The Darke Crusade (11 page)
‘You will commence your mission at midnight,’ says the King, motioning you towards a small window which overlooks the busy harbour of Vadera. He points to a ship, one of several moored at the quayside, but one that is readily identifiable for it is the only vessel not in military service.
‘That trading sloop will carry you and the captain to the small island you can see in the distance. That is Battle Isle. There you will find a sailing boat with enough provisions for your mission. The captain knows where it is hidden and he will be responsible for your safe passage once you set sail for the Hellswamp. Remember, secrecy is vital to the success of your mission. Trust nobody save Captain Prarg.’
The King voices his fear that Drakkarim spies are operating in the harbour and he expresses his concern that your unexpected arrival by air may have already alerted them to your presence here in Vadera. However, it is too late to change the plan; it is a risk you must accept.
Having concluded your briefing, King Sarnac sends for an escort to take you to a private chamber where you can rest and reflect upon the mission ahead. Later that evening, you and Captain Prarg are smuggled out of the citadel via a secret passage which leads directly to the harbour. Quietly you board the sloop and hide yourselves amongst its cargo of supplies which are destined for the garrison on Battle Isle. The ship sets sail on the first strike of midnight and, after a smooth and uneventful voyage it moors at a jetty on the southern coast of Battle Isle, three hours later.
The crew of the sloop are unaware that you are aboard and, in order to safeguard your secrecy, you await your chance to disembark without being seen. Soon the opportunity presents itself. As the crew go in search of help to unload the cargo, the two of you leave the sloop and hurry off along the beach, heading north towards the place where your sailing boat awaits. There is no cloud and a near-full moon illuminates the rocky beach, making it easy for you to progress despite the difficult terrain.
If you possess Grand Pathsmanship,
turn to 202
.
If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline,
turn to 159
.
You tell the three Lencians to spread out into an extended line and watch carefully for your signals. Then you scale the river bank and make your approach to the trees. The three men all seem to be competent scouts but you have your reservations. Had it not been for Schera's insistence, you would have preferred to scout this copse alone.
You have only just entered the copse when one of the Lencians accidentally steps on a dry twig. There is a loud
crack
, and almost immediately, a volley of arrows comes screaming out of the trees, forcing you to throw yourself face-first into the snow to avoid being hit.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, add 2 to the number you have picked.
If your total score is now 4 or less,
turn to 226
.
If it is 5 or more,
turn to 199
.
The sudden jolt knocks you backwards off your horse and, as you hit the ground, you strike your head and lose consciousness. Sadly, you never reawaken. A few moments after your fall, you are mobbed by angry Drakkarim soldiers who slay you out of hand.
Tragically, your life and your quest end here in Shugkona.
You detect a strong presence of evil lurking somewhere nearby and you warn Prarg of what you sense. Cautiously, the two of you leave this chamber by a passage which leads to a flight of black stone steps. You ascend the steps to a domed chamber which is sheathed with dull black stone. Heavy velvet hangings of ebony hue cover most of the walls, and all of the furnishings are upholstered with the same morbid cloth. The sensation of evil is stronger here, so strong that you feel as if you are slowly suffocating.
‘It's here … ’ you whisper, your hand reaching for your weapon. ‘The Doomstone. I can feel its presence!’
Suddenly there is a movement away to your left and a blast of white-hot energy comes roaring towards your face. You dive aside in time to avoid it, but the bolt rebounds from the steel-hard wall and glances off the back of Prarg's head, knocking him unconscious.
You are some distance from the east bank when the boat stops abruptly; it has run aground in the shallows.
‘Curse our luck,’ grumbles Prarg, peering over the side. ‘I was a'hoping we'd be fortunate enough t'keep our feet dry.’ Wearily he searches through the provisions and produces a heavy rope, one end of which he proceeds to tie around the stem while you stow away the oars. Then, together, you slip into the cold knee-deep mud and begin the laborious task of hauling the boat towards dry ground.
Eventually you reach dry ground where you set up camp on a promontory which offers the best view of the surrounding swamp. The upturned boat becomes your shelter from the elements, but you both are sorely aware that it will not protect you from the creatures that inhabit this morass. Prarg volunteers to sit the first watch, and hungry for sleep, you bow to his request. But it seems as if you have only just closed your eyes when you are awoken by his hushed and fearful voice:
‘Awake Sire, I think we've visitors!’
You rise in an instant, your hand reaching in reflex for your weapons as your senses try to locate the threat. In the middle-distance, emerging from a bed of tall, frost-heavy rushes, you catch sight of three large and scaly reptilians. From horn-tipped snout to barbed tail they are twenty feet or more, and, despite their enormous weight, they move with impressive lizard-like grace.
‘Gorodons!’ says Prarg, his voice full of horror. ‘Quickly, Sire, we must get away while we still can!’
Hurriedly you right the boat and drag it through the cloying mud towards the river. Your escape is painfully slow and your mounting fear rapidly approaches sheer terror when, in unison, the pursuing Gorodons give vent to a chorus of croaking growls At once you sense that these huge carnivores are ravenously hungry, and the prospect of a feast upon warm-blooded prey is driving them into a frenzy.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.
If the number you have picked is 0–4,
turn to 279
.
If the number you have picked is 5–9,
turn to 51
.
You watch with mounting anxiety as the Drakkarim officer approaches the execution block. He halts beside the helpless captain and signals to the gaolers to step back, to give him room to enact the execution. Then he takes an oiled stone from his pocket and an ugly sneer spreads across his face as he proceeds to sharpen the blade of the great axe with slow deliberation.
If you possess Kai-alchemy,
turn to 136
.
If you do not possess this Discipline,
turn to 253
.
Hurriedly you recite the words of the Brotherhood Spell
Invisible Shield
and make a circle in the air with the palm of your left hand. But have you acted quickly enough to deflect the speeding arrow?
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If your present
ENDURANCE
points score is 20 or higher, add 2 to the number you have picked.
If your total is now 4 or less,
turn to 29
.
If it is 5 or higher,
turn to 287
.
Bravely the horse attempts to clear the trench, but it is simply too exhausted to jump. Its forelegs buckle as it approaches the edge, and you and Prarg are thrown head-first into the trench. Luckily, you both land in deep snow and emerge unharmed by the fall.
Having finished your evening meal, you are faced with a difficult decision: who should take the first watch. Both of you are very tired, and after a whole day's rowing you are less than enthusiastic about the prospect of trying to stay awake for another four hours.
If you decide to volunteer for the first watch,
turn to 309
.
If you would rather decide the matter on the toss of a coin,
turn to 56
.
You step closer to the door and carefully examine the combination lock. You are confident that, with your skill and experience, you will soon have it open without too much difficulty.
Study the following sequence of numbers. When you think you have worked out what the missing number is
turn to the entry
which is identical to your answer.
9
If you guess incorrectly, or if you cannot solve the door puzzle,
turn instead to 30
.
[9] The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.
The night passes without incident and you awake to a bright dawn feeling refreshed by your long, uninterrupted sleep. Prarg, too, has slept well, and he feels eager to start the journey to Shugkona. Fresh snow has fallen during the night, and when you descend to the base of the tree, you discover several sets of footprints nearby. Your Pathsmanship senses tell you that they are little more than an hour old and were made by a Drakkarim patrol heading due north.
You set off towards the northeast, following a frozen stream that winds its way through the forest like a glistening crystal serpent. Luck and your Kai skills keep you safe from the Drakkarim patrols, and by noon you find yourselves approaching the outskirts of Shugkona. From the cover afforded by a small wooden footbridge that crosses the icy stream, you are able to reconnoitre this heavily fortified Drakkarim town. Log-lined trenches encircle most of its perimeter, fronted by pits filled with sharpened stakes to counter attacks by enemy cavalry. Mantlets and wheeled barricades defend its four highway approaches, and the whole line is manned by squads of Drakkarim and Hammerland mercenaries. However, this formidable protection comprises just a first line of defence behind which there are more fieldworks, sharpened stakes, and watchtowers, many bearing recent scars of war. The town itself lies within this second circle. It is constructed entirely of wood, and many of its outermost buildings have, over the years, been reduced to ash by Lencian firebombs. You learn from Prarg that Magnaarn's headquarters are located at the very centre, in a high tower which commands a clear view over the town and its defensive lines.
At first sight the Shugkona defences look impregnable, but after having carefully observed the perimeter lines you note two places where, with luck, you might enter the town without being observed. The first is close to the east road where an expanse of cleared ground is guarded only by a watchtower. The second is a section of the perimeter, further south, where only one line of trenches has been completed.
If you wish to try to enter Shugkona from the east,
turn to 317
.
If you choose to try to enter Shugkona from the south,
turn to 142
.
For a few moments you stare at the lifeless body of the Tunnel Stalker; then you sheathe your weapon and continue the chore of clearing away the rockfall. Soon you have removed enough debris to enable you to squeeze through the gap to a clear section of the stairwell beyond. Once here, you block the opening behind you, and then race up the steps to the level above.
Your super-sensitive hearing detects the faint sound of stone grating on stone. Then you notice that a line of loopholes are opening at chest height along both walls of this passageway, revealing the sticky sharpened tips of venom-coated spears.
‘Get down!’ you shout, and throw yourself flat onto the damp stone floor. Moments later, a volley of the deadly spears comes hurtling from out of the walls to smash and splinter in the passageway. Both you and your companion escape injury, your timely warning saving you from certain death.
To continue,
turn to 325
.