The King has summoned you, Lone Wolf, last of the Kai Lords, to his citadel at Holmgard. Your quest is to recover a missing shipment of gold and locate the patrol which has disappeared while investigating the suspected theft. As you and your men equip yourselves for the long ride ahead, you glimpse a crow perched on a window ledge high above. As it flies away a shiver runs down your spine—in Holmgard the crow is a symbol of impending danger.
Joe Dever, the creator of the bestselling Lone Wolf adventure books and novels, has achieved world-wide recognition in three creative fields—as an award-winning author of international renown, as an acclaimed musician and composer, and as a games designer specialising in role-playing games.
On graduating from college in 1974, Joe Dever became a professional musician, and for several years, he worked in the music industry in Europe and the United States.
While working in Los Angeles in 1977 he discovered a then little-known game called ‘Dungeons & Dragons’. Although the game was in its infancy, Joe at once realised its huge potential and began designing his own role-playing games along similar conceptual lines. These first games were to form the basis of a fantasy world called Magnamund, which later became the setting for the Lone Wolf books.
Five years later, in 1982, Joe won the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons World Championships in Baltimore, an event held before 16,000 people. Inspired and encouraged by his success at Origins, Joe decided to quit the music business and devote his time to writing and games design.
In 1983, after a brief spell at Games Workshop in London, he wrote Flight from the Dark—the first Lone Wolf interactive gamebook. His manuscript immediately attracted a frenzy of interest from three major London publishing companies, all of whom bid for world rights. Joe accepted an offer of publication from Hutchinson's (later to become Century Hutchinson Ltd; now Random House UK) and Flight from the Dark was first published in 1984.
This first book sold more than 100,000 copies within its first month of publication, and overseas rights were snapped up by twelve countries (including the United States, France, Germany, Japan, Italy and Sweden). The success of Joe's first book laid the foundations for the future of the Lone Wolf series, which has sold millions of copies around the world.
The Lone Wolf series ended after 28 books and 14 years. Joe has continued to work in the games industry as script writer and games design consultant.
Gary Chalk, the illustrator of the early Lone Wolf series, was born in 1952, grew up in Hertfordshire, England. Being interested in history, he began playing war games at the age of fifteen. When he graduated from college with a Bachelor of Arts in design, Gary spent three years training in a studio before becoming a teacher in art and design.
Gary was working as a children's book illustrator when he became involved in adventure gaming, an interest which eventually led to the creation of several successful games. He is the inventor/illustrator of some of Britain's biggest-selling fantasy games including Cry Havoc, Starship Captain and Battlecars (co-designed with Ian Livingstone). He is also known for his work on the very successful game, Talisman.
Gary was working at Games Workshop when Joe Dever asked him to illustrate some of his manuscript of Flight from the Dark. The two teamed up after that and, they continued to work together until the eighth book in the series, The Jungle of Horrors.
Gary has also drawn the illustrations in Redwall and related books, The Prince of Shadows gamebook series, and several books which he also authored. Gary continues to enjoy war gaming and works as an illustrator and model maker. He maintains a website with examples of his work.
Internet Edition published by Project Aon. This edition is intended to reflect the complete text of the original version. Where we have made minor corrections, they will be noted in the Errata.
Publication Date: 11 May 2007
Text copyright © 1985 Joe Dever. Distribution of this Internet Edition is restricted under the terms of the Project Aon License.
For Bryan Ansell, Rick Priestley and Richard Halliwell
‘I would be especially pleased if my granting of the rights to distribute my books in this way was seen as my “millennium gift” to all those devoted readers who have kept the Kai flag flying high, through all the good times, and the not-so-good. It would make me very proud indeed if this enterprise laid the foundations of a lasting legacy, securing the longevity of Lone Wolf by making my creation freely and readily accessible to current and future online generations. For them, for us, for Sommerlund and the Kai. …’ Joe Dever
Project Aon would first like to thank Joe Dever for making this generous offering of the books that we have all loved from the beginning. We would also like to acknowledge the following members of Project Aon for their diligent work:
Ruanon is a remote mining province to the south of your homeland, Sommerlund. Nestling between the sullen peaks of the Durncrag and Maaken mountains, the people of this province have long prospered from their toil in the ore-rich mines, living and enjoying their wealth under the protection of their lord—Baron Vanalund.
The gold and gems that are mined at Ruanon yield an important source of revenue to your homeland. The heavily guarded convoy of wagons that leave the province and journey to the capital has become a regular monthly routine; a routine that had never been broken until one month ago when, suddenly, all contact with Ruanon ceased. A troop of one hundred cavalry from the King's Guard were immediately despatched to investigate the whereabouts of the missing convoy. Their commanding officer, Captain D'Val was ordered to report back to the King as soon as contact was made, but he and his men have not returned: they too have disappeared without trace.
The King has summoned you, Lone Wolf, last of the Kai Lords, to his citadel at Holmgard. Your quest is to find Captain D'Val and his men, discover what has happened to the missing convoy, and to uncover the veil of mystery that now hangs over Ruanon. The King has gathered a company of border rangers, a unit of élite scouts, all of whom are skilled in horsemanship and outdoor survival. He has ordered these fifty men to accompany you in the hope that, with your leadership, they may succeed where the larger and more visible force failed.
As you and your men enter the Royal Armoury to equip yourselves for the long ride ahead, you glimpse a black crow perched on a window ledge high above. It flies away, but not before a shiver has run down your spine: in Holmgard, the crow is a bird of ill omen.
You keep a record of your adventure on the Action Chart.
During your training as a Kai Lord you have developed fighting prowess—COMBAT SKILL and physical stamina—ENDURANCE. Before you set off on your adventure you need to measure how effective your training has been. To do this take a pencil and, with your eyes closed, point with the blunt end of it onto the Random Number Table on the last page of this book. If you pick 0 it counts as zero.
The first number that you pick from the Random Number Table in this way represents your COMBAT SKILL. Add 10 to the number you picked and write the total in the COMBAT SKILL section of your Action Chart. (i.e. if your pencil fell on the number 4 in the Random Number Table you would write in a COMBAT SKILL of 14.) When you fight, your COMBAT SKILL will be pitted against that of your enemy. A high score in this section is therefore very desirable.
The second number that you pick from the Random Number Table represents your powers of ENDURANCE. Add 20 to this number and write the total in the ENDURANCE section of your Action Chart. (i.e. if your pencil fell on the number 6 on the Random Number Table you would have 26 ENDURANCE points.)
If you are wounded in combat you will lose ENDURANCE points. If at any time your ENDURANCE points fall to zero or below, you are dead and the adventure is over. Lost ENDURANCE points can be regained during the course of the adventure, but your number of ENDURANCE points can never rise above the number you started with.
If you have successfully completed any of the previous adventures in the Lone Wolf series, you will already have your COMBAT SKILL, ENDURANCE points and Kai Disciplines which you can now carry over with you to Book 4. You may also carry over any Weapons and Special Items that you held at the end of your last adventure, and these should be entered on your new Action Chart (you are still limited to two Weapons and eight Backpack Items).
You may choose one bonus Kai Discipline to add to your Action Chart for every Lone Wolf adventure you have successfully completed; then read the section on equipment for Book 4 carefully.
Over the centuries, the Kai monks have mastered the skills of the warrior. These skills are known as the Kai Disciplines, and they are taught to all Kai Lords. You are a Kai initiate which means that you have learnt only five of the skills listed below. The choice of which five skills these are, is for you to make. As all of the Disciplines will be of use to you at some point on your perilous quest, pick your five with care. The correct use of a Discipline at the right time can save your life.
When you have chosen your five Disciplines, enter them in the Kai Discipline section of your Action Chart.
This Discipline enables a Kai Lord to blend in with his surroundings. In the countryside, he can hide undetected among trees and rocks and pass close to an enemy without being seen. In a town or city, it enables him to look and sound like a native of that area, and can help him to find shelter or a safe hiding place.
If you choose this skill, write ‘Camouflage’ on your Action Chart.
This skill ensures that a Kai Lord will never starve in the wild. He will always be able to hunt for food for himself except in areas of wasteland and desert. You are aware that the Wildlands south of the Pass of Moytura are a wasteland and that opportunities for successful hunting may not arise until you reach the Ruanon Forest. But this skill is still very useful for it also enables a Kai Lord to move with great speed and dexterity.
If you choose this skill, write ‘Hunting’ on your Action Chart.
This skill may warn a Kai Lord of imminent danger. It may also reveal the true purpose of a stranger or strange object encountered in your adventure.
If you choose this skill, write ‘Sixth Sense’ on your Action Chart.
This skill enables a Kai Lord to make the correct choice of a path in the wild, to discover the location of a person or object in a town or city and to read the secrets of footprints or tracks.
If you choose this skill, write ‘Tracking’ on your Action Chart.
This Discipline can be used to restore ENDURANCE points lost in combat. If you possess this skill, you may restore 1 ENDURANCE point to your total for every numbered section of the book you pass through in which you are not involved in combat. (This is only to be used after your ENDURANCE has fallen below its original level.) Remember that your ENDURANCE cannot rise above its original level.
If you choose this skill, write ‘Healing: +1 ENDURANCE point for each section without combat’ on your Action Chart.
Upon entering the Kai monastery, each initiate was taught to master one type of weapon. If Weaponskill is to be one of your Kai Disciplines, pick a number in the usual way from the Random Number Table on the last page of the book, and then find the corresponding weapon from the list below. This is the weapon in which you have skill. When you enter combat carrying this weapon, you add 2 points to your COMBAT SKILL.
The fact that you are skilled with a weapon does not mean that you set out on this adventure carrying it, but you will have opportunities to acquire weapons in the course of your adventure. You cannot carry more than 2 weapons.
If you choose this skill, write ‘Weaponskill in _______ +2 COMBAT SKILL points if this weapon carried’ on your Action Chart.
Some of the hostile creatures of Magnamund have the ability to attack you using their Mindforce. The Kai Discipline of Mindshield prevents you from losing any ENDURANCE points when subjected to this form of attack.
If you choose this skill, write ‘Mindshield: no points lost when attacked by Mindblast’ on your Action Chart.
This enables a Kai Lord to attack an enemy using the force of his mind. It can be used at the same time as normal combat weapons and adds two extra points to your COMBAT SKILL. Not all the creatures encountered on this adventure will be harmed by Mindblast. You will be told if a creature is immune.
If you choose this skill, write ‘Mindblast: +2 COMBAT SKILL points’ on your Action Chart.
This skill enables a Kai Lord to communicate with some animals and to be able to guess the intentions of others.
If you choose this skill, write ‘Animal Kinship’ on your Action Chart.
Mastery of this Discipline enables a Kai Lord to move small objects with his powers of concentration.
If you choose this skill, write ‘Mind Over Matter’ on your Action Chart.
If you successfully complete the mission as set in Book 4 of Lone Wolf, you may add a further Kai Discipline of your choice to your Action Chart in Book 5. This additional skill, together with your other skills and any Special Items that you have found, may then be used in the next adventure in the Lone Wolf series which is called Shadow on the Sand.
Before leaving Holmgard on your ride south, you are given a Map of the Southlands, a badge of rank that you wear upon the sleeve of your tunic and a pouch of gold. To find out how much gold is in the pouch, pick a number from the Random Number Table. Now add 10 to the number you have picked. The total equals the number of Gold Crowns inside the pouch, and you may now enter this number in the ‘Gold Crowns’ section of your Action Chart. (If you have successfully completed previous Lone Wolf adventures, you may add this sum to the total of any Crowns you may already possess. Remember you can only carry a maximum of fifty Crowns.)
You may take your pick of the following items (in addition to those you already possess, but remember you may only carry two weapons). You may take up to six of the following:
List the six items that you choose on your Action Chart, under the heading given in brackets, and make a note of any effect it may have on your ENDURANCE points or COMBAT SKILL.
Now that you have your equipment, the following list shows you how it is carried. You don't need to make notes but you can refer back to this list in the course of your adventure.
Any item that may be of use and can be picked up on your adventure and entered on your Action Chart is given capital letters in the text. Unless you are told it is a Special Item, carry it in your Backpack.
There will be occasions during your adventure when you have to fight an enemy. The enemy's COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE points are given in the text. Lone Wolf's aim in the combat is to kill the enemy by reducing his ENDURANCE points to zero while losing as few ENDURANCE points as possible himself.
At the start of a combat, enter Lone Wolf's and the enemy's ENDURANCE points in the appropriate boxes on the Combat Record section of your Action Chart.
The sequence for combat is as follows:
This process of combat continues until the ENDURANCE points of either the enemy or Lone Wolf are reduced to zero, at which point the one with the zero score is declared dead. If Lone Wolf is dead, the adventure is over. If the enemy is dead, Lone Wolf proceeds but with his ENDURANCE points reduced.
A summary of Combat Rules appears in the back of this book.
During your adventure you may be given the chance to evade combat. If you have already engaged in a round of combat and decide to evade, calculate the combat for that round in the usual manner. All points lost by the enemy as a result of that round are ignored, and you make your escape. Only Lone Wolf may lose ENDURANCE points during that round, but then that is the risk of running away! You may only evade if the text of the particular section allows you to do so.
The following table is a guide to the rank and titles that are bestowed upon Kai Lords at each stage of their training. As you successfully complete each adventure in the Lone Wolf series, you will gain an additional Kai Discipline and gradually progress towards mastery of the ten basic Kai Disciplines.
Beyond the ten basic skills of the Kai Master await the secrets of the higher Kai Disciplines or ‘Magnakai’. By acquiring the wisdom of the Magnakai, a Kai Lord can progress towards the ultimate achievement and become a Kai Grand Master.
Your mission will be fraught with danger, for you are about to venture into the bleak and hostile Wildlands of the south. Use the map to help you plot your course to Ruanon. Make notes as you progress through the story, for they will be of great help in future adventures.
Many things that you find will aid you during your adventure. Some Special Items will be of use in future Lone Wolf adventures and others may be red herrings of no real use at all, so be selective in what you decide to keep.
There are several routes to Ruanon, but only one will enable you to reach the mining town and find Captain D'Val with the minimum of danger. A wise choice of Kai Disciplines and a great deal of courage should enable any player to complete the mission, no matter how weak his initial COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE points score. Successful completion of previous Lone Wolf adventures is not essential for the success of this quest.
Good Luck!
For three days you lead your brave company of rangers across the lush plains of southern Sommerlund on the first stage of your urgent mission. The flat, treeless fields surround you with a seemingly endless expanse of wheat, so high that even though you are in the saddle it reaches well above your knees. Your horses seem to be swimming through a vast yellow sea of corn that is only interrupted by an occasional track, or group of isolated farmhouses.
The southerners welcome your sudden appearance, but you only make the briefest stops for food and rest, neither wishing to risk becoming a burden, nor alarm these good people with your mission.
By noon on the fourth day, you reach the Pass of Moytura. Here the plains give way to the broken foothills of the Durncrag Mountains. You soon reach a highway, the surface cracked and full of potholes, heading off towards the south. This is the notorious Ruanon Pike. South of the pass, the Ruanon Pike crosses a hundred miles of open territory known as ‘Raider's Road’. Bandit tribes from the Wildlands and Giak war-bands from the mountains of the west frequently ambush those who travel along the Pike, and the regular shipment of gold and gems from the mines at Ruanon have sometimes yielded rich pickings to these merciless robbers.
‘Point and flankers,’ you shout, and immediately three groups of rangers peel away from the column and spur their horses to a gallop. You watch with pride as the expert horsemen take up their scouting positions to the front and side of the company.
It is late afternoon when a ranger scout approaches the company from the west. He points towards a craggy outcrop where a thin spiral of wood smoke betrays a hut hidden beneath the overhanging rock.
If you wish to investigate the hut, turn to 160.
If you wish to ignore the hut and continue on your ride along the Ruanon Pike, turn to 273.
You search the bodies of the dead bandits and discover the following items:
You may take any of the above items but be sure to mark them on your Action Chart.
Picking up the map that lies on the bloodstained table, you notice that the room in which you now stand has been surrounded by a circle of black ink. The map reveals that a door in the far wall opens on to a passageway leading directly to the surface. Eager to leave the death-filled chamber, you pass through the door and run steadily along the passageway towards a distant shaft of sunlight. It takes several seconds for your eyes to adjust to the glare of the sun, but gradually you realize that you have finally escaped from the Maaken mines and are in the western foothills less than two miles from Ruanon itself.
However, several bandit warriors can be seen patrolling an entrance to the mines, just below the rocky ledge on which you now crouch. If you are to reach Ruanon alive, you must avoid these patrols at all costs.
Waiting until the enemy patrols have disappeared from view, you make your way down a steep track leading into a copse of densely packed trees. A brief pause for breath is all that you allow yourself before setting off through the forest towards Ruanon.
You climb the barricade and shout the order: ‘Draw bows!’ And, as the enemy shield-wall closes fast in a deadly race to beat your archers, ‘Fire!’
Their shields of cured skin and wood are no defence against the hail of death that tears into their ranks. The whole line seems to pause and sway; great gaps appear and spearmen fall in heaps on the field. Few escape being injured.
You sense a turn in the tide of battle. The enemy are pulling away from the barricades by the score, carrying their wounded on their backs and on their upturned shields.
You jump from the wall and race back towards the watchtower where Captain D'Val is still embroiled in a bitter struggle against the bandit horsemen. You are about to leap over the body of a dead bandit warrior when he suddenly comes to life and lashes out at your legs with a mace. He was only feigning death and his surprise attack has knocked you to the ground. You lose 1 ENDURANCE point.
You recognize the fungi to be Calacena. The spores of these pink mushrooms are much sought after by illusionists and magicians, although it is said that they can cause terrible hallucinations and even madness. As you step gingerly along the corridor, you take great care not to tread or brush against the spore-laden fungi.
The tunnel continues uninterrupted for several miles before eventually reaching a long, deserted gallery.
You push him to the ground and smother him with your Kai cloak. The flames are soon extinguished and you draw away your cloak to see how badly he is injured. Your quick action has saved the captain's life for although his uniform is burnt and tattered, he has survived the fire unscathed.
‘It is my turn to thank you, Lone Wolf. This time it is you who has saved me from certain death.’
You help the captain to his feet and race to the barricade; the enemy have now reached the ruined perimeter of Ruanon, and they are creeping forward under cover of the broken cottage walls. Climbing up onto an overturned wagon, you order the Sommlending guards back to the barricades. But is it too late to repel the attack?
You soon reach a junction where the track meets the main highway. Abandoned at the side of the road is a burnt-out wagon.
If you wish to investigate the wagon, turn to 80.
If you decide to ignore the wagon and ride south along the highway, turn to 175.
Your enemy falls from the saddle, and his body is dragged away by his horse, a twisted foot ensnared in the stirrup. All around you the din of battle rages. You realize that these armour-clad horsemen are no ordinary bandit clan; they fight with a discipline and skill unheard of among the lowly outlaws of the Wildlands.
A horse passes close by, the dead body of a ranger still upright in the saddle. You snatch the reins and retrieve a war-horn from the dead man's neck. If you are to avoid total disaster, you know that you must quickly sound the retreat.
You wheel your steed towards the south and spur the blood-spattered animal to the gallop. The remnants of your company are close at your heels, the victory cries of your foe resounding in their ears.
Your men secure the boat to a rusty iron ring before following you up the stone steps towards the archway. As you reach a narrow ledge at the top of the granite staircase, you hear strange sounds drifting from the darkness ahead, like the hissing of a jet of steam. It lasts for a few seconds before the crack of a whip and the voice of a man cursing bring it to an abrupt halt.
If you wish to enter the tunnel, turn to 151.
If you decide not to enter the tunnel, you can return to the rowing boat and continue along the underground river by turning to 240.
A wave of panic knots your stomach as the bridge drops away beneath your feet. You dive forward and just manage to grasp hold of the slatted wooden floor. But the worst is yet to come. Your grip is slipping, and the bridge is about to crash into the far wall.
If you wish to tighten your grip and brace yourself for the shock of impact, turn to 112.
If you decide to leap clear of the swinging bridge into the unknown depth of the mine shaft, turn to 342.
The warrior staggers back and tumbles over the ramparts into the raging battle below. His feathered mount ascends and flies away, its hideous caw piercing the storm-black sky.
Lying upon the gore-stained floor is a beautiful Onyx Medallion, which was torn from the warrior's armour as he fell. If you wish to keep the Onyx Medallion, place it in your pocket and mark it on your Action Chart as a Special Item.
Leave the watchtower by turning to 59.
You have covered less than twenty yards when you reach a solid rock-face. It is a dead end. The tunnel has only just been recently excavated, and you can go no further in this direction. You must now return to the junction.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 97.
If the number is 5–9, turn to 190.
Fifty miles south of Ruanon, the ruined city of Maaken teeters on the brink of Maakengorge. A cold sweat breaks out upon your brow as you contemplate the difficulty of your mission, for you are separated from your goal by fifty miles of enemy-held territory. But there is still a flicker of hope; with the enemy in confusion and retreat, your chances of success will be far higher now than before battle.
Before you set off on your perilous mission, Captain D'Val offers you the choice of the following equipment and provisions:
Make the necessary adjustments to your Action Chart before turning to 140.
The show finally comes to an end, and you make the necessary preparations for a night's sleep. At dawn the next day, you and your company bid farewell to the travelling players and continue on your way to Ruanon.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 171.
If the number is 5–9, turn to 25.
Your rangers spread out and move stealthily forward under cover of the large boulders. When you are almost close enough to reach out and touch the enemy, you give a piercing whistle—the signal to attack! In unison, your men rise up and strike. Two bandits die instantly, their skulls cloven in two by ranger swords. A third turns to run, but he is felled from behind and swept away in the foam-flecked water. Your target is a formidable looking warrior; great bracers of steel encase his wrists and a grim necklace of shrunken skulls adorns his leather battle-jerkin. You strike first, but his reactions are lightning-fast. He turns your blow aside with his spear and lunges at your face.
Bandit Warrior: COMBAT SKILL 17 ENDURANCE 28
If you wish to evade combat at any time, you can dive into the River Xane by turning to 31.
If you win the combat, turn to 146.
You have ridden less than a hundred yards when you notice fresh hoof prints in the dust of the winding track.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Tracking, turn to 264.
If you do not possess this skill, turn to 134.
You reach the door and quickly make your escape. The land behind the tavern is steep and heavily forested. Two of your men follow, but they are both badly wounded and cannot keep up with you. You turn to shout encouragement, only to witness their deaths as they are brutally stabbed to the ground. The bandit murderers wipe their blades and sprint towards you.
If you wish to run straight into the forest, turn to 123.
If you wish to try to change direction as soon as the trees hide you from your pursuers, turn to 169.
A spear tip has grazed your forearm. It is a mere scratch, yet your arm has become numb and useless. You strike back at your assailant, hoping to catch him as he pulls back, but your blow is weak and poorly aimed. Your vision is becoming a blur; you cannot coordinate your movements. Blind terror engulfs you as you suddenly realize that the bandits are using poisoned weapons.
A spear catches you beneath the arm and another sinks into your chest. As darkness engulfs you from all sides, the last sight you remember is the triumphant grimaces of your murderers as they stab you to death.
Your life and your mission end here.
You recognize the hoof prints of a Sommlending cavalry horse. There are two sets of tracks, and you are sure that they were made by two of your missing scouts. You decide to follow them eastwards in the hope of finding your men.
You instantly recognize these amulets. They are the symbols of a Holy Order known as ‘The Redeemers’, a silent order of pilgrims devoted to a lifetime of prayer and healing. You apologize for your hasty reaction. The holy men both nod their shaven heads in forgiveness.
Your men have pitched camp beneath the marble canopy, and preparations are soon under way for a good night's sleep. You are hungry and you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
An arrow hisses overhead; a scream of agony fills the air. The bow slips from the archer's fingers as he sinks to his knees, the arrow lodged deep between his startled eyes. The clack of fangs and the soft swift pad of stealthy feet tell you that the Warhounds are closing in. You look up to see a man running towards you from the barricade. He has a shield in one hand and a longbow in the other; it is Guard Captain D'Val. He reaches you, breathless from his run, and draws an arrow from his quiver. D'Val aims and fires, drawing another arrow from his quiver as soon as the first is loosed. The Warhounds tumble and crash to the ground around you, felled by D'Val's deadly shafts. Eight lie dead before his quiver is empty.
The captain grabs you by the arm and, swinging you over his shoulder in one swift motion, carries you back towards the barricade. Others run forward to help you, but the bandit archers are now in range and your men are forced back by a hail of arrows. The red shafts of the enemy whistle past on all sides. You reach the barricade, a wagon is pulled aside, and you are carried in through the gap. Captain D'Val is close to exhaustion; he staggers, and his men rush to catch him before he drops to the ground.
After half an hour, one of your men reports sighting a track ahead. The narrow dirt path leads off to the east and the west.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Tracking, turn to 264.
If you wish to follow it east, turn to 134.
If you wish to it west, turn to 191.
You fumble in your Backpack to remove a Torch,1 and in doing so, you drop one other Item from your Backpack into the crevasse. (If you were only carrying a Torch, you have lost a Weapon instead.)
You eventually manage to light the new Torch and make your way safely across to the other side of the bridge.
Continue along this tunnel and turn to 157.
You reach the door, but only to find it locked.
If you possess a Brass Key, turn to 282.
If you do not, turn to 105.
You leap across the warrior's dead body and enter the watchtower. Running up the wide stone stairs, you reach a landing on the first level where two soldiers are firing their bows through narrow oblong slits in the wall. Suddenly one of them cries out in pain and staggers back, an arrow sunk in his chest.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Healing, you can help this wounded soldier by turning to 238.
If you wish to continue up the stairs to the watchtower roof, turn to 223.
If you wish to pick up the wounded archer's bow and man his position at the arrow slit, turn to 207.
After journeying through the rich wheat fields of southern Sommerlund, the view that lies before you now looks especially bleak and colourless. The landscape is flat and desolate, only relieved here and there by a ragged copse of stunted firs or mound of broken earth.2 During the afternoon, storm clouds gather above the peaks of the Durncrag Mountains to the west, and the roll of distant thunder warns of imminent rain. It is early evening when your scouts find the ruins of an old temple, less than a mile from the highway.
If you wish to set up camp for the night in the shelter of the ruins, turn to 290.
If you wish to avoid the temple and continue, turn to 141.
As you run towards the ladder, the dreadful screams of your dying men claw at your ears, as they are eaten alive. You stop and stare back into the tunnel. The Stoneworm is now barely twenty feet away, and is slithering towards you at a terrifying pace. You know that you will never reach the ladder in time to escape. In desperation, you raise your weapon and prepare for combat. The creature is immune to Mindblast.
Stoneworm: COMBAT SKILL 15 ENDURANCE 38
If you win the combat, turn to 321.
You leap over the side of the wagon and sprint towards a line of densely packed trees less than twenty yards from the track. Luck is with you, for the bandit guards fail to notice your daring escape and the wagons continue on their way towards the gantry.
Pausing just long enough to catch your breath, you give silent thanks to the stranger who helped you, before pressing onwards through the trees.
As the warrior lets out his last dying gasp of pain, he topples back into the mine shaft and plummets into the darkness. His men seem stunned by your fighting prowess, and trip over each other in their haste to escape a similar fate. As the sound of their hurried footsteps disappears along the tunnel, you quickly cross the bridge and leave the chamber through a tunnel in the west wall.
The Torch burns fiercely for just a few seconds before it splutters and dies. You try to relight it but it is hopeless—it simply will not burn.3 If you possess other Torches in your Backpack, you will also discover that for some mysterious reason, they will no longer light.
If you possess a Firesphere, turn to 168.
If you wish to continue in the dark, turn to 246.
If you wish to leave the vault and attempt an entry via the guarded crypt door, turn to 183.
The long night ride and the lack of sleep begins to tell on both your men and their horses. No matter how hard you urge your company on, you cannot outdistance the bandit horde.
Suddenly, a large force of armoured horsemen appear from behind a shallow ridge to your left. They are trying to cut across and block the highway. As your paths converge, you brace yourself for the imminent confrontation.
The water is swift, dark and very cold. You tumble helplessly downstream as the irresistible current carries you towards a new and unforeseen danger: white water! The hiss of the rushing water fills your ears. You gulp a lungful of air and brace yourself, for it is now too late to avoid the torrential rapids that lie ahead.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 272.
If the number you have picked is 5–9, turn to 329.
The hideous creature uncoils itself from your legs and sinks into the water. You are elated by your victory, but your lungs feel as if they are on fire. You claw your way upwards until you eventually reach the surface, choking and gasping for air.
The only sign of the rowing boat and your men that remains on the surface of this dark and dreadful river is a splintered oar floating nearby. You hook your arm over this and drift with the current towards the far bank. A check of your Backpack and pockets reveals that nothing was lost during your struggle in the water, but this discovery comes as cold comfort now that your brave company is no more.
Steeling yourself against the unknown dangers that may lie ahead, you resolve to reach Ruanon and uncover the veil of mystery that surrounds it. But first you allow yourself one last look at the black river before you enter the east tunnel.
It is almost dark when you reach the edge of a densely forested valley. You can just make out the highway disappearing into the trees ahead and catch sight of a signpost pointing towards the south. You are now only forty miles from Ruanon, but your men are tired and in need of food and rest.
If you wish to set up camp at the edge of the forest, turn to 74.
If you wish to send some men into the valley to scout for bandits, turn to 139.
If you decide to go without food and sleep and press on to Ruanon as quickly as possible, turn to 251.
The creature is flooded by the golden light of your sword. A look of terror crosses its ghoulish face and it hurls itself upwards to avoid your sword blow. You brace yourself for another onslaught but it never comes: your silent attacker has escaped into a fissure in the ceiling.
Sheathing your sword, you prepare to continue. You notice a low portal in the vault wall leading to a long and narrow corridor.
If you wish to continue along the corridor, turn to 235.
If you wish to leave the vault and attempt to enter the temple via the guarded crypt door, turn to 183.
Using your Kai skill, you blend into the shadows of the chamber wall and slowly inch your way nearer and nearer to the bridge. Suddenly, the guard puts down his block of wood and turns his back: he is rummaging in his haversack for some food. You see your chance and sprint towards the bridge, your weapon poised to strike down the unwary guard.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Kai Discipline of Hunting, or if you have reached the Kai rank of Guardian or higher, then add 3 to the number you have picked.
If your total is now 0–7, turn to 147.
If your total is now 8–12, turn to 231.
The Warhounds lope towards you at an unnerving speed. You can see their great red-lipped jaws clearly and hear the clacking of their fangs. You fight to control your breathing, to concentrate all your warrior skills, for you must despatch the Warhounds quickly and with precision if you are to avoid being torn to pieces. Two dogs, faster than their brothers, break free of the pack and close upon you. They leap simultaneously, their slavering jaws spread wide for attack. You dive forward and roll, striking at their bellies from beneath as they pass above. Both howl with rage and pain and tumble lifeless to the ground. You are back on your feet as the next Warhound attacks.
Vassagonian Warhound: COMBAT SKILL 17 ENDURANCE 25
If you win this combat in 3 rounds or less, turn to 155.
If the combat lasts longer than 3 rounds, turn to 277.
You signal to the driver to stop. The wagons halt and a small, moon-faced man in a bright pink tunic throws open the rear door of the leading carriage. He shouts and curses the driver as he descends the ladder, pausing only to adjust the cummerbund that barely covers his huge stomach. Seeing your men, he lets out a strangled shriek and fumbles for a short sword hanging at his side. ‘Bandits! Robbers!’ he cries, and wrestles to free his sword from its ornate scabbard. A row of anxious faces appears at the wagon windows, but the expressions soon change to a smile when they recognize your Sommlending uniforms.
‘Calm yourself, Yesu,’ shouts an elderly woman. ‘They are Sommlending rangers. They will not steal your gold.’ Laughter ripples along the carriages as the little fat man suddenly unsheathes his sword with such force that he spins around and tumbles to the ground.
‘You must forgive Yesu,’ says the old woman. ‘He means you no harm. “Raider's Road” has made him a nervous wreck.’
You question the old woman, asking her where they have come from and their destination. You learn that they are a troupe of players and have journeyed many miles from their native land of Cloeasia in the east. They last played for the people of Eshnar, but it was a disappointing show. It seems that the town was as quiet as the grave; those who did come to see them were a sad and sorry crowd. They are now bound for Holmgard, and hopefully a more appreciative audience.
‘Light is fading,’ remarks the old woman. ‘Perhaps you and your men will camp with us tonight? We would deem it an honour, and would be happy to entertain you all with songs and dancing.’ You notice a hopeful look in the eyes of your men as they await your decision.
If you wish to set up camp with the troubadours, turn to 182.
If you decide to press on to Ruanon, turn to 247.
No cargo remains inside the charred shell of the wagon. The wood is black, and the metal fittings have buckled and blistered in the heat. However, in spite of the damage, you find enough proof from the ashes to confirm your suspicions. This is the wreck of a Sommlending cavalry wagon; one of three that left for Ruanon with Captain D'Val's troop over a month ago.
As you stand in the wagon, brushing the ash from your hands, one of your men suddenly cries out in pain. You glance up in time to see him fall from his horse, a disc of sharp steel embedded in his chest. ‘Ambush! Take cover!’ you shout, as more of the deadly discs whistle out of the trees to claim their victims. Frightened horses gallop in all directions, your men desperately clinging to the reins. The hidden attackers vanish as quickly as they came, but not before three of your men are left dead upon the highway.
After burying your dead, you must decide on the best course of action; for now only four men remain at your side and the hidden enemy may return at any time to finish their evil handiwork.
If you wish to continue along the highway, riding full speed for Ruanon, turn to 297.
If you wish to avoid the main highway and continue by the eastern track, turn to 15.
The arrow arcs through the smoke-blackened sky and pierces the officer's shining breastplate. You hear his scream of pain ring out above the din of battle and watch as his cruel eyes flicker and close. He swoons and slips from his saddle, your arrow lodged deep in his heart.
A line of empty ore wagons lie parked along a stretch of track that disappears into the west wall of this gallery. Above the arched tunnel, a flight of wooden stairs leads to a smaller passage lit by a spluttering torch.
You stay hidden in the shadows, watching the gallery for half an hour before you are satisfied that it is safe to enter.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Tracking, and if you have reached the Kai rank of Aspirant, turn to 349.
If you wish to follow the wagon track into the west tunnel, turn to 55.
If you wish to climb the stairs to the balcony and explore the passage, turn to 291.
You recognize the silky fluid; it is the trail of a Stoneworm, a dangerous subterranean predator. You warn your men not to step in the slime, for it is highly corrosive. No sooner have the words left your mouth than there is a sudden and ghastly noise.
Your knees shatter on impact and you drop like a stone into the darkness of the shaft, but the pain and shock soon fades into unconsciousness. As you hit the surface of an underground river, hundreds of feet below, you are unable to save yourself from death by drowning.
Your mission and your life end here.
If you are to survive this attack, you must fight with speed and accuracy. You raise your weapon poising yourself to strike.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess the Discipline of Mind Over Matter or Weaponskill, add 1 to the number you have picked. If you possess the Kai Discipline of Hunting or Sixth Sense, add 2 to the number you have picked.
If your total is now 0–6, turn to 262.
If it is 7 or more, turn to 111.
As the rangers encircle the ruins, the strangers make a dash for the highway. Your men give chase and swiftly despatch them with their swords. One of the robed men shatters a small flask as he falls to the ground. A search of the bodies reveals 12 Gold Crowns and enough food for two Meals. You notice that both of the men wear amulets on chains around their necks. They are wooden and shaped in the likeness of fish. If you wish to keep any of these Items, remember to mark them on your Action Chart.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Healing, turn to 149.
If you do not possess this skill, turn to 188.
You recognize gnadurn sap dripping from their spears. It is a deadly poison. You dare not risk engaging in combat with these bandits, for the merest graze from one of their tainted weapons could be fatal. Leaping to your feet, you race away from the trees and run towards Ruanon.
You have barely taken a dozen steps when you are confronted by a hideous sight. The tunnel ahead is blocked by a huge and slimy creature, its skin covered with warts that glow with a greenish luminescence. You draw your weapon as it moves closer, hopping from one clawed foot to the other. Suddenly, a pair of wings sprouts from its back, and it leaps into the air. You feel your stomach contract as it hurtles towards you, its razor-fanged mouth opening wider and wider.
Tunnel Fiend: COMBAT SKILL 20 ENDURANCE 10
If you win this combat, turn to 281.
You manage to gasp a lungful of air before the dark waters close over your upturned face. A tentacle brushes your foot, and you lash out just in time to prevent it from ensnaring you. The creature is badly wounded, but it is determined to claim your life in return for its injury.
Giant Meresquid: COMBAT SKILL 16 ENDURANCE 37
If the combat lasts longer than five rounds, turn to 340.
If you win the combat in five rounds or less, turn to 32.
You sense that the left tunnel leads away from Ruanon. Without hesitation, you turn and head off towards the right.
Lifting your feet high, you step into the tall crops, taking care to part them first with your hands. You allow the stalks to close again behind your back before you crouch down and hold your breath. You have completely vanished from sight; it is as if the stalks have never been disturbed.
The bandits amble past barely inches from where you hide, oblivious to your presence. When you are sure they have gone, you emerge from the crops and hurry away.
The great doors open to reveal a patrol of six tunnel guards. They are each armed with a crossbow and react instantly to your presence on the bridge. ‘Charge!’ you shout, hoping that you might be able to overpower the guards before they can fire their deadly weapons.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number you have picked is 0–6, turn to 184.
If the number is 7–9, turn to 267.
You have been riding for over four hours when you see a flock of birds. They are black and very large and are swooping around the brow of a distant ridge.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Animal Kinship, turn to 227.
If you wish to investigate the ridge, turn to 328.
If you would rather ignore the birds and press on, turn to 120.
A hail of feathered shafts cuts the air. The arrows strike home with deadly accuracy. Three of your men have fallen by the time you reach the mine, and an arrow passes so close to your right eye that you are blinded by its flights. You lose 1 ENDURANCE point. With a hand held to your injured eye, you stagger into the entrance of the tunnel.
The door slams shut, and you spin round to see a bandit leaping at you from the shadows. His head is a mass of bloodied bandages, but he is armed and determined to fight.
Wounded Bandit: COMBAT SKILL 13 ENDURANCE 16
He fights you with his back to the door and you cannot evade him.
If you win the combat, turn to 109.
As you gradually descend into the tunnel, you feel a draught of cold, dank air on your face. The walls of the tunnel are composed of a glittering ore that catches the light of your torch and reflects it in a dazzling display of colour. As your eyes follow the dancing lights you suddenly notice that the floor is covered with pink fungi.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Healing and you have reached the Kai rank of Warmarn, turn to 4.
If you do not have this skill, or if you have yet to reach the rank of Kai Warmarn, you can risk walking through the fungi; turn to 65.
Alternatively, if you wish, you may eat some of the fungi by turning to 201.
As you make your way along the torchlit tunnel, you pass several ore wagons bearing the same design branded upon their wooden sides: a cross moline above the initials ‘O.V.’. You recognize the seal of Oren Vanalund, the Baron of Ruanon, and it confirms the fact that you are heading in the right direction. Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps begin to echo along the tunnel ahead. They become louder, accompanied now by shouting and the crack of a whip.
If you wish to dive into one of the empty ore wagons, turn to 161.
If you wish to hide in the shadows of the rough tunnel wall, turn to 286.
You hit the guard and open a deep wound in his neck. He screams and turns to face you, a short sword in his hand.
Wounded Guard: COMBAT SKILL 12 ENDURANCE 18
If you win and the fight lasts for 3 rounds of combat or less, turn to 69.
If you win but the fight lasts longer than 3 rounds, turn to 203.
‘You must save her, Lone Wolf. You must prevent the sacrifice!’ The Baron's voice is choked with emotion.
‘Save who? Who must he save?’ questions Captain D'Val, as he tries to calm the excited Baron.
‘My daughter, Madelon, of course,’ the Baron answers. Tears are welling up in his eyes and nervously he wrings his hands. Then he utters the ominous prophecy:
When the full moon shines o'er the temple deep,
A sacrifice will stir from sleep
The legions of a long forgotten lord.
When a fair royal maid on the altar dies,
The dead of Maakengorge shall rise
To claim their long-awaited reward.
‘Don't you see? Barraka has found the dagger of Vashna. He is going to sacrifice my daughter upon the altar of Maaken to release the undead of Maakengorge, the chasm of doom.’
‘During the Age of the Black Moon, King Ulnar of Sommerlund killed the mightiest of all the Darklords, Vashna, with the Sommerswerd—the sword of the sun. Vashna's body and the bodies of all his troops were hurled into the bottomless abyss of Maakengorge. He plans to lead the dead to victory; first to conquer Sommerlund and then all of the Lastlands,’ explains the Baron, fear in his eyes.
You stare at the Baron in stunned silence. If Barraka completes the sacrifice, all is lost. What mortal army can stand against a legion of the dead?
Captain D'Val ushers you from the chamber and closes the door. ‘I feared he was insane, and I refused to listen to his words. But the events of the last few days confirm my worst nightmare. He speaks the truth!’
As the dreadful significance of the prophetic verse begins to chill your spine, your thoughts are broken by the shrill blast of a war-horn. Captain D'Val strides over to an arrow slit in the wall and looks out across the desolate plain. As he turns to speak, his face is ashen grey. ‘The bandits—they're launching an attack!’
If you possess Captain D'Val's Sword, turn to 327.
If you do not possess this weapon, turn to 289.
Peering about in the gloom of the camp perimeter, you decide that the actor can only be in one of two places: a large caravan to your left or a smaller coach to your right. You notice a handkerchief lying at the door of the smaller coach.
If you wish to enter the large caravan, turn to 222.
If you decide to investigate the smaller coach, turn to 110.
Captain D'Val and his men are locked in mortal combat with the invading cavalry; they are outnumbered and hard-pressed by the merciless foe who use their spike-shod horses to kick and trample their opponents underfoot. You reach the barricade to see yet another wave of the enemy approaching. Armoured handlers with packs of Warhounds spread out in front of a line of spear-armed infantry.
Fifty yards from the barricade, the armoured handlers stop and kneel to let loose their dogs of war.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 193.
If it is 5–9, turn to 260.
Your Kai sense reveals that the right tunnel is a dead end. Anxious not to get trapped by your pursuers, you turn and run into the left tunnel.
Your lightning reactions have saved you from the river. You sidestep in time to avoid the sinuous tentacle and lash out. The blow opens a wide gash and an arc of green blood sprays across the battered rowing boat. Only two of your men remain. One stabs at the tentacle around his foot, and the other lies unconscious at your feet, his arm badly broken at the elbow.
If you wish to hack at the tentacle that is coiled around the ranger's foot, turn to 304.
If you wish to aid the unconscious ranger lying at your feet, turn to 136.
If you wish to grab the oars and row for the bank, turn to 189.
The bandit springs to his feet and attacks you with his mace. Deduct 2 from your COMBAT SKILL for the first 3 rounds of combat, as you are now lying on the ground. You cannot evade the combat and must fight the bandit to the death.
Bandit Warrior: COMBAT SKILL 17 ENDURANCE 24
If you win, turn to 148.
The sound of a tolling bell drifts across the barren landscape. Window shutters slam down, but eyes still peer at you from the arrow slits carved into the walls.
You draw your company to a halt outside the wide tavern doors. ‘We are Sommlending. We seek shelter for the night and fodder for our mounts,’ you shout. There is a long pause before a voice answers your call.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table to discover the nature of the reply.
If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 259.
If the number is 5–9, turn to 95.
The only exit from the chamber, other than the well and the tunnel by which you entered, is by a spiral staircase set into the north wall.
If you wish to ascend the stairs, turn to 170.
If you wish to descend the stairs, turn to 228.
As you tread on the fungi, the pink flesh splits releasing clouds of spores into the tunnel. They fill your eyes and nostrils. You cannot breathe. Blindly you stagger forward until you are clear of the fungi, but as you emerge from the cloud of spores, you are confronted by another peril. A host of hideous, bat-winged reptiles are flying towards you, their scaly hands grasping jagged pieces of stalagmite. You cannot evade combat and must fight them all as one enemy.
Tunnel Fiends: COMBAT SKILL 20 ENDURANCE 10
If you win the combat, turn to 298.
You land and roll forwards. The Vassagonian leaps after you, hoping to deliver a killing blow before you can rise, but he does not realize he is fighting a Kai Lord. You strike him in mid-air, and he is dead before he hits the ground.
D'Val runs past to your left. He leads a dozen of his best swordsmen in a countercharge, driving the enemy back to the barricade. None escape alive. Those who survive D'Val's swordsmen are cut down by his archers as they run across the plain. But the shout of victory has barely died away when you are faced by another formidable attack.
Your men are hungry and exhausted, but they possess an unshakeable faith in the infallibility of your Kai sense. You give the signal to leave, but as you near the town entrance, you hear a thin whistling noise. A ranger at your side suddenly screams in agony, a flat circle of razor-sharp steel embedded in his chest. More of the discs follow whistling down from the rooftops to claim their victims. One grazes the back of your hand before embedding itself in the neck of your startled horse. You are thrown to the ground and lose 1 ENDURANCE point.
Staggering to your feet, you run, half-crouched, to the shelter of a wagon. Two of your men lie dead upon the road, but the others have escaped the ambush and are galloping away from the town, hidden by the rising clouds of dust.
You turn to see a bandit warrior standing at a nearby balcony. He is dark-skinned, with oily black hair and beard. He flicks his hand and a deadly disc whistles towards your face.
If you possess the Sommerswerd, turn to 292.
If you do not possess this Special Item, pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have either the Kai Discipline of Hunting or Mind Over Matter, add 2 to the number that you have picked.
If your total is now 0–4, turn to 242.
If it is 5–8, turn to 263.
If it is 9–11, turn to 278.
One sharp blow with the edge of your hand is all that is needed to smash the lock on the boathouse door. Your curiosity is soon rewarded by the sight of an upturned rowing boat resting upon a pair of wooden trestles. A pail of pitch stands beneath it. From the layer of dust covering the surface of the boat, you judge that it has stood undisturbed for several months.
If you wish to launch the rowing boat, turn to 180.
If you wish to search the boathouse for other useful items, turn to 213.
As you step over the dead guard, you follow the line of the hanging rope to a pair of locking pins, which secures the bridge to the edge of the mine shaft. If the guard had pulled the rope, the bridge would have fallen away, and you would have been trapped on this side of the chamber.
You run across the bridge just as your pursuers enter. A rope, similar to the one opposite, hangs from the ceiling next to the tunnel entrance in the west wall. You look back to see that your pursuers are now halfway across the bridge.
If you wish to pull the rope, turn to 125.
If you wish to ignore the rope and escape into the tunnel, turn to 348.
Your passage through the trees is lit by the flickering glow of the campfires that line the highway. Bandit warriors huddle round drawing warmth and comfort from the flames. They take little interest in their guard duties, and you find it easy to avoid their patrols.
By morning, you have reached the edge of the forest. You stare out across the fields of crops towards a small village that lies at the base of a shallow valley. The fields are only separated by narrow tracks, and these are alive with flying insects, hovering in swarms. You are walking along one of these tracks when suddenly you spot bandits ahead. They are wandering idly up the track towards you, their spears slung over their shoulders.
If you possess an Onyx Medallion, turn to 305.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Camouflage and have reached the Kai Rank of Guardian or higher, turn to 49.
If you do not have this Special Item or this Discipline and Kai Rank, dive into the tall crops and hide by turning to 159.
As the warrior falls dead at your feet, you turn to rally your men. To your horror, you see three of them lying spread-eagled on the stairs, killed by crossbow bolts. The other man is wounded and surrounded by the enemy. As more guards flood into the chamber, he shouts in desperation, ‘Flee, my Lord. Escape while you still can.’
No sooner have his words echoed through the hall than a sword blade pierces his heart. You turn and run towards a distant door where a tunnel disappears towards the north. Slamming the door you draw its bolt. As you race along the dusty tunnel you pray that the door will hold and keep your pursuers at bay.
The flat Wildlands offer no cover in which to hide from the bandit horde. You know that if you are to avoid combat with an enemy which vastly outnumbers you, you must split up your company and try to outrun them.
You detach a troop of ten rangers to follow you and send the remainder off towards the west, in the hope that they may lure the bandits away to the Durncrag Mountains.
With one last glance at the enemy, you lead your ten rangers on a deadly race along the Ruanon Pike.
You circle the temple, keeping just out of reach of the blue-flamed dagger. Barraka unsheathes a scimitar with his free hand, cutting the air about your head with its mirror-like steel but drawing no blood.
If you possess a Flask of Holy Water, turn to 283.
If you do not possess this Item, turn to 325.
The night passes without incident, and you awake refreshed by your sleep: restore 1 ENDURANCE point. After breaking camp, you enter the forested valley. Your warrior instincts warn you that the highway would be the ideal place for an ambush; the densely packed trees lining the roadside could easily conceal an attacker. As a precaution against such a surprise attack, you send three of your men on ahead with orders to report back if they should sight anything at all unusual.
After travelling some distance, you come across the wreck of a burnt-out wagon abandoned at the side of the road. Behind it, a track disappears eastwards up into the hills. There is no sign of your scouts, who should have returned to report this abandoned wreck.
If you wish to search the wrecked wagon, turn to 38.
If you wish to ignore the wagon and continue along the highway, turn to 175.
If you wish to investigate the track leading into the hills, turn to 293.
No sooner has the first warrior collapsed when another is hacking at you from the side. As you turn to face him, a spear thrust gashes your left arm and you lose 2 ENDURANCE points. You recoil in pain and, in the crush of battle, you slip and fall to the floor, which is already strewn with bodies. Then you glimpse an open door and crawl towards it.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess the Kai Discipline of Camouflage, add 3 to the number you have picked.
If your total is now 0–5, turn to 192
If your total is now 6–12, turn to 16.
The guards will not answer your questions. They seem to be more afraid of what their leader will do if they betray him than any torture they may face at your hands. All that you can determine from their uniforms and their manner is that they are part of the bandit horde that attacked you earlier.
If you wish to search them, turn to 268.
If you wish to leave the chamber, turn to 64.
An evil sneer spreads across his savage face. His words sound in your mind although his lips never part. This warrior is skilled in mind combat. Unless you have the Kai Discipline of Mindshield you will lose 1 ENDURANCE point for every round of combat you fight with him. He is immune to Mindblast.
Vassagonian Captain: COMBAT SKILL 22 ENDURANCE 28
You may evade combat after 2 rounds by turning to 98.
If you win, turn to 10.
As you approach they slip back their hoods to reveal two smiling faces. They seem relieved to have made friendly contact in the middle of this inhospitable wasteland. Neither of them speaks, but they remove amulets from around their necks and offer them as some kind of identification. The small wooden fish hanging on the neck-chains are symbols of a Holy Order known as ‘The Redeemers’, a silent order of pilgrims devoted to a lifetime of prayer and the study of the healing arts.
One of the pilgrims hands you a small earthenware Flask that contains a potion of Holy Water. If you wish to keep this Flask, mark it on your Action Chart as a Backpack Item.
Your men pitch camp beneath the marble canopy and preparations are made to get some sleep. You are hungry and must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
Struggling to your feet, you stagger along the forest track as it ascends into the darkening foothills of the Maaken range. The track comes to an abrupt end at the entrance of a mine tunnel, partially obscured by foliage. You realize this must be a disused route into the Maaken mines, for they honeycomb the foothills and mountains of this region. You know that if you can locate one of the major shafts, you should be able to trace your way through the mines to Ruanon itself.
Just inside the tunnel entrance, you find a broken crate containing five Torches and a Tinderbox. The tunnel is pitch black and you will need at least one torch to light your way. You may take however many Torches you wish before continuing, but each Torch takes up one space in your Backpack.
The tunnel is cold and forbidding. You explore for over a mile before arriving at a junction. Here, another tunnel branches off towards the south. It appears to be a recent excavation, and you follow it in the hope of finding a major shaft.
Although the fire has totally destroyed any markings there may have been, there still remains enough of the charred shell for you to recognize its military origin. It is a Sommlending cavalry wagon, one of three that accompanied Captain D'Val and his troop. It was loaded with food and equipment when it left Holmgard one month ago, but all that remains of its cargo now are heaps of ash. Once you have satisfied yourself that nothing has been overlooked that may give a clue to Captain D'Val's fate, you remount your horse and lead your men southwards along the highway.
The hoarse cries of the guard echo along the tunnel. You soon reach a section where repairs are in progress; a prop in the centre of the passage supports a cracked roof beam. If you could just knock away the prop, it might cause the roof to fall in, which would seal off the passage behind you. You can now hear the running footsteps of more than one guard approaching.
If you wish to knock away the roof prop, turn to 173.
If you decide to ignore the prop and press on along the tunnel, turn to 224.
You have ridden less than a mile when you discover a burnt-out wagon abandoned at the side of the road. Behind it, a hill track disappears eastwards.
If you wish to investigate the wagon, turn to 337.
If you decide to ignore the wagon and continue, turn to 297.
If you wish to explore the hill track, turn to 15.
The stairs lead down to a lower level of the mines where a passage continues southwards. You have just entered the passage when a patrol of guards suddenly emerges from a concealed door ahead. You barge through them before they can draw their weapons, but their screams of anger echo in your ears as you sprint towards a faint light in the distance.
In the dim light of the interior you see an old man seated at a table. The flicker of a log fire is all that illuminates this foul-smelling hovel, yet it sheds enough light for you to see the clutter of charts and strange instruments that crowd the hut. The man slowly raises his gaze from a large crystal sphere and bids you sit opposite him.
‘You know my name—how?’ you ask warily.
‘The stars foretold our meeting long ago, Lone Wolf,’ he replies, slowly passing his withered old hands around the sphere. ‘Be not alarmed by my knowledge for I wish only to aid you.’ He produces a small scroll of parchment from within his robe, and he hands it to you. Upon the scroll is written the following verse:
When the full moon shines o'er the temple deep,
A sacrifice will stir from sleep
The legions of a long forgotten lord.
When a fair royal maid on the altar dies,
The dead of Maakengorge shall rise
To claim their long-awaited reward.
You ask the meaning of the strange verse, but the old man does not answer you. He seems to have fallen into a deep trance. You lean across the cluttered table to awaken him and are shocked to see your hand pass straight through his body. Gradually his image begins to fade. Within seconds he has disappeared completely.
You place the Scroll in your pocket. (Mark this as a Special Item on your Action Chart.) You quickly leave the hut, pausing only to wipe the cold sweat from your brow.
You try to draw your weapon, but the creature is a swift and deadly killer. Its hollow fangs penetrate your spine, drawing out your life's blood and paralysing your body. You hear the clatter of your weapon as it drops to the floor, but you do not feel pain as you topple forwards, smashing your face against the hard, unyielding stone.
Your life and your mission end here.
As you leap onto an overturned wagon, you catch sight of two soldiers smothering Captain D'Val with their jackets. You pray he will survive the flames and that you have acted in time to rally his scattered force. The enemy has reached the ruined perimeter of Ruanon and are now creeping forward under cover of the broken cottage walls. You shout orders to D'Val's men to hurry back to the barricade, but the enemy are only a hundred yards from the wall; is it too late to repel the attack?
The guard is soon joined by more of his friends who give chase; you can hear their quickening pace and their harsh panting breath close behind you. Suddenly the tunnel narrows and divides in two.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense or Tracking, turn to 60.
If you wish to enter the left tunnel, turn to 199.
If you wish to enter the right tunnel, turn to 208.
A foul odour assails your nostrils, making you choke and retch. Covering your mouth and nose you step back and raise your weapon in readiness to strike, for the creature is slithering towards you at a frightening pace. Your men rain blows upon its gaping jaws, but their blades barely scratch the creature's glistening grey skin before they are snatched and swallowed whole. Relentlessly the Stoneworm advances until it is upon you. You cannot evade it and you must fight the creature to the death. It is immune to Mindblast.
Stoneworm: COMBAT SKILL 15 ENDURANCE 38
If you win the combat, turn to 321.
Wildly you fight your way through a circle of bandits, guiding your horse with just the pressure of your knees. Ahead you see a ridge of muddy ground, and you charge towards it in the hope that you can rally your men. You are approaching the brow of the ridge when an armour-clad warrior charges at you from the side, his spear levelled at your throat. You cannot evade combat and must fight him to the death.
Bandit Warrior: COMBAT SKILL 17 ENDURANCE 26
If you win, turn to 7.
You are in combat with a Vassagonian horseman who is now on foot. You cannot evade him and must fight him to the death.
Bandit Horseman: COMBAT SKILL 17 ENDURANCE 24
If you win, turn to 249.
It is impossible to enter the mine on horseback, and you are forced to leave your horses outside. The mine is very dark but you are quick to notice that unlit torches hang from the walls at regular intervals. You each take a torch and light them before continuing. In the dim glow you discover footprints leading to a collapsed section of the tunnel. They continue all the way to the top of a huge mound of earth, which reaches almost to the ceiling, leaving only a small gap.
If you wish to climb the mound and squeeze through the gap, turn to 254.
If you decide to call off the search, you can return to the surface, remount your horses and descend the hill track by turning to 191.
It is noon on the following day when you reach the outskirts of Eshnar. To the south, the wooded hills gradually ascend towards the magnificent snow-capped peaks of the Maaken range. It is a beautiful sight, one of stark contrast to the squalor of Eshnar and the desolate Wildlands to the north. You ride along the only street in this dilapidated town and eventually arrive outside a large tavern called ‘The Pick and Shovel’. Your men are exhausted and badly in need of food and rest.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense, turn to 210.
If you wish to enter the tavern, turn to 132.
If you decide to continue along the street, turn to 301.
Four swarthy-faced bandits are seated at a round table, a plan of the mines spread before them. Surprise barely has time to register upon their faces before you launch your deadly attack; three are despatched even before they have drawn their weapons. The fourth rolls away from his dead companions and unsheathes his sword. The fire of revenge burns bitterly in his eyes as he lunges towards you.
Bandit Warrior: COMBAT SKILL 15 ENDURANCE 26
If you win the combat, turn to 2.
Suddenly, the boat lurches forward and you are catapulted into space. You tumble for what seems like an eternity before hitting deep water with such breathtaking force that you plunge down over twenty feet. The icy water stuns you and saps your strength. You are desperate for air. You fight to reach the surface but your Backpack drags you down; you must discard it or you will certainly drown.
When you reach the surface, you are caught by the swift current and swept away from the waterfall. You are soon washed up upon a gravel bank at the bottom of a steep ravine.
You have lost your Backpack and everything it contained, as well as your boat and your men. But in spite of this calamity, you are still alive and relatively unharmed.
Make the necessary adjustments to your Action Chart before turning to 219.
‘What proof have we that you're not bandits in stolen uniforms?’
What can you say or do that will convince them that you speak the truth?
If you wish to say that you are a Kai Lord and that your men are Border Rangers of Sommerlund, turn to 259.
If you wish to show them your Badge of Rank, turn to 195.
A tentacle smashes straight through the keel with such force that the boat is lifted into the air, and you are thrown head over heels into the icy river.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 47.
If it is 5–8, turn to 234.
If it is 9, turn to 334.
As you emerge from the tunnel you glimpse the silhouette of the guards approaching. You curse yourself for taking the wrong route; you have now walked straight into a patrol. However, before they can catch you, you turn and make a hasty escape.
The warrior's scimitar slices the air barely inches above your head as you drop through the trapdoor. He attempts to follow you but is forced back by your weapon blows. You manage to slam the trapdoor shut and draw the bolt, locking the warrior out of the watchtower. Wiping the grime of battle from your stinging eyes, you run down the stairs and out of watchtower door.
In the darkness, you fail to notice a jagged hole in the planking of the bridge. You step straight into it and crash head first to the ground, over a hundred feet below.
Your life and your mission end here.
An empty feeling grips your stomach as you stare upon the altar and inner sanctum of the subterranean temple. Your Kai senses burn as if every nerve in your body is screaming a warning to flee from this evil chamber. Huge braziers of molten metal encircle a black altar upon which lies fair Madelon, the daughter of Baron Vanalund. She seems to be entranced—her breathing is slow and shallow. Beyond the altar lie two massive doors, a gigantic skull engraved upon their black stone surface. Out of your view, another door opens, and a procession of red-cloaked priests enter the temple. Their heads are covered and they each carry strange amulets of black stone. They file past the altar, depositing the amulets in a circle around the young girl's body and then file out again in total silence. Then you hear the sound of a distant drumbeat; it grows louder and nearer. The measured steps of steel-shod boots resound in its wake. Barraka is approaching.
You follow the tunnel for over two hours before arriving in a huge cavern. The gloomy hall is divided by an underground river that disappears into a wide archway in the south wall. On its opposite bank, you can just make out the shape of another passage leading to the west. A small rowing boat is beached on this side of the river, and two pairs of oars are discovered behind the moss-covered boulder to which it is tied.
If you wish to row across to the other bank and take the west tunnel, turn to 343.
If you wish to take the boat and continue south via the river, turn to 115.
Your men draw their swords and advance on the strangers. The hooded men immediately raise their hands and emerge from beneath the stone canopy. One of the men drops a small earthenware flask full of clear fluid and it shatters on the hard marble floor. A search of their bodies reveals 12 Gold Crowns and enough food for 2 Meals. Make the necessary adjustments to your Action Chart. Around their necks they wear wooden amulets carved in the likeness of small fish.
If you possess the Kai Discipline of Healing, turn to 19.
If you do not have this skill, turn to 339.
You escape from the warrior but not before he has wounded you with his scimitar. You lose 4 ENDURANCE points.
Gasping from the pain of your wound, you manage to pull the trapdoor shut and draw the bolt before staggering down the stairs and out through the watchtower door.
Mustering all your reserves of speed and stamina, you sprint towards the far side of the bridge. The blood is pounding in your ears and you pray that the locking pins will hold just long enough for you to reach safety. You are barely ten feet from the far side when the floor shudders and falls.
If you want to try to dive for the far side, turn to 303.
If you wish to jump clear of the bridge and dive into the unknown depths of the mine shaft, turn to 342.
A group of armed guards suddenly appear at the top of the stairs and command you to halt. When you hesitate, they quickly unsling crossbows from their shoulders.
If you wish to attack the guards, turn to 285.
If you wish to raise your hands and surrender, turn to 267.
The horses are a small stocky breed known as kucheks. They are named after a town and province of Vassagonia, a country many hundred of miles to the east. The bandits you encountered on the Ruanon Pike rode kucheks.
If you wish to leave Eshnar as quickly as possible, turn to 67.
If you decide to investigate the stables, turn to 236.
The bandit horseman pursues you, his lance speeding closer and closer behind you. You are running flat out, and it is too late to dodge the Sommlending soldier who now stands in your way, his bow drawn ready to fire.
‘Dive!’ he screams at you, and instinctively you obey his bold command. Almost simultaneously, he releases the bowstring. The bandit is barely feet away when the steel-tipped arrow penetrates his visor and erupts from the rear of his helmet like a skewer through an apple. The charging horse crashes to the ground throwing its dead rider at your side. You open your mouth to shout your thanks, but before you can speak the soldier turns and hurries away to the barricade.
If you wish to follow him, turn to 59.
If you wish to continue towards the watchtower, turn to 310.
The leader of the tunnel guards barks an order to his men and they immediately halt in their tracks. It is obvious that they have been told not to interfere in this combat, for it seems their leader wants you all to himself.
He is wearing a tall, plumed helmet and a brilliant red sash across his chest. With one quick movement, he levels his halberd at your head and attacks.
Tunnel Guard Officer: COMBAT SKILL 20 ENDURANCE 30
You may evade combat at any time by dashing across the bridge, and turning to 271.
If you win the fight, turn to 28.
You roll the dead bandit over with the toe of your boot and make a quick search of his body. You discover the following items:
You may take any of the above items. As you are leaving, you notice a trapdoor in the floor. Opening it, you see that it leads down to the cellar of the building.
If you wish to search the cellar, turn to 347.
If you wish to leave the hut, turn to 258.
You kick open the door and rush in. Unfortunately it is not the actor who stands before you now, but a young woman in the middle of taking her bath. After a few seconds of stunned silence, the woman begins to scream at the top of her voice, pausing only to throw at you anything that comes to hand. In a shower of hairbrushes, mirrors, combs and curses, you are driven from the coach, and the door is slammed firmly in your face. Outside you find a small crowd of people who have been attracted by the noise, none of whom can speak or understand Sommlending. You find it impossible to explain your innocent mistake and, confronted by their stony stares, you are forced to abandon your search for the runaway actor.
You steel yourself, mustering all your concentration for the exact moment to strike. Your warrior senses are razor-sharp; your attack is lightning-fast. You lunge forward beneath the bandit's sweeping longsword and sever the belly strap of his saddle. The saddle jerks to one side, and he slips from his horse, crashing to the ground in a cloud of dirt and ash. You advance to finish him, but he is quick to recover from the fall. Leaping to his feet, he turns to face you.
If you wish to fight him, turn to 90.
If you wish to evade combat, turn to 163.
The bridge slams into the rock wall with a bone-jarring crunch.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If your current ENDURANCE points total is less than 10, deduct 3 from the number that you have picked.
If your current ENDURANCE points total is more than 20, add 3 to the number you have picked.
If your total score is now -3–4, turn to 42.
If it is 5–12, turn to 303.
You enter the forest and descend the wooded hillside towards the River Xane. You have gone only a few yards when the trees become far too dense for you to be able to continue on horseback. Reluctantly, you signal to your men to dismount and continue on foot.
You soon reach the river and follow the foam-flecked water upstream. The climb takes you through a maze of wide rock terraces worn smooth by the force of the river. Then, at a point where the torrent is fed by many smaller streams, you catch sight of six bandits, stabbing at the water with their spears as it thunders along the smooth-hewn channels. On the far bank, you can see a pile of grey fish standing next to a horse-drawn wagon, which you recognize as a Sommlending cavalry wagon.
If you have reached the Kai rank of Warmarn, turn to 166.
If you have yet to reach this level of Kai training, you can launch a surprise attack on the bandits, and turn to 14.
If you would rather try to sneak across the river under the cover of the many large boulders that divert the watercourse, turn to 316.
If you would rather avoid crossing here and head back the way you have just come, turn to 232.
You order your men to prepare for combat and signal to one of the tavern-keeper's sons to open the doors. No sooner has he slid back the great iron bolt than the doors burst inwards. A dozen rain-drenched bandits charge into the tavern, their shields linked before them rim to rim. Your men press forward to halt their advance, hacking and stabbing whenever a head or arm presents a target, but they are forced to turn back when more bandits flood into the tavern.
A tall warrior in bright scarlet armour suddenly breaks clear of the shield-wall and runs at you. His sword is raised to stab.
Bandit Warrior: COMBAT SKILL 16 ENDURANCE 25
You cannot evade combat and must fight the warrior to the death.
If you win the fight, turn to 295.
As you drift beneath the arch of the southern tunnel, you pull your Kai cloak around your body and raise the hood. The ceiling is leaking and huge drops of ore-stained water rain down on your crowded boat, streaking the hair and tunics of your men a rusty brown.
You row for over a mile before eventually emerging in a small grotto. A flight of stone steps rises out of the river and ascends to an archway in the rock wall.
If you wish to land at the steps and investigate the tunnel, turn to 8.
If you wish to continue south by the river, turn to 240.
‘I was hoping the King would send a large search party,’ says Captain D'Val wryly, now having fully recovered from his exhaustion. ‘I was beginning to tire of this town.’
You rise from your straw bed, and offer your thanks to the captain. His brave and timely action saved you from certain death. ‘'Tis nothing to compare with you, Lone Wolf. Your bravery is legend. Your presence here is worth a hundred men.’
He asks you about your mission, and you recount the events that have led you to this meeting; the ride south, the loss of your company, your passage through the Maaken mines and the bandits.
‘Yes, the bandits—Barraka's men,’ retorts D'Val, his gruff voice conveying his contempt for them and their leader. ‘It seems we have both suffered at his hand. A month ago, he and his Vassagonian renegades ambushed my troop on the Ruanon Pike. We were sorely outnumbered and the fight was indeed bitter. But we broke free from them and escaped here to Ruanon. We have been beleaguered ever since and praying for help to arrive. We have enough weapons to resist them, but we have barely enough food and water to survive.’
You ask what has become of the people of Ruanon. ‘Most are now slaves. Barraka has taken the mines and he uses the Ruanese as forced labour. Other than yourself, only one man has escaped from the mines and survived the Warhounds and the bandit snipers. That man is Baron Oren Vanalund. Come, I shall take you to him.’
D'Val leads you to the topmost chamber of the watchtower and pushes open an iron-shod door. The sight that greets you fills your heart with sorrow and pity.
You soon reach a section of tunnel that is under repair. Part of the floor has subsided, and a gaping hole is spanned by a rickety wooden bridge. You are tired and fail to notice that your Torch has almost burnt out. You are at the centre of the bridge when the Torch flickers and dies; you are plunged into darkness.
If you have another Torch4 in your Backpack, turn to 22.
If you have no other Torch, you must try to inch your way across the bridge in total darkness. Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense or Tracking, add 3 to the number you have picked.
If your total is now 0–6, turn to 99.
If it is 7–12, turn to 256.
The iron door is locked, but there is a lockplate with a keyhole and a large handle upon which hangs a Whip. If you decide to take the Whip, remember to mark it on your Action Chart as a Backpack Item.
If you possess an Iron Key, you may open the door by turning to 308.
If you do not possess this key or if you do not want to open the door, you may leave the chamber via a spiral staircase.
If you wish to ascend the stairs, turn to 170.
If you wish to descend the stairs, turn to 228.
‘Hold your blade, Barraka. Her life is not yours for the taking!’ Your words ring out above the howling wind. The renegade noble turns to face you, his laugh as piercing as your command. He advances towards you, the flame-licked dagger held high in his mailed fist. You draw your weapon and enter the temple.
If you wish to enter into combat with this warrior lord, turn to 296.
If you wish to try to free Madelon, turn to 73.
After many hours of riding you reach a highway junction. A large signpost indicates two destinations: south to Ruanon (60 miles) and east to Eshnar (40 miles).5
If you wish to continue south, turn to 33.
If you decide to go east, turn to 92.
No sooner has he fallen at your feet than another line of the enemy surges forward. Your men are brave and stolid, but the enemy are greater in number. You cannot hold them forever.
‘Into the mine!’ you shout, as the enemy pull back to regroup for another charge. But only four of your company make it to the mine; the others lie dead beneath their shields.
As you raise your golden sword, the howling wind seems to rise in pitch and intensity. It claws at your mind, filling your head with terrible images of death and horror. Barraka sees you falter and strikes a cruel blow that opens a wound in your cheek. You lose 1 ENDURANCE point. But the sudden pain reawakens you to the presence of your enemy, and the combat begins.
Barraka: COMBAT SKILL 25 ENDURANCE 29
You are being attacked by a very powerful Mindblast. Unless you possess the Kai Discipline of Mindshield, your COMBAT SKILL is reduced by 4 for the duration of this combat. However, Barraka himself is a warrior who possesses formidable strength of will: he is immune to Mindblast.
If you win the combat, turn to 350.
Onward and upward, you claw your way through the wooded hillside. Your throat is dry and your heart is pounding as though it is about to burst, but you dare not slacken your pace. Four hours pass before you feel certain that you have outrun the enemy.
It is nearly dusk when you chance upon a narrow steep-sided valley, carved from the hillside to afford access to a mine tunnel. For hundreds of years, the ore of the Maaken range has been the blessing and the bane of many who have ventured here to seek their fortune: men have found wealth beyond their wildest dreams, but also men have perished without trace in its labyrinth of cold dark tunnels.
You examine the mine entrance. You know that if you can find a major passage, you could trace your way to Ruanon itself. At the entrance, you find a discarded wooden crate, containing six Torches and a Tinderbox. The mines are dark and you will need to use at least one Torch to light your way. You can take as many as you wish but remember each Torch counts as one Backpack Item, so be sure to make the appropriate changes to your Action Chart.
Enter the mines by turning to 315.
A mantlet, a large shield on wheels, is being pushed slowly across the body-strewn battleground towards the barricade. Arrow shafts soon bristle from its thick wooden planks as D'Val's men fire their bows time and time again in an attempt to hit the shielded foe.
Suddenly a robed figure darts from behind the mantlet and levels a black staff at the barricade. He is cut down by an arrow, but not before he has let loose from his staff a guttering ball of flame. It cartwheels across the plain and explodes with a tremendous roar, hurling the bodies of defenders and shattered barricade high into the air. Through the cloud of dust and debris, you can see a line of enemy cavalry charging across the plain. They wear tall plumed helmets of polished steel and breastplates of deepest crimson. In the wake of the fireball they pour through the remains of the barricade and attack—they give no quarter. A horseman spurs his horse towards you, his lance levelled at your chest.
If you wish to stand and fight the horseman, turn to 333.
If you wish to run back to the watchtower, turn to 107.
A smile flickers across your face as you give the rope a hefty tug. Confidently you turn to watch your pursuers drop into the gaping mine shaft. Unfortunately the only thing to drop is the heavy portcullis that has now sealed off the entrance to the tunnel. Your enemies cackle with glee and draw their weapons to strike.
You cannot evade them and must fight them one at a time as they leap from the bridge.
Tunnel Guard Leader: COMBAT SKILL 20 ENDURANCE 30
Tunnel Guard 1: COMBAT SKILL 18 ENDURANCE 26
Tunnel Guard 2: COMBAT SKILL 16 ENDURANCE 24
If you win, turn to 261.
Darkness soon engulfs the Ruanon Pike, and you are forced to stop and pitch camp. A large fire is blazing and a perimeter guard is posted to prevent any risk of a surprise attack during the night. You must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.
The night passes without incident and at dawn you break camp, continuing your ride along ‘Raider's Road’.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number that you have picked is 0–4, turn to 25.
If it is 5–9, turn to 171.
As you crawl from under the body of the Elix, you see the desperate struggle still raging in the chamber. Two of your men lie dead, their throats torn out by the ferocious beasts. Another is pinned beneath an Elix, his sword thrust into its side. The other ranger has reached the stairs and is desperately hacking at the head and neck of an Elix whose teeth are sunk into his foot.
There is no sign of the guards; they have been knocked backwards into the well and have fallen to a watery doom.
If you wish to help the ranger who is pinned to the floor, turn to 178.
If you wish to help the ranger who is fighting at the bottom of the stairs, turn to 245.
You dive towards the trapdoor, but the warrior is rushing to intercept your escape.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Hunting, add 3 to the number you have chosen.
If your total is now 0–4, turn to 103.
If it is 5–12, turn to 98.
You soon arrive at a collapsed section of the tunnel. A wide rift has appeared in the floor, and a makeshift bridge has been thrown across it. In spite of the many gaping holes in the bridge floor you make your way safely to the other side.
You are hungry and must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.6
Make the necessary adjustments to your Action Chart before turning to 309.
For over an hour, you follow the river bank as it wends its way into the foothills of the Maaken range. The River Xane is wide and fast-flowing; there are no signs of any bridges or fords in this direction.
If you wish to return to the boathouse, turn to 68.
If you wish to continue following the river towards the east, turn to 331.
The door is unlocked and opens out into a dimly lit tunnel. This section of the mine looks newly constructed, for the timbers are clean and the floor has yet to be worn smooth by the passage of miners and wagons. The tunnel heads south for nearly a mile before turning abruptly to the west.
Your men tether their horses and follow you into the tavern. An old woman stands behind the bar, her face taut and lined as if in pain. She wears men's clothes—a shirt and chequered trousers. The tavern is empty, but the tables are covered with ale mugs, many half full of beer.
If you feel uneasy about the tavern, turn to 67.
If you wish to question the old woman, turn to 287.
The bandits close on you from three sides and move in for the kill. They attack simultaneously and you must fight all three as one enemy.
Bandit Patrol: COMBAT SKILL 18 ENDURANCE 35
If you lose any ENDURANCE points during this combat, turn to 17.
You may evade combat at any time by running towards Ruanon. Turn to 307.7
If you win the combat without losing any ENDURANCE points, turn to 265.
You soon arrive at the entrance to a mine. Two sets of footprints disappear into the gloom of the tunnel and, judging by their shape and size, they were made by two of your missing scouts. You shout into the mine but there is no reply to your call.
If you wish to enter the mine, turn to 91.
If you decide to call off your search, return along the hill track and turn to 191.
The bleak, treeless Wildlands offer no cover in which you can hide from the bandit hordes. They outnumber your men by four to one, and the life and death of your entire company now depends on your decision.
If you wish to counterattack the bandits in the hope that your bold action will scare them off, turn to 284.
If you wish to split your company, detaching a group of ten rangers to follow you whilst sending the remainder off towards the west in the hope of luring the bulk of the bandit horde away to the Durncrag Mountains, turn to 211.
If you wish to head south at the gallop, to try to reach the shelter of the Ruanon forest before the bandits close in, turn to 30.
The injured man is in a state of shock; his left arm is completely smashed above and below the elbow, and many of his ribs are broken.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Healing, turn to 313.
If you do not possess this skill, turn to 216.
All around the barricade the enemy are retreating in disorder; bandit war-horns announce the withdrawal, exhorting their defeated warriors to flee the battlefield. A jubilant Captain D'Val emerges from the war-smoke, his eyes shining like jewels beneath the rim of his battered helmet. ‘We have triumphed, Lone Wolf. We have vanquished the foe!’
All around you, the captain's men are rebuilding the barricade and tending to their wounded comrades. It sorrows you to see Sommlending dead, but you take heart at how few they are beside the enemy's losses.
The captain ushers you to the watchtower where your wounds are cleaned and dressed with Laumspur. The herbs restore 6 ENDURANCE points.
‘We have beaten this foe, but I fear that it is but a temporary reprieve,’ says the captain, his face now composed and sombre. ‘The sacrifice of Baron Vanalund's daughter must be stopped if we are to avoid catastrophe, for our strength will not avail us against a foe freshly risen from the grave.’
The words of the verse flood into your mind and a chill runs down your spine as you realize what may lie ahead. In three days' time, when the moon is full, Barraka will sacrifice the Baron's daughter at the buried temple of Maaken, a sacrifice that will unleash the dead of Maakengorge—the chasm of doom. You know you must prevent the sacrifice.
You are halfway down the ramp when a guard turns to face you. He blinks and rubs his bloodshot eyes in disbelief. You seize your advantage and sprint at the man, hoping to reach him before he fully comes to his senses. Just as he begins to shout, you strike and send him tumbling over the edge of the ramp. The other guard draws his sword and staggers to his feet. He is obviously very drunk and is maddened by your attack—he springs towards you like a rabid dog.
Drunken Guard: COMBAT SKILL 13 ENDURANCE 29
You can evade combat at any time by running into the tunnel on this level. Turn to 81.
If you win the combat, turn to 152.