The Kingdoms of Terror (18 page)

‘Looks as like y'made it here jus' in time,’ says the cheerful innkeeper, pointing to a rain-streaked window pane. ‘It's going t'be a rough night t'night, no mistakin'.’

You discover that a room for the night costs 2 Gold Crowns, plus 1 Gold Crown for your horse's keep. A meal of black bread and hard-boiled eggs will cost you another Gold Crown, unless you choose to eat a Meal from your Backpack: you must in any case eat a Meal now or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.

If you wish to pay the innkeeper for a night's lodging,
turn to 35
.

If you do not have enough Gold Crowns to pay for a room,
turn to 54
.

You run across the steering deck and down a stair to the level below, but as soon as your feet touch the bloodstained planks you are attacked from behind by two pirates.

Pirates:
COMBAT SKILL
 18   
ENDURANCE
 27

Unless you have the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, deduct 2 from your
COMBAT SKILL
for the first round of this combat.

If you win the combat,
turn to 77
.

A dull throbbing pain fills your head as the leader's words reach your ears. You sense that you are being attacked by a powerful Mindforce, but your Psi-screen effectively blocks this psychic assault. However, you pretend to be in agony, hoping to make the leader think he has won victory. Everyone in the procession seems to be delighted by your apparent suffering, as if your cries are music to their ears. They press forward, unsheathing hidden daggers as they rush to encircle you.

If you wish to evade their onslaught,
turn to 289
.

If you wish to engage in combat with these evil men,
turn to 194
.

Redbeard takes you to a tavern that looks more like a banqueting hall than a city alehouse. The Inn of the Crossed Swords is the largest and noisiest tavern you have ever seen. A constant flow of soldiers pours in and out of its cathedral-like doors and the stable is large enough to house an entire army's horses. You stable your horse and accompany Redbeard through the massive oak doors.

‘Ale for my friend,’ he booms and immediately an inn-girl hurries to obey his command. He points to a table across the hall and says with a cheerful voice: ‘There he is — come and meet the captain.’

Turn to 211
.

The bolt of energy burns through your chest like a red-hot poker. You recoil in pain but can no longer control your movements and are blasted high into the air, impaled upon the end of the crackling bolt. Suddenly, it vanishes, leaving you to plummet one hundred feet onto the hard, unyielding stone of the altar.

Your life and your quest end here on the sacrificial altar of the Cener Druids.

A bolt is slammed back and the great gate slowly opens. ‘At last, Esmond! Did we wake you from your — ’ Cyrilus chokes in mid-sentence, his eyes wide with shock. Inside the gate sits a warrior on a warhorse, wreathed in armour of black and gold. A crossbow rests across his forearm; it is pointed at you. Without warning, he pulls the trigger and the bolt hisses towards your chest.

Illustration XV
—Without warning, the warrior pulls the trigger of his crossbow.

If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Divination,
turn to 283
.

If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery,
turn to 164
.

If you possess neither of these skills,
turn to 97
.

The door is old and decayed — it has not been opened for over a hundred years. If you are to find out what lies beyond it, you will have to clear away the dirt that jams the hinges.

If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Nexus or Psi-surge,
turn to 186
.

If you do not have either of these skills,
turn to 156
.

‘We have all the company we need,’ sneers a shiny-faced warrior, his cheeks pock-marked by disease. ‘State your business or begone, lest our swords grow restless.’

If you choose to introduce yourself,
turn to 130
.

If you wish to call their bluff and challenge them to a fight,
turn to 159
.

If you decide to ignore them, take a seat elsewhere, and order some food,
turn to 172
.

You strike the flank of your horse and break through the startled guards in a matter of seconds, but as you gallop through the gate, two more appear and block your path. They are armed with long pikes which they slope at your chest. Tightly you rein in your horse to avoid the threatening steel tips.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control, add 3 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now 0–2,
turn to 99
.

If it is 3–6,
turn to 187
.

If it is 7 or higher,
turn to 22
.

The green-skinned Kloon stares at you, the trace of a sneer playing on his thick rubbery lips. ‘Wait here,’ he says off-handedly and waddles out through the door, slamming it shut as he leaves.

If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Divination,
turn to 58
.

If you wish to wait for him to return,
turn to 116
.

If you would rather leave the guild-house and continue on your way,
turn to 105
.

‘W … w … what do you want,’ squeals the merchant, cowering behind the edge of the table. His haughty manner has vanished with the lives of his bodyguards, and he is shaking with fear.

You push the table aside, grab him by his lapels, and hoist him to his feet.

‘Relax my friend — I only wish to ask the way to Brass Street,’ you say with a laugh.

The merchant looks at you incredulously, the sweat pouring down his ashen face. ‘The … the … the way to Brass Street?’ he stammers. ‘Of course, of course … er, let me show you.’

The terrified little man produces a crumpled piece of parchment and hurriedly scribbles directions to Brass Street. You see that it is located on the far side of the city, close to the west wall. Taking the parchment from his twitching fingers, you bid him goodnight and step over the dead bodies of the guards. There is a sudden crash; the merchant has fainted and fallen flat on his face.

Turn to 17
.

The creature stops in mid-stride, as if paralysed by some invisible force. A gurgling croak escapes from its lips and, as it locates your Arrow with its trembling paws, it collapses to its knees. Death is but seconds away. It shudders and sways and then keels over onto its back, writhing for one brief moment in the mud and debris of the chapel floor.

Turn to 112
.

He screams and falls with the Arrow embedded so deeply into his chest that only its feathered flights can be seen. His comrades freeze in their tracks, their eyes wide with fear. As you move forward they scatter and run.

Turn to 77
.

The ale is cool and refreshing. (Restore 1
ENDURANCE
point.) As you drink, you see that the sleeping barman slouched on his stool is oblivious to your presence. You finish your ale and slam the tankard down, hoping to stir him with the sudden noise, but he does not react. However, you feel you should thank him for his hospitality before leaving the hut.

Turn to 93
.

The night passes without sleep; the howling wind of the Varettian Plain is your only companion as you ride the long, straight, moonlit highway to Soren. When dawn finally breaks you find yourself on the outskirts of a small and undistinguished hamlet of half-timbered buildings — whose only unusual feature is a bronze statue of a roguish-looking young man that stands in front of the blacksmith's shop.

If you wish to examine the statue,
turn to 220
.

If you decide to ignore it and continue on your way to Soren,
turn to 73
.

The drawstring cuts into your fingers as you take aim at the creature's glowing eyes.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Weaponmastery with Bow, add 3 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now 0–5,
turn to 155
.

If it is 6–8,
turn to 236
.

If it is 9–12,
turn to 75
.

A hundred yards along the passage you see a flight of stone steps ascending to a stone trapdoor set flush with the ceiling.

If you wish to investigate the trapdoor,
turn to 107
.

If you wish to continue along the sewer,
turn to 120
.

Above the church, a whirlpool of darkness is taking form, casting a tomb-like chill on everything beneath. Frost crystallizes on the grass and flowers, and a terrible sound fills the air as the earth begins to shake. Cracks appear in the ground beneath you and suddenly a score of fleshless hands burst through the frozen soil to grab your horse. Shrieking with terror, it rears up and you are thrown into the waiting arms of the waking dead.

Illustration XVI
—You are thrown into the arms of the waking dead.

Undead Summonation:
COMBAT SKILL
 18   
ENDURANCE
 35

Due to the surprise of the attack, deduct 2 points from your
COMBAT SKILL
for the first two rounds of combat, unless you have the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery. The undead are immune to Psi-surge and Mindblast. Also, unless you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Nexus, you must deduct 2
ENDURANCE
points for every round of combat you fight, due to the intense cold. If you wield the Sommerswerd in this combat, you may double all
ENDURANCE
point losses inflicted upon your enemy.

If you win the combat,
turn to 326
.

You have barely covered a hundred yards when you hear a frantic cry: ‘Horse thief, horse thief! Don't let him get away!’

You tighten your grip and urge the horse along the highway as it dips and bends, following the low hedgerow that borders the tournament field. The cry alerts some men from the archery competition, and they soon appear in a line at the edge of the field. As they see you approach, they draw their bows to fire.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control or Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now 5 or below,
turn to 52
.

If your total is now 6 or higher,
turn to 81
.