Vampirium (13 page)
Beyond the main gate is a courtyard where several wagons, filled with provisions, are being unloaded. You and your companions each take a box from the rear of the nearest wagon and join a line of men who are delivering their goods to a kitchen store room located near the middle of the barracks complex. You leave your boxes here and then return to the courtyard to collect some more. As you are making your way back, you pass a door that your Kai senses tell you is unlocked. Quickly you slip inside and then signal to the rangers to follow. When all of you are safely inside, you shut the door and draw its bolt.
You draw upon your improved mental skills to launch a powerful volley of psychic bolts at the three guards. Paralysed by your unexpected attack, they drop their spears and clutch their hands to their heads in agony. The rangers seize this chance to attack, and they quickly overpower them, leaving the men propped unconscious against the base of the nearest tree.
You magnify your vision and see that the approaching group are Bhanarians. Each of the twelve warriors is armed with a sword and spear, and all are clad in black quilted tunics edged with gold braid. Emblazoned boldly upon their chests is the tiger's-head emblem of Autarch Sejanoz, denoting them to be Imperial Guards from the Autarch's court in Otavai.
As the squad draws nearer, you note with surprise that this élite unit of bodyguards have neglected to place any scouts at the head of their marching column. You are about to mention this fact to Captain Gildas when suddenly you hear a startling shriek echoing from out of the clouds above.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.
If the number you have picked is 0–4,
turn to 271
.
If it is 5–9,
turn to 167
.
Your improved Kai Mastery warns you that a heavy rainstorm is about to break over the Honah Hills.
If you wish to seek shelter from the coming storm,
turn to 20
.
If you choose to press on along the road,
turn to 63
.
You are wary of the creature's request and secretly you suspect that it is some kind of elaborate trap. You back away from the cave mouth and signal to the rangers to leave the clearing. The beast pleads with you to return, but you ignore its plaintive cries and hurriedly you remount your horse. Gildas beckons you to follow as he and his rangers make good their escape into the trees.
To continue,
turn to 346
.
You draw an Arrow to your Bow and take aim at the iron cylinder that is fixed on top of the barrel. You pray to Ishir that by puncturing this part of the steam-cannon, you will cause the weapon to explode.
If you possess Magi-magic and have attained the rank of Sun Lord,
turn to 173
.
If you do not possess this Discipline, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai Mastery,
turn to 54
.
Carefully, you creep forward and stretch out your right hand to take hold of the blanket roll containing the Claw. The leader is oblivious to your presence, but as your fingers close around his pillow, your stomach heaves and your pulse begins to race.
You feel a tremendous concentration of evil radiating from the artefact, and its sudden assault upon your senses makes you gasp with shock.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess Assimilance, add 2 to the number you have picked. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 1.
If your total score is now 3 or lower,
turn to 262
.
If it is 4 or higher,
turn to 288
.
Gildas falls unconscious at your feet, and you hear the Autarch's thin laughter echoing around the chamber. He has enjoyed watching the two of you fight, but now he wants what he has come all the way from Otavai for.
‘You have the Claw — I sense it,’ he growls, in a quiet, menacing tone. ‘Give it to me and you shall be rewarded. Deny me, and you will perish in agony.’
Your Kai senses detect that the evil aura which surrounds the Autarch is growing stronger. Suddenly you feel a strong wave of nausea rising in the pit of your stomach, and you feel unable to prevent it from overwhelming your senses.
If you possess some Poghlam,
turn to 175
.
If you do not possess this potion,
turn to 285
.
The sun has nearly set by the time you reach Yua Tzhan. Even at this late hour, the roads that approach the city's four gates are busy with the traffic of travelling merchants. Some have come from the gold-rush town of Bajo in the foothills of the Hyunsei Mountains, but most are arriving from Hotloi and Liyulin, their wagons laden with exotic wares.
As you approach the north gate you consult your Siyenese Compass, and its steady needle confirms that the Claw of Naar is here, somewhere, in this grand walled city. You and your companions pass through the arched gateway without challenge, and follow a broad lantern-lit avenue towards the city's main square. Many open-fronted shops line this thoroughfare, their display tables laden with goods to entice its citizens to part with their hard-earned Ren.
Upon entering the main square, you notice that small crowds have gathered on each corner. They are reading proclamations which have been pasted upon the walls by the city's officials. Using your Magnakai Discipline of Pathsmanship, you are able to translate the Bhanarian script for the benefit of your companions. The posters declare that tomorrow shall be a holiday. This is to celebrate a visit to the city by Autarch Sejanoz himself. He will arrive at noon tomorrow, and every citizen is expected to be present to honour their ruler when his entourage passes through the streets.
Your Kai senses tell you that the Autarch is visiting the city for one simple reason: he is coming here to collect the Claw of Naar. The news of his imminent arrival re-ignites your resolve to find the artefact, and swiftly.
As you and your companions are riding across the main square, you scan the surrounding buildings in search of an inn where you may stable your horses for the night. The houses and hovels of Yua Tzhan are densely-packed, and your search for the Claw will best be conducted on foot. There are several inns bordering the square, but only two have stables: The Prairie Princess and the Golden Trough.
If you wish to visit the Prairie Princess,
turn to 273
.
If you choose to visit the Golden Trough,
turn to 149
.
You draw upon your camouflage skill for protection and then you command Captain Gildas and his rangers to wait while you leave your hiding place and go in search of the squad leader. You suspect that he may be one of the two warriors who have been killed by the rockfall. Mindful that the Claw of Naar was sheathed in his belt, you are determined to seize this opportunity to capture it before the dazed Bhanarians recover their senses and regroup.
Swiftly you traverse the mound of rocks that now blocks the pass, and as you leap onto the trail unseen, you note that neither of the slain warriors is the squad leader. Then you notice a drainage channel which runs alongside the mountain trail and your Kai Sixth Sense tells you that the leader has escaped the rockfall by rolling into this trench. Without a moment's hesitation, you unsheathe your Kai Weapon and jump into the trench after him.
As your feet hit the bottom of the shallow gully, you see your adversary crouching less than a couple of yards away. For a moment you stare at each other in silence. Shock blanches the man's sallow, moustachioed face and his almond eyes widen with alarm, but he suddenly recovers his composure and springs to his feet. Tugging the mace-like Claw of Naar from his belt, he utters a terse laugh as he levels its taloned tip at your chest. There is a crackling hum of power. It precedes a bolt of black fire which leaps from the evil artefact like a living entity. Fearing for your life, you dive to the ground as this supernatural bolt of dark flame comes streaking along the trench towards you.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 1 to the number you have picked.
If your total score is now 2 or lower,
turn to 308
.
If it is 3–7,
turn to 278
.
If it is 8 or higher,
turn to 147
.
Silently you recite the words of the Brotherhood Spell
Mind Charm
and direct its power at the fortune-teller. Under the influence of your spell, he suddenly becomes susceptible to your mental commands. You tell him to take off his signet ring and give it to you. Meekly he complies. Then you tell him to forget that he ever set eyes on you and your companions, dumbly he nods his head, and then he drifts off into a deep sleep.
(On your
Action Chart
, record the Tiger Ring as a Special Item that you wear on the index finger of your right hand. You need not discard any other Special Item in its favour if you already possess the maximum number of items permissible.)
To continue,
turn to 295
.
Slowly they lower their spears, and the taller of the guards smiles and nods his head to indicate that he believes your story. He points to the stables and tells you to leave the barracks by this route. As you approach the open doors, he commands the troopers to let you and your companions use the far doors which open out on to the street. You offer up a silent prayer of thanks to Ishir for your good fortune as you and your companions weave your way through the busy stables towards the exit.
There is a blinding flash of scarlet light upon the instant that your blade strikes the shaft of the Claw, and a searing blast of energy sends you crashing backwards to the ground: lose 4
ENDURANCE
points.
Painfully, you stagger to your feet and approach the stone block which is now wreathed with trails of grey smoke. To your dismay, you discover that the Claw is still intact. Despite the huge burst of energy that your blow released, you discover no mark or blemish upon its gnarled shaft.
The blade of your Kai Weapon, however, is notched and discoloured at the point where it struck the shaft of the Claw (The damage to your Kai Weapon has caused a permanent reduction of 1 point to its
COMBAT SKILL
bonus. You should now adjust the bonus on your
list of Special Items
.)
To continue,
turn to 228
.
A blinding white light obliterates your vision and a terrifying numbness spreads rapidly from your neck to the soles of your feet. Helpless to resist, you feel yourself tumbling backwards into a fathomless abyss.
One of the steam-gun projectiles has pierced the side of your skull and penetrated your brain. Mercifully, your death is swift and painless.
Sadly, your life and your mission end here, at the Crimson Tower of Zuda.
You draw upon your elemental powers to whip up a whirling cloud of dust that engulfs the sinister woman. The dust obscures her from view, yet it does not break the hypnotic hold she has over your companions.
Fearing that you may be facing a powerful sorceress, you abandon your elemental attack and try to think of a more effective weapon to use against her.
If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it,
turn to 151
.
If you possess Magi-magic and wish to use it,
turn to 53
.
If you possess Kai-surge and wish to use it,
turn to 281
.
If you possess none of these skills, or if you choose not to use them,
turn instead to 164
.
You return to the antechamber, but while you are unbolting the door to the mess hall, you hear an alarm bell and the sound of gruff Bhanarian voices. You listen to their cries and your heart sinks when you suddenly realize that your companions have been discovered.
You tug your Kai Weapon from its scabbard and draw it back in readiness to strike out as one of the winged horrors closes in for the kill. The creature swoops down and alights upon a nearby boulder where it swiftly folds its wings behind its pallid torso. Your stomach churns as you look upon its lean and sinewy body, which is studded with hundreds of horny spikes. Frothing drool drips from its fanged jaw as it flexes its talons and prepares to attack. You will have to fight it.
Bavazanur Leader (Winged Agarashi):
COMBAT SKILL
42
ENDURANCE
40
This enemy is immune to Mindblast (but not Kai-surge).
If you win the combat,
turn to 36
.