special Item,
turn to 236
.

The blazing cavern walls grow dim, and shimmering waves of the crimson light begin to sweep across the floor towards the crystal dais. Suddenly Shamath reappears in her female form at the base of the dais. In front of her booted legs there stand a dozen powerful warriors, armoured and helmeted as if for war, but their stern faces have no eyes and their mouths have no lips. Behind her, a score of new attendants emerge from the shadows carrying large pieces of shiny black armour. She begins to strap this armour to her limbs and, by the sluggishness of her movements, you can tell that she must have been weakened by your earlier conflict.

Illustration XVI
—Suddenly Shamath appears in her female form at the base of the dais.

With a single word she commands the warriors to attack you. They raise their short swords and come marching slowly forwards, their movements stiff and machine-like. Beyond their advancing line you catch sight of the Deathstaff still lying near the base of the dais, and a bold plan springs to mind. If you could evade the oncoming line of automatons, you could reach the dais. Then you would be able to take the Deathstaff and enter the Shadow Gate before Shamath recovers her strength.

Turn to 171
.