The Legacy of Vashna (6 page)

You approach the brigand leader stealthily, without making a sound. As you draw closer, you hear him cursing the incompetence of his men and you see him beating his clenched fist on the trunk of the fallen bough in frustration. Then, without warning, he turns around to retrieve something from a satchel lying on the ground nearby and his keen eyes catch sight of you creeping up on him. In an instant his sword is in his hand. You rush forward and launch your attack but you have lost the element of surprise. As he parries your first blow, he screams for his men to come to his aid.

Vakovarian Brigand Captain:
COMBAT SKILL
 33   
ENDURANCE
 32

You may evade this combat after two rounds by
turning to 312
.

If you win and the fight lasts five rounds or less,
turn to 25
.

If the fight lasts into the sixth round, do not continue, but
turn immediately to 145
.

Using your Kai Mastery, you attempt to stop the creature dead in its tracks with a sharp psychic command. The beast shudders, its instincts confused, but it possesses an unusually strong will, and you can sense that it may overcome your mental suggestion.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. For every Grand Master rank you have attained above that of Kai Grand Defender, add 1 to the number you have picked.

If your total score is now 5 or less,
turn to 336
.

If it is 6 or more,
turn to 306
.

You flick your heel against Bracer's flank and urge him towards the dingy street. Here, only a few houses show any light, and this through the knotholes and cracks of their bolted shutters. At length you come to a junction illuminated by a solitary street lantern. You are trying to decide which way to turn when your eye is distracted by something moving in the shadows. From out of a darkened doorway steps a pale-skinned woman wrapped in a black velvet cloak, edged with scarlet silk.

‘ 'Tis no night to be out ridin',’ she says, her voice syrupy and seductive, ‘not 'less you be lookin' for company.’

You tell her you have no need for her company and turn your horse to leave, but suddenly you find yourself transfixed by the woman's eyes and unable to move. They seem unnaturally vibrant, as if filled with a flickering green fire; she is using magic in an attempt to charm you. Instinctively, you draw on your innate psychic Kai powers to try to dispel the charm, but her magic is unusually strong.

If you possess the Grand Master Discipline of Kai-screen,
turn to 346
.

If you do not possess this skill,
turn to 290
.

You make a slow descent to the clearing, trusting to your camouflage skills to keep you hidden as you move from one boulder to the next. You are less than ten yards from the carcass when you hear the faint scrape of leather on stone. You turn to look and a man's voice growls, ‘Don't move!’

Standing between two boulders away to your left is a grey-bearded man, clad in furs and clutching a loaded crossbow. The weapon is pointing at your heart.

If you possess the Discipline of Telegnosis and wish to use it,
turn to 201
.

If you do not possess this skill or choose not to use it,
turn to 280
.

Beyond the plateau the trail descends steeply towards a thick pine wood. Milky-white pools of water punctuate this section of the track, some deceptively deep, making the descent difficult and tiring. By the time you reach the wood your horse is in need of rest.

You dismount to take the weight off his back and, as you gather his reins together, you notice that the flap of your Backpack is undone. On checking the contents you discover that one of your possessions is missing. (Erase the second item on your list of Backpack Items. If you have only one item on your list, erase that one instead.)

As soon as your horse is rested, you remount him and set off through the pine wood, heading east.

Turn to 300
.

The three phantoms swoop down into the trees as if to pursue the fleeing cats, but then they break off their attack and come speeding once more towards the mouth of the cave.

You sense a hostile psychic presence about them, an evil mind-energy which is growing stronger as they draw nearer. You use your Magnakai skills to erect a Psi-screen to protect your mind, but they launch a sudden, massive bolt of their energy which buckles your hasty shield: lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.

Turn to 205
.

The instant you step through the archway you feel an electrifying jolt run through your body, and snake-like tendrils of blue-white energy writhe from the rim of the arch to the hilt of Vashna's Dagger. A gasp of astonishment arises from the acolytes, audible even above the howling wind.

‘We have an intruder in our midst,’ screams Cadak, levelling his wizard's staff at you accusingly. You fight the paralysing effect of the current and tug the dagger free of its scabbard. For a moment the current weakens as it is absorbed and neutralized by the dark blade's unholy energy, but then the tip of Cadak's staff ignites with a crimson flame and the current intensifies anew, numbing your limbs with its insidious effect.

Turn to 228
.

You enter the open doorway, and the hubbub of laughter and conversation dies momentarily as all eyes turn to stare in your direction. They consider you for a few moments; then the chatter and noise begin anew and the eyes return to other matters. After descending a flight of steps to the sunken floor of the taproom, you make your way through the noisy crowd to the beer-soaked counter. A husky serving wench thuds a pewter tankard down on the bar before you and fills it with frothing ale.

Illustration II
—A husky serving wench thuds a pewter tankard down on the bar before you.

‘First one's on the 'ouse,’ she says, with a snarl, ‘the rest y' pays for, understand?’ You nod your reply and, as you sip the watery brew, you take stock of the inn's villainous clientele. They are not a pretty crowd. The Crooked Sage is a tavern with an ill reputation, even in the brawling turmoil of Helgor's north quarter. The city guard never patrol here; a weekly donation to the guard captain guarantees that they are always somewhere else. Order, and what passes for law, is kept by Chegga, the owner of the inn, and his two brutish sons — Zhola and Gorgan.

You finish your ale and the serving wench returns to refill your tankard.

‘That'll be one Gold Crown,’ she says, thrusting out a calloused palm. You place the crown on the bar and, as she goes to pick it up, you take hold of her wrist to prevent her from moving away.
⁶

‘Where's Smudd? Is he here tonight?’ you ask.

‘Over there,’ she growls, pointing to a shadowy alcove at the rear of the taproom. ‘Now let go o' me or I'll call Chegga.’

Calmly you release her, take up your ale, and walk slowly towards the place where Smudd is seated. He is in the company of a giggling bar-girl and does not notice that you are standing beside him until you thump your tankard down on his table. The sound startles him and immediately he reaches for his sword.

He has a desperate look about him which reminds you of a cornered rat. If you are to avoid a confrontation, you must do or say something to assuage his fear.

If you possess Kai-alchemy,
turn to 294
.

If you wish to offer him some money,
turn to 169
.

If you choose to offer him one of your Backpack Items,
turn to 108
.

The Elder's suspicion swiftly turns to anger. He grabs your robe and pulls it open, revealing your leather tunic and breeches. Recognizing them at once to be Sommlending in origin, he gasps with shock as he guesses at your true identity.

Turn to 314
.

The cave offers adequate protection but you are plagued by a feeling of unease. A familiar tingling sensation runs up and down your spine; it is your Sixth Sense, warning you that danger lurks close by. You stand in the mouth of the cave and scan the surrounding storm-swept hills, but when you are unable to detect any obvious threat, you shrug it off and step back into the dry. Fatigue, and this strange weather, must have begun to affect your senses.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, for every level you have attained above the rank of Kai Grand Guardian add 1 to the number you have picked.

If your total score is now 5 or less,
turn to 264
.

If it is 6 or more,
turn to 125
.

You slip out of the line and enter the hut unseen. Inside you discover the following weapons:

• Broadsword
  
• Axe
  
• Short Sword
  
• Quiver
  
• 4 Arrows
  
• Bow
  
• 3 Daggers
  
• Quarterstaff
  

If you wish to keep any of the above, remember to make the appropriate adjustments to your
Action Chart
.

Having satisfied your curiosity, you leave the hut and rejoin the procession as it leaves the settlement.

Turn to 218
.

The brigand captain screams aloud and clutches at the fatal wound you have dealt him. His eyes glaze over, and as he falls dead at your feet, you see some of his men emerging from the surrounding pines. Rather than fight them, you decide it better to escape whilst you still can. You take to your heels, pausing only to snatch up the captain's satchel as you leave. The brigands give chase, but they soon lose you among the dense pines and give up the pursuit.

Turn to 247
.

The few acolytes who survive the combat count themselves lucky as they turn and flee for their lives. The effects of the Deathstaff upon those who fell to your blows are gruesome to look upon. Each one is drained of all blood, leaving nothing but an untidy heap of loose skin and bones. You have won the fight but not without cost. In addition to any
ENDURANCE
points lost during the combat, you now lose a further 5
ENDURANCE
points, due to the vampiric effects of the Deathstaff.

If your
ENDURANCE
points total is still above 0,
turn to 278
.

You let fly your shaft but it is poorly aimed. It thuds harmlessly into the window frame as the archer escapes onto the balcony.

If you wish to pursue the man,
turn to 9
.

If you decide to let him go, you can leave the inn by the front door by
turning to 231
.

Your refusal to pass through the arch is looked on with grave suspicion. An Elder steps forward and pushes you, telling you to affirm your vows ‘like a true believer’. When you resist, he draws a dagger and curses your insubordination. Instinctively, you grab the Elder by the wrist and disarm him, but he screams in anger and Cadak responds to his cry. A gout of dark red electrical energy leaps from his staff and connects with your spine, paralysing you from neck to toe: lose 8
ENDURANCE
points.

If you have survived this wounding,
turn to 239
.

Gradually, the clouds knit together and shut out the sun, and once again you are plunged into the teeth of the storm. You hear a low scream carried on the wind and turn to see Cadak, blazing with anger, come striding down from his crystal dais, wielding his staff like a fiery lance. He approaches to within twenty paces and bangs the butt down twice upon the rain-drenched earth. On the second strike, an umbrella of spectral light explodes overhead and falls to earth to encompass you both.

‘Nothing can stop the arrival of Shamath!’ screams Cadak, his eyes bright with madness. ‘You have delayed her, Lone Wolf, that is all. You have not stopped her. Soon she will set foot upon the soil of Magnamund and Lord Vashna will have his revenge!’

You scan the flickering walls of this rainbow-coloured prison of light, searching for a chink in its armour through which you can escape.

‘You will not escape this time!’ shouts Cadak, as if he has been reading your mind. ‘Not while I am alive!’

If you possess the Sommerswerd,
turn to 135
.

If you wish to attack Arch Druid Cadak using the Deathstaff,
turn to 213
.

If you wish to attack Cadak with a Bow and Arrow,
turn to 109
.

If you wish to do none of the above,
turn to 252
.