Dawn of the Dragons (8 page)
This village is a run-down shabby-looking place which appears to have seen better days. The timbers of its gaudily-painted houses are riddled with rot, and its citizens have a mean and surly demeanour that you find irksome. You are having second thoughts about stopping at the inn and are only persuaded when you hear the distant rumble of thunder.
To your surprise, you discover the owner of the Pickled Scow to be an unusually kind and cheerful character. For 3 Gold Crowns (erase these from your
Action Chart
), he and his daughter furnish you with a fine meal and a warm room above their kitchen. Before you retire for the night, they invite you to sample their ale — free of charge. It is a weak but flavoursome brew, and while you sip it in front of the blazing hearth, they tell you stories about the colourful travellers who have spent the night at their inn.
If you wish to ask them if they have heard any news about your homeland,
turn to 231
.
If you do not,
turn to 56
.
Beyond the bog, the land gently rises to a barren plateau that is dotted with scrub and stunted pines. Here, beneath the twisted boughs of a dead tree, you make camp for the night and settle down to sleep. Before you rest, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.
To continue,
turn to 313
.
King Ulnar convenes an emergency council of the Sommlending barons in his Chamber of State. When all are assembled, Baron Caldar of Anskaven conducts a briefing, principally for your benefit, outlining the grave situation confronting Sommerlund and, most especially, the New Order of the Kai. You are aware of much of what he says, having been briefed already by Gwynian the Sage in Varetta, but you learn that the Sommlending army has lost many brave men attempting to break the siege at the Kai Monastery and is too weakened, at present, to attack the enemy again.
‘Where is Guildmaster Banedon?’ you ask, when called upon by the King to speak to the council of war.
‘He is at the Kai Monastery,’ answers Baron Medar of Tyso. ‘He, in company with Lord Rimoah of Dessi and the ten most senior magicians of Toran's Brotherhood, went to the monastery during the early days of the siege. They travelled there aboard the Guildmaster's skyship and … ’ At this point, the Baron hesitates and looks to the King, as if seeking his permission to continue. The King continues on his behalf.
‘Grand Master,’ he says, his voice heavy, ‘the Guildmaster's skyship was seen falling from the skies above the monastery. Border Rangers saw it crash in flames. We … we fear that all aboard were lost.’
The King's words come as a terrible blow for Banedon and Rimoah are your closest friends. If it is true, and all of Sommerlund's finest magicians have been lost at a stroke, then the blow is doubly severe. The security of your homeland will have been greatly compromised by their deaths.
If you possess Telegnosis,
turn to 252
.
If you do not possess this Discipline,
turn to 124
.
You fight with devastating skill and, despite the overwhelming odds against you, you succeed in defeating every last one of these vicious hounds. As the last one falls to your blows, you urge your horse away from the bridge and set off along the track to the distant town of Scade.
On returning to the Lucky Bucket Inn, you break the ill news of your encounter at Castle Tranius to the remaining five troopers. It comes as a shock, both to them and to the innkeeper, who fears for the safety of the real Knight Tranius.
‘I haven't seen him in the town for near-on a week,’ he says, anxiously rubbing his many chins. ‘We 'ere had no inkling that somethin' bad was happenin' up there at the castle. It's right put the shakes up me, I can tell you.’
Hurriedly you utter the words of the Brotherhood Spell
Levitation
and, simultaneously, you leap into the air. The spell takes effect almost immediately, and it pushes you high enough to avoid the dragon's searing blast of flame.
Your quick thinking has saved your skin, but it does not impress the dragon. Your escape from his incinerating breath serves to make him even angrier. He stomps his massive forefoot down onto the black soil and sends a splash of molten mud and flame soaring into the sulphurous sky.
You ease the
Levitation
spell and return to the uncertain black soil. Then you retreat towards the Shadow Gate, but, as you run, you are forced to reach for your weapon as the great beast comes lumbering forwards with his jaw agape.
Unless you possess a Platinum Amulet, a Talisman of Ishir, or the Discipline of Grand Nexus, you must now deduct 3
ENDURANCE
points due to the debilitating effects of the heat and atmosphere.
Using your Kai skill, you send a silent, soothing message to the excited war-dogs. They respond within seconds, becoming suddenly quiet as your psychic command subdues their trained and natural instincts. Their handlers, the Eldenoran archers, curse them under their breath, thinking that their outburst may have given away their position to the enemy. While they are berating their dogs, you slip through their line and move deeper into the woods.
The Lord Constable is an imposing man with a proud and noble countenance. At your approach he removes a white leather gauntlet and welcomes you with a formal salute.
‘Greetings, my lord,’ he says, his voice deep and resonant. ‘Welcome to Garthen. I am Nathor, Lord Constable of the Royal Citadel. It would be an honour if you would allow me to escort you and Lord Ardan to an audience with Queen Evaine.’
The defenders on the tower fight like lions. The battle is fierce and bloody throughout the monastery, but the struggle is soon won and the shaken remnants of the winged attackers are repelled with heavy losses. A great cheer goes up as the last of the battered Lavas limps into the air and makes its escape towards the Durncrags.
You leave the Tower and tour the battlements, offering words of comfort to the wounded and praising those Kai who have shown exceptional bravery. You are returning to the Grand Hall when you see Banedon approaching from the other direction.
‘The time is ripe for you to begin your mission, Grand Master,’ he says. ‘The enemy have lost a great number this night — it is unlikely they will return before the dawn.’
‘Yes, my friend,’ you reply, touching the pocket of your tunic which contains the Sun-crystal, ‘you are right. The time has come — I will leave for Raven's Eyrie at once.’
You draw your weapon and slay the first guard to come within arm's length of your horse. The others freeze in their tracks, stunned by the speed of your attack, but then the sergeant screams at them like a wild animal and they rush forward again. They are more scared of their sergeant's wrath, it seems, than they are of your battle skill. You must fight them.
Illustration III—The sergeant screams at the guards like a wild animal and they rush forward.
Duadon guardsmen:
COMBAT SKILL
42
ENDURANCE
42
You may evade this combat after four rounds by
turning to 335
.
If you win the fight,
turn to 290
.
You rush into the forest and glance overhead to make doubly sure that you are not being tracked by the winged Lavas. The darkening sky is clear of the enemy and confidently you press on through the trees, sure in your ability to remain undetected now that you are in your natural environment of the forest.
Soon you reach the clearing and hurry to a boulder which bears the imprint of a human hand. You place your right hand upon it and the imprint fits around it like a glove. Silently a hinged stone slab rises up from the ground revealing a stair that leads down into a brick-lined passageway. You enter and hurry along this familiar tunnel, covering a mile before you come to a door that opens automatically at your approach. Beyond lies the Vault of the Sun, your personal stronghold. It radiates a warm golden light: it is the rays of the Lorestones of Nyxator. Once safely inside your underground lair, you pause to allow the radiant light of the Lorestones to wash over your tired and aching limbs and, within the space of a few heartbeats, the fatigue of your long journey home is melted away (restore all lost
ENDURANCE
points).
Revived and revitalized, you throw open the door to the vault and see a young Kai Master standing guard at the foot of the tower stairwell. He is Sabre Fox, one of your most gifted students.
‘Gr … Grand Master!’ he stammers, hardly daring to believe his eyes. ‘You have returned. Praise the gods! Our prayers have been answered!’
You smile at the young Kai Master who now has tears of joy in his steel-grey eyes.
‘Yes, Sabre Fox,’ you reply, ‘I have returned. Now let us vanquish this foe and rid our land of their evil shadow.’
Using the Brotherhood Spell
Levitation
you are able to counter the speed of your descent. Unfortunately, Lord Constable Nathor does not possess the same ability and, as you are beginning to slow down, he comes screaming past you, his eyes and mouth wide with terror.
You stretch out and make a grab for his cloak as he hurtles past. You manage to get a grip and hold on fast, but as you are nearing the ground, his cloak comes undone and he falls the last twenty feet to the flagstoned keep. Upon landing, you discover that Nathor is still alive, but his left ankle is badly broken and his face is cut and bruised. Despite his obvious pain he manages a smile, revealing gaps where he is now missing two of his teeth.
Bravely Nathor stifles his urge to scream as you take hold of his shattered ankle. You summon your healing powers and transmit them through your hands to the injured foot (reduce your
ENDURANCE
points score by 4). You feel the warmth of your power start to reduce the swollen tissues and mend the broken bone, but before you can complete the cure, a yelling horde of bogus castle guardsmen come rushing from out of the gatehouse with their swords drawn. You unsheathe your weapon and crouch in readiness to meet their manic attack.
Castle Guardsmen (impostors):
COMBAT SKILL
48
ENDURANCE
48
If you win this fight,
turn to 93
.
Suddenly an explosion of white light fills your vision and the taste of blood fills your mouth: you have been hit in the head by an armour-piercing arrow. Mercifully, death is virtually instantaneous.
Sadly, your life and your journey home come to an abrupt end here, in the cold, dark waters of the River Reloni.
You recite the words of the Brotherhood Spell
Slow Fall
and then leap from the rocky slab to where the Sun-crystal is lying, wedged among the rocks. The spell slows your descent, and you are able to land easily. With a growing sense of awe, you take hold of the warm crystal and turn to look back at the Shadow Gate in order to gauge your throw.
The halo of energy which surrounds the Shadow Gate begins to crackle fiercely, and your Kai instincts tingle with a strange and sinister premonition. You can sense that, on the Plane of Darkness, Naar has just consigned his newest champions to the Shadow Gate. His mighty dragon herd is on its way to Magnamund.
As the first rays of the dawn sun spread across the surrounding rocks, you draw back your arm and hurl the Sun-crystal into the gaping maw of the Shadow Gate.