The Chasm of Doom (15 page)
You bypass a village with orange-wood cabins and stone walls, and climb through the tall fields towards a wooded ridge. Beyond the ridge, you enter thick forest and discover a bubbling freshwater stream. You drink deeply and realize how hungry you are. You must eat a Meal here or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.
As night falls you reach the city of Maaken. The gaunt, weed-infested ruins of this shattered city are spread like a vast graveyard and bathed in the eerie light of a near-full moon. A sound fills the air like the wailing of lost souls; it is the cry of Maakengorge.
It has been nearly two days since you last slept and fatigue begins to overwhelm you. Drawing your Kai cloak about your shoulders, you settle down to sleep; you will need all your strength for the daunting task that lies ahead.
The oval door crashes inwards, and a cloud of dust billows out of the hut.
‘I am alone,’ says a voice. ‘You have nothing to fear from me.’
Tightening your grip on your weapon, you cautiously enter the stone hut.
As the first light of dawn breaks over the eastern horizon, you scan the mist-shrouded highway for any sign of life. None of your scouts have returned, and your remaining four men are visibly anxious. With marauding bandit hordes to the north, hostile mountains to the west and a two-day ride to the nearest town to the east, your choice of action is limited.
If you wish to enter the valley by the highway,
turn to 82
.
If you wish to enter the valley under the cover of the forest,
turn to 226
.
You snatch an arrow from a quiver hanging on the wall and draw the bowstring taut to your lips. A bandit horseman races across the plain with a javelin held high in his hand. His quarry is a wounded Sommlending soldier, who has fallen from the barricade and lies on the plain, unarmed and helpless. The bandit is poised to throw his javelin when you loose your arrow.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.
If you possess the Kai Discipline of Weaponskill (any weapon), add 2 to the number you have picked.
If your total is now 0–4,
turn to 336
.
If it is 5–11,
turn to 218
.
You have run less than twenty yards when you reach the end of the tunnel — a solid rock-face. The passage has only recently been excavated, and you are now trapped in a dead end. You hear the footsteps of your pursuers and turn to face them, knowing only too well that your only chances of survival now rest on your ability to be able to fight your way out of this trap and make your way back to the junction where you can take the left-hand tunnel.
Tunnel Guard 1:
COMBAT SKILL
15
ENDURANCE
25
Tunnel Guard 2:
COMBAT SKILL
15
ENDURANCE
24
Tunnel Guard 3:
COMBAT SKILL
14
ENDURANCE
22
If you kill all three guards,
turn to 199
.
The lance has tom through your cloak and pitched you onto your back. You scramble to your feet in time to see the horseman discard his splintered lance and draw a curved broadsword. A wicked smile spreads across his grim features, exposing a jagged line of blackened teeth. He spits out his battle-cry and spurs his horse towards you once more.
Illustration XII—He spits out his battle-cry and spurs his horse towards you once more.
If you have reached the Kai rank of Aspirant or higher,
turn to 111
.
If you have yet to reach this level of Kai training,
turn to 43
.
You have a very uneasy feeling about this town. So far you have only seen women and children shuffling along the street; there has been no sign of any men whatsoever. The inhabitants all seem nervous and avoid looking you directly in the eye. Instinct tells you to turn around and leave as quickly as possible.
If you wish to follow your instincts,
turn to 67
.
If you wish to press on regardless of your instincts, you can investigate the tavern by
turning to 132
.
If you wish to continue along the street,
turn to 301
.
Your tactics have worked. The bandits ignore your small group of horsemen and pursue the others towards the west. Once they reach the wooded foothills of the Durncrag Mountains, your rangers will have no difficulty evading the enemy among the densely packed firs.
When the bandits have disappeared from view, you call a halt and allow your men to rest. In spite of the number of men you have lost, they are still eager to continue the mission.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.
If the number you have picked is 0–4,
turn to 51
.
If it is 5–9,
turn to 120
.
An overwhelming stench of dampness and decay pervades the shaft. You decide to send one of your men up the ladder to make sure that it is still secure. All seems well, for he soon reaches the next level and signals you all to follow. The tunnel on the upper level leads to an oval-shaped, rough-hewn chamber where a strange silky fluid coats the floor.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Animal Kinship,
turn to 41
.
If you do not possess this skill, search for an exit from the chamber and
turn to 276
.
A thorough search uncovers the following items:
- Pickaxe
- Shovel
- Axe
- Torch
- Tinderbox
- Hourglass
If you wish to keep any of these items, remember to mark them on your
Action Chart
. (The Pickaxe and the Shovel each occupy the same amount of space in your Backpack as two normal items.)
After satisfying yourself that there is nothing else of use in the boathouse, you order your men to launch the rowing boat.
You can feel a current of dank, cold air against your face as you walk along the tunnel. The rock walls sparkle with a glistening ore that catches the light from your torch and reflects it in a dazzling display of colours. Fatigue and the distraction of the dancing lights make you oblivious to the fungi in which you now stand. A cloud of pink spores is beginning to rise, clogging your mouth and nostrils and threatening to suffocate you unless you act quickly.
If you wish to run along the tunnel to avoid the spores,
turn to 46
.
If you decide to go back to the chamber and take the south tunnel,
turn to 117
.
Barraka carries the stench of death and decay about him. He strides into the temple, his boots of Gourgaz hide covering both legs and feet, and slams shut the huge stone door with frightening ease. He stands in silence before pushing open the huge black doors engraved with the menacing skulls. Suddenly a gale force wind sweeps through the temple and your ears are filled by a terrible scream. Beyond the open doors, a pier of stone juts into the abyss of Maakengorge: you are staring into the Chasm of Doom.
Barraka turns away from the windswept pier and walks slowly towards the altar. From a hidden scabbard he removes a twisted black dagger and holds its stiletto blade to the light. An evil blue flame runs up and down the black steel spike, flickering in the ice-cold winds of Maakengorge. The sacrifice is about to begin.
If you wish to draw your weapon and attack Barraka,
turn to 296
.
If you wish to distract his attention from the altar without attacking him,
turn to 119
.
There is little that can be done to help the injured ranger. Tentacles now engulf the rowing boat from all sides and threaten to drag you all to a watery grave.
If you wish to help the other ranger who is now being dragged from the boat by his foot,
turn to 304
.
If you wish to grab the oars and row for the other side of the river,
turn to 189
.
Your men cheer with delight at your victory and drop through the stable roof to join you. A hard battle follows but the bandits are soon cleared from the stables and chased away into the stormy night.
The arrow flies straight and true towards the bandit, striking home beneath his raised arm. He screams and falls backwards, impaling himself on his own javelin as he crashes to the ground. You are about to draw another arrow when you see a menacing black shape dart across the sky; it plummets downwards and lands on the watchtower roof. You discard your bow and unsheathe your weapon as you race up the stairs to investigate.
It takes half an hour for you to recover from your ordeal and to take in your new surroundings. You are standing at the edge of a huge slag-heap, which rises out of the dark waters of the underground river. Less than twenty feet from the summit, a dim light illuminates a long stone chute. You decide to take a closer look. You soon discover that the climb is long, slow, and arduous, and only after an hour of strenuous effort do you finally find yourself at the top in a small service tunnel. The tunnel is deserted except for a mine wagon parked near to the tunnel entrance.
If you wish to examine the wagon,
turn to 167
.
If you wish to ignore the wagon, begin to climb the steep tunnel by
turning to 185
.
Your blow has unhorsed the bandit. He falls to the ground heavily, shattering his lance beneath him. He staggers to his feet and, raising the hinged eye-shield of his helm, he stares at you and smiles wickedly, exposing a jagged line of blackened teeth. He spits his battle-cry and runs towards you, unsheathing a broadsword as he closes in.
If you wish to fight the warrior,
turn to 90
.
If you wish to evade combat,
turn to 163
.
You soon reach a hall divided by a wide chasm. It is deathly quiet here, and even the slightest noise seems to echo around the grey-stone walls like a clash of cymbals. An arched bridge crosses the chasm and leads to a massive pair of stone doors. You are crossing the bridge when there is a deafening rumble. The doors are opening.
If you wish to draw your weapon and prepare for combat,
turn to 50
.
If you wish to flee from the bridge, run back along the tunnel and descend the stairs by
turning to 228
.
If you would rather leap from the parapet of the bridge into the unknown depths of the chasm,
turn to 342
.
In the plush candlelit interior of the caravan you find the actor, cowering beneath a blanket in the far corner. You flick the blanket aside and ask the petrified man to explain how he came to possess such a fine sword.
‘I … I bought it in Eshnar,’ he stammers, his eyes wide with fear, ‘from the innkeeper of the “Pick and Shovel” tavern.’ He grasps the sword by the blade and offers it to you. ‘If it is your sword I have unwittingly bought, I am truly sorry. Here, please take it.’
You grip the brass hilt and examine it closely. There is no doubt: it is a Sommlending cavalry sword, but the inscription on the blade makes your heart miss a beat: ‘Captain Remir D'Val — King's Guard Regiment’.
If you wish to keep this sword, mark Captain D'Val's Sword on your
Action Chart
as a Weapon.