Dawn of the Dragons (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.
  

If you are a Grand Master who has reached the rank of Sun Knight (6 Disciplines), you will now benefit from improvements to the following Grand Master Disciplines:

Grand Weaponmastery

Sun Knights with this Discipline are able to wield two-handed weapons (i.e. Broadsword, Quarterstaff, and Spear) with full effect, using only one hand.

Deliverance

Sun Knights who possess this skill are able to repair serious wounds sustained by creatures other than themselves. By the laying of hands upon the affected creature's body, a Sun Knight can cause an open wound (or other serious injury) to mend itself. The speed at which this healing takes place increases as a Grand Master rises in rank.

Grand Pathsmanship

Kai Sun Knights with this skill are able to repel at will all normal-sized insects within a radius of three yards. The range and number of insects so affected increase considerably as a Grand Master rises in rank.

Grand Nexus

Sun Knights who possess Mastery of this Discipline are able to feign death. By placing themselves into a state of suspended animation, outwardly they are able to achieve all semblance of being truly dead. However, whilst in this state the only sense that a Sun Knight retains is the ability to hear.

Telegnosis

Sun Knights who possess this Discipline are able to communicate telepathically over great distances. Initially the range of this ability is approximately 100 miles, but this distance increases as a Grand Master rises in rank.

Kai-alchemy

Grand Masters who have reached the rank of Sun Knight are able to use the following Brotherhood Spells:

• Halt Missile
   — This causes any projected or hurled missile (e.g. arrows, axes, crossbow bolts) which may pose an immediate threat to the life of a Sun Knight, to cease its flight and remain stationary in mid-air. The effect of the spell lasts for 2–3 seconds, allowing the Sun Knight sufficient time to move away from its line of flight. Initially only one missile can be affected by this spell, but the number increases as a Grand Master rises in rank.
  
• Strength
   — By casting this spell, a Sun Knight is able to greatly increase his or her physical strength for a short duration. It can be used to lift or move heavy objects, or to effect a temporary increase in
  COMBAT SKILL
  and
  ENDURANCE
  scores whilst fighting an enemy.
  

If you are a Grand Master who has reached the rank of Sun Lord (7 Disciplines), you will now benefit from improvements to the following Grand Master Disciplines:

Grand Weaponmastery

Sun Lords with this Discipline are able to cause the metal edge of any non-magical weapon to ignite and burn fiercely. When a weapon thus affected is used in combat, it inflicts an additional 1
ENDURANCE
point loss upon an enemy in every successful round of combat. This ability cannot be used with a wholly wooden weapon such as a quarterstaff.

Assimilance

Sun Lords who possess this skill are able to cause the outline of their bodies to become blurred and indistinct. By so doing, they can greatly increase their chances of avoiding magical and/or non-magical missiles directed at them.

Grand Huntmastery

Kai Sun Lords with this skill are able to see, with acute accuracy, light in the infrared spectrum, i.e. they can see complex patterns generated by heat in near or total darkness. They can also see light in the ultraviolet spectrum.

Kai-surge

Sun Lords who possess mastery of this Discipline are able to launch a Kai-blast — a pulse of intense psychic energy which is capable of affecting both psychically active and inactive enemies. This form of psychic attack is very effective, more so than a usual Kai-surge, Psi-surge, or Mindblast. It can cause an enemy to lose between 2 and 18
ENDURANCE
points in one attack. A Kai Sun Lord using Kai-blast determines the damage inflicted on an enemy by picking two numbers from the
Random Number Table
. These numbers should be added together (a ‘0’ = 1) and the resultant total equals the damage inflicted. However, use of a Kai-blast will reduce a Sun Lord's
ENDURANCE
points total by 4. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other form of psychic attack.

Telegnosis

Sun Lords who possess this Discipline are able to alter their body weight in order to walk successfully upon different kinds of surface, e.g. water, mud, lava, and quicksand. Time duration and degree of surface difficulty increase as a Grand Master rises in rank.

Magi-magic

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

• Penetrate
   — This increases the penetrative energy of any Arrow or Arrow-like missile, launched by a Sun Lord.
  
• Energy Grasp
   — This spell enables a Sun Lord to discharge a powerful electrical force into anything he or she touches. It is similar in effect to the Brotherhood Spell
  Lightning Hand
  , but differs in that it is easier to control and channel the resulting energy. It also requires the actual touching of an object or an enemy to effect the spell.
  

If you are a Grand Master who has reached the rank of Sun Thane (8 Disciplines), you will now benefit from improvements to the following Grand Master Disciplines:

Animal Mastery

Sun Thanes with this Discipline are able to command an animal to fall asleep at will. Some hostile animals may be able to resist this command, but most will be affected by it in some way. The duration of effect and the number of animals which can be affected at one time will increase as a Grand Master rises in rank.

Deliverance

Sun Thanes who possess this skill are able to conduct a Kai Exorcism. This ritual will banish any evil supernatural force that has taken possession of any goodly creature or object.

Grand Huntmastery

Kai Sun Thanes with this skill are able to protect themselves from the effects of being struck by natural electrical discharges, i.e. lightning.

Grand Pathsmanship

Sun Thanes who possess mastery of this Discipline are able to alter the temperature of water by touch. By using this skill they are able to transform water into ice and vice versa. The volume of water affected, and the duration of effect, both increase as a Grand Master rises in rank.

Kai-screen

Sun Thanes who possess this Discipline are able to erect a special psychic defence called
Mindfort
. A
Mindfort
defence greatly reduces the effects of any psychic shock that would normally paralyse or weaken a lesser mortal.

Kai-alchemy

Grand Masters who have reached the rank of Sun Thane are able to use the following Brotherhood Spells:

• Slow Fall
   — By casting this spell, Kai Sun Thanes are able to slow their rate of free-falling to three feet per second, thereby avoiding damage upon landing while the spell is in effect. The duration of the spell is limited at first, but it steadily increases as a Grand Master rises in rank.
  
• Breathe Water
   — Using this spell, a Kai Sun Thane is able to breathe underwater for ten minutes. The duration of effect increases as a Grand Master rises in rank.
  

If you are a Kai Grand Master who has reached the rank of Grand Thane (9 Disciplines), you will now benefit from improvements to the following Grand Master Disciplines:

Deliverance

Grand Thanes with this Discipline are able to call upon the God Kai for divine assistance should a situation warrant it. Kai cannot intervene to save a Grand Thane from physical danger, but he can give signs which may help a Grand Thane choose the best course of action. A Grand Thane can call upon the God Kai for assistance no more than once every month. The frequency of divine audiences will increase as a Grand Master rises in rank.

Assimilance

Grand Thanes who possess this skill are able to protect themselves from detection by creatures using infravision (the ability to see the heat radiating from a person or thing), or ultravision (the ability to detect objects or movement in the ultraviolet spectrum of light).

Kai-surge

Grand Thanes with this skill are able to focus their mind-power upon inanimate breakable objects, e.g. bottles, windows, all ceramics, urns, jugs, etc., and cause them to explode violently. Any person or creature in close proximity to such an explosion risks injury from flying shrapnel.

Grand Nexus

Grand Thanes who possess mastery of this Discipline can pass freely through Shadow Gates. These phenomena are special portals which enable one to access other dimensions and planes of existence outside of Magnamund. Kai Grand Thanes are able to detect the location of Shadow Gates and pass through them without suffering any physical ill effects. The range of detection increases as a Kai Grand Master rises in rank.

Telegnosis

Grand Thanes who possess this Discipline are able to detect the exact location of precious gems, and valuable metals such as gold, platinum, and silver. These minerals and metals may occur naturally in the ground or they could be part of a hidden treasure hoard. The range of this ability is limited at first, but increases steadily as a Kai Grand Master rises in rank.

Magi-magic

Grand Masters who have reached the rank of Grand Thane are able to use the following Old Kingdom Battle-spells:

• Power Glyph
   — By inscribing this ancient glyph (a secret magical symbol) upon a door, an archway, or even upon the lid of a closed box, a Kai Grand Thane is able to protect items or portals from being opened. Any creature attempting to open a portal protected in such a way will release the power of the glyph and suffer its deadly effects.
  
• Hold Enemy
   — Using this spell, Kai Grand Thanes are able to immobilize a single hostile creature anywhere within twenty feet of themselves. The duration of the spell is dependent upon the size and strength of the targeted creature. The range and duration of effect of this spell increase as a Grand Master rises in rank.
  

The nature of any 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.