The Masters of Darkness (5 page)

Desperately, you draw on your inner strength to fight the poison that is coursing through your veins. Your Kai skill of Curing blocks the deadly effects of this viral poison, and quickly eradicates it from your system, but at a loss of 5
ENDURANCE
points.

Gritting your teeth against the pain, you wrench the evil shaft from your shoulder and cast it aside as you run for the safety of the shadows.

Turn to 48
.

The tide bears you swiftly towards a shingle beach, which is littered with huge, sea-smoothed boulders. The hissing surf and the screech of the loathsome sea-scavengers echo all along this barren coastline. It is an unwelcoming sound — cold and hostile — a fitting reflection of the land itself.

Ten yards from the stony beach you slip into the thigh-deep foam and wade ashore. Night has fallen swiftly, but there is a full moon by which to see. It pierces the darkness and bathes the landscape in its ghostly ashen light. Crouching low, you scurry up the beach, using the boulders as cover as you head towards the base of a sheer cliff wall. You are nearing your goal when the sounds of footsteps and gruff voices stop you dead in your tracks: it is a patrol of Giak soldiers. Drawn from their cliff-top encampment, having witnessed the battle at sea, they are searching the water's edge for survivors. The tips of their spears glint wetly crimson in the moonlight, alerting you to the fate that has befallen those of Davan's crew who managed to swim ashore.

‘Ok zee orgadak!’
growls one of the leading scouts, pointing in your direction.

If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Invisibility and have reached the Kai rank of Tutelary or higher,
turn to 215
.

If you do not possess this skill or have yet to reach this level of Magnakai training,
turn to 111
.

You are in combat with an alert Vladoka — an élite Nadziranim temple guard. You cannot evade this combat and must fight your adversary to the death.

Vladoka:
COMBAT SKILL
 28   
ENDURANCE
 35

Owing to the power of the weapon he wields, this being is immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge.

If you win the combat,
turn to 308
.

You are expecting the sudden chill of cold water, so it comes as a great shock when you slam down upon the moving steel deck of the Darkland ironclad. Your legs buckle and your knees hit your chest, forcing the air from your lungs and leaving you gasping like a fish out of water: lose 3
ENDURANCE
points. You have barely recovered when a Drakkarim sailor, armed with a billhook, looms out of the smoke and lunges at your head.

Drakkarim Sailor:
COMBAT SKILL
 19   
ENDURANCE
 24

Unless you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, reduce your
COMBAT SKILL
by 4 points for the first two rounds of this fight, owing to the shock of your landing and the surprise of your enemy's attack.

If you win the combat,
turn to 243

When you fail to answer, the burly sergeant strides forward and repeats his command impatiently. You meet his cold stare and project a surge of psychic energy directly into his brain. He begins to shiver, his cruel eyes widening as your attack erodes his ability to concentrate. You will him to allow you to pass, and mechanically he turns around to face his troops.
‘Agna tok!’
he says.
‘Dok lug shad.’

As the armoured soldiers stand aside, you ride quickly through the gate and along a shadowy street that leads down to the quay. At the end of the street is a sign that indicates the way to the two main areas of Argazad: the ironclad harbour and the supply depot.

If you wish to investigate the harbour,
turn to 295
.

If you wish to investigate the supply depot,
turn to 328
.

Despite your fatigue, you will yourself to stay awake and watchful. The hours crawl by but your caution finally pays off when, at the height of the storm, a hulking shape appears at the entrance, its shaggy bulk silhouetted by the constant lightning. Sensing your presence in its lair, the creature emits a hungry growl and gets ready to leap at your chest.

If you have a Bow and wish to use it,
turn to 264
.

If you do not,
turn to 2
.

As the name leaves your lips, the tip of the crystal shard glows bright amber. Instantly the guard reaches for a lever in the wall, and before you can prevent him, he pulls it, setting an alarm bell clanging. In a matter of seconds, the courtyard is awash with a nightmare legion of snarling, screaming, snapping horrors. They fall upon you, and although you slay many, they overpower you eventually and haul you in chains before Darklord Gnaag. With cruel glee, he orders you to be cast into the Lake of Blood, where your endless suffering will feed its unholy flames for all eternity.

Tragically, on the threshold of victory, your natural life and mission end here.

You throw yourself to the deck as the missile drops like a meteor from the sky. It passes overhead, between the main and mizzen masts, and then hits the water with a tremendous splash. The other enemy vessels start to turn to bring their weapons to bear, but the heavy iron ships are slow and cumbersome, and by the time they have altered position, the
Intrepid
is out of range and sailing at speed into the dully gleaming waters of the Kaltersee.

Turn to 71
.

Desperately you draw on your psychic defences, erecting a shield to deflect the surge of mental energy that is coursing through your mind.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. For every Magnakai Discipline you possess, including your initial three skills, add 1 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now 0–6,
turn to 244
.

If it is 7 or more,
turn to 152
.

You are pulling yourself over the parapet when the silence is shattered by the piercing
clang
of a bell.

‘Ok zee orgadak iak zordak tozaz!’
screams a Giak sentry, leaning out of the watchtower window. With one hand he is pointing at you with a sword and with the other he is tugging frantically at the cord of an alarm bell. You curse your luck as you turn to face the two sentries who are now rushing along the battlements their spears held ready to stab you to death.

Giak Sentries:
COMBAT SKILL
 17   
ENDURANCE
 22

If you possess the Sommerswerd and wish to use it,
turn to 247
.

You can evade combat at any time by leaping from the battlements to the ground below, a jump of over twenty feet:
turn to 96
.

If you win the combat,
turn to 349
.

Your lightning-fast reflexes save you from the small, jelly-like creature that is plummeting towards your head. You sidestep and it hits the floor with a splat like a handful of falling mud. Immediately it springs towards your face, forcing you to defend yourself as best you can.

Illustration II
—The Plaak springs from the floor towards your face.

Plaak:
COMBAT SKILL
 30   
ENDURANCE
 10

This creature is immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge. Owing to the speed of its attack, unless you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, you are unable to draw a weapon and must fight the first round of combat unarmed.

If you win the combat,
turn to 312
.

The mate leads you through the bowels of the ship to your quarters near the stern. You are hoping for some degree of comfort but the cabin turns out to be cramped and smelly, sandwiched between the galley and the bilge. Despite the lack of space, and a stomach-churning smell redolent of dead fish, you manage to catch a few hours' sleep before the grey dawn haze filters through the glass of the cabin's solitary porthole.

Desperate for fresh air, you make your way up to the forecastle where you find the captain, standing alone at the rail, reading the contents of the envelope. ‘ 'Tis a brave risky adventure you've committed yourself to, comrade,’ he says, without raising his eyes from the parchment clutched in his gloved hands. ‘Yet these be risky times. I can only guess at what lies beyond your journey to Dejkaata, but of one thing you can be sure — I will do all in my power to see you safely there.’ Immediately, he issues orders to turn the ship about and steer a new course — north by northwest. The crew react to the sudden change of plan with great speculation, yet, despite the dangers they know they may have to face, none challenge their captain's decision or voice dissent.

Turn to 241
.

The harrowing howls of your pursuers are growing louder with each passing second. The ghastliness of the sound makes you shiver involuntarily and ruins your aim. The Arrow misses the guard and shatters against the wall of the tower, its steel tip drawing sparks, which causes the creature to give a yell of shocked surprise. Fearful that his cry will alert those who are following you, you shoulder your Bow hurriedly and draw a hand weapon. Then you sprint towards the startled guard, grimly determined to finish him before he raises the alarm.

If you possess the Sommerswerd and wish to use it to slay this creature,
turn to 208
.

If you do not possess this Special Item or do not wish to use it,
turn to 15
.

Your Kai sense informs you that the stairs descend to the control cabin and crew's quarters then on to the cargo sections which house huge tanks filled with sulphur, used as fuel for the engine of this strange craft. The sudden appearance of the sailor's body has started a commotion, and the sound of heavy boots grating on metal warns you that more Drakkarim are ascending the stairs to investigate what, or who, caused their comrade's death. To attempt to descend the stairs could prove fatal, so hurriedly you slam shut the door and look for another place to hide.

Turn to 169
.

‘Kuzoknar jeg okak eg?’
bellows the Giak, angrily.
‘Okak nenrak! Okak gaj!’
He is clearly unimpressed by your demand, and, as he and his two subordinates draw their swords, you decide that the time for talk is over.

Aarnak Giaks:
COMBAT SKILL
 23   
ENDURANCE
 27

If you win the combat,
turn to 322
.

The Drakkarim lie entangled at your feet, their heaped bodies a grim testimony to the deadly art of a Kai Lord in battle. You step back from your lifeless foes, grabbing the ship's rail as the deck lists heavily to starboard. The
Intrepid
is sinking fast.

‘Abandon ship!’ cries Davan, his voice carrying above the clangour of striking swords and dying men. As he rushes past you, followed closely by two blood-spattered Kirlundins, he urges you to save yourself before the ship goes down.

If you wish to follow Davan and abandon ship,
turn to 110
.

If you decide to search the bodies of your dead enemies first,
turn to 317
.

Boldly you approach the two bovine guards, confident that your disguise will deceive them into letting you pass. Using the Giak language, you request that they open the door.
‘Tok etaar!’
you say, in a commanding tone. The guards are unimpressed. Slowly one of them reaches to his belt pouch and removes a strange, box-shaped device fashioned from silvery crystal. He flicks it open and it emits a loud humming noise.

If you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Psi-screen and have attained the Kai rank of Scion-kai or higher,
turn to 141
.

If you do not possess this skill or have yet to reach this level of Magnakai training,
turn to 291
.

Using your advanced Kai skills, you lower yourself over the edge of the path and begin a perilous descent to the beach below. Twice your fingers lose their grip, but on both occasions your reflexes save you from falling backwards to your doom. Above, you hear angry shouts as the two Giak search parties converge and discover you gone. They blame each other for allowing you to escape, and, in the ensuing scuffle, more than one screaming body falls past you to crash on the rocks below. Arrows begin to fall from the cliff's edge, but they are poorly aimed and few come within an arm's length of hitting you. Order returns and the Giaks start to descend the steep path, but by then it is too late for them to catch you, as you escape northwards along the shore.

Turn to 157
.