The Masters of Darkness (8 page)

With the speed and grace of a hunting leopard you launch yourself at the Drakkarim rider. Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now 0–3,
turn to 237
.

If it is 4 or more,
turn to 149
.

Using your Kai skill to adopt the crude mannerisms and dialect of the Drakkarim, you deliver your message to the sentinel and await his reply. You are nervous in case he sees through your charade, and while you speak you make sure that your hands do not stray too far from your weapons. But the Death Knight does not question your authenticity for a moment. Wearily he nods his head and, grumbling, descends the stairs, leaving you alone on the roof with the Zlanbeast.

Turn to 257
.

You strike your killing blow and leap to the deck as, with a final burst of strength, the Xargath pulls its head free of the wreckage. Its green eyes roll back in their sockets and it lets out a scream so loud that you are forced to cover your ears for fear of being permanently deafened. The scream grows louder until, with a mighty splash, the creature topples sideways and rolls off the deck into the fog-wreathed sea.

Turn to 217
.

A glancing blow to the side of your head is the first you know of the ambush that has been sprung by the group of creatures you saw whispering to each other in the chamber earlier. They were planning your murder, believing you to be a minion of Darklord Ghanesh — and arch-rival — because of the colour of your robe.

You stagger from the blow (lose 3
ENDURANCE
points) but manage to keep your balance as you reach to unsheathe a weapon.

Minions of Taktaal:
COMBAT SKILL
 28   
ENDURANCE
 28

If you possess the Sommerswerd and wish to unsheathe it,
turn to 208
.

If you win, and the combat lasts four rounds or less,
turn to 228
.

If you win, and the combat lasts longer than four rounds,
turn to 121
.

The enemy crew scream and curse as they scramble up the ladder, the first of their number waving his sword with reckless bravado. He takes a swipe at your legs and you are forced to retreat for fear of losing a foot.

Ironclad Bo'sun:
COMBAT SKILL
 20   
ENDURANCE
 26

If you are armed with any weapon other than a broadsword, a spear, or a quarterstaff, you must deduct 2 points from your
COMBAT SKILL
for the duration of the fight.

You can evade combat at the beginning of the second round by ascending to the deck above and slamming shut the door:
turn to 169
.

If you win the fight,
turn to 51
.

Having completed their task, the engineers pack away their tools and climb down from the work platform that surrounds the orange tank. Patiently, you watch them leave the dry dock before climbing the platform ladder and planting your Crystal Explosive beneath the tank. You prime the device and turn to leave, taking care not to appear anxious or in a hurry, but as you reach the bottom of the ladder you are confronted by three Drakkarim guards, accompanied by a figure dressed in a hooded red robe. Your stomach churns when you glimpse his skeletal face, for the creature is not human — you are staring into the ghastly eyes of a Vordak!

The undead being begins to probe your mind with its psychic power and it shrieks in terror when it discovers who you really are. Instantly, you spring into action, drawing your weapon and striking out at them before they can do likewise. The Vordak drops with its skull shattered and a Drakkar staggers back, clutching desperately at his torn throat. The remaining two, having drawn their blades, now lunge at your chest in unison. You parry their attack with ease and send them both to their doom with one sweeping slice. With the explosive set to detonate at any minute, you run towards the exit, barging aside any who cross your path. You are within ten yards of the dock gates when an alarm bell wails and a troop of Death Knights appear in a line before you.
‘Koga!’
they command, and raise their spears.

At that moment there is a blinding flash of white light and suddenly everything seems to be happening in slow motion. You see the Death Knights falling backwards, their cloaks and leather armour sprouting tongues of flame. Buckled steel plates, twisted girders, and the bodies of screaming slaves cartwheel past you, trailing sparks as they tumble like fiery meteors. The heat and the shock of the explosion tears into your back and plunges you head-first into a black, unfeeling oblivion. Your act of sabotage has completely destroyed the ironclad juggernaut, and half of Argazad harbour, but it has cost you your life and sealed the doom of Magnamund.

Your life and your mission end here.

You bite your lip and keep deathly still as the Ligan passes within an arm's length of where you are hiding. He continues on his way without stopping, and, as soon as you sense it is safe, you breathe a sigh of relief and hurry away along the corridor.

Turn to 130
.

As the last of the enemy warships disappears into the dark, the crew give a rousing cheer. Once more they have risked their lives to run the blockade, and once again they live to tell the tale. The captain requests a damage report, and is relieved to hear that both his ship and crew have survived the close encounter at little cost.

Before leaving the forecastle, he reminds the lookouts to remain vigilant. Sometimes the enemy place a second line of ironclads a few miles behind the first in order to catch blockade runners that slip through. He bids you goodnight, and, as he descends the stairs to his cabin, he orders the first mate to show you to your quarters at the stern.

If you wish to accompany the first mate to your cabin,
turn to 339
.

If you wish to hand the captain the envelope containing his new orders,
turn to 142
.

Stunned and dazed by the impact, you fail to sense or see the four Giak soldiers creeping towards you, their bows drawn ready to fire. The hiss of their black arrows freezes your blood moments before the tips burrow into your chest. Pain hits you like a wave breaking against your body, but the agony soon fades and you slip swiftly into a sleep from which there will be no awakening.

Tragically, your life and your mission end here in the Durncrag Mountains.

A chilling numbness spreads through your body, starting at your neck and coursing rapidly to your hands and feet. You try to scream but no sound issues from your paralysed throat as your legs give way and you collapse onto the deck of your tiny cabin. You have fallen prey to the bite of a deadly Plaak, placed here by a rival Ligan in a bid to assassinate an old rival.

Tragically, your life and your mission end here.

From a tube-like contraption mounted behind the funnel of the ironclad there issues a flash and a puff of smoke. Moments later, a fiery ball comes hurtling towards the
Intrepid
, screeching louder than a flock of angry Kraan. It strikes amidships, causing an explosion that sends a thousand flaming shards hissing in every direction. In seconds the sails, masts, and rigging are set ablaze, showering Drakkarim and crew alike with red-hot smoking cinders.

Instinctively you cover your head as part of the boom-sail lands close by. It brings with it a tangle of burning canvas that smothers you from head to foot.

If you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Nexus and have reached the rank of Principalin or higher,
turn to 177
.

If you do not possess this skill, or have yet to reach this level of Magnakai training, pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.

If the number you have picked is 0–3,
turn to 42
.

If it is 4–6,
turn to 288
.

If it is 7–9,
turn to 332
.

The sun-sword spins through the air, its heavy blade pulling it slightly awry. You fear that it will miss the Darklord, yet it catches his outstretched hand and shears it off at the wrist before embedding itself in the chamber wall beyond. The evil lord screams in agony, cradling the severed stump in an attempt to staunch the flow of foul-smelling ichor. Then he shrieks maniacally and raises his sword with his remaining hand. He is badly wounded, but as he staggers forwards you sense that, so long as he wields his black sword, he is a formidable enemy.
³

Darklord Kraagenskûl (wounded):
COMBAT SKILL
 30   
ENDURANCE
 29

This being is immune to Mindblast (but not Psi-surge). If you survive the first three rounds of combat, you are able to retrieve the Sommerswerd.
⁴

If you win the combat,
turn to 240
.

The dry dock is unguarded and none of the Drakkarim appear to pay any special attention to you when you enter on horseback. You dismount and tether your horse to a post before making your way through the tangle of steel beams and plates that are strewn around the juggernaut's exposed keel. A group of slaves are at work near the stern, hoisting into position a strange spherical tank made of a sparkling orange metal. As soon as it is secured, the Drakkarim engineers begin coupling heavy springs and thick copper cables to the tank, linking it to a massive propeller at the rear of the craft.

Carefully you study the complex machinery, soon realizing that if the orange tank were destroyed, or damaged beyond repair, the vessel would be unable to propel itself. However, the shell of the tank appears to be constructed of super-hard metal, and the only way you can think of destroying it is by using your Crystal Explosive.

If you wish to use your Crystal Explosive to destroy the giant ironclad,
turn to 69
.

If you choose not to use it, but decide to search instead for some other means of sabotaging the vessel,
turn to 210
.

You draw an Arrow and take aim at the Drakkarim leader's chest. He laughs contemptuously at your Bow, as if it were no more dangerous than a child's toy. Then he draws back his blade and takes aim at your neck.

If you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Divination and have reached the Kai rank of Tutelary or higher,
turn to 163
.

If you do not possess this skill or have yet to reach this level of training,
turn to 5
.

As you strike the killing blow that punctures Taktaal's heart, he shrieks and convulses like a thrashing snake before collapsing at the edge of the dais. A foul black gas hisses from the gaping wound, and his body fades rapidly until all that is left is a dull grey stain on the shiny black steel floor.

‘Ghanesh will be proud of you!’ comes a voice from the shadows, full of malevolence. It is a sound that strikes terror in your heart, for instantly you recognize the rasping tone of your most hated foe — Darklord Gnaag, the Archlord of the Darklands.

Turn to 50
.

You drag the dead Drakkar behind the rocks and divest the body of its armour. Although not a perfect fit, the leather battle-jacket, leggings, and battle-mask make you look convincingly like a Drakkarim warrior. Apart from the armour
⁵
(which you need not record on your
Action Chart
), you discover a number of items that may be of use to you on the road ahead:

• Sword
  
• Dagger
  
• Bow
  
• Quiver
  
• 4 Arrows
  
• 30 Kika (equivalent to 3 Gold Crowns)
  

If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to record them on your
Action Chart
.

The dead warrior's horse is standing nearby, pawing the ground nervously. Using your innate Kai skill of Animal Kinship, you succeed in claiming him and making him obey your commands. Slowly he approaches and allows you to climb into the saddle. Once you are sure that you have control you flick your heels and head off at a canter along the trail to Argazad.

Turn to 200
.