Shadow on the Sand

You are Lone Wolf — last of the Kai Lords. A voyage to Vassagonia promises an end to the shadow of war. But hopes are soon shattered upon your arrival at Barrakeesh — a city full of treachery and death.

In Shadow on the Sand, you are the quarry of a sinister foe, determined to kill you at all costs. Choose your skills and your weapons carefully. They can help you survive and aid you in the quest for a lost Sommlending treasure — a treasure that contains the secret of your destiny.

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 at the Origins Game Fair, 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.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Dedication

Acknowledgements

The Story So Far …

The Game Rules

Kai Disciplines

Equipment

Rules for Combat

Levels of Kai Training

Kai Wisdom

Part I

Part II

The Empire of Vassagonia

Action Chart

Combat Rules Summary

Combat Results Table

Random Number Table

Errata

Footnotes

Table of Illustrations

Project Aon License

Dedication

Acknowledgements

‘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 are also grateful for the generosity of Rob Adams, Paul Bonner, Gary Chalk, Melvyn Grant, Richard Hook, Peter Andrew Jones, Cyril Julien, Peter Lyon, Ian Page, Graham Round, and Brian Williams for contributing their portions of the world of Magnamund to Project Aon. We would also like to acknowledge the following members of Project Aon for their diligent work:CreditsTranscriptionJulian Egelstaff (Mainmatter)

The Story So Far …

You are Lone Wolf — last of the Kai Lords of Sommerlund, and sole survivor of the massacre that destroyed them during a bitter war with your age-old enemies, the Darklords of Helgedad.

It is midwinter in your northern homeland and a mantle of snow lies knee-deep in the streets of Holmgard — the capital — when you are summoned from your monastery in the hills by a messenger bearing a scroll, signed and sealed by the hand of King Ulnar. You are surprised to read the King's message, for it is a request for your help in solving an urgent problem of what he describes as ‘great diplomatic importance’. It seems a strange request to make of a warrior lord, whose skills are better suited to the field of battle than to parleying with foreign envoys. However, you obey the summons and upon your arrival at the capital, all is made clear.

The Zakhan of Vassagonia, the imperial ruler of this desert empire, has sent his most trusted envoy to seek a treaty of peace between your two countries, and you have been asked to sign the treaty on behalf of your country. The reason for this is easily apparent.

Less than a year ago, a renegade noble of Vassagonia called Barraka led his army of bandits in an attack upon the Sommlending province of Ruanon. This mining town and much of the surrounding land was overrun and destroyed. Many Sommlending lost their lives, and many more were enslaved and forced to labour in the mines of the Maaken Range. When the regular convoy from Ruanon failed to arrive at the capital, the king sent you to investigate. A great battle ensued in which you defeated Barraka in mortal combat. Without your courage and skill, the safety of Sommerlund and all of the Lastlands would have been placed in grave peril.

‘Your majesty, the Zakhan is gravely embarrassed by Barraka's foul treachery, and is most anxious that our friendship and trust be restored. He begs that you send the Kai warrior, Lone Wolf, to sign a treaty of peace with him at the Grand Palace in Barrakeesh,’ whimpers the Zakhan's emissary, as he kneels at the feet of King Ulnar.

The king rises from his throne, barely able to conceal his distaste for the fawning envoy. He turns his gaze to you and bids you follow him to the privacy of an antechamber.

‘I have no liking for this desert realm, Lone Wolf, but I like the prospect of war even less. The Zakhan is old and frail, and has no son to claim his throne when he dies. Barraka was but one of many ruthless nobles who wait like jackals for the chance to seize power, and I fear they grow too impatient to allow the Zakhan to die a natural death. The treaty may not guarantee peace with Vassagonia once the Zakhan is dead, but it will at least buy us precious time to strengthen our southern border.’

The king leads you to a window and points towards the harbour, barely visible through the falling snow. A Vassagonian galley lies anchored close to the harbour wall.

‘Go to Vassagonia, Lone Wolf. Sign the treaty and return quickly. Even with the promise of peace, I fear the shadow of war will fall upon us before the year is out.’

You wave farewell to Holmgard on this bleak midwinter's day, feeling sure you will return before the thaw. But as you watch the spires of Holmgard disappear in the falling snow, you have no inkling of the shadow that awaits you in Vassagonia.

The Game Rules

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. 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 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 go above the number with which you start your adventure.

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 5. 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; now read the section on equipment for Book 5 carefully.

Kai Disciplines

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 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 may 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 Disciplines section of your Action Chart.Camouflage

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.Hunting

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 most of Vassagonia is arid desert; should your adventure lead you into this desert, the opportunities for successful hunting may not arise. 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.Sixth Sense

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.Tracking

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.Healing

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.Weaponskill

Upon entering the Kai Monastery, each initiate is 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, 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.

Equipment

Before leaving Holmgard on your voyage to the Vassagonian capital of Barrakeesh, you are given a map of the desert empire 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 four of the following:

Dagger (Weapons)

Rules for Combat

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.

Add any extra points gained through your Kai Disciplines to your current COMBAT SKILL total.

Levels of Kai Training

The following table is a guide to the ranks 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.

Novice

Intuite

Doan

Acolyte

Initiate — You begin the Lone Wolf adventures with this level of Kai training

Aspirant

Guardian

Warmarn or Journeyman

Savant

Master

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.

Kai Wisdom

Your mission is one of peaceful diplomacy — but beware! The desert empire of Vassagonia is notorious for being a land of deceit and treachery. Be on your guard at all times. Also, make notes as you progress, as you will find 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.

If this is your first Lone Wolf adventure, choose your Kai Disciplines with care — a wise choice and a great deal of courage should enable anyone to complete both parts of this adventure, no matter how weak his or her initial COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE points. Successful completion of previous Lone Wolf adventures, although an advantage, is not essential for the completion of this book.

May the spirits of your Kai Masters guide you on your perilous adventure.

Good Luck!

1

For twenty-five days, the Vassagonian galley sails on a steady course for its home port of Barrakeesh, with only a brief stop at the Durenese harbour of Port Bax to break a safe but monotonous voyage.

You use your time aboard the ship to good purpose, learning the Vassagonian language from the ship's crew. They are only too eager to teach you, asking only in return tales of your adventures in the Lastlands — for many of the sailors, these are the most exciting stories they have ever heard. By the time you reach Barrakeesh, you have both mastered their language and won their respect.

2

Breathless from the exertion of combat, you step back as the Elix finally collapses and dies. Slowly, its glass-green eyes mist over and become opaque like hard, cold jadin. Around the creature's blood-spattered throat hangs a Gold Key on a chain. You quickly discover that the Gold Key opens the steel door of a strongroom at the far end of apothecary.

High upon a shelf, just inside the door, you find a small box that contains what you seek — the Oede herb. Within seconds of pressing the beautiful golden leaves to your wounded shoulder, a tingling sensation engulfs your whole arm. The numbness soon fades, and both your arm and shoulder are free of the horrific Limbdeath microbes.

Sufficient Oede herb remains in the box for one further application. It is a powerful substance that can be used against many deadly diseases or alternatively can be used to restore 10 ENDURANCE points if swallowed after combat. If you wish to keep the Oede herb, mark it on your Action Chart as a Backpack Item. You should also restore the COMBAT SKILL points that were temporarily lost due to Limbdeath.

After dragging the dead Elix into the strongroom, you lock the steel door from the inside. You notice that there are in fact two doors to the strongroom: the one by which you entered and a smaller door set into the opposite wall. The Gold Key opens the lock of the new door, which leads to a narrow staircase beyond, dimly lit by flaring torches in wall brackets.

The climb is steep and arduous. You suspect that these steps are part of a secret route to the strongroom, and your suspicions are only confirmed when you arrive at what appears to be a dead end. A closer examination reveals a narrow bronze door set flush to the wall, plain in appearance except for a tiny key hole close to the floor. As you insert and twist the Gold Key, you are quietly confident that the bronze door will open.

Turn to 67.

3

You search the bodies of the three vestibule guards and uncover the following items:

4 Gold Crowns

1 Dagger

1 Sword

1 Potion of Alether (Increases your COMBAT SKILL by 2 points for the duration of one fight.)

You may also take the Blowpipe and the remaining Sleep Dart. If you decide to take them, mark them on your Action Chart as Backpack Items.

In the robe of the dead blowpipe warrior, you find a small piece of parchment upon which is written today's date and the number 67. A smile creeps across your face as you realize that this is the number that will open the bronze door.

You hold your breath and twist the dial!

Turn to 67.

4

You stoop to grasp the sword, but as your fingers close around the hilt, the second guard attacks.

Palace Gaoler: COMBAT SKILL 14   ENDURANCE 21

Ignore all ENDURANCE points lost by the enemy in the first round of combat, for you can only attempt to parry his blow.

If you win and the fight lasts for 4 rounds of combat or less, turn to 165.

If you win and the fight lasts longer than 4 rounds of combat, turn to 180.

5

You are halfway round the tower when a section of the sandstone ledge suddenly gives way beneath your feet. Desperately you claw at the masonry, but the stone is old and disintegrates in your hands. You topple backwards and fall to your doom in the palace gardens below.

Your escape and your life end here.

6

The oil is made from the fruit of the larnuma tree. It has a soothing and relaxing effect when rubbed into the skin.

If you choose to rub the larnuma oil into your skin, turn to 103.

If you decide not to use the oil, turn to 71.

7

You release the bowstring, and the arrow arcs through the air towards your target. However, you have misjudged the range, and it falls short and shatters on the cobblestones of the harbour square, alerting Maouk's men to your whereabouts. You prepare to take flight, but the small boat is quickly surrounded, and you are forced to surrender.

As the black-clad Sharnazim drag you along the harbour wall, you fear that your life is about to come to a sudden end.

Turn to 176.

8

You channel all your Kai skill into detecting the number that will open the door; it is a strenuous task, and one that demands great concentration. Gradually, the image of two numbers — six and seven — begin to form in your mind. The image is hazy, and you're not sure if the number is sixty-seven or seventy-six. You are exhausted by your efforts, and they have cost you 2 ENDURANCE points. Deduct these from your current ENDURANCE points total before choosing between the two possibilities.

If you decide to choose sixty-seven, turn to 67.

If you decide to choose seventy-six, turn to 76.

9

The guard begins to cough. He pleads with you to slacken your grip or he will choke to death. You ask him one more question: does he know where your confiscated equipment is? He says he does not know. Then, suddenly, he elbows you in the chest and breaks free. You are winded, but you are determined to stop him from escaping.

Turn to 78.

10

The Sharnazim surround you and drag you to your feet. They take your Backpack, your Weapons, your Gold Crowns, and all your Special Items. (Make all the necessary adjustments to your Action Chart, but note your lost possessions elsewhere in case you find them again later.) Your hands are tied with wire, and you are frogmarched back to the plaza. A carriage is waiting. As you are thrown in head-first, Maouk climbs aboard and, gloating with triumph, gives the command: ‘Back to the Grand Palace. The Zakhan awaits his prize.’

You struggle to free yourself from the wire that cuts into your wrists, but Maouk is quick to see the danger. He grabs your arm and forces a dart into your skin. As sleep numbs all your senses, the last sound you hear is Maouk's wicked laughter.

Turn to 69.

11

To reach the north door without being seen, you must work your way carefully around the chamber, dodging from one pillar to the next.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess the Kai Discipline of Camouflage or Hunting, deduct 2 from the number you have picked.

If your total is now −2–2, turn to 167.

If your total is now 3–9, turn to 190.

12

You are in underwater combat with a deadly salt water scavenger.

Bloodlug: COMBAT SKILL 17   ENDURANCE 11

Deduct 2 points from your COMBAT SKILL due to the speed of its attack. This creature is immune to Mindblast.

13

You force yourself along the canal, which is thick with green and black scum, clotted with a hideous variety of filth and debris. Huge cockroaches crawl in and out of the cracked ceiling. The vile water is waist deep, and as the surface scum breaks, a cloud of putrid gas wafts up and engulfs you. The stench is appalling; choking, you cover your mouth and nose with the edge of your Kai cloak. A sudden splash warns you that Maouk's men are not far behind so you quicken your step.

You have waded only a few yards when you hear a soft rustling noise. You freeze. It is the unmistakable sound of scaled skin slithering softly over stone. Fear turns to blind terror as you catch your first glimpse of the creature now advancing towards you.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Animal Kinship, turn to 187.

If you do not possess this skill, turn to 110.

14

You step into a perfect hemisphere. The walls of the chamber curve smoothly into the ceiling, where a small window casts a splash of light across the floor. There is a large circular dais in the centre of the room laden with incense burners, decanters, quilts, scrolls, cloaks, urns, and all kinds of fruit and sweetmeats. A drawer catches your eye, protruding from beneath the lip of the dais; you recognize the contents. You have found your confiscated equipment. Restore to your Action Chart all the Backpack Items, Special Items, Weapons, and Gold Crowns you lost when you were imprisoned.

Elated by your discovery, you resolve to escape from the Grand Palace as quickly as possible. There is only one other door, apart from the one by which you entered the chamber, which is set into the north wall.

If you wish to leave the chamber, turn to 58.

If you wish to search the chamber for useful items, turn to 131.

15

The tunnel is dark and shadowy. Much of it is in a poor state of repair, and many cracks and fissures scar the walls. You must search for one large enough in which to hide. Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have reached the Kai rank of Guardian or higher, deduct 1 from the number you have picked.

If your total is now −1–7, turn to 151.

If your total is now 8–9, turn to 175.

16

You rush into the cellar and bolt the door. Pressing your ear to the gnarled timber, you listen intently to the noise of Maouk's angry soldiers. They have entered the building and it will only be a matter of time before they notice the cellar door. You cast your eyes around the room. It is empty except for a Coil of Rope and a Tinderbox. Then you notice that there is another way out of the small stone room — an iron grille in the centre of the floor. However, the horrible stench rising from it turns your stomach.

If you wish to leave the cellar by the grille, turn to 51.

If you decide to stay in the cellar, prepare for combat and turn to 123.

17

It takes a long time for the fear and nausea to subside, but you push on through the slimy water, almost oblivious to your dreadful surroundings. Eventually you reach a junction where a wider tunnel crosses your path.

If you possess the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense, turn to 47.

If you wish to continue along the west channel, turn to 73.

If you wish to turn north into the new tunnel, turn to 112.

If you wish to go south along the new tunnel, turn to 128.

18

The cell door does not open again until the sun has dipped below the peaks of the Dahir Mountains. You prepare yourself to meet the Zakhan, to demand your immediate release and safe passage back to Sommerlund, but it is not only the Zakhan who awaits you in the Grand Hall. He has a guest who has travelled many miles for this special meeting. His name is Haakon. He is a Darklord of Helgedad.

Unarmed and helpless, you are forced to kneel before the Darklord. With wicked relish, Haakon squeezes the life from your body with his own hands.

Your life and all hopes for your country end here.

19

You raise the hood of your Kai cloak in order to keep your face in shadow as you approach the guards. They eye you suspiciously but are obviously reassured by your mastery of their language. You pretend to be a merchant whose goods have been confiscated and ask to be allowed to plead your case to the Judicar of Barrakeesh. The guards chuckle to themselves, and then demand two items from your Backpack before they allow you into the Grand Palace. They wink at each other, for they know that the Judicar never returns confiscated cargoes. They think you will be thrown in the palace cells for your insolence, like every other aggrieved merchant who has tried to plead for justice.

If you wish to give the guards what they demand, erase any two Backpack Items (except Meals) from your Action Chart. You may now pass through the gate and enter the palace gardens. Turn to 137.

If you do not or cannot give the guards two Backpack Items, you must leave the gate and search for some other means of entering the palace. Turn to 49.

20

Frantically the warrior pulls on the reins and tries to trample you beneath the hooves of his startled horse.¹

Horseman: COMBAT SKILL 21   ENDURANCE 28

21

Your lightning-fast reactions have saved you from being hit. You dive forward and roll, so that the needle pierces your cloak but not your skin. However, the trident-armed guards close in, confident that the needle has found its mark, and you are tranquillized. The instant they lower their weapons you attack.

Turn to 168.

22

You have sustained a deep chest wound that has penetrated your right lung. Lose 8 ENDURANCE points.

If you are still alive and possess the Kai Discipline of Healing, turn to 107.

If you do not possess this skill, turn to 63.

23

The climb would be easy if it were not for the scalding steam. It stings your face and hands, making the skin puffed and sore. Lose 1 ENDURANCE point.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have lost the use of one arm, deduct 3 points from the number you have picked. If you possess the Kai Discipline of Hunting, add 2 points to your total.

If your total is now −3–−1, turn to 77.

If your total is now 0–6, turn to 192.

If your total is now 7–11, turn to 114.

24

The man slams the gate and draws the bolt. Seconds later you hear the footfalls of the Sharnazim as they rush into the courtyard. ‘Go inside,’ whispers the man, pointing to the darkened interior of his house. ‘I shall get rid of the soldiers.’

You enter the house and climb a staircase to a large airy room, which looks out over a marketplace. Long, black flags hang from the windows of a hall opposite, and the sounds of mourning can be heard through its open doors.

25

The dart sinks into your chest. You pull it free, but a wave of nausea makes you fall to your knees. The tip of the missile is drugged and you cannot fight the darkness that now engulfs your vision.

Turn to 69.

26

Peering through the keyhole, you can see that the lock is unusual; a small metal plate blocks the mechanism, so that it is impossible to pick the lock.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Mind Over Matter, turn to 48.

If you wish to try to break down the door, turn to 127.

If you decide to leave the door and head off along the other passage towards the stairs, turn to 93.

27

Each of the three bottles bears a label, handwritten in green ink.

Larnuma Oil (restores 2 ENDURANCE points per dose) — 3 Gold Crowns

Laumspur (restores 4 ENDURANCE points per dose) — 5 Gold Crowns

Rendalim's Elixir (restores 6 ENDURANCE points per dose) — 7 Gold Crowns

You may purchase any of the above. (The prices are per dose. All the potions are Backpack Items.) The herb-mistress then escorts you to a side door. ‘I sense your despair, Northlander. I pray you find your cure.’

28

The plan works — your arrow cuts the air and finds its mark. The smash of glass echoes around the square, drawing everyone's attention to the merchant's shop.

Turn to 153.

29

After tying a large knot in one end of the rope, you gather the coils and hurl the knotted end towards your target. After three failures, your fourth attempt is successful; the knot jams in a V-shaped joint, and you are able to pull yourself out of the water and swing across the vault to jump safely into the opposite tunnel. However, you cross this obstacle at the cost of your rope; it still hangs from the metal bar, and there is no way you can rescue it. (Remember to strike this item from your Action Chart.)

The passage ahead winds and curves like a giant snake, and the foul air wafting towards you is hot and humid. Although you seem to have shaken off your pursuers, you have yet to escape from the Baga-darooz.

Turn to 55.

30

You pass several high-arched portals overlooking the east city wall and continue easily and safely until you hear noises drifting along the passage. The voices of hungry guards and the distinctive clatter of plates and mugs warn you that a crowded mess hall lies ahead.

You are trying to decide on the best course of action when a patrol of guards suddenly appears behind you in the corridor. Quickly, you jump onto a window ledge and take cover behind the arch of a portal. However, the arch is narrow, and you are sure to be seen when the guards march past.

If you have reached the Kai rank of Guardian or higher, turn to 62.

If you wish to hide outside on the narrow ledge that runs round the palace wall, turn to 152.

If you wish to attack the guards as they march past, turn to 124.

31

As you start to climb, two Sharnazim warriors suddenly emerge from the insect-choked tunnel. They lunge at you, their hands outstretched, their fingers hooked to claw at your legs and drag you down. You kick out and strike one of the cruel-faced men beneath the jaw. He clutches at his throat and gives a gurgling cry as he falls backwards into the slimy water.

You reach the stone trapdoor, but the other warrior has unsheathed his scimitar and has begun to climb the ladder; he no longer intends to capture you alive. Pressing your shoulder to the cobwebbed trapdoor, you push up the heavy stone and scramble out to find yourself in a noisy alley, crowded with people and market stalls. The sewer hole itself is close to a wicker table stacked high with bundles of torches.

If you possess a Kalte Firesphere or a Tinderbox, turn to 143.²

If you do not have either of these items, turn to 183.

[2] Note that you do not need any of your own Torches to use the Tinderbox in this case.

32

You raise the hood of your cloak and hurry through the open doors into the dark, cool hall. The people are kneeling in front of a pulpit where a holy man, dressed in flowing robes of black and gold, reads aloud from a gem-encrusted book. Behind him, the face of the late Zakhan, immortalized in a tapestry suspended from the roof by huge silken cords, looks down on the mourners.

The congregation is rapt in prayer, and nobody sees you enter. The ceremony soon comes to an end, and you are able to slip past Maouk's men as the mourners flood into the streets.

Turn to 169.

33

You hack the dirt-encrusted floor and uncover a large metal ring, which proves to be part of an old trapdoor. The metal ring is badly corroded, but you manage to prise the trapdoor open. It covers a deep shaft; from the inky darkness below comes the stench of the sewer.

The Sharnazim are climbing up the stone steps. Their pounding footsteps match your racing heartbeat.

If you wish to jump down the shaft, turn to 94.

If you wish to stand and fight the Sharnazim, turn to 185.

34

No matter how hard you try to picture the mechanism in your mind's eye, the image will not appear. Deduct 1 ENDURANCE point due to the strain of your mental exertion.

If you want to try to break down the door, turn to 127.

If you decide to leave the door and head off along the other passage towards the stairs, turn to 93.

35

The great snake shudders and convulses in the throes of death. The smell of its thick brown blood is disgusting, and you have to hold your breath and grit your teeth as you lift the dead Yas away from the chest and peer inside.

You discover six silver-handled maces, each beautifully carved and encrusted with rubies, emeralds, and pearls. In the Northlands these weapons would fetch thousands of Crowns. At the bottom of the chest, you also discover a small Copper Key. If you wish to take either a Jewelled Mace or the Copper Key, or both, mark them on your Action Chart as Special Items. You carry the Copper Key in the pocket of your tunic and the Jewelled Mace tucked into your belt.

The acidic smell of the snake blood is beginning to make you retch. Quickly, you climb the stone steps and leave the armoury by the north door.

Turn to 14.

36

The grim-faced Sharnazim encircle you, their razor-sharp scimitars glinting in the afternoon sun. ‘Take him!’ shouts Maouk. ‘But take him alive!’

Reluctantly, the warriors sheathe their swords and wait for a chance to rush you. Six lie dead at your feet before you are eventually overpowered. ‘You are brave, Kai Lord,’ says Maouk, in a mocking tone, ‘but you will need more than bravery to save you now.’

Turn to 176.

37

The Imperial Apothecary can only be reached from the palace gardens by entering the Vizu-diar. The kitchens are part of the slaves' quarters, under constant supervision of the cruel slave-masters and guards. You wait until the path and lawns are deserted before you run across to the door of the Vizu-diar.

Turn to 149.

38

Halfway round the small tower, a section of the sandstone ledge begins to crumble beneath your feet. Instinctively, you leap sideways and stretch out your hands in time to grasp the firm ledge beyond. The drop below is terrifying, but your terror gives you the impetus and strength you need to claw your way back onto the ledge. Your fingers are bleeding and bruised, but you are still alive. You lose 1 ENDURANCE point.

Turn to 87.

39

The man is lying. He knows that other guards are sure to turn up at any moment. As soon as you loosen your grip, he will attempt to overpower you and raise the alarm.

If you wish to continue questioning him, turn to 9.

If you decide to kill him, turn to 78.

40

The Kwaraz drops from the ceiling and plunges into the water, creating an enormous wave of foul slime which completely submerges you. Wracked with nausea, you cough and retch and try to scoop the muck from your eyes and mouth. The Kwaraz's carcass blocks the tunnel, and you can only get past by climbing over it. Still in a state of shock, you lose 1 Backpack Item, your pouch of Gold Crowns and 2 ENDURANCE points. Make the necessary adjustments to your Action Chart.

If you are still alive, turn to 17.

41

You fill your mouth with oil but cannot bring yourself to swallow it — the foul tasting liquid makes you feel sick. You spit it out, and gulp mouthfuls of water to rid yourself of the disgusting taste.

If you now decide to rub some of the oil into your skin, turn to 103.

If you decide to forget the vile-tasting oil completely, turn to 71.

42

Your Kai sense warns you that the alley is a dead end. If you take that exit from the square, you will certainly be trapped. Only two other choices remain: the high, nail-studded gate to your left, or the path directly ahead.

If you decide to go through the gate, turn to 75.

If you decide to take the path, turn to 169.

43

You reach a small chamber set above the tunnel. Here, at least, it is dry, although the foul sewer gas permeates everything. You hurry along a narrow passage, which turns first to the west and then to the south, but your heart sinks as you see a dead end looming out of the inky blackness.

If you wish to search for a hidden exit, turn to 33.

If you wish to prepare yourself for combat, turn to 185.

44

You hurry through the west door and into the welcoming cool of the corridor beyond. A large drawbar on the inside of the door catches your eye; you lock it to delay any would-be pursuers.

45

You concentrate your Mindblast on the guard's hand. He screams and his fingers spring open as his hand is robbed of all feeling and control. He is now unarmed.

If you wish to attack the guard, turn to 78.

If you wish simply to overpower him and capture him alive, turn to 199.

46

As your adversary falls to the ground, the other guard stabs at you with his Trident. You cannot evade combat and must fight him to the death.

Vestibule Guard 2: COMBAT SKILL 14   ENDURANCE 24

If you win the combat, turn to 3.

47

You have a strong feeling that more Kwaraz occupy the north tunnel. You sense a lair. It would be almost suicide to go that way, so you must take one of the remaining routes.

If you wish to continue along the west tunnel, turn to 73.

If you wish to go south along the new tunnel, turn to 128.

48

You focus on the lock and concentrate all of your Kai skill on opening it. Sweat begins to trickle down your face. Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have reached the Kai rank of Guardian or higher, add 3 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now 0–4, turn to 34.

If your total is now 5 or higher, turn to 80.

49

The outer wall of the Grand Palace is far too high to climb, and even if you had a rope long enough, your green Kai cloak would be seen for miles, set against the white, sun-bleached marble wall.

You crouch in the shadow of a doorway while you concentrate on working out a plan. There is a constant traffic of mounted scouts and couriers from the north gate. Those arriving hand a scroll of parchment to two of the guards before they enter. Slowly, a bold plan begins to take shape in your mind. If you could overpower one of the couriers before he reaches the palace gate, you could disguise yourself in his clothes and use his scroll to gain entrance.

Many of the couriers approach the Grand Palace from the harbour, and although it is infested with troops, you discover the ideal place to ambush a rider. There is a broad avenue where a bridge of gnarled old wood and metal curves over the street, and here, beneath the wooden arch, you lie in wait for your prey.

Your chance soon arrives; a black-robed rider enters the avenue and spurs his horse along the street. He will have to pass beneath the arch. You prepare to pounce.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Kai Discipline of Hunting, add 1 to the number you have picked. If you have reached the Kai rank of Savant, add 3 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now 0–5, turn to 106.

If your total is now 6–13, turn to 189.

50

The smooth leather soles of your boots do not grip on the wet wood. You slip, and as you fall you gash your head on the row of oars. You lose 2 ENDURANCE points.

You are fished from the water by the Sharnazim; they drag you by your cloak across the sun-bleached flagstones of the harbour square and deposit you at Maouk's feet. He looks at you mockingly. ‘You are brave, Kai Lord. But you will need more than bravery to save you now.’

Turn to 176.

51

A slippery ladder disappears into the dark, stench-filled shaft. You gulp a lungful of air and climb down, locking the trapdoor behind you. When you finally reach the bottom of the shaft, your worst fears are confirmed.

You have entered the Baga-darooz, the main drainage sewer of Barrakeesh. You recall one of the crewmen aboard the galley, an old man nicknamed ‘The Stink’ because he smelled so much, having been sentenced to one year's imprisonment in the Baga-darooz for a crime he did not commit. Peering along the gloomy tunnels, you wonder how he survived for so long in this dank, filthy sewer.

Suddenly your thoughts are disturbed by the sound of splintering wood. Chunks of shattered timber rain down upon you as the Sharnazim force open the trapdoor. The heavy iron grille glances off your shoulder as it falls; you stifle a cry of pain, but you lose 1 ENDURANCE point due to the wound.

This section of the Baga-darooz is a junction where three channels meet. You must quickly decide which channel to take, for Maouk's men are now descending the ladder.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Tracking, turn to 173.

If you wish to enter the left channel, turn to 96.

If you wish to enter the right channel, turn to 145.

If you wish to enter the channel straight ahead, turn to 13.

52

You turn the body over with the toe of your boot and search the robes, discovering the following items:

4 Gold Crowns

Gaoler's Keys (Special Item)

Dagger

Sword

If you wish to keep any of these items, remember to mark them on your Action Chart. (The Gaoler's Keys should be worn on your belt.)

Turn to 140.

53

You recognize the sign of the fish. It is the symbol of an order of monks known as ‘The Redeemers’, a silent order who are devoted to a lifetime of prayer, pilgrimage, and the study of the healing arts.

If you wish to enter the dwelling, turn to 157.

If you decide to enter the tavern instead, turn to 188.

54

Hurrying down the steps and away from the Bath Hall, you enter the ‘Saadi-tas-Ouda’: the Square of the Dead. Jet-black flagstones cover the square, each with a long iron spike set deep into its centre. From the Bath Hall steps, the square resembles the back of a massive iron porcupine, but when you reach the base of the steps, you realize that the Saadi-tas-Ouda is in fact far more sinister.

Stuck on top of each spike is a human skull — all that remains of pirates, murderers, traitors, and thieves who have been sentenced to death. The grisly display serves as a warning to others never to defy the law of the Zakhan.

As you reach the far side of the square, you brush against a spike. Fresh blood is smeared across the arm of your tunic, staining it dark red. You raise your eyes, cursing at your misfortune, but you are shocked into silence by the sight before you.

55

The temperature rises steadily until you are bathed in sweat. Ahead, you see a chamber filled with steam that rises from its bubbling floor. You are about to enter the chamber when you catch a glimpse of the danger awaiting you; the stone walkway ends abruptly, only a few yards into the chamber. Ten feet below, lying before you like the surface of a huge bubbling cauldron, is a tar-sorkh: a mud geyser.

These geysers are common in Vassagonia. Much of the desert empire is unstable, but although it is subject to constant earth tremors, it rarely results in great destruction. The Vassagonians call these tremors: ‘Tasa-Dophiem’, which means ‘The Wrestling Gods’.

This particular mud geyser has been put to practical use. It provides a constant source of heat for the dwellings built over the chamber. The steam from the tar-sorkh rises into a pair of huge, circular chimneys in the domed ceiling, which in turn feed heat to the buildings above. Your only way out of this chamber is by climbing one of these chimneys. Although there are no ladders, the rock-hewn chamber wall offers many footholds.

If you wish to climb the left chimney, turn to 162.

If you wish to climb the right chimney, turn to 23.

56

A search of the baskets crowding the little boat uncovers a beautifully hand-tooled leather case. You flick open the brass catch and discover that the case contains a Jakan — a hunting bow used by the coastal fishermen of Vassagonia. (You may record the Jakan Bow as a Weapon on your Action Chart. You must possess an Arrow in order to use this Weapon.) You are elated by your find but disappointed to discover that the case contains only one Arrow.

Across the harbour square, close to Maouk's carriage, you notice a small, white-walled shop where a row of green glass flagons line a balcony on the first floor. You draw the bowstring to your lips and take careful aim; it is a difficult shot, and you have only one chance.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess the Kai Discipline of Weaponskill (any weapon), add 2 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now 0–3, turn to 7.

If your total is now 4–11, turn to 28.

57

The door is unlocked, and for a moment your heart sinks; if this room is the Imperial Apothecary where the Oede herb is kept, why is the door not locked and guarded? Anxiously you slip inside and survey the interior.

It seems to be an apothecary. Glass retorts bubble and steam over jets of blue flame, and strange fluids pass back and forth through a crazy maze of tubes and tunnels. Hundreds of herb jars line the far wall, and ten large copper urns, each full of rainbow-coloured powder, hang suspended from the soot-blackened ceiling. You begin searching through the herb jars, and suddenly you discover why the door was left unlocked. Creeping slowly towards you is the cat-like creature that guards the apothecary. Its eyes glow with a vivid green luminescence as it prepares to strike.

Elix: COMBAT SKILL 17   ENDURANCE 32

If you have ever fought an Elix before, add 2 to your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of this fight. You cannot evade combat and must fight it to the death.

If you win the combat, turn to 2.

58

You follow a straight passage of pale, rose-coloured stone, which soon ends at an empty vestibule. In its north wall is set a great wooden door, covered with engraved bronze plaques and studded with bronze nails. There is a curious lock set into the middle of this door, encircled by a beautiful carving of a long-tailed scorpion. A closer look at the lock reveals a series of Vassagonian numerals, numbered 1 to 200, engraved in the lock. You recognize the design: it is a Cloeasian combination lock.

If you know the correct number that will open the bronze door, turn to that section number.³

If you choose the wrong combination, you do not get a second guess. Turn immediately to 98.

If you do not know the number and do not attempt to open the door, turn to 156.

[3] The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.

59

You spring forward and slam your fist into the guard's face; he grunts and falls, clutching a bleeding nose. His sword drops to the ground close by your feet.

If you wish to pick up the sword, turn to 4.

If you wish to ignore the sword and attack the second guard with your bare hands, turn to 91.

60

You leap towards the first warrior, feigning a blow that makes him dodge to the left. You anticipate his move and catch him in mid-step. He doubles up and then crumples into the slimy water, clutching his wound. The others hesitate and then back away.

Suddenly a voice echoes along the tunnel. ‘Leave him to me, you fools!’ Maouk appears from the shadows, a dart held high in his hand. He hisses a curse and flings the missile at your chest.

Turn to 25.

61

Suddenly, the door bursts open, and in rush the Sharnazim. You make a dash for the open window but are grabbed from behind and pulled to the ground. Lashing out with your feet and fists you free yourself, only to be overpowered by more of the dark-skinned warriors. As they drag you out into the courtyard, you catch a glimpse of the man who opened the gate; he smiles at you as he slips a pouch of silver into his pocket.

Turn to 176.

62

Instinct and experience warn you that it would be rash to attack the guards so close to a crowded mess hall; any noise of combat would immediately be heard by the soldiers inside. There's now only one course of action for you to take — you must hide outside on the ledge running around a palace wall.

Turn to 152.

63

You tear strips of cloth from your Kai cloak and bandage the wound as best you can. You manage to staunch the flow, but you have lost a lot of blood and fear the wound is infected.

Deduct 2 ENDURANCE points from your total for every section of the book through which you pass, until you discover and swallow a Potion of Laumspur. If your ENDURANCE points total falls to 0 before you discover a healing potion, you will die from blood poisoning.

If you wish to search the bodies of the dead guards, turn to 102.

If you wish to ignore the bodies and escape along the corridor, turn to 150.

64

You have barely taken a dozen steps along the walkway when you hear a low, inhuman growl. Then, the noise suddenly changes to an abominable and high-pitched sputter, as the huge bulk of a Kwaraz emerges from out of the dark. It is upon you before you can take any evasive action.

Kwaraz: COMBAT SKILL 20   ENDURANCE 30

The giant reptile is very susceptible to psychic power. If you have the Kai Discipline of Mindblast, add 4 (instead of the normal 2) to your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of the combat.

65

The guard slumps to the ground, his neck broken by the blow from the edge of your hand, but as you turn you see that the other man has recovered from your punch and is crawling across the floor, his hand stretched out to retrieve his sword.

If you wish to attack the guard, turn to 78.

If you wish simply to overpower him and capture him alive, turn to 199.

66

A sour-faced guard with a whip stands at the great doors to the kitchen. He delights in bullying the slaves that pass to and fro, lashing them with his whip and cursing them foully. You decide it is far too risky to confront the guard and instead focus your attention on the kitchen windows. The guard is too engrossed in beating an unfortunate slave who has dropped a basket of fruit to notice you sprint across the gardens and leap into the shadow of a tall, arched kitchen window. Then, to your horror, you notice that two guards are seated inside the kitchen, just below the window ledge on which you now stand. If they should so much as turn their heads, you will be seen.

If you wish to jump back into the palace gardens and try to enter the palace through the Zakhan's trophy room, turn to 149.

If you wish to launch a surprise attack on the seated guards, before they notice you are there, turn to 124.

67

You hear a faint click followed by a soft whirring sound; the bronze door slides open. As you hurry through, the door clicks shut behind your back, as softly as it had opened.⁴

Instinct tells you that you have entered the chambers of the upper palace, the sumptuous private enclave of the Zakhan. You walk upon glistening tiles of opal and platinum, past sculptures and statues of pure gold. The door of solid amethyst ahead seems plain in comparison to the breathtaking splendour of this private world. Beyond the door lies another unique and startlingly beautiful world: the arboretum. A circular, cathedral-like arena spreads out below you, the green velvet canopy alive with the sound of bird song. Trees of every colour, shape, and size flourish in the deep, dark soil of the floor. The Zakhan's arboretum houses a specimen of every tree that grows in Magnamund, and many species that are now extinct elsewhere. As you walk the wrought iron balcony which encircles the arboretum, you recognize the leaves of a Sommlending oak. You feel a sudden wave of homesickness, but it does not make you despair; rather it renews your determination to escape from this hostile, sun-bleached land.

At one of the exits from the arboretum, you discover a Quarterstaff propped against the wall. (If you wish to take this, remember to mark it on your Action Chart.) The desire to escape urges you on as you leave the arboretum and hurry through a network of lavish corridors and empty, deserted vestibules. You reach a landing where a broad staircase descends to a massive room that occupies most of the lower palace.

From the top of the staircase, hidden by the shadow of a pilaster, you stare down on a sight that freezes your blood with terror.

Turn to 200.

[4] This section is the correct answer for the Cloeasian combination lock from Section 58.

68

You part the curtain of beads hanging in the doorway and enter the cool interior. The lifeless arm that hangs limply by your side has taken on a bluish hue. Fear returns; you must find the Oede herb to cure the disease, or you will lose the whole limb and possibly your life.

A woman appears from the shadows of the counter. She has piercing green eyes and her red hair is raised, bound round with rings of jadin. ‘Welcome, Northlander,’ she says, in a voice both soft and clear. ‘How may I serve you?’

You hesitate before replying, ‘Oede.’

She narrows her eyes and casts a glance at your injured arm. ‘I cannot help you,’ she says sorrowfully. ‘Oede is now a very rare and precious herb. I would have to sell my shop and all my possessions in order to buy just one small pouch of Oede. There is only one man in Barrakeesh rich enough to possess this herb — the Zakhan.’

Sweat breaks out upon your brow as your fear grows. ‘What little Oede there is,’ she continues, ‘is kept in the Grand Palace under lock and key.’

You ask if there is any other herb that can cure your arm. She shakes her head from side to side. ‘Only Oede will cure Limbdeath — and you can only find that in the strongroom of the Imperial Apothecary.’ She reaches behind the counter and brings forward three glass bottles, each containing a coloured liquid. ‘They will not cure you, but they will dull the pain in the last few hours.’

If you wish to examine the potions, turn to 27.

If you decide to ignore them, leave the shop and continue along the alley, turn to 160.

69

You wake up in great discomfort; every muscle of your body feels knotted and bruised. You force open eyelids clogged with dried sweat, and look with dread at your wretched surroundings. You are lying on the hard stone floor of a prison cell. Over by the far wall, beneath a window criss-crossed with iron bars, is a low wooden bunk covered in filthy rags. Cockroaches, some the size of field mice, scuttle along a foul-smelling gutter that disappears into a grating in the floor. (Erase from your Action Chart all Weapons, Special Items, Gold Crowns, and your Backpack and all its contents, but note them down elsewhere in case you should find them again later.)

You discover that your hands are free and slowly pull yourself upright into a sitting position, resting your back against the cell door. A faint draught from the corridor outside provides the only relief from the stifling heat and bad air of the cell. In the distance you can hear footsteps approaching. Then there is a jangle of keys and the creak of hinges. A door closes with a dull thud. More footsteps; they are getting louder. They come to halt outside the cell door and a loud voice bellows out: ‘Sleeping on duty, Sefrou? You'll wake up on the other side of this door if the captain catches you!’

The chair scrapes along the ground, and a startled voice, full of indignation, replies: ‘Curse you, Hadj! The Zakhan doesn't want the Northlander taken to the Grand Hall until sunset. You've cheated me of two hours sleep.’

‘Shut up, Sefrou,’ snarls the first voice, ‘and listen hard. I've just come from the armoury. Some interesting trinkets were found on the Northlander, worth a great deal of gold I'd say. Seems a pity to let them go to waste, eh?’

The two guards chuckle greedily and discuss at length the good time they will be able to have in the city, once they have sold your equipment.

‘I'll take a peek at our friend,’ says one of the guards. ‘I wonder if he's enjoying our hospitality.’

A spy-hole slides open above your head and you hear a gasp of shock. ‘He's gone! He's gone! By the Majhan, we'll lose our heads!’ You suddenly realize that you cannot be seen so close to the door.

‘Let me see,’ hisses the other guard, eager to see for himself. You hear the click of a key in the lock; this could be your chance to escape.

If you wish to attack the guards as soon as the door opens, turn to 138.

If you wish to move away from the door and stand in the middle of the cell, turn to 85.

70

You press on for about a mile until you can go no further: a huge iron grating blocks the tunnel. The decomposing carcass of a giant lizard has been washed up against the bars. Bones are clearly visible where the dead flesh has rotted or been eaten away. The bars are firmly fixed; it will be impossible to continue in this direction.

Close to the dead lizard, a narrow stone platform juts out from the wall. Beyond a platform, you notice a low arch leading to some stairs, ascending out of the sewer.

The sound of Maouk's voice drifts along the tunnel. He is urging his Sharnazim in your direction.

If you wish to climb the steps, turn to 43.

If you wish to wait here and fight your pursuers, turn to 60.

71

Having washed off the worst of the dirt, you clamber out of the bath and enter a small antechamber; the room is hot and arid and your clothes are soon as dry as bone. Beyond the antechamber is another hall, this time crowded with people, some seated, others standing, and everyone busy in conversation. These are the free baths of Barrakeesh and the citizens of the capital are justly proud of them. They are the envy of the other desert cities where water is scarce and precious. The citizens treat the baths as a forum, a place for meeting and talking with friends. Much of the conversation you overhear is about the new Zakhan; few speak well of him.

You wrap yourself in the large Towel and make your way through the crowd towards the main entrance. If you wish to keep the Towel once you are outside, you must mark it on your Action Chart as 2 Backpack Items, due to its size.

Turn to 54.

72

‘Go away!’ shouts the plump landlady of this tavern. ‘We've no hospitality for those who show no respect to our dead Zakhan.’

Two burly man, wearing wide arm-bands of black silk, roughly push you out of the tavern door. You slip and fall on the dusty cobblestones, grazing your hip and elbows. Lose 1 ENDURANCE point. As you get to your feet, Maouk and his warriors rush into the plaza and surround you.

If you wish to fight them, turn to 36.

If you wish to surrender, turn to 176.

73

The stench of the sewer begins to fade and the water becomes less polluted the further you explore in this direction. The sound of Maouk's men has faded and now only the constant gurgle and rush of the fetid water fills your ears. Suddenly your foot is caught by something, and you are thrown off balance. Half-buried in the sludge of the tunnel floor is a rusty suit of armour.

Turn to 94.

74

You detect that the west door leads to the palace armoury.

If you wish to go through the west door, turn to 44.

If you wish to avoid the armoury, leave the chamber by the north door and turn to 167.

75

You twist the handle but the gate is locked. You are about to turn and run when suddenly the gate flies open: a man stands in the doorway. ‘Quickly, Northlander. I will hide you!’ The man steps back to allow you to enter.

If you wish to enter, turn to 24.

If you wish to refuse and climb the path towards the archway, turn to 169.

If you wish to enter the alley, turn to 117.

76

You flick the dial to 76 and press your shoulder against the great bronze plaques, expecting to hear at any moment the creak of hinges. You detect a sound, but it is not the noise of a door opening — you have chosen the wrong number.

Turn to 98.

77

Your numb arm makes the climb impossible. Valiantly you struggle to escape up the chimney, but when a spur of rock breaks away in your hand, you cannot prevent yourself from tumbling backwards into the bubbling mud.

Your life comes to a swift end as you are boiled to death in the tar-sorkh of Barrakeesh.

78

Your attack is swift and deadly. Before the guard can scream for help, you have silenced him for good with an open-handed chop to the neck.

If you wish to leave the bodies and escape along the corridor, turn to 150.

If you wish to search them, turn to 102.

79

A line of toa trees casts a shadow that hides your stealthy approach. The iron portcullis is down, and only a couple of soldiers stand guard inside where there would normally be ten times that number. Suddenly, there is the grate of metal as the portcullis slowly rises. The guards stand back to allow a troop of cavalry to leave the palace. As they gallop past, the horses kick up a huge cloud of dust, covering the luckless guards from head to toe. They cough and sneeze and run to a horse-trough to slake their dust-choked throats. The portcullis is still open, the archway unguarded.

If you possess the Kai Disciplines of both Camouflage and Hunting, turn to 170.

If you decide to attempt to sneak past the drinking guards, turn to 86.

If you decide to attack them while their backs are turned, turn to 119.

80

Within seconds, the image of the lock appears in your mind. You use your power to make the lock open and a loud click confirms your success.

Turn to 136.

81

You recognize the symptoms of Limbdeath. The wound has become infected by thousands of Limbdeath microbes, one of many strains of deadly bacteria to be found in the Baga-darooz. None of your Kai skills can prevent the eventual loss of your arm. There is only one cure for the disease — the infected wound must be treated with the herb Oede within twenty-four hours. Unless you find some Oede by mid-afternoon tomorrow, your arm will become gangrenous. You will then have to choose between losing your arm or losing your life.

This dreadful realization renews your determination to escape from this terrible place, for you can be sure of one thing: you will find no Oede in the Baga-darooz.

Turn to 166.

82

You fight with great skill and courage, but you are heavily outnumbered. The black-clad warriors close in and overpower you, dragging you back to a jubilant Maouk.

‘You are brave, Kai Lord. But you'll need more than bravery to save you now!’

Turn to 176.

83

It is an armoury log. The pages contain handwritten lists of all the work carried out here. Spears and swords made for the garrison of Kara Kala, ore shipments from the Vakar Mountains, weapons due for repair and all manner of daily routines are carefully recorded.

84

You dive into the putrid water, stealing yourself for the ghastly swim you have decided to make. The oily scum fills your nose and mouth and chokes in your throat. You claw your way across the vault to the opposite tunnel and struggle onto a narrow walkway. You are trembling, but it is not the shock of the swim that has made you shiver. Your arm will not function. Your shoulder, wounded when the trapdoor grille fell, stings painfully, and the whole arm below it is numb and useless. Horror engulfs you as you realize what is wrong.

Turn to 81.

85

The guards pull open the door and rush into the cell, their weapons held in readiness to attack. They are brutish men with cruel, war-scarred faces. Their surprise at your sudden appearance soon turns to anger and they shove you back against the far wall.

‘Seems we have a trickster, Sefrou,’ hisses the taller guard. ‘A northland illusionist who's lost his way,’ croons the other. They snigger at their joke, their eyes full of malevolence and spite.

‘Let's teach our guest a lesson,’ says the first guard, raising his blade to your throat. ‘Go fetch the thumbscrews.’

If you wish to attack the guard who holds the sword, turn to 59.

If you do not wish to attack, turn to 163.

86

You sprint through the archway, keeping a watchful eye on the two drinking guards. The dust is settling, and should they turn around, you will certainly be seen. In your hurry, you fail to see a stone statue close to the wall and catch it with your knee. Stifling a yelp of pain, you hobble into the palace gardens and take cover beneath a leafy kasl bush. You lose 1 ENDURANCE point due to your injury, but at least you have entered the Grand Palace unseen.

Turn to 137.

87

On the far side of the small tower, the ledge passes directly beneath a line of windows set high in the north wall. The sandstone blocks have been severely eroded by the strong ocean winds, creating many cracks and hollows which make climbing easy. To your delight, you also discover that the iron window grilles have yet to be locked on this side of the palace.

You drop to the floor of a corridor that heads off to the west. A wide staircase leads to a network of passages set with alcoves. Each alcove contains a bust or tapestry depicting past Zakhans and Vassagonian victories in long-forgotten wars.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense, turn to 105.

If you do not possess this skill, turn to 158.

88

The poster is written from right to left in Vassagonian script. The time you spent learning the language aboard the galley was well spent, for you have little difficulty in translating the proclamation:

His most illustrious majesty, Zakhan Moudalla the Exalted, has passed into the realm of the Majhan. May his spirit never die! By the grace of the Council of Kadi, the Funtal of Kara Kala, and the Judicar of Barrakeesh, it is decreed that Kimah, Emir of Ferufezan, Protector of the Dry Main, shall by right claim the throne of Vassagonia. Through the unity of the Seven Cities, he will lead his people to greatness.

Long may he reign!

A scuffle breaks out at the end of the passage as a handful of Sharnazim try to push their way through the crowd. In the confusion a fruit stall is overturned, and its owner curses the clumsy soldiers at the top of his voice. Then there is a sudden silence — the luckless man has been beheaded for his insolence.

89

A sharp pain stabs through your jaw as the needle finds its mark. In an instant, the room becomes a spinning vortex of darkness, beyond the reach of pain.

You awake to find yourself back in the cockroach-infested prison cell from which you originally escaped. You have been disarmed and stripped of all your equipment and can do little now except await the arrival of the Zakhan.

Turn to 18.

90

You enter a large vestibule constructed from blocks of pink and white marble. A man in a white robe sits near a door in the far wall; he is reading a scroll held close to his face. He has not seen you enter the baths, but he is quick to sense your presence.

91

The guard lashes out at your head with his warhammer. Instinctively, you duck, rolling to one side as the weapon strikes sparks from the wall.

Palace Gaoler: COMBAT SKILL 14   ENDURANCE 21

You must deduct 4 points from your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of this combat, as you are without a weapon.

If you win and the fight lasts 4 rounds of combat or less, turn to 65.

If you win and the fight lasts longer than 4 rounds of combat, turn to 180.

92

You sprint along the cobblestones but are soon forced to stop. Cavalry appear at the end of the street; they shout and charge at you, three abreast. Maouk hisses a curse. You are shocked by how close his voice sounds, as if he were but a step behind you. You wheel round to confront him, only to see he still stands where he first appeared. A dart is held high in his hand; he hisses another curse and flings the missile into the air.

Turn to 25.

93

You descend the stairs and follow the corridor eastwards, taking care to tread lightly. The bars on windows high in the wall to your right cast latticed shadows across the smooth marble floor ahead. Beneath one of these windows stands a table on which rests a pitcher of water. Your throat is parched, and you stop to take a long drink. Restore 1 ENDURANCE point.

If you wish to climb onto the table and look through the window, turn to 155.

If you wish to press on along the corridor, turn to 182.

94

You fall face first into putrid water. The oily slime fills your ears and nose and chokes in your throat. You surface and struggle onto a narrow walkway, only to find that your arm no longer functions. Your wounded shoulder, injured by the falling trapdoor grille, still stings painfully, but now the whole arm below it is numb and useless. Horror overcomes you as you realize what is wrong.

Turn to 81.

95

You surface beside a covered skiff. Anxious to avoid the scavengers in the waters of Barrakeesh harbour, you haul yourself aboard and hide beneath the boat's canopy of woven rushes. You are breathless from your swim, but you dare not make a sound; Maouk's men are everywhere, racing along the harbour walls, their eyes searching the water for any sign of you. If you are to escape, you must think of something to divert their attention.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Mind Over Matter, turn to 184.

If you do not possess this skill, turn to 56.

96

The water is clotted with a revolting variety of green and black muck and scum. It reaches up to your waist, and, as you force your way through the glutinous mire, the surface film breaks, releasing a vile gas. You have to cover your nose and mouth with your Kai cloak, for the stench is appalling. A sudden splash warns that Maouk's men are not far behind.

Your foot catches in something buried in the silt of the tunnel floor, and for one brief second, you are seized by total panic. You struggle to kick free but are held fast. Blindly, you stab your weapon beneath the filthy water until your foot is finally freed. As you withdraw your weapon, you half-expect to find some hideous sewer creature impaled upon it. Instead, you discover a human rib cage. You shudder and flick the bones back into the stinking mire.

The channel soon divides: the new tunnel heads west and the other continues southwards. The splashing has grown steadily louder — Maouk's men are gaining on you.

If you wish to head west, turn to 135.

If you wish to continue south, turn to 164.

97

The chest is plain except for a small square of red metal bolted to the top. There is no lock, but, instinctively, you avoid opening the lid with your hands in case it is booby-trapped. Nearby, you notice a wooden bucket and a ladle. Using the ladle, you lever open the chest and push back the lid. The chest itself is not booby-trapped, but your caution was well placed; coiled on a bed of jewel-encrusted maces lies a Yas, a non-poisonous but very large Vassagonian snake. A red forked tongue flicks out of its yellow head as it prepares to defend its valuable bed.

If you wish to attack the Yas, turn to 194.

If you wish to flick shut the lid and leave the armoury by the north door, turn to 14.

98

The soft shuffle of stealthy feet warns that you are no longer alone. You whirl around and crouch in readiness for combat; it is this automatic reaction to danger that saves you from a drugged needle fired from a blowpipe. As the tiny missile clips the hood of your cloak, you see the firer reach into his belt pouch for another. Behind him are two warriors armed with sharp, barbed tridents. The three block your passage from the vestibule.

If you wish to attack them before the firer can reload his blowpipe, turn to 168.

If you do not want to attack them and decide to try to dodge the second blowpipe dart, turn to 118.

99

As you step into the sunlight, a voice rings out above the noise of the crowd. ‘There he is!’ It is Maouk. He points at you and a dozen Sharnazim draw their scimitars. ‘Surrender, Lone Wolf,’ he snarls. ‘You cannot escape.’

100

The marble door opens into semi-darkness, and the musty smell of old parchment wafts through the air. Row upon row of neatly stacked, leather-bound books stand upon marble shelves, each one of which is beautifully decorated with intricate arabesques in fine gold leaf. Judging by the dates and inscriptions, you deduce that these books form a catalogue of all the treasures in the Grand Palace, many dating back hundreds of years.

Every shelf of the small library is filled with books, every shelf, that is, save one where, on a purple silk cloth, lie a Copper Key and a Prism. If you wish to take either, or both, of these items, mark the Prism as a Backpack Item and the Copper Key as a Special Item (which you carry in your pocket) on your Action Chart.

There is no exit from the library other than the marble door by which you entered. After satisfying yourself that nothing useful has been overlooked, you close the door and walk back along the corridor. When you reach the junction, you see a patrol of palace guards ascending the stairs. Without a moment's hesitation, you run towards the east door to avoid being seen.

Turn to 57.

101

The man screams and keels over, writhing on the floor for a few moments before exhaling his last breath. Meanwhile, his partner has scrambled to his feet, forgetting his weapon in his hurry to escape along the passage. You give chase, pausing only to snatch up the discarded trident; you know you must stop him before he warns other guards. You draw back the trident and throw. It strikes him squarely in the back, pitching him forward as it makes impact. He is dead before he hits the floor.

A search of the dead bodies uncovers the following items:

4 Gold Crowns

1 Dagger

1 Sword

1 Potion of Alether (Increases COMBAT SKILL by 2 points for the duration of one fight.)

You may also take the Blowpipe and the remaining Sleep Dart. If you decide to keep them, mark them on your Action Chart as Backpack Items.

In the robe of the dead blowpipe firer you find a small piece of parchment, on which is written today's date and the number 67. A smile creeps across your face as you realize that this is the number that will open the bronze door.

You hold your breath and twist the dial!

Turn to 67.

102

A thorough search of both bodies uncovers the following items:

1 Sword

1 Dagger

1 Warhammer

6 Gold Crowns

Gaoler's Keys (Special Item)

You may take any of the above items. Remember to mark them on your Action Chart. The Gaoler's Keys should be worn attached to your belt. You remember to lock the cell door before you hurry off along the corridor.

Turn to 150.

103

You feel your muscles start to relax. The oil soothes the cuts and bruises which cover your body and restores 2 ENDURANCE points. Make the necessary adjustments to your Action Chart.

Turn to 71.

104

‘Take him!’ shouts Maouk. ‘But take him alive!’

You sprint towards the distant galley. The crew are still unaware of the desperate situation. They have not witnessed the murder of the envoy and are still oblivious to your peril. Before you can shout for help, a horseman cuts across your path, blocking your access to the ship.

If you wish to attack the horseman, turn to 20.

If you wish to evade combat by diving into the sea, turn to 142.

If you decide to surrender, turn to 176.

105

Your attention is drawn to a marble bust standing in an alcove, one of many standing along the south wall. A closer inspection of the bust reveals a hinge at the base of the neck. The head tilts backwards to reveal a tiny lever.

If you wish to pull the lever, turn to 171.

If you wish to close the head and continue along the corridor, turn to 158.

106

You crash onto the rider and pull him from the saddle, but you land badly and lose your grip. The courier is first to stagger to his feet; he unsheathes his sword and attacks before you have a chance to stand up.

Courier: COMBAT SKILL 16   ENDURANCE 23

Deduct 2 from your COMBAT SKILL for the first 3 rounds of combat, as you are still lying on the ground. You cannot evade combat and must fight the courier to the death.

107

You concentrate all your healing skill on repairing your damaged lung. Gradually, the pain in your chest subsides and a warm glow spreads from the centre of your body, radiating out to your arms and legs. Your Kai skill heals the wound, but you are still greatly weakened by the loss of blood.

If you wish to search the guards' bodies, turn to 102.

If you wish to ignore the bodies and escape along the corridor, turn to 150.

108

Several yards along the new tunnel are more chutes, each covered by an iron grating. Streams of green water pour into the main course, giving off a choking and acrid vapour which attacks your throat and lungs. You wade past the chutes, but you lose 2 ENDURANCE points due to the effects of the corrosive gas. Make the necessary adjustments to your Action Chart.

Turn to 112.

109

You drop to the street below and run across the marketplace towards the hall. The building is full of people kneeling in prayer. You notice an avenue leading off to the right, which ends at an archway too narrow for more than one horse to pass. To your left, another alley leads down to the harbour.

If you wish to enter the hall, turn to 32.

If you wish to turn right and head for the archway, turn to 169.

If you decide to double back to the harbour, turn to 129.

110

A gigantic creeping reptile hangs from the ceiling, gripping the stone with its long, curved claws. Its huge oval eyes flicker hungrily as it picks up the scent of live human flesh — your flesh! It is poised to strike, and you cannot evade its attack.

Kwaraz: COMBAT SKILL 19   ENDURANCE 30

The giant reptile is very susceptible to psychic power, so if you have the Kai Discipline of Mindblast, add 4 instead of the normal 2 to your basic COMBAT SKILL for the duration of the fight.

If you win the combat, turn to 40.

111

You are feeling weakened by the heat and by the fatigue of combat, but your spirits are high after having beaten such a formidable enemy. You search the armourer's body and discover 3 Gold Crowns and a Copper Key. If you wish to keep the key, put it in your pocket and mark it on your Action Chart as a Special Item.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Tracking, turn to 74.

If you wish to leave the forge room by the north door, turn to 167.

If you wish to leave by the west door, turn to 44.

112

You soon reach a section of tunnel where the ceiling is much higher. A stone walkway lines the left wall, with steps at regular intervals. You pull yourself onto the walkway and begin to scrape away the worst of the slime that encrusts your legs.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Animal Kinship, turn to 133.

If you wish to continue along the walkway, turn to 64.

If you wish to climb a narrow stair in the left wall, turn to 116.

113

The passage ends at a tree-lined plaza. You must find somewhere to hide; your fair skin and your Kai cloak and tunic make you stand out in the city crowd.

To your left is a small dwelling with a curious wooden sign hanging above the door, carved in the shape of a fish. To your right is a tavern. The sign above the tavern door seems oddly appropriate:

THE HUNTED LORD

If you possess the Kai Discipline of Healing, turn to 53.

If you decide to enter the dwelling, turn to 157.

If you decide to enter the tavern, turn to 188.

114

You reach a point where the chimney is no longer a vertical shaft, but curves into a horizontal tunnel leading south. Although the heat is oppressive, the steam has cleared. Every nerve and tissue in your body seems agonizingly sensitive, and you progress along the narrow shaft with difficulty.

All hope of signing a peace treaty with the new Zakhan has vanished; your only concern now is to escape from this hellish sewer and somehow get back to Sommerlund as quickly as possible.

You notice a square vent cover in the ceiling less than ten feet ahead. It is badly corroded, and you have to lie on your back and kick with both feet to force it open. The effort drains your last reserves of stamina, but you are rewarded with success.

By pure chance you have gained access to the one place in Barrakeesh you most needed to visit — the public baths.

Turn to 90.

115

Placing your ear close to the keyhole, you hear faint but horrible sounds. Screams of agony mingled with hysterical laughter and heart-rending sobs. The crack of a whip and the creaking of a rack confirm your suspicions that a torture chamber lies beyond this door. The terrible sounds make you shudder, and you waste no time in hurrying away from the chamber by the north door.

Turn to 132.

116

You climb the stone steps to a small chamber above the tunnel. Here, at least, it is dry, even though the foul sewer gas permeates everything. You follow a narrow passage, first to the west, and then to the south as it makes an abrupt left turn. Your heart sinks as you see a dead end loom ahead.

If you wish to search for a hidden exit, turn to 33.

If you decide to turn around and go back to the walkway, turn to 64.

117

The twisting alley comes to an end in a small garden square flanked on three sides by tall, domed houses, all with first-floor balconies. Wrought-iron grilles reinforce every window and door.

You are near the top of a heavy wooden trellis that hangs below a balcony, when Maouk's men burst into the square. Many are armed with heavy bronze crossbows.

‘Surrender, Lone Wolf!’ shouts Maouk. ‘Or my men will pin you to the wall!’ The situation is hopeless; at such short range, the Sharnazim cannot fail to hit you. Cursing your misfortune, you leap to the ground, landing at the feet of Maouk. ‘You are brave, Kai Lord,’ he snarls. ‘But you will need more than bravery to save you now!’

Turn to 176.

118

The guard raises the blowpipe to his lips. His cheeks swell, and then there is a sharp hiss warning you that another tainted needle speeds towards your head.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Kai Discipline of Hunting, add 2 to the number you have picked. If you have reached the Kai rank of Warmarn or higher, add 1 to the number.

If your total score is now 0–3, turn to 89.

If your total is now 4–12, turn to 21.

119

You catch both guards totally by surprise. Do not deduct any ENDURANCE points you may lose in the first 3 rounds of combat, due to the surprise and ferocity of your attack. You must fight both guards as one enemy.

Palace Gate Guardians: COMBAT SKILL 16   ENDURANCE 30

If you win the combat, you quickly hide the bodies before passing through the entrance into the palace gardens beyond.

Turn to 137.

120

The dagger hisses through the air and thuds into your chest. You gasp at the sudden pain, clawing at the hilt of the dagger with trembling hands in your panic to draw out the deadly blade. As you stagger backwards, the guard rushes forward, a smile of triumph spreading across his ugly face. You wrench the blade free and turn it on the guard as he dives towards you. He sees the danger but far too late — the blade has already pierced his heart.

Turn to 22.

121

From out of the gloom, three Sharnazim warriors suddenly appear. The razor-sharp edges of their swords glint in the darkness; thirsty blades gasping for your blood.

122

The heavy wooden door is reinforced with bands of black iron, held in place by huge bronze studs. You turn the handle, only to find the door is locked.

If you possess the Gaoler's Keys, turn to 136.

If you do not have this Special Item, turn to 26.

123

The noise grows louder. Suddenly the door latch rattles and a gruff voice growls out above the din: ‘Break it down!’

Shards of wood and twisted iron are scattered throughout the cellar as the sharp blade of a two-handed axe explodes through the door. The hinges burst from the wall and in run your pursuers, stumbling on the tangle of shattered timbers.

You spring forward, striking left and right, and bringing two men down before they even see you. The officer, a bull-necked warrior with a flat nose, elbows the others aside and attacks. You strike first, jarring the scimitar from his grasp with a well-aimed blow to his wrist. He bellows like an ox but attacks again, a long-bladed dagger clenched in his uninjured hand.

Sharnazim Underlord: COMBAT SKILL 18   ENDURANCE 28

124

You leap from the window ledge and crash feet-first into the guards, bowling them over with the surprise your attack. You fight with speed and skill, killing three soldiers before they can regain their balance. However, the noise of combat alerts the mess hall, and a dozen more of the Zakhan's soldiers join the battle. You are quickly overwhelmed by the sheer weight of numbers, and it is only their respect for your bravery and combat prowess that prevents them killing you on the spot.

You are disarmed and frog-marched to a prison cell, where you are left to await the Zakhan.

Turn to 18.

125

The horse and its dead rider topple from the quayside and splash into the sea. The crew have drawn up the gangplank, forcing you to leap the gap. You fall short and land on the row of oars bristling from the galley's side.

The wood is wet and slippery, and you have to fight to keep your balance. Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Kai Discipline of Hunting, add 2 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now 0–3, turn to 50.

If your total is now 4 or more, turn to 191.

126

Keeping in the shadow cast by the tomb, you advance on the north gate. Only two soldiers stand guard were there would normally be twenty. Suddenly, the gate opens to admit a rider. He hands a scroll to the guards before galloping through the open gate. The guards read the scroll, seemingly unaware that the gate is still open.

If you possess the Kai Disciplines of both Camouflage and Hunting, turn to 170.

If you decide to attempt to bribe the guards, turn to 19.

If you decide to attack them, turn to 119.

127

You walk back along the corridor to the junction in order to get a long run at the door — you know that if you barge the door in exactly the right place, you will tear loose the lock from the wall. Pick a number from the Random Number Table and add 10.

If your total is equal to or less than your COMBAT SKILL, the wall cracks and lock bursts open. Turn to 159.

If your total is greater than your COMBAT SKILL, the door remains locked. You sustain a badly bruised shoulder and lose 1 ENDURANCE point. You must head off dejectedly along the other passage towards the stairs. Turn to 93.

128

Your reach a domed sewer-vault where the tunnel widens. A chute descends from the centre of the chamber, ending just a few feet above the oily surface of the water; a mass of food scraps and offal floats beneath the chute, and the stink of rotting meat is overpowering.

You are about to step into the vault when you detect that the tunnel floor drops away. You freeze just in time to prevent yourself from stepping straight into deep water. The tunnel continues beyond the vault, but over twenty feet of putrid sewage lies between you and the other side.

The echo of a distant splash reminds you that the Sharnazim are still following. If you possess a Rope, you can try to catch it upon a long metal bar that protrudes from the side of the chute to pull yourself out of the water and swing across to the opposite tunnel.

If you have a Rope and decide to use it in the manner described above, turn to 29.

If you decide to try to swim across the vault to the tunnel, turn to 84.

If you would rather turn around and make your way back to the junction, turn to 121.

129

From the shadow of a doorway, you peer out across the harbour. The square is alive with Maouk's soldiers. It will be far too dangerous to enter the harbour; you must find somewhere else to hide until it is safer.

Groups of soldiers are searching the houses that border the square, and you are forced to leave the doorway and run back along the alley. As you re-enter the marketplace, you run straight into a dozen Sharnazim led by Maouk himself.

If you wish to stand and fight, turn to 36.

If you wish to surrender, turn to 176.

130

You snatch the Herb Pad from the dead warrior's face (mark this as a Special Item on your Action Chart) and cover your own mouth with this sweet-smelling pouch. The herbs inside neutralize the foul air, making it easier to breathe. Restore 1 ENDURANCE point.

The dead body sinks from view, and you hear the sound of more Sharnazim wading along the tunnel. You cannot outdistance them — you must hide.

If you possess the Kai Discipline of Camouflage, turn to 151.

If you do not have this skill, turn to 15.

131

You sift through the vast number of items that litter the dais, separating the following articles, which may or may not be of use:

Silver Comb

Hourglass

Dagger

Healing Potion of Laumspur (restores 4 ENDURANCE points if swallowed after combat)

Prism

Enough food for 3 Meals (each Meal counts as 1 Backpack Item)

Remember to make the necessary changes to your Action Chart before leaving the chamber.

Turn to 58.

132

You move quickly and quietly along the north corridor and soon arrive at another arched passage that heads off to the west. A fierce glow can be seen in the distance, and you hear the hiss of red-hot steel as it is thrust into water and the clang of hammer on anvil — the unmistakable sounds of a blacksmithy.

If you wish to go west, towards the noise, turn to 195.

If you wish to keep moving north, turn to 30.

133

You recognize the tracks of a Kwaraz in the slimy mud of the walkway. Kwaraz are giant carnivorous reptiles. The number and varying size of the prints suggest that a whole colony of these loathsome creatures inhabit the tunnel. You decide it is far too dangerous to continue in this direction, and instead climb a narrow stairway that leads to a chamber above the tunnel. Here at least it is dry, although the foul sewer gas permeates everything. You follow a narrow passage, first to the west and then south, but your heart sinks as you see a dead end looming ahead.

If you wish to search for a hidden exit, turn to 33.

If you decide to turn around and return to the walkway, turn to 64.

134

You use your Kai Discipline to force the creature away. The Bloodlug changes direction and jets towards a squid that has taken refuge in a large copper urn. You continue swimming but keep a watchful eye on the Bloodlug as it engulfs and devours the helpless squid.

Turn to 95.

135

The air of the new tunnel is hot and humid, and as you press on, the putrid gas makes you increasingly nauseous. You are forced to stop — the vapour is burning your throat and causing painful stomach cramps. Suddenly a noise makes you forget your discomfort; you turn to see that one of Maouk's men has caught up with you. He looms out of the darkness, his face covered by a pad of herbs.

Sharnazim Warrior: COMBAT SKILL 17   ENDURANCE 22

Deduct 2 points from your COMBAT SKILL due to the effects of the noxious fumes.

136

Once you have unlocked the door, you twist the handle and open it a few inches. You see a stair descending to a small chamber where a black-robed soldier is guarding a pair of iron gates. Through the bars you can see rows of weapons and suits of armour stacked in long racks. A sign fixed to the bars says:

GRAND PALACE ARMOURY

If you have the Kai Discipline of Camouflage, turn to 186.

If you want to attack the guard, turn to 178.

If you want to close the door and take the other passage, turn to 93.

137

Suddenly you realize just how hungry you are. You must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points. You pass unseen through the exotic plants that grow everywhere in abundance. The gravelled path divides a lawn of strange, luxuriant, purple grass and leads to a magnificent fountain. A jet of clear blue water catches the sun, reflecting and refracting an eye-dazzling rainbow of colour. You gaze beyond the fountain to where the vaulting towers of the palace soar into the sky, and carefully note the positions of the doors and windows.

There are two entrances to the Grand Palace from the gardens; you can either go through the palace kitchens or through the Vizu-diar — the Zakhan's trophy hall. However, only one of these entrances will lead to the Imperial Apothecary, and to the precious Oede herb stored there.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Tracking or Sixth Sense, turn to 37.

If you wish to enter the palace through the kitchens, turn to 66.

If you wish to enter through the Vizu-diar, turn to 149.

138

The guards pull open the door, and you spring into action. Your clenched fist strikes the first man beneath his bearded jaw, lifting him from the floor with the power of the blow. His sword drops from his hand and clatters to the ground close to your feet.

If you wish to pick up the sword, turn to 4.

If you wish to ignore the sword and attack the second guard with your bare hands, turn to 91.

139

You are so irritated by the crawling mask of insects covering your skin that you fail to see the rusty metal post sticking out of the water ahead. You walk straight into it and lose your footing. Instinctively, you grab at the post, but like everything else it is covered with sewage, as slippery as Kalte ice.

Turn to 94.

140

The iron gates of the armoury are unlocked. You push open the left gate and wince as the shrill squeak of a dry hinge sends a shiver down your spine.

141

You throw yourself to one side, barely escaping the dart as it whistles past your chest.

‘Seize him!’ screams Maouk, kicking his soldiers onwards through the wreckage. ‘Don't let him get away this time!’ You are now lying on the floor less than a couple of feet away from the trapdoor.

If you wish to roll over to the trapdoor and escape, turn to 51.

If you decide to surrender to Maouk and his warriors, turn to 10.

142

You hit the water and swim submerged until the pain in your lungs forces you to the surface. Sharnazim are running in every direction, trying to surround the quay and prevent your escape. Gulping another breath, you dive again and swim towards a cluster of small boats less than fifty yards away.

Through the clear blue water, it is easy to see the rubbish that litters the bed of the harbour; mementoes of all the merchant ships that have docked at the quayside. Clinging to one old anchor is a strange, jelly-like blob. A mass of short tubes sticks out from all its sides, and a long hook-like scoop hangs beneath its rubbery body. Without warning, the blob suddenly jets towards you, propelled by water from its mass of breathing tubes. It is a Bloodlug, and it is hungry for your flesh!

If you have the Kai Discipline of Animal Kinship, turn to 134.

If you wish to fight the creature, turn to 12.

If you wish to evade the creature, turn to 95.

143

You set light to a tar-coated torch and hurl it down into the sewer-hole. There is a tremendous flash and roar; suddenly, all along the alley, plumes of flaming sewage explode skywards. The alley is transformed into a rush of shocked and screaming people, all scrambling to avoid the deluge of burning filth raining down on their heads. The torch has triggered a chain reaction in the Baga-darooz; the inflammable sewer gas has ignited — everywhere is panic and confusion.

144

A terrible sense of dread fills your mind. Your Kai skill is warning you that a horrific and inescapable fate awaits you if you stay in this cell. You follow your instincts and attack.

Turn to 174.

145

You wade into the water, thick with scum, and try not to breathe through your nose. The glutinous mire is clotted with green and black filth, and with your every movement the surface cracks, releasing a vile gas. You cover your mouth with your Kai cloak, but the appalling stench makes you retch and choke. A loud splash behind you warns that Maouk's men are not far away, and you quicken your step. At regular intervals, circular chutes disappear into the ceiling. Many are stained bright yellow, white, or reddish-brown. This section of the Baga-darooz passes beneath the Linen Quarter of Barrakeesh, where the Guild of Linen-weavers operate their fuller's shops. The chutes dump waste dyes straight into the sewer, making the oily water even more garish in colour.

You spot a ripple in the water ahead. It moves nearer, the wake of a submerged sewer creature. Instinctively, you flatten yourself against the dye-stained wall as you feel the movement of water against your waist, and watch in fear and fascination as the ripple of water disappears into the tunnel. Suddenly, a fearful scream bursts out of the darkness; Maouk has lost one of his men. The terrible cries of the Sharnazim warrior chill your spine, but your instincts tell you to press on while you have the advantage. The channel soon reaches a junction where another tunnel heads off to the west.

If you wish to enter the new tunnel, turn to 108.

If you wish to continue northwards, turn to 70.

146

For a few minutes, you watch the man working at his anvil, in case he, too, should decide to leave the chamber. However, he continues to work, apparently unaffected by the scorching heat.

To reach the west door without being seen, you must make your way cautiously across the chamber, dodging from one pillar to the next. Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Kai Discipline of Camouflage or Hunting, deduct 2 from the number you have chosen.

If your total is now 2 or less, turn to 44.

If your total is now 3 or more, turn to 190.

147

Your Kai sense tells you to beware of the man who helped you. He intends to betray you for a purse of silver.

If you wish to stay in his house, turn to 61.

If you wish to escape by the window, turn to 109.

148

As soon as you enter, the panel slides shut, and you are plunged into darkness. You advance nervously, your hand held before your face to part the cobwebs hanging in festoons from the low ceiling. You are a few feet away from what appears to be a dead end when you tread on a pressure plate, which activates another panel that slides back to reveal a small chamber.

Turn to 14.

149

You reach the door to the Vizu-diar without being seen, only to find that it is securely bolted from the inside. You are about to curse your bad luck when you notice a window set into an elaborately carved panel above the door; its iron shutter is open.

In spite of your injured arm, you successfully climb the nail-studded door and drop through the window into the silence of the trophy room. An eerie collection of stuffed heads lines the walls of this private chamber. Most are those of reptilian desert creatures, souvenirs of imperial hunting expeditions into the Dry Main. Among the snake-like trophies, and more gruesome, are human heads! They are ghoulish battle honours, the heads of enemy commanders slain in battle during the countless wars waged by Vassagonia.

You hurry out of the Vizu-diar and into a long marble corridor, where the walls are inlaid with veins of gold and pearls. It leads to a large hall where palace guards and brightly robed courtiers are walking to and fro, but a colonnade of statues provides all the cover you need to reach a distant staircase unseen. Stealthily, you sprint up the staircase to arrive at a junction where passages head off to the east and west. At the end of each is a door with a symbol engraved into the wall above. The symbol above the east door depicts a mortar and pestle; the symbol above the west door, an open book.

150

The corridor heads north but soon ends at a junction where another passage runs across from east to west. Cautiously, you peer around the corner, but there are no signs of any guards. At the end of the east passage you can see a flight of steps descending out of view; to the west, you see a closed door.

If you wish to go east, towards the stairs, turn to 93.

If you decide to go west, towards the door, turn to 122.

151

Your keen eye falls upon a narrow fissure in the tunnel wall. The gap is near to the level of the scum and can barely be seen in the darkness. You squeeze inside, steeling yourself as the foul water rises up to your chin. The Sharnazim pass within inches of your hiding place, and you have to fight the urge to vomit as a wave of sewage laps your face. ‘He has taken the south tunnel,’ echoes an angry voice. ‘Quickly — don't waste your time here!’

It seems an eternity before the Sharnazim retrace their steps and disappear back along the tunnel. With a sigh of relief, you emerge from the fissure, but catch your foot in something embedded in the silt of the tunnel floor and lose your balance.

Turn to 94.

152

You press yourself against the weathered stone and try to avoid looking down at the courtyards and gardens of the palace, hundreds of feet below. You bite your lip and wait for the guards to pass, but they do not pass. It is nearly sunset, and they have come to shut the iron grilles of the palace windows. You hear the creak of dry hinges and the click of bolts — sounds that send a shiver down your spine. You realize that you are now locked out.

To your left, the ledge continues around outside of a dome; inside this is the mess hall. If you can only inch your way around the tower, you may be able to find an open window on the other side.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Kai Discipline of Hunting, add 2 to the number you have picked. If you have reached the Kai rank of Savant, you may add another 2.

If your total score is now 0–2, turn to 5.

If your total score is now 3–8, turn to 38.

If your total score is now 9–13, turn to 87.

153

Maouk orders his black-clad troops to search the area, threatening them with death if they allow you to escape. You bite your lip and wait for a chance to run.

Creeping from one boat to the next, you reach a narrow flight of stone steps. At the top of the steps, beyond a small paved square, lies a maze of crooked alleyways that disappear into the shadows of the Thieves' Quarter. You are less than twenty feet from safety when a cry echoes across the water: ‘There he is!’

You sprint along the deserted passage and climb a stairway into an open courtyard. The sound of hooves clattering on the cobblestones below urges you onwards. There are three possible exits from the courtyard: a high, nail-studded gate to the left; an alley to your right; and a straight, paved pathway that leads to an arch. You must make a quick decision for Maouk's men are close at your heels.

If you possess the Kai Discipline of Tracking, turn to 42.

If you wish to enter the gate, turn to 75.

If you wish to enter the alley, turn to 117.

If you decide to take the straight pathway through the arch, turn to 169.

154

You part the bead curtain that hangs across the doorway and enter the cool interior. The light is poor and the room gloomy, for the windows are obscured by sheaves of herbs and plants. You are studying a curious row of coloured bottles when a woman appears. She has piercing green eyes and her red hair is raised, bound with rings of jadin. Softly, she speaks to you.

‘Welcome, Northlander. I sense you are a warrior — or am I mistaken?’ As you hesitate to answer, she shrugs her shoulders and searches through a pile of parchments stacked on top of a wine casket. She blows away the dust before handing you a yellowed sheet. It is a list of merchandise, written in Sommlending:

Potion of Alether (increases COMBAT SKILL by 2 for the duration of 1 combat) — 4 Gold Crowns

Potion of Gallowbrush (induces sleep for 1–2 hours per dose) — 2 Gold Crowns

Potion of Laumspur (restores 4 ENDURANCE points per dose) — 5 Gold Crowns

Vial of Larnuma Oil (restores 2 ENDURANCE points per dose) — 3 Gold Crowns

Tincture of Graveweed (causes sickness and loss of 2 ENDURANCE points per dose) — 1 Gold Crown

Tincture of Calacena (causes terrifying hallucinations for 1–2 hours per dose) — 2 Gold Crowns

You may purchase any of the above and in any quantity you desire; all potions, vials, and tinctures are Backpack Items. You then leave the shop and continue along the street.

Turn to 179.

155

From the view, you judge that this window is set high up in the south wall of the Grand Palace. Far below you can see the buildings of the capital, in miniature clusters inside the white city wall. To the southeast lies Lake Inrahim, an immense salt-water plain that is completely dry and cracked. To the east, a road stretches across the causeway to the town of Chula, just visible on the horizon. To the southwest lie the barren, sun-scorched Dahir Mountains and the shifting ocean of sand known as the Dry Main.

The bars of the window are badly corroded; it would be easy to dislodge them. However, the drop of several hundred feet to the city below means that there is no hope of escape this way. You climb down from the table and hurry along the corridor.

Turn to 182.

156

After concentrating on the lock for several minutes, you realize that it is connected to an alarm. If you turn the lock to the wrong number, the alarm will be triggered, alerting the entire palace guard.

If you possess the Kai Disciplines of Mind Over Matter and Sixth Sense, turn to 8.

If you do not have both of these skills, turn to 98.

157

The house smells strongly of burnt incense. You enter a narrow hallway lined with chairs and walk slowly along the central aisle towards a fountain, flanked by a pair of massive orange-red pillars. A man, dressed from head to toe in black, appears from behind the left-hand pillar and walks towards you.

Suddenly, you hear Maouk's men enter the plaza, and cast an anxious glance towards the open door. The man sees you are nervous and silently points to a cellar door.

If you wish to hide in the cellar, turn to 16.

If you wish to leave the hallway, return to the plaza by turning to 99.

158

You enter a gallery, which houses a beautiful mosaic. Thousands of tiny fragments of pearl and gold shimmer in the light of the evening sun, glancing rainbows of colour across the high marble walls. A group of palace courtiers ambles through the gallery, and you are forced to hide behind a huge pillar. You wait until their footsteps have faded into the distance before emerging into light.

All hope of signing a peace treaty has long vanished, and your only concern now is to escape from the Grand Palace and, somehow, return home to Sommerlund as quickly as possible. Hurrying out of the gallery, you follow the passage westwards and soon reach a junction where the passage turns abruptly to the north.

Turn to 58.

159

You batter your way through the door successfully, but having gathered momentum, you cannot stop, and fall headlong down a flight of stairs on the other side.

You landed in a heap on the hard marble floor of an antechamber, (you lose 2 ENDURANCE points) barely a few feet away from an armed soldier, who is guarding the doors to the palace armoury. He is startled by your dramatic entrance but quickly regains his senses and attacks.

Armoury Guard: COMBAT SKILL 16   ENDURANCE 22

Deduct 2 from your COMBAT SKILL for the first 3 rounds of combat, as you are lying on the ground. You cannot evade combat and must fight the guard to the death.

If you win, turn to 52.

160

Your desire to leave this treacherous city is overcome by your fear of losing your arm. You must get the Oede herb, even though it means you will have to enter the very place you are most anxious to avoid — the Grand Palace.

The alley follows a tortuous route through the Mikarum, finally leading you to the ‘Horm-tas-Lallaim’: the Tomb of the Princesses. Beyond the tomb, the Grand Palace rises like a massive white pantheon.

You suddenly recall a legend told to you by your Kai masters long ago: ‘The Nemesis of the Black Zakhan’. The Black Zakhan was a brutal tyrant, the cruellest of an evil lineage that ruled over the desert empire long ago. The barbaric excesses of his reign have never been forgotten in the Lastlands. The Grand Palace was built by his army of slaves, prisoners from countries he had conquered in war. The palace became his obsession; he personally oversaw its entire construction and punished the workers personally if there was the slightest delay. He butchered his subjects indiscriminately and in the most terrible fashion. His favourite form of execution was for the victim to be sawn in half from head to foot until the body fell in two pieces. However, it was the mass execution of the slaves who built the Grand Palace that made him infamous. He slaughtered every slave worker so that his enemies could never learn of the secret treasure chambers he had had constructed. Among the slaves were his only daughters, Kebilla and Sousse, who openly opposed their father's cruelty and tried to prevent the executions. In a blind rage, he ordered that they should be the first to die.

It would have been better for the Zakhan, and for Vassagonia, if he himself had died that day. He lived for another two years, but his mind was unhinged by guilt, and he was tortured by self-loathing and despair. In the Grand Palace, the silence of the night was frequently broken by the Zakhan's moans and cries, as he wandered from room to room looking for his daughters. When he died, he was laid beside them, here, in the Tomb of the Princesses.

From where you stand, you can see two entrances to the Grand Palace; a spike-topped gate in the north wall, and an arch in the west wall, blocked by an iron portcullis. The palace is usually heavily guarded, but there are very few guards today; most are searching for you in the city.

If you wish to approach the north gate, turn to 126.

If you wish to approach the west arch, turn to 79.

If you wish to search for some other way of entering the Grand Palace, turn to 49.

161

You are very lucky that your enemy was only trying to knock you unconscious. Restore half the ENDURANCE points you lost in combat.

Turn to 69.

162

You pull yourself into the left chimney and pause to catch your breath. The scalding steam hurts your lungs, and every move becomes a tremendous strain, for your hands and feet are now swollen and sore. Lose 1 ENDURANCE point before continuing your climb.

You hook your fingers into a jagged crack in the wall of the sweltering chimney and try to draw yourself upwards. Suddenly, a wave of fear engulfs you — something is crawling up your forearm. You have disturbed a nest of loathsome arachnids.

Steamspiders: COMBAT SKILL 10   ENDURANCE 35

These creatures are immune to Mindblast. If you have lost the use of one arm, you cannot fight these biting horrors, for you will inevitably slip and fall into the tar-sorkh. Pick a number from the Random Number Table. This represents the number of ENDURANCE points that you lose (0 = 10) as you climb past the Steamspiders' nest.

163

While you wait for the return of the guard, you are taunted and ridiculed by the other bully. He describes with relish all the horrible tortures that await you and is greatly disappointed when the other guard returns empty-handed. ‘The Zakhan doesn't want our northern friend damaged. He's got something special planned for him this evening,’ he snarls.

Wicked grimaces spread across their faces as they turn to leave the cell. Both now have their backs towards you.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense, turn to 144.

If you wish to attack the guards, turn to 174.

If you wish to remain as you are, turn to 18.

164

The water is becoming thicker, and the stench of the sewer gas increasingly more vile and nauseating. Suddenly the air becomes choked with thousands of tiny flies, and every time you gasp for breath you feel the thick fur of pulped bodies in your throat. The black specks build up like paste around your eyes, mouth, and nostrils, and the sharp tangy taste in your mouth makes you retch. Lose 1 ENDURANCE point.

As if in answer to your prayers, an iron ladder appears from out of the gloom. It is fixed to the tunnel wall and leads up to a circular stone trapdoor in the ceiling.

If you wish to climb the ladder, turn to 31.

If you wish to ignore the ladder and press on along in the insect-choked tunnel, turn to 139.

165

The guard clutches at his wounds and drops lifeless to the ground. You see that the other man is recovering from your blow and is clawing at the cell door to try to pull himself to his feet.

If you wish to attack this guard, turn to 78.

If you wish to overpower him and capture him alive, turn to 199.

166

You knead your numb arm in an effort to massage some life back into it, but it is useless; the muscles are limp and nerveless. The only consolation is that it is not your weapon arm, but as long as you are suffering from this disease, you cannot use a shield of any sort. Deduct 3 points from your COMBAT SKILL — the lost points may be recovered if ever you should regain the use of your arm.

You turn your attention to your surroundings in an effort to find some way of escape from the nightmarish sewer. The passage ahead winds and curves like a giant snake, and the foul air that drifts towards you is hot and humid. You have shaken off your pursuers, but you now have the problem of your arm to solve.

Turn to 55.

167

You pass through the door and hurry into the welcoming cool of the room beyond. You notice a large drawbar on this side of the door and instinctively lock it to delay any would-be pursuers. The room is empty, save for some clothing draped over the back of a wrought-iron chair. Judging by the size and cut of the material, the clothes must belong to the armourer.

You can hear noises echoing from a passage to the east; the voices of hungry guards and the distinctive clatter of plates.

You climb a wide stairway and follow a network of passages towards the west. They are lined with alcoves that contain marble busts and beautiful tapestries, each depicting a past Zakhan or a long-forgotten battle.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense, turn to 105.

If you do not possess this skill, turn to 158.

168

With a tiger-like bound you are among the startled guards. The blowpipe firer raises his weapon, but a well-aimed kick to the forehead counters his move. He somersaults backwards, cracking his head against the wall with a sickening thud. A trident flashes towards your ribs; you sidestep and grab the haft with your free hand, pulling the guard off balance. He stumbles forward and falls flat on his face. You turn just in time to face the third guard — his trident is poised to stab you.

Vestibule Guard: COMBAT SKILL 15   ENDURANCE 23

If you win the combat and the fight lasts 3 rounds or less, turn to 101.

If you win and the fight lasts longer than 3 rounds, turn to 46.

169

You enter a wide street where vendors compete for space for their stalls beneath the overhanging balconies. The market is crowded with people; they each wear a black sash as a mark of respect to their dead Zakhan, but here, unlike in most of Barrakeesh, business continues as normal.

You pass a stall festooned with black sashes, each costing 2 Gold Crowns. If you wish to buy a sash, pay the vendor and mark it on your Action Chart as a Special Item (which you wear over your tunic). You hurry away from the stall and dodge into a narrow passage lined with eating houses and small taverns, where the smell of food is mingled with the odour of stale wine, and the air is alive with chatter and gossip. Your attention is drawn to a notice freshly pasted to a tavern wall. The bold headline reads:

THE ZAKHAN IS DEAD — LONG LIVE THE ZAKHAN

If you wish to stop to read the poster, turn to 88.

If you wish to continue along the passage, turn to 113.

170

The combined mastery of these Kai Disciplines enables you to slip past the guards undetected. By the time they resume their correct guard positions, you have safely made your way into the palace gardens.

Turn to 137.

171

A panel in the alcove slides aside to reveal a secret, dark, and very narrow passage. A pair of footprints can clearly be seen in the dust-covered floor, leading into the darkness.

If you wish to enter the secret passage, turn to 148.

If you decide to avoid the passage, close the secret panel and continue along the corridor and turn to 158.

172

‘Come in, stranger. Welcome to my humble tavern,’ says the plump landlady of the eating house. ‘We have wine and food and rooms a-plenty.’

At this moment, you hear Maouk's men enter the plaza and cast an anxious glance towards the open door. The landlady sees that you are nervous; she points to the cellar stairs and says in a hushed voice: ‘Do not worry — we share your fear of the new Zakhan. Quickly, you must hide.’ There is no time to hesitate. Maouk's warriors are already approaching the tavern.

Turn to 16.

173

Judging by the direction of the sluggish flow, the right channel appears to head off to the north. The vast tide of sewage and garbage from the Baga-darooz is swept out towards the coast, until it emerges at Chiras, a village northwest of the capital. There it makes life both difficult and unpleasant for the poor local fishermen (especially during the summer months). If you take the north channel, you should eventually reach the coast.

The left channel heads south, running below the very heart of the capital. In the maze of tunnels that feed into the Baga-darooz, you should be able to find at least one exit to the streets above.

Straight ahead, the channel leads off to the west. It is by far the least fetid and contaminated of the three. During the voyage, you remember ‘The Stink’ telling you about the Grand Madani: a great aqueduct over forty miles long, which channels freshwater from the River Da into the city. As a result, the citizens of Barrakeesh, unlike the inhabitants of other Vassagonian cities, enjoy a lavish supply of fresh water. The west channel will lead to that water source.

If you wish to take the north channel, turn to 145.

If you wish to take the south channel, turn to 96.

If you wish to take the west channel, turn to 13.

174

You spring forward and strike the taller of the guards, slamming your clenched fist into the nape of his neck. He groans and sinks to his knees, his sword clattering to the ground close by your feet.

If you wish to pick up the sword, turn to 4.

If you wish to ignore the sword and attack the second guard with your bare hands, turn to 91.

175

Before you find a suitable hiding place, three Sharnazim wade into view. ‘Leave him to me, you fools!’ booms a voice, and the warriors make way for Maouk, who appears from the shadows — a dart held high in his hand. He hisses a curse and flings the missile at your chest.

Turn to 25.

176

You are stripped of your Backpack, your Weapons, your Gold Crowns, and all of your Special Items. (Make all the necessary adjustments to your Action Chart, but note your lost possessions elsewhere in case you find them again later.) Your hands are tied behind your back and you are pushed head-first into the waiting carriage. ‘Back to the palace!’ commands Maouk as he climbs aboard and slams the door. ‘The Zakhan awaits his prize.’

You fight to free the cords that bind you, but Maouk is quick to see the danger. He grabs your arm and forces a dart into your skin. As sleep engulfs your senses, you hear Maouk's wicked laughter fading into the silence.

Make a necessary adjustments to your Action Chart, and list all the items that you have had confiscated on a separate piece of paper, for reference in case you should discover them later in your adventure.

Turn to 69.

177

As you strike the Kwaraz a killing blow, three Sharnazim wade out of the dark sewer. They have discarded their black robes and they are naked to the waist. Their muscular chests are decorated with a large, blue tattoo of an eagle's claw. As they struggle out of the water, they fix you with a malicious stare and unsheathe razor-sharp scimitars.

178

You are halfway down the stairs when the guard realizes what you are doing. He leaps to his feet and unsheathes his sword; you cannot evade him now and you must fight to the death.

Armoury Guard: COMBAT SKILL 16   ENDURANCE 22

If you win the combat, you may search his body and turn to 52.

If you would rather ignore the body and enter the armoury, turn to 140.

179

All manner of strange and exotic plants, oils, potions, and medicaments fill the shop windows, and the smell of the herb-filled street is intoxicating. There is a sudden bustle of activity at the end of the street. The crowd disperses, melting into the shops as if into thin air. A man stands before you, his face is streaked with sweat, his turquoise robes torn and heavily stained. It is Maouk — he has survived the Baga-darooz.

‘Were it not for the Zakhan, I would kill you here and now,’ hisses Maouk, his face a mask of hate. ‘But I will not lose my head for a cowardly Sommlending.’

His insult enrages you, but you control your anger. You sense he is not alone; eyes are watching you at every window.

If you wish to attack Maouk, turn to 197.

If you wish to turn and run back along the street, turn to 92.

180

As your enemy collapses at your feet, you notice that the other guard has recovered from your punch. He pulls a dagger from his boot and draws back his hand to throw.

If you possess the Kai Discipline of Mindblast, turn to 45.

If you do not possess this skill, pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense or Hunting, add 3 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now 0–5, turn to 120.

If your total is now 6–12, turn to 193.

181

You root through all the drawers and cupboards of the workbench, smashing locks when they refuse to open, only to be disappointed. These drawers and cupboards do not contain your missing equipment.

All hope of signing a peace treaty with the new Zakhan has vanished; your only concern now is to find your equipment, escape from the Grand Palace, and somehow return home to Sommerlund as quickly as possible. You pull aside a latticed partition and enter a small antechamber. Narrow stones steps lead up to an open door in the north wall, beside which stands a wooden chest.

If you wish to climb the steps and enter the door, turn to 14.

If you wish to investigate the wooden chest, turn to 97.

182

You arrive at a high-vaulted chamber with a large, nail-studded door set into the south wall. A rack standing near to the door holds a Spear and a Broadsword. You may take either or both of these if you wish. To the north, beneath a beautifully decorated horseshoe arch, is another passage that leads out of the chamber.

If you wish to enter the passage, turn to 132.

If you wish to listen at the door, turn to 115.

183

The warrior's head suddenly emerges from the sewer hole. He lashes at your legs, tearing a nasty gash in your calf. You lose 2 ENDURANCE points. In anger and pain, you raise your foot and stamp on the man's head with all your strength. He screams and falls back into the sewer, and you hear a loud, resounding splash. You replace the stone lid and drag a heavy barrel across it before making your way through the maze of city streets.

All hope of signing a peace treaty with the new Zakhan has vanished; your only concern now is to escape from Barrakeesh and, somehow, return to Sommerlund as quickly as possible. Eventually you reach a busy market square. Your eye is caught by a sign hanging above the side entrance to large building:

BARRAKEESH PUBLIC BATHS

By this time, the smell of your clothes is making you feel quite ill. You have no hesitation in opening the door and slipping inside.

Turn to 90.

184

As you stare out across the harbour, you notice a large, white-domed warehouse near to the water's edge. A platform on the upper floor overhangs a merchant dhow moored at the quay below. On this platform are several earthenware tuns: huge spice containers destined for the trading emporia of Ragadorn. You focus your attention on one of these tuns and concentrate all your Kai skill into making it move. Sweat pours down your face from the strain, but you soon hear a distant crash that confirms your success. The tun has fallen and shattered on the deck of the dhow.

Turn to 153.

185

The footsteps grow louder and then suddenly stop. You hear whispering and Maouk slowly appears from the shadows, his henchmen at his heels. ‘Caught like a wolf in the trap,’ he sniggers, a dart held high in his sinewy fist. He hisses a curse and flings the missile at your chest.

Turn to 25.

186

Using your Kai skill to disguise your Sommlending accent, you call out to the guard. ‘Quick! We need your help — the Northlander is escaping!’

Immediately, the guard leaps to his feet and charges up the stairs towards the door. You wait until he reaches the top step before you attack — one kick to the knee sends him tumbling backwards into the chamber, where he falls in a heap at the foot of the stairs. You enter the chamber, poised to strike again should the guard recover and attack. However, this time your caution is unnecessary; the guard is dead, his neck was broken in the fall.

If you wish to search his body, turn to 52.

If you wish to ignore the body and enter the armoury, turn to 140.

187

You recognize the creature; it is a Kwaraz, a giant, creeping reptile. Kwaraz are native to the Maakenmire swamp, hundreds of miles to the west of Vassagonia, but they thrive in any hot, damp, and fetid environment, and it strikes you that the Baga-darooz sewer is an ideal breeding ground for these deadly beasts. The Kwaraz moves along the ceiling, gripping the stone with its long, curved claws — its oval eyes opening wider and wider.

Kwaraz are very susceptible to psychic power. By using your Kai Discipline of Animal Kinship, you persuade it that you are not at all appetizing, and it soon loses interest. You watch with a mixture of fear and fascination as the huge reptile disappears along the tunnel. Suddenly, a fearful scream bursts out of the darkness; Maouk has lost one of his men. A shiver runs down your spine, but your instincts tell you to press on while you have the advantage.

Turn to 17.

188

The tavern is crowded with people who are seated at a long, stone counter decorated with fragments of coloured marble. Large earthenware jars, full of spicy foods, are set into the counter, and serving girls are busy attending to the hungry customers.

If you are wearing a Black Sash, turn to 172.

If you do not possess a Black Sash, turn to 72.

189

The courier screams as he falls but is dead before his head hits the cobblestones. You waste little time dragging his body into the shadows. You don his loose robe and raise the hood, concealing your tunic and your face. In the pocket of the robe you find a scroll: the pass needed to enter the Grand Palace.

The dead courier's horse has bolted and fled, but your appearance at the gate on foot does not seem to arouse any suspicion. The guards inspect the scroll with bored indifference and allow you to pass through the gate into the palace gardens beyond.

Turn to 137.

190

You have barely taken a dozen steps before you are seen. The giant armourer raises a massive hammer and strides forward, a bloodthirsty snarl escaping from between his clenched teeth. You prepare to defend yourself, but you are momentarily stunned when you see that the hammer is part of his right arm: it is, in fact, an enormous steel fist.

191

You manage to inch your way along the row of oars until you reach the ship's rail, where eager hands catch hold of your cloak and pull you to safety. Maouk's voice booms out across water. ‘Surrender the Kai Lord to me. The Zakhan commands it. Your lives and the lives of all your kin will be forfeit if you disobey this order!’

The crew stare at each other in sorrow and dismay — they know that Maouk's words are no idle threat. You cannot expect these men to sacrifice their families for you, so you must quickly decide on an alternative plan.

If you decide to surrender to Maouk, turn to 176.

If you wish to dive overboard and attempt an escape, turn to 142.

192

The sweltering heat is overwhelming. Three times you nearly slip and fall and are saved only by your quick wits and natural survival instincts from a gruesome end in the tar-sorkh. You manage to climb twenty feet of the chimney, but the price is high. Your fingers and knees are skinned and bleeding, and your legs ache with fatigue. Lose 2 ENDURANCE points.

Turn to 114.

193

You jump to one side as the dagger whistles towards you, skimming barely an inch from your throat. The guard stares in open-mouthed disbelief. He is now unarmed.

If you wish to attack the guard, turn to 78.

If you wish to overpower him and capture him alive, turn to 199.

194

The Yas is a constrictor: it kills its prey by crushing them to death with the coils of its powerful body. Its sleepy eyes have now opened and the red-rimmed slit pupils fix you with a mesmerizing stare. You suddenly realize that the Yas is trying to hypnotize you. Unless you have the Kai Discipline of Mindshield, deduct 3 points from your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of this combat.

Yas: COMBAT SKILL 14   ENDURANCE 28

If you win the combat, turn to 35.

195

A forge has been constructed in the centre of a massive circular chamber, its funnel-like chimney stretching up to the roof. The heat had become unbearable long ago, but now you feel as if you have walked straight into a raging furnace.

Two men, naked except for small loin-cloths, work the bellows that feed the forge. Sweat pours from their bodies, and they frequently stop to gulp ladlefuls of water from a trough set in the stone floor. An armourer hammers a strip of red-hot iron at an anvil close to the flames. He is massive; his huge, muscled shoulders and powerful chest are as wide as the other two men put together.

The bellows men stop work and leave the chamber; one by the door in the north wall, the other by the door in the west wall. The big man continues to hammer at the anvil.

If you wish to follow the man who left by the north door, turn to 11.

If you wish to follow the man who left by the west door, turn to 146.

If you wish to attack the armourer working at the anvil, turn to 190.

If you wish to leave the chamber and retrace your steps along the corridor to take the other passage, turn to 30.

196

You notice that a large table dominates the room; it is set with wine and meat, and freshly-baked loaves of bread.

If you wish to eat some of this mouth-watering food, turn to 61.

If you wish to leave the room by the window, turn to 109.

197

Maouk pulls his hand from his robe, a dart held tightly in his sinewy fist. He hisses a curse and flings the missile at your chest. You gasp with shock as the missile strikes home — you are too close to avoid being hit.

Turn to 25.

198

As the officer's body slumps lifelessly across the shattered cellar door, the Sharnazim back away and step aside. Maouk himself appears in the doorway, a dart held high in his hand. ‘I have you now!’ he hisses, and flings the missile at your chest.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Kai Discipline of Hunting, add 3 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now 0–6, turn to 25.

If your total is now 7–12, turn to 141.

199

You grasp the frightened guard in a secure head-lock and threaten to break his neck if he does not answer your questions. He immediately promises to tell you everything he knows. He says that the new Zakhan fears that you are an assassin, sent by his enemies in the west. He claims to hate the new Zakhan himself. He is only a simple gaoler, he says, and knows nothing more.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense, turn to 39.

If you do not possess this skill, turn to 9.

200

Upon a raised platform, carpeted with scarlet fur, sits the Vassagonian Emperor, Zakhan Kimah. He is robed in gold but devoid of all ornamentation. In his hand is an orb of black metal, and in his eye an ice-cold cruelty that chills your spine. The Zakhan is a man of awesome countenance, but he pales in the shadow of his companion.

Before him stands the cause of your terror. A helm as black as death itself hides the face, but the stench of decay and a hideous sepulchral voice betray the identity.

‘Give me Lone Wolf!’

It is the fell voice of a mortal enemy — a Darklord of Helgedad. As the Zakhan rises to his feet, you notice a flicker of doubt, or perhaps of fear, dim his cruel gaze, but he is quick to mask it. ‘He will be brought to you at sunset in exchange for the Orb of Death. It is agreed.’

‘You have the Orb,’ echoes the chilling voice. ‘Give me Lone Wolf!’

The Zakhan hides his fear well, but time is not on his side. The game of bluff he is playing is deadly. However, the fact that he has not yet been discovered is evidence of his powerful will, for you sense the Darklord is persistently clawing and probing at his mind.

‘You will get your Northlander, Lord Haakon,’ says the Zakhan, his voice curt with anger, ‘when you tell me why your servants defile the Tomb of the Majhan. You claim to have no need for gold and jewels — why then do you plunder the graves of our ancestors?’

A deathly quiet fills the hall; only the unnatural hiss of the Darklord's breath disturbs the silence. ‘This land, this insignificant speck of sand, harbours two small thorns that prick our skin. We seek to remove them both — forever. The fledgling Kai, Lone Wolf, is the thorn that denies us Sommerlund. The Tomb of the Majhan hides the other thorn that threatens us — the accursed Book of the Magnakai.’

Your heart pounds as the words echo in your head. The Book of the Magnakai! Suddenly, the reason why you have been enticed into a deadly trap becomes clear, and the sinister truth is revealed.

The Book of the Magnakai is one of the oldest legends of Sommerlund. With the wisdom of the Magnakai, Sun Eagle, the first Kai Grand Master, instilled the disciplines into the warriors of the House of Ulnar, the bloodline of your king, that were to save your land from devastation at the hands of the Darklords. The Book of the Magnakai was lost hundreds of years ago, but its wisdom was kept alive, handed down through generations of Sommlending warriors so that they could share the strength to resist their eternal enemies, the Darklords of Helgedad.

If the Darklords discover and destroy the Book of the Magnakai, the secrets will be lost forever, and when you die, the Kai will become extinct. However, if you discover the Book of the Magnakai first and deny the Darklords their prize, all the wisdom of the Magnakai will be revealed to you. Through its wisdom you will become strong, strong enough to reach the ultimate achievement for a Sommlending warrior — to become a Kai Grand Master.

However, the peril and the glory of the quest that lies ahead are distracting you from more immediate danger. To discover this danger and to begin the quest for the Book of the Magnakai, turn to Part Two of Shadow on the Sand.

Begin your adventure at 201.

Part I

1-10: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

201

Suddenly, you catch sight of two warriors creeping towards you from a passage to your right. They are clad in jet-black armour and scarlet robes, and their hideous death-masks identify them as Drakkarim warriors. They are men, but they are evil men, as evil as the Darklords whom they serve.

One of them holds a razor-fanged Akataz, a creeping leathery war-dog, straining on a chain leash. The Drakkar hisses and the Akataz springs towards your throat.

If you wish to fight this creature, turn to 273.

If you wish to try to evade the attack and escape, turn to 285.

202

You pass under an arch where two brass-gilded, conical towers gleam like gold and enter a marketplace crowded with squabbling merchants. Exotic carpets, brightly coloured material, and all manner of foods are being bought, sold, and haggled over. The north side of the marketplace is devoted to the auction of douggas. The sleek but noisy desert beasts are being paraded, for the benefit of the bidders, around a paddock adjoining their stables. Just past the stables, a street vanishes into the Carpet-weavers' Quarter of Ikaresh.

If you wish to investigate the stables, turn to 309.

If you wish to ask one of the merchants if they know where Tipasa lives, turn to 248.

If you wish to leave the marketplace, continue along the adjoining street and turn to 386.

203

There is a sickening and acidic smell as a great gout of green blood gushes from the Vordak's red robe. The creature screams and topples from view, its mangled corpse spiralling downwards.

Sheathing your weapon, you grab the reins and fight to regain control of your injured mount. You have slain the Vordak, but the battle is not yet won. The Itikar is losing a lot of blood and could lapse into unconsciousness at any moment to drop you like a stone onto hard Lake Inrahim. Suddenly you see something in the distance — something that renews your faith in miracles.

Turn to 221.

204

You sense that the stone radiates pure evil. If you can only turn the stone's power against the Darklord, it will drain his strength and make him fade from this dimension. Although the stone cannot kill Haakon, it can at least banish him to a place where he can no longer harm you.

If you wish to try to grab the stone and turn it on your enemy, turn to 268.

If you wish to ignore the stone and attack the Darklord with your own weapon, turn to 390.

205

All you can hear above the wind that screams past your face are the gleeful howls of the Drakkarim. They are watching you fall to certain doom.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table.

If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 234.

If the number you have picked is 5–9, turn to 293.

206

There is no reply to your first knock. You are about to knock again when the door opens a few inches and the red-rimmed eyes of an old woman stare out from the darkness. ‘Banedon!’ she exclaims, her voice hoarse and shaky. ‘Thank the gods it is you.’

She ushers you both inside and locks the door. The house is sparsely furnished, and what little is there is either damaged or broken. ‘They have taken him, Banedon, they have taken my husband — the men with the faces of the dead. Ten days ago. They came like shadows in the night.’

She breaks down, her frail body wracked by sobs. Banedon comforts her as best he can, but you sense he shares her bitter loss. The Drakkarim have taken Tipasa, of that there is little doubt. By now they will have made him tell everything he knows about the Tomb of the Majhan.

‘We will find him, I promise,’ says Banedon, wiping the tears from the old woman's face, ‘but you must try to help us if you can. Tipasa always kept a diary of his travels — do you have it still?’

A flicker of hope shines in the old woman's eyes. ‘Yes, it is here. He told me to hide it when the evil men came for him.’

She kneels at an empty fireplace and prises a loose brick from the chimney; a leather-bound book drops from its hiding place into her hand. She gives it to Banedon who studies the yellowed pages, his face lined in thought. You notice that the book is full of cryptic symbols, numbers, and pictograms.

‘They are drawn by the night stars,’ says Banedon, tracing his finger along the astronomical drawings. ‘They hold the secret, I know, but without my star charts we cannot hope to find the tomb. We must return to the Skyrider at first light. There I shall be able to make some sense of this book.’

207

You discover little of interest: 8 Gold Crowns and a Brass Whistle on a chain around the guard's neck. You may take these if you wish, but remember to mark them on your Action Chart. (The Brass Whistle is a Special Item worn on a chain around the neck.) Suddenly, a noise alerts you to unwelcome company; Drakkarim are rushing along the tiled pathway that leads to the pens. Without a moment's hesitation, you turn and run inside the Itikar's enclosure.

Turn to 224.

208

‘By the gods!’ cries Banedon. ‘A vaxeler!’

The old man's face is a mask of green putrescent sores. The pupils of his eyes are yellow, and his ragged grey lips hang in tatters. Banedon grabs your arm and pulls you away from the wretched man.

‘He has vaxelus, Lone Wolf, a terrible disease that rots the skin. It is highly contagious — our lives are in peril.’

If you possess some Oede herb, you may give it to the poor vaxeler by turning to 321.

If you do not have any Oede, or if you do not wish to give it to the man, you can flee the cave with Banedon by turning to 270.

209

You reach the landing in time to see three Drakkarim warriors enter the tower. Maniacal laughter echoes from their ghoulish death-mask faces, as they form a line and creep towards you.

More of their evil kind are flooding onto the bridge, some carrying crossbows. You decide it would be suicide to attack the Drakkarim and sprint quickly up the stairs to escape from them.

Turn to 322.

210

You dive aside, your Kai skill saving you from the axe that is spinning towards the platform. Suddenly, a deafening bang rings out and the Drakkar is flung backwards, his breastplate torn open by dwarf shot. He gives a long, agonizing death-cry as he disappears from sight, tumbling into the darkness that surrounds the speeding skyship.

As if in answer to the shot, a menacing roll of thunder rumbles across the darkening plain from Barrakeesh. It is as if the city itself were cursing your escape.

Banedon appears at your side, his face lined with concern. As he offers a shaky hand to help you to your feet, you notice that the makeshift bandage which binds his wound is soaked with blood. He is pale and weak and close to collapse.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Healing, turn to 377.

If you do not possess this skill, turn to 339.

211

Despite your misgivings, the lime-green wine tastes delicious. A warm glow radiates slowly from your stomach, filling you with a comfortable sense of well-being. Restore 2 ENDURANCE points. The man looks delighted by your reaction to his wine and offers to sell you the bottle for 5 Gold Crowns. If you wish to buy the Bottle of Kourshah, pay the man 5 Gold Crowns and make the necessary adjustments to your Action Chart. (There is enough Kourshah in the bottle to restore a further 4 ENDURANCE points.)

If you wish to question him about Tipasa the Wanderer, turn to 318.

If you wish to leave his home and continue on your way to Ikaresh, turn to 272.

212

Fleeting shadows move through the densely packed trees: the Drakkarim are trying to surround you. Suddenly, a red shape bursts from the foliage and a mace glances across your forehead. You roll with the blow, tumbling over as though stunned by the force. The Vordak shrieks with malicious laughter and leaps upon you, its black mace raised to crush your skull.

If you possess the Sommerswerd, turn to 349.

If you do not possess this Special Item, turn to 355.

213

The Drakkar falls to his knees and makes a horrible rasping noise as he tries in vain to prise open his shattered death-mask. Your blows have staved in his helm, and the buckled metal has fractured his skull. You lash out with your foot and kick him from the outrigger, sending him spiralling down to Lake Inrahim to join the dwarf he murdered. But the dwarf is neither dead nor hundreds of feet below. He hangs by his foot, unconscious, snagged in the netting below the outrigger boards. You grab the dwarf's leg and haul him to safety before continuing the fight.

The platform looks empty — no heads are showing above its armoured parapet, but you sense something is wrong. Instinctively, you leap from the outrigger onto the main hull, your weapon poised to strike.

Turn to 361.

214

You focus your skill on a nearby spade, willing the spade handle to rattle against the wheelbarrow in which it rests. It only takes a few seconds for the vigilant Drakkarim sentry to leave his post and investigate the noise. By the time he returns, you are inside the Tomb of the Majhan.

Turn to 395.

215

At the bottom of the stairs, a wooden door braced with iron blocks the entrance to the scented garden. Frantically you twist the handle, but it does not open — the door is locked. Then a couple of palace guards appear on the bridge above; they see you and unsling their heavy crossbows.

If you possess a Copper Key, turn to 246.

If you do not possess this item, you can try to climb over the door by turning to 301.

Alternatively, you can run back up the stairs and attempt to attack the guards before they load and fire their crossbows by turning to 375.

216

You soon enter a public square where a throng of men have gathered at the ruins of a fountain. They are listening to the frenzied speech of a man dressed in red from head to toe; each man in the crowd is wearing a strip of the same coloured cloth, which covers the lower half of his face.

‘They're Adu-kaw — “the veiled ones”,’ says Banedon nervously. ‘It sounds as if they're declaring a blood feud on their old enemies, the men of Tefa.’

You follow Banedon to the shelter of a toa tree, where you will be less conspicuous. The speaker is denouncing the Tefarim for imposing a heavy tax for safe passage through their town and for use of the highway to Kara Kala. His ranting begins to stir the crowd to fever pitch.

Suddenly he points to where you stand and shrieks, ‘Tefarim spies!’

217

The Itikar fixes you with a cold, black stare, but you sense that it is no longer hostile. As you settle on its wide saddle, you catch sight of the Drakkarim streaming across the gangplank. Leaning forward, you unhook the anchor rope from the saddle ring and grab the thick leather reins.

Turn to 343.

218

The dwarves continue their meal, pausing only to light large hooded pipes. Through the bluish hue of the pipe smoke that clouds the low cabin roof, you notice that they are casting nervous glances at you, as if you might explode at any moment.

After five minutes have passed, Nolrim raises his tankard and proclaims a toast: ‘To Lone Wolf — a man among dwarves!’

The dwarves guffaw at Nolrim's wry toast and raise their tankards in a salute to your courage and fortitude. The Bor-brew has loosened their tongues, and they are eager to tell you of their past exploits.

Turn to 291.

219

You act purely by instinct. You dive to the floor and roll over; the blue flame screams past your head and explodes into the chamber wall, blasting a hole several feet deep in the steel-hard rock. You spring to your feet and dodge behind a massive pillar as the hideous laugh of Darklord Haakon echoes around the dust-choked chamber. As it rises in pitch, your mind is filled with agonizing pain.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Mindshield, turn to 253.

If you do not possess this Kai Discipline, turn to 369.

220

Your Kai sense of Tracking reveals that the winding path leads into the Zakhan's arboretum: his cathedral of trees. The stairs to the portal lead to a private chamber in the upper palace, but you still cannot tell what the chamber contains.

If you wish to follow the path, turn to 391.

If you decide to climb the stairs to the portal, turn to 352.

221

Emerging from a bank of cloud on the skyline is a flying ship. It is a small craft, no bigger than an Unoram river barge, with two triangular sails swept back either side of its curving prow. In the fading twilight you can make out a long pennant that flutters from its mast. A faint humming reaches your ears. Your first reaction is disbelief; what you are seeing must be a trick of the light or some fiendish illusion created by the Darklords. However, as the ship floats nearer, your senses tell you that it is indeed quite real.

If you have ever been given a Crystal Star Pendant, turn to 336.

If you do not have this Special Item, turn to 275.

222

You must act quickly if you are to avoid detection, for the creature in red is a Vordak: one of the powerful undead who serve the Darklords.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table.

If the number you have picked is 0–2, turn to 378.

If the number is 3–9, turn to 262.

223

Suddenly, the pain subsides — but the onslaught has only just begun. A mist as black as the grave is seeping from Haakon's mouth. It creeps along his outstretched arm and settles like a cloud in the palm of his upturned hand. Whirling shadow-shapes draw into focus; wings and tentacles sprout and take form. A curse in the dark tongue shakes the whole chamber as a deadly flood of horror hurtles from his hand.

224

The great black bird beats its massive wings, cawing hoarsely through the domed pen. Two black eyes, fierce and cold, fix you with a deadly stare as you edge nearer to its perch.

Grabbing the saddle pommel, you haul yourself up, but suddenly there is a flash of razor-sharp talons. Instinctively, you shield your face as a glint of orange sunlight is caught on the Itikar's curved beak, for it slashes the air barely inches above your head.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Animal Kinship, turn to 308.

If you possess an Onyx Medallion, turn to 319.

If you possess neither the Kai Discipline nor the Special Item, pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have reached the Kai Rank of Aspirant or higher, add 2 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now 8–11, turn to 287.

If your total is 4–7, turn to 240.

If your total is 1–3, turn to 370.

If your total is 0, turn to 257.

225

The man is short of stature but broad-shouldered and strongly built, physical characteristics common among the tough mountain-dwellers in Vassagonia. He pulls a cork from a bottle of lime-green wine and pours three large measures into earthenware cups.

‘Kourshah!’ he exclaims, and downs the wine in one swift gulp.

If you wish to follow his example and drink the strange wine, turn to 211.

If you do not want to drink the wine, ask him where Tipasa can be found and turn to 318.

226

You are the first to recover from the surprise of the sudden encounter.

If you wish to attack the guards, turn to 334. (Ignore any wounds you may sustain in the first 2 rounds of combat.)

If you do not wish to fight them, you can evade before they have a chance to strike at you by running back up to stairs. Turn to 209.

227

As you near the entrance to a shadowy alley, you hear a woman's voice begging in the darkness: ‘Alms for a poor widow, young sirs?’ A decrepit old woman hobbles into the light, her features harsh, her face haggard and drawn. She repeats her plaintive cry: ‘Will you spare a coin for a poor widow's needs?’

If you wish to stop and question her, turn to 265.

If you wish to ignore her and continue on your way, turn to 388.

228

Eager to put distance between yourself and your merciless enemy, you race headlong through a tangle of trees and roots until you stumble upon a small domed hut of latticed wood, half hidden by a curtain of vines. Peering through the dense foliage, you see that the vines reach up to a wrought-iron walkway, which ends at an open stone door.

If you wish to climb up a vine to the walkway and escape through the open stone door, turn to 352.

If you wish to search for an exit from the arboretum at ground level, turn to 332.

229

As the craft emerges into the sunlight, a terrible noise fills the air — the screeching cacophony of Kraan-riders, sweeping down from the table of rock. They have been waiting patiently for the Skyrider to appear before launching their ambush, for they have been certain of your hiding place since before the dawn. The Black Crystal Cube enabled them to track your escape route through the Dahir Mountains, its signal to them as clear as a burning beacon in the night.

You sense it is the Cube which has betrayed your escape and snatch it from your pocket, but before you can hurl the accursed object away, it explodes in your hand.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense, add 3 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now 0–6, turn to 385.

If your total is now 7–12, turn to 251.

230

There is another searing blast, which hits the base of the huge pillar behind which you have taken refuge; it severs the stone in an instant. Your body is torn to pieces as the pillar explodes into a million fragments — the little of you that remains is buried beneath tons of falling sand and stone.

Your life and the hopes of Sommerlund end here.

231

The Drakkarim rush into the guard room, bellowing like Kalte mammoths and hacking madly at the air with their cruel, black swords. The leader advances on you, a mane of jet-black hair streaming from the open back of his helm, his sword held low for a thrust that will disembowel you. You sidestep and drive your weapon into his armoured chest. The black metal buckles, crushing his ribs, killing him instantly, but before he has fallen to the ground, two more Drakkarim are upon you. You cannot evade combat and must fight them to the death.

Drakkarim: COMBAT SKILL 18   ENDURANCE 34

If you win the combat, turn to 290.

232

You try to sidestep as the lethal blade hurtles towards you, but in the darkness you cannot be sure of the direction of its flight. You are hit in the chest, the blow smashing the air from your lungs. Lights flash before your eyes, and an explosion rings in your ears. You fall to your knees, and a sensation of numbness spreads through your chest. Through a haze of swirling mist, you see the Drakkar flung backwards, his breastplate torn open by dwarf shot. Banedon appears; his face is ashen grey. His lips move, but you cannot hear what he is saying. Images of Sommerlund swim in your mind and then slowly fade as oblivion engulfs you.

Your life and the last hope of Sommerlund end here.

233

Holding the Prism in the centre of the beam, you divert the light towards the hole in the floor. You hear the sound of stone grating on stone as the door slowly opens to reveal a large chamber. It is dimly lit, but in the dust that covers the marble floor you can see footprints too numerous to count. As you enter, you suddenly catch sight of a rough stone throne, facing the wall on the far side of the chamber. Behind you the door slides shut with unnerving speed.

Turn to 289.

234

In a complete daze you tumble and spin, totally unaware of whether you are falling head- or feet-first. The warm wind tears at your face, forcing your eyelids and mouth open. You can barely breathe. You scream with terror until you hit the upper branches of a toa tree; in the next instant you hit water. You rapidly surface again, and instinctively begin to pump your legs.

You have no idea in which direction you are swimming, but in three strokes you find yourself at the side of this deep, sculptured pool of clear water. Still shaking from the shock of impact, you crawl your way out onto a mossy bank. Miraculously, you have escaped injury, but your ordeal is far from over. The Drakkarim and the palace guards watched you fall and at this very moment are racing down from the tower and the bridge to the palace gardens.

Ahead of you, beyond a tree-lined colonnade, a flight of steps ascends to a small portal in the wall of the upper palace. To your right, a leafy tunnel winds away into the trees and shrubs.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Tracking, turn to 220.

If you wish to climb the stairs to the small portal, turn to 352.

If you wish to follow the winding path, turn to 391.

235

Rows of stalactites hang from the roof of the cave, like the fangs of some incredible monster, and the bubbling of a distant geyser echoes eerily through the unknown depths.

You begin to explore and eventually reach a place where a natural bridge of rock arches over a steaming course of water, red with ore. Huddled beneath the bridge is a pathetic figure, its body bent and emaciated. A tattered blanket covers his face, and in his withered hands he clutches a crude fishing rod. A small catch of lavacrabs lies on the bank, their claws twitching as they slowly die. As you move nearer, the figure raises his face to stare at you. It is a man, but the sight of his face shocks you to the core.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Healing, turn to 344.

If you do not possess this Kai Discipline, turn to 208.

236

Your speed and stealth carry you across the gangplank undetected. Your attack is silent and deadly.

If you wish to search the guard's body, turn to 207.

If you decide to ignore the body, hurry into the Itikar's pen and turn to 224.

237

The jala tastes as good as it smells and, after your dusty trek through the hills, is a welcome relief to your parched throat. Restore 1 ENDURANCE point.

‘Do you know where we may be able to find a man called Tipasa the Wanderer?’ asks Banedon, successfully hiding his Northland accent with his expert mastery of the Ikareshi dialect.

‘I'm sorry, friend, but I have never heard of this man,’ replies one of the men.

‘You would be wise,’ interrupts the other, ‘to ask the widow Soushilla. There is little in Ikaresh that she does not know.’

‘Where can she be found?’ you ask.

‘At her tavern, of course,’ they reply, simultaneously. ‘Cross Eagle Square and you'll find it on the way to the Dougga Market.’

You thank the Ikareshi and leave the eating house. Retracing your steps to the square, you set off towards the Dougga Market in search of Soushilla the Widow.

Turn to 376.

238

You escape from the combat and sprint along the opposite passage, but the enemy gives chase, and the crunch of iron-shod boots echoes in your ears. You race down a stairway, through an arch of silver and along a balcony overlooking the lower palace.

You glimpse the silhouette of Darklord Haakon in the hall below, his spiked fist raised. A Drakkar appears from nowhere and leaps at you, his sword raised high above his skull-like helm. There is a deafening crack, and a bolt of blue lightning streaks from a stone in the Darklord's hand and hurtles towards you. The Drakkar lunges and wounds your forearm (you lose 1 ENDURANCE point), but he is now standing in the path of the bolt. In a flash of light, the Drakkar is gone; only cinders and the rotten odour of scorched flesh remain.

At the end of the balcony you see another arch and a staircase.

If you wish to escape through the arch, turn to 381.

If you wish to escape by the stairs, turn to 317.

239

If you are to get inside the tomb, you must either distract or silence the Drakkarim sentry.

If you possess a Tincture of Graveweed, turn to 260.⁵

If you do not possess this item, you will have to creep up and overpower him as quickly and silently as you can. Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you possess the Kai Disciplines of Hunting, Tracking, and Camouflage, add 2 to the number you have picked. If you have reached the Kai rank of Guardian or higher, add 3 to the number.

If your total is now 0–4, turn to 324.

If it is 5 or more, turn to 303.

[5] You may only use Graveweed in its Tincture form in this case (you may not use a concentrated potion if you have one).

240

Itikar are wild and malicious creatures. It can take several years for a rider to tame and train one, but once trained, the giant black birds are fiercely loyal. As you approach, the Itikar senses that you are not his master and furiously attacks you with its deadly beak and talons.

Itikar: COMBAT SKILL 17   ENDURANCE 30

Fight the combat as normal, but double all ENDURANCE points lost by the giant bird. When its score falls to zero or below, you will have subdued it enough to be able to climb into the saddle and take control. All the ENDURANCE points you lose in the combat count as wounds and must be deducted from your current ENDURANCE points total.

If you successfully reduce the Itikar's ENDURANCE points to zero or below, turn to 217.

241

Once outside the cave, you and Banedon waste no time in pressing on towards Ikaresh. As you near the outskirts of the town, you pass a small, round hut where a goat is eating from a manger near the door. A man appears in the darkened doorway and bids you welcome; he touches his forehead in a salute of friendship and invites you to enter his humble home.

242

You recognize the creature dressed in red: it is a Vordak, a servant of the Darklords, one of the powerful undead. Vordaks possess great psychic power, and you feel it scanning for you with its Mindforce. You know that if you are to avoid these evil troops, you will not only have to hide, but also shield your mind.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Kai Discipline of Camouflage, add 2 to the number you have picked. If you have the Kai Discipline of Mindshield, add 3.

If your total score is now 0–6, turn to 262.

If it is 7 or over, turn to 378.

243

Your deadly stroke hurls the Drakkar over the armoured parapet. He tumbles from view and plummets into the valley thousands of feet below.

Turn to 306.

244

You can clearly see the main highway that links Chula to the capital. It crosses the desolate salt plain of Lake Inrahim by means of a causeway thirty feet high and is a useful landmark by which you can steer. Little stone houses with beaten earth roofs are grouped in small clusters along the highway, their numbers increasing as you draw nearer to the town.

You are five miles from Chula, when you notice a dark cloud hovering several hundred feet above one of the small villages. It is a cloud of Kraan; they are moving to intercept you.

Suddenly the Itikar squeals in pain, and a splash of feathers billows out from its wing. A Kraan has closed in from behind; it is less than a hundred yards distant. The Drakkarim rider holsters an empty bronze crossbow and draws his black sword. His bolt has passed through the wing of your mount, and he prepares to strike as the Itikar loses height and speed.

Drakkarim Kraan-rider: COMBAT SKILL 20   ENDURANCE 28

The Kraan and its rider are swooping on you from behind. You will only be able to fight for one round of combat before they are carried past by the momentum of their attack.

If you lose more ENDURANCE points than the enemy in this one round combat, turn to 347.

If the enemy loses more ENDURANCE points than you, turn to 327.

If you both lose exactly the same number of ENDURANCE points, turn to 271.

245

You remove your Blue Stone Triangle from around your neck and press it into the indentation in the wall. It is a perfect fit. You hear the sound of stone grating on stone, and the door slowly opens to reveal a chamber. It is dimly lit, but you see that the thick dust on its marble floor is covered with innumerable footprints. As you enter, you catch sight of a rough stone throne, facing the wall on the far side of the chamber.

Behind you the stone door slides shut with unnerving speed.

Turn to 289.

246

Using the Copper Key, you unlock the door and hurry into the garden, not a moment too soon; as the heavy door swings shut you hear crossbow bolts ricocheting from the bands of studded iron.

The enclosed garden is filled with the fragrance of exotic shrubs and trees, which cluster around a sculptured pool of deep blue water. It is a beautiful sight, but you dare not stop to enjoy it. The Drakkarim and the palace guards know where you are, and you must keep moving if you are to escape them.

Beyond a tree-lined colonnade, a flight of steps ascends to a small portal in the wall of the upper palace. To your right, a leafy tunnel winds away into the trees and shrubs.

If you possess the Kai Discipline of Tracking, turn to 220.

If you decide to climb the stairs to the small portal, turn to 352.

If you would rather follow the winding path, turn to 391.

247

The voyage through the Koos is breathtaking. The Skyrider glides between the towers of rock that rise from the valley floor with fantastic and unearthly grandeur. Far below, sulphurous water bubbles from fissures in the orange ground and streams of hissing lava carve circular channels, which glow like moats of liquid fire. You watch the sky, but there are no signs of the enemy.

248

A small, heavy-set merchant is hawking his wares from a stall set close to the archway. His small, beady eyes twinkle from beneath a ridiculously outsized turban. As you approach, he launches himself at you, desperately trying, with a flood of wild claims, to persuade you to buy his obviously inferior goods. He looks surprised when you interrupt him with your question. ‘Tipasa?’ he answers. ‘Yes, I know where he lives.’

He holds up a gaudy waistcoat of pink and orange sackcloth and offers it to you. ‘It would make a worthy gift for your esteemed friend,’ he suggests, his eyes continually glancing at your Belt Pouch. ‘Only 5 Gold Crowns, master.’

You realize you will first have to purchase this ridiculous garment before the merchant will tell you where Tipasa lives.

If you wish to buy the waistcoat, pay the man 5 Gold Crowns and turn to 328.

If you do not want to buy the waistcoat or cannot afford to pay him 5 Gold Crowns, turn to 274.

249

As the Vordak dies, its body gradually dissolves into a bubbling green liquid, shrivelling the plants that lie beneath the crumbled red robe. The swish of a sword alerts you to the Drakkarim who are now closing in around their slain leader. Without hesitation, you sheathe your weapon and run for cover among the densely packed trees.

Turn to 228.

250

As you watch the Kraan-riders disappear into the darkening sky, a roll of thunder rumbles across the plain from Barrakeesh. The sound is threatening and full of brooding menace, as if the city itself were cursing your escape.

You turn away and focus your attention on Banedon, your unexpected rescuer. The makeshift bandage that binds his wound is soaked with blood, and he looks pale and weak.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Healing, turn to 377.

If you do not have this skill, turn to 339.

251

You are fortunate that you are not struck by the blast, but even so, the blue flame scorches your hand and arm and knocks you to the floor. Lose 6 ENDURANCE points.

If you are still alive, turn to 316.

252

You whirl your feet away from the shining steel and narrowly escape being wounded as the axe bites inches deep into the polished stone floor. However, before the guard can strike another blow, you lash out and send the axe spinning from his hand. He screams, clutching broken fingers to his chest.

You turn and run towards an open door. The air is filled with the sound of pounding feet, for the palace guard are on full alert; together with the Drakkarim, they are now bent on finding and killing you as quickly as possible.

Beyond the door, a bridge rises at a slanted angle over an enclosed garden, joining this part of the palace to a needle-like tower of white marble. At the entrance to the bridge, a narrow stair disappears into the garden below.

If you wish to cross the bridge and enter the Tower, turn to 396.

If you decide to descend the stairs, turn to 215.

253

Suddenly, the pain subsides, but a new horror is taking shape before your eyes. Out of the darkness, a green whorl of vapour is forming slowly into the shape of a glistening, serpent-like monster. A grey mist issues forth from the Darklord's mouth, floating towards the core of this horror, infusing it with the power of death. The serpent writhes and convulses as the grey mist fills its body, changing it from a dream-like illusion into a living nightmare. Two pinpoints of crimson glow from its eyes, as it slithers towards you.

Dhorgaan: COMBAT SKILL 20   ENDURANCE 40

If you possess a Jewelled Mace, you may add 5 to your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of the combat, for it is an enchanted weapon, especially effective against such a creature.

254

The chill air whips past your face as you tumble towards Lake Inrahim. The Kraan-riders, the skyship, and the distant horizon all melt into a kaleidoscope of shapes and images. You fear these will be the last things you will ever see.

You have prepared yourself for death and feel calm and relaxed. Suddenly, you feel your body engulfed by a mass of sticky fibres. There is a terrific jolt, which leaves you breathless and stunned. (Lose 2 ENDURANCE points.) The impossible is happening — you are no longer falling but rising!

You have been caught by a net of sticky strands like a fly in a web. You rise into the sky towards the flying ship as quickly as you fell. Three bearded dwarves clad in bright, padded battle-jerkins pull you aboard an outrigger that runs the length of the hull. There's no time to express your gratitude, for the small skyship is under attack from the Kraan-riders.

At the end of the outrigger, a dwarf is in hand-to-hand combat with a snarling Drakkar. He is losing the battle. As you rush to help him, another of the evil warriors lands in the centre of the craft, on top of the fortified platform.

If you wish to help the dwarf, turn to 280.

If you wish to leap from the outrigger onto the fortified platform, turn to 361.

255

As the Drakkar collapses to the ground, a Black Crystal Cube falls from his pocket. If you wish to take this item, place it in your own pocket and mark it on your Action Chart as a Special Item. The shriek of the Vordak drives you away from the dead body — his hideous cry is loud and very near.

Turn to 228.

256

‘Here you are,’ says Banedon, flicking a Gold Crown into her empty bowl. ‘Now will you help us in return?’ She snatches the coin to her mouth and bites into the gold. Satisfied that the coin is real, she nods her head.

If you wish to ask her if she is Soushilla (only if you have heard that name before), turn to 307.

If you wish to ask her if she knows were Tipasa the Wanderer can be found, turn to 314.

257

The creature's curved beak gores your back, impaling you upon its razor-sharp tip. You are lifted into the air and dashed against the wall with one flick of the great bird's powerful neck. Mercifully, death is instantaneous as your skull is shattered against the hard, unyielding marble.

Your life and the hopes of Sommerlund end here.

258

The sun-sword tingles with power as you point it at the flame which hurtles nearer and nearer, its hiss becoming so loud that it drowns the noise of battle. You brace yourself for the moment of impact. The flame hits the Sommerswerd with a thunderous noise and is held there in a ball of liquid purple fire that burns at the very tip of the magical blade. Instinctively, you whirl the Sommerswerd around your head and cast the fireball back into the sky.

The Vordak shrieks with terror, but it is too late — its fate is sealed. The fireball consumes the Zlanbeast and its rider in a massive explosion of sun-like brilliance.

Turn to 267.

259

Two bolts whistle through the air and slam into your back. As the pain tears through your body, you faint and fall onto the poison-tipped spikes. As your life's blood drains away, the last sound you hear is the hideous gloating laughter of Darklord Haakon rising above the ghoulish howl of his evil Drakkarim warriors.

Your life and the hopes of Sommerlund end here.

260

Using the cover of the excavation equipment scattered around the crater, you creep up on the sentry and empty the Tincture into the water flask resting by his feet.

A few minutes later, he reaches down and drinks from the flask. It is not long before he begins to feel very ill. As he staggers away to be violently sick, you slip into the Tomb unnoticed.

Turn to 395.

261

You tumble earthwards, blurred colours flashing before your eyes. The Kraan-riders, the skyship, and the distant horizon all melt into a kaleidoscope of shapes, the last images you see before smashing into the hard and barren salt-plain of Lake Inrahim.

Your life and the hopes of Sommerlund end here.

262

You have been detected; the Vordak shrieks a hideous high-pitched scream and points a bony finger towards your hiding place. Drakkarim crash through the undergrowth, cleaving a path with their black swords.

If you wish to draw your weapon and prepare for combat, turn to 212.

If you wish to try to escape from them, turn to 393.

263

The crone hobbles away into the dark alley; you and Banedon retrace your steps to the eagle monolith, where an arrow sign points west to the main square. The evening shadows are lengthening as you set off from the eagle once more.

Turn to 216.

264

A terrible shriek rings out above the rush of the wind, filling your head with pain. You are being attacked by a powerful Mindblast. Unless you possess the Kai Discipline of Mindshield, deduct 2 ENDURANCE points from your current total.

The Itikar shudders and frantically twists its head from side to side as the shriek rings out again. You sense that the great bird is in agony, racked by the Mindblast. As you glance over your shoulder, your stomach becomes knotted with fear — a Kraan is swooping down to attack. On its back is your adversary: a Vordak, one of the undead and a hideous lieutenant of the Darklords. As the Kraan streaks towards you, the Vordak spreads its red-robed arms and leaps from the saddle. It lands behind you, astride the Itikar's back, its skeletal fingers sunk deep into your mount's feathered flesh. The shock of the impact throws you forward, and the reins slip from your hands.

The giant bird screeches in horror and pain as the Vordak's grip paralyses its spine. You must act quickly, for the Itikar is now plummeting towards the salt-plain of Lake Inrahim.

265

She refuses to say anything until you have placed some money in her begging bowl.

If you wish to give her a Gold Crown, make the adjustment to your Action Chart and turn to 397.

If you do not wish, or cannot afford, to give her any gold, turn to 256.

266

Your Kai skill warns you that two palace guards are running up the spiral stairs from their guardroom in the base of the tower. Quickly, you ascend the stairs before the Drakkarim enter and see in which direction you have gone.

Turn to 322.

267

The Drakkarim falter, blinded by the flash. Nolrim seizes the opportunity and urges his brethren forward against the invaders, leading the attack with his mighty battle-axe. Its razor edge whines and strikes sparks against the enemies' black armour, cutting through their unsteady ranks like a scythe through blighted corn.

You climb back onto the platform and see a Drakkar about to strike Banedon. The wizard seems unconcerned about the screaming warrior who threatens to decapitate him with a black broadsword. Banedon points his finger at the Drakkar, who is poised to strike.

If you wish to attack the Drakkar before he lands his blow upon Banedon's head, turn to 330.

If you do not wish to attack, turn to 394.

268

With the leap of a tiger, you snatch the glowing gem barely a second before Haakon's spiked fist slams into the floor where the jewel lay. You turn to face your enemy, the gem held high in your hand, its blue beam glinting on the Darklord's black armour. He shrinks beneath its glare and falls to his knees, a repulsive sucking noise issuing from his helm as he slowly begins to fade.

A sudden crack makes you start with shock, but you are no longer in danger. The glowing gem has vanished from your hand; like its master it has left this dimension, never to return.

Turn to 400.

269

You stare at the bolt, willing it to move. The sound of running footsteps behind you sends a cold shiver down your spine as you realize that the Drakkarim are storming the stairs. Then, slowly, the bolt begins to move. As soon as it clears the bolt-hole, you pull open the stone portal and race through, unaware of what lies beyond.

Turn to 352.

270

You race along the rock-strewn cave, eager to escape from the infected old man. The horrific stories that you have heard about vaxelus make you careless in your haste, and you lose 2 Items from your Backpack. Choose which two items to erase from your Action Chart (if you have no Backpack Items, you lose a Weapon and a Special Item instead).

Turn to 241.

271

The Kraan-rider screams past to your left, spun off course by your swift counter-blow. He is now over a hundred feet below but is turning the Kraan for another attack. You wheel towards the south to avoid being caught between the two converging squadrons of Kraan-riders. Your change of direction increases the distance between you and your pursuers, but the Itikar is badly wounded and terrified by the shrieking Kraan.

You are close to despair; your feathered mount is losing a lot of blood and could lapse into unconsciousness at any moment and drop you like a stone from the darkening sky. Suddenly you spot something in the distance — a sight that renews your faith in miracles.

Turn to 221.

272

You follow a path along a dry gully, the bed of an ancient river that once flowed through the mountains. An arid breeze blows eddies of red dust along the banks of dead earth. The white-walled buildings of Ikaresh suddenly appear, and, as the dust settles, you find yourselves standing in a small square close to the open archway of the town's east gate.

Perched upon a tall basalt monolith in the centre of the square is an eagle — the emblem of this mountain town — cast in bronze. Three bronze arrows are held in its beak, each indicating an exit from the square.

If you wish to go north, towards the Dougga Market, turn to 376.

If you wish to go west, towards the main square, turn to 216.

If you wish to go south, along the Avenue of Eagles, turn to 342.

273

The Akataz leaps through the air at your face. You fall backwards, kicking with both feet, but you are winded as the war-dog jolts the air from your lungs. It slashes your shoulder (lose 1 ENDURANCE point), before cartwheeling over the edge of the stairs, its howl cut short as it smashes into the marble floor of the lower palace.

You spring to your feet and draw your weapon, for the Drakkarim are running towards you. A terrible roar of hate and rage fills the hall: ‘Kill him!’ The Drakkarim unsheathe their black swords, eager to obey their master's command. They attack you simultaneously.

Drakkarim: COMBAT SKILL 18   ENDURANCE 35

You can evade the combat at any time by running into the adjoining passage.

If you wish to evade combat, turn to 238.

If you win the combat, turn to 345.

274

Banedon holds a gleaming ring of silver beneath the merchant's nose and says, ‘This is yours, my friend, if you tell us were Tipasa can be found.’

The merchant snatches the ring from the wizard's hand and stammers, ‘The first alley on the left past the stables. He lives at the house with the blue door.’

You hurry across the crowded marketplace towards the stables and enter the street beyond. As you turn into the alley, you hear the merchant's shriek of dismay above the noise of the crowd; the ring has just dissolved on his finger. At the end of the alley you find the house with the blue door.

Turn to 206.

275

You recognize the flag that flies above a fortified platform in the centre of the strange craft: it is the crescent and crystal star ensign of the Magicians' Guild of Toran, a city in northern Sommerlund. The skyship is commanded by a Sommlending wizard — one of your own countrymen. He is a blond-haired young man dressed in long, dark blue robes.

You are so stunned by the fateful appearance of the craft that you fail to notice the blood seeping from the Itikar's mouth: the creature is near to death. Suddenly, the great bird lets out a pitiful and agonizing caw. Its wings stiffen, and its head falls limply forward as the last flicker of life escapes from its torn body. You are pitched forward, and your stomach heaves as you plummet towards Lake Inrahim.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table.

If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 374.

If it is 5–8, turn to 254.

If it is 9, turn to 261.

276

‘Why do you ask?’ she replies suspiciously, blinking the tears from her eyes. ‘What business do you have with Old Tipasa?’

‘He is a friend,’ replies Banedon, placing a Gold Crown on the tavern counter. The old woman covers the coin with her hand, her expression shrewd and calculating.

‘Soushilla is old, her memory has faded with the passing years,’ she says, waiting expectantly and glancing at Banedon's money pouch. He opens the flap to remove another Crown, but the pouch has been emptied by a nimble pickpocket. Sheepishly he avoids your stare, his face growing redder by the second.

‘Five Gold Crowns may refresh my memory,’ she says, her gaze now resting on you.

If you wish to pay the old woman 5 Gold Crowns, erase them from your Action Chart and turn to 326.

If you do not have 5 Gold Crowns or do not wish to give her the money, leave the tavern and turn to 202.

277

You crouch low as you wait for your chance to leap up and open the door. More and more crossbow bolts ricochet from the wall and parapet every second. The sound of iron-shod boots sends a shiver down your spine; the Drakkarim are storming the stairs — it's now or never!

You spring to your feet and run to the door, grasping the iron bolt with trembling fingers. A steel-tipped missile splinters stone less than an inch from your hand, another ricochets and opens a cut above your eye. The instant the bolt clears the bolt-hole, you pull open the stone portal and race through, unaware of what lies beyond.

Turn to 352.

278

You run, half-crouched, towards your golden blade, grab the hilt, and continue at full speed towards the cover of another pillar. Suddenly, a burst of energy leaps from the Darklord's fist, exploding into the base of the pillar, severing it from the floor. A tremendous roar fills your ears as you are thrown backwards by the shock of the blast. You lose 3 ENDURANCE points. Haakon's laugh rises above the crash of falling stone until your head is filled with an agonizing pain.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Mindshield, turn to 223.

If you do not have this skill, turn to 379.

279

A narrow corridor faces you, which is lit by the orange light of the setting sun filtering down from small open windows set high above in the patterned walls. The air is filled with the sound of running feet, for the Grand Palace is now on full alert. The palace guards and the evil Drakkarim are bent on finding and killing you, for their own lives will be forfeit if they fail.

You reach a door that opens onto an outside balcony. A stair descends to a bridge that connects a needle-like tower of white marble to the main palace. The stair itself continues past the bridge, disappearing down towards the palace gardens far below. You see no soldiers, either on the bridge or in the gardens.

280

The Drakkar is strangling the dwarf. As he catches sight of you, he releases his grip and smashes his mailed fist into the dwarf's face, sending him tumbling into space. You are inflamed by this cold-blooded murder. You draw your weapon and attack.

Drakkar: COMBAT SKILL 18   ENDURANCE 25

Due to the speed of your attack, do not deduct any of your own ENDURANCE points in the first round of combat.

If you win the combat, turn to 213.

281

As you turn to leave, the vaxeler bids you to wait. From a bundle of rags hidden beneath the bridge, he produces a gem-encrusted mace. The weapon is carved from solid silver and adorned with emeralds and diamonds along the haft. ‘Take it, I beseech you, as a token of my eternal thanks.’

If you wish to accept this gift, mark the Jewelled Mace on your Action Chart as a Special Item (which you carry tucked into your belt) before leaving the cave.

Turn to 241.

282

You leave the bell-tower and make your way down towards the sentry. At first, dodging from one turret to the next, it is easy to remain unseen. However, for the final thirty yards to the landing platform you will have no cover, for the platform and the palace roof are linked by an exposed gangplank. If you are to overpower the sentry, you must cross the gangplank undetected.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Mind Over Matter, turn to 295.

If you do not possess the skill, pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Kai Disciplines of either Hunting or Camouflage, add 2 to the number you have picked. If you have reached the Kai rank of Warmarn or higher, add 3.

If your total score is now 0–4, turn to 357.

If your total is 5–9, turn to 389.

If your total is 10 or more, turn to 236.

283

The dwarves are not offended by your refusal. They have seen men stirred to fury or laid unconscious by a jug of Bor-brew. Nolrim grasps the tankard and downs the draught with one awesome gulp, removing the froth from his ginger beard with a practised flick of his forefinger.

If you wish to ask the dwarves how they came to be under Banedon's command, turn to 291.

If you wish to bid them goodnight, turn to 359.

284

You call out to them to stop, but your accent merely confirms their suspicions that you are a spy. A rock hurtles through the air and gashes your forehead. You lose 3 ENDURANCE points. ‘Run, Lone Wolf!’ screams Banedon. ‘They will cut you to pieces!’

As they race nearer, the crazed look in their eyes quickly tells you it would be madness to stay. You turn and run for all you are worth.

Turn to 340.

285

As you turn and sprint along the passage, a terrible roar of hatred and rage fills the hall: ‘Kill him!’

You glance back. The Drakkarim are unsheathing their black swords, eager to obey their master's command. You race down some stairs, through a silver archway, and along a balcony that overlooks the lower palace.

The Akataz is nearly upon you; you feel its fetid breath on your legs. Instinctively you dodge aside at the very second it leaps. It crashes muzzle first into a marble pillar. A howl of pain leaves its broken mouth as you step forward and strike a death-blow; it will never attack again.

You glimpse the grim silhouette of Darklord Haakon in the hall below, his spiked fist raised. A Drakkar appears as if from nowhere and advances, a sword held high above his skull-like helm. There is a deafening crack as a bolt of blue lightning streaks from a stone in the Darklord's hand and comes hurtling towards you. The Drakkar lunges and wounds your arm (you lose 2 ENDURANCE points), but he now stands in the path of the bolt. In a flash of light, the Drakkar is gone, leaving only cinders and the rotten odour of scorched flesh behind.

286

As night falls, your desperate quest begins. The Giaks pose few problems that you cannot overcome with your warrior skills, for they have been overworked to the point of exhaustion. Only the Drakkarim show any sign of vigilance, but even then, there are less than a dozen patrolling the entire crater. Not until you reach the main entrance to the Tomb do you encounter any real difficulty.

A Drakkar stands on guard, his cruel eyes glinting behind his twisted iron death-mask. Occasionally, he diverts his attention from the watch to take a drink from a water flask.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Mind Over Matter, turn to 214.

If you do not have this skill, turn to 239.

287

Itikar are by nature wild and malicious creatures, and it can take many years for a rider to tame and train one. However, the effort is well worthwhile as once this is been accomplished, the giant black birds are fiercely loyal.

The Itikar senses that you are not his master and tries to drive you away, wounding your back with a glancing blow from its powerful beak. You lose 1 ENDURANCE point. However, due to sheer strength of will, you manage to climb into the saddle and subdue the creature. It turns its head and fixes you with a cold black stare, but you sense that it is now no longer hostile.

Suddenly, you catch sight of the Drakkarim, streaming across the gangplank. You stretch forward, unhook the Itikar's anchor rope from the saddle ring, and grab the thick leather reins.

Turn to 343.

288

The Drakkar curses you with his dying breath, his cry fading as he falls from the platform. You rush to aid your wounded countryman, but the battle is not yet over. A Kraan-rider is swooping towards you, a crossbow levelled at your head; he fires and the bolt shoots towards your face. Then a shrill, metallic whine rings in your ears as the bolt miraculously ricochets away, deflected by an invisible shield.

If you have ever been given a Crystal Star Pendant, turn to 399.

If you do not have this Special Item, turn to 294.

289

The throne begins to revolve. A terrible howling fills your ears, changing almost instantaneously to the growling of a harsh guttural language, the like of which you have never heard before. Words and sounds that the mouths of men could never be shaped to speak roll through the chamber like thunder. It is the dark tongue, spoken by Haakon, Lord of Aarnak, Darklord of Helgedad.

He rises from the throne, the ghastly voice still echoing from his unnatural mouth. A spiked fist opens to reveal a glowing stone; blue flame smoulders around its surface, and you can feel the currents of power that radiate from its core. Suddenly, his words change and you hear a tongue you know so well — Sommlending.

‘Look on your doom, Kai Lord!’

There is a deafening crack, a surge of power, and a fireball of blue flame hurtles towards your head.

If you possess the Sommerswerd, turn to 311.

If you do not have this Special Item, turn to 219.

290

You search the body of the dead Drakkarim leader and discover in his pocket a Black Crystal Cube. If you wish to keep the Black Crystal Cube, place it in your pocket and mark it on your Action Chart as a Special Item.

The sound of more Drakkarim thundering down the tower stairs prompts you to leave the other bodies and hurry over to the wooden door.

Turn to 246.

291

You learn that the dwarves were once the crew of a more conventional vessel, a merchantman that sailed the Tentarias of southern Magnamund. The Tentarias is a vast expanse of lakes and land-locked seas, which connect to form a continuous canal stretching nearly three thousand miles. They were created, as was the Rymerift of Durenor, by a massive landslide. Three years ago, the dwarves' former captain, a dwarf named Quan, lost his ship, cargo, and crew whilst gambling at cards; it seems the unfortunate captain was unaware of Banedon's true profession until it was far too late. As a result, Banedon became the dwarves' captain, and ever since they have adventured with him across the lands and skies of Southern Magnamund. The Skyrider itself was given to Banedon by the Magicians of Dessi, in return for his help in defeating the Gagadoth — a monstrous creature that terrorized their land, over which their own sorcery could not prevail.

The Skyrider was travelling from Dessi on its way to Barrakeesh when you appeared. The dwarves have overheard your talk with Banedon and are excited by the prospects of a new adventure. They seem undaunted by the deadly dangers that it will certainly involve.

Turn to 359.

292

Your Kai sense tells you that the house at the end of the alleyway is Tipasa's home. You signal to Banedon to follow as you approach the blue door.

Turn to 206.

293

For a moment, your sense of bearing is completely lost as you tumble and spin into the void, unaware of what is happening to your body. You try to cry out, but your cries are lost on the wind as it rushes past. You hit the upper branches of a toa tree. You are stunned by the crash, and your body becomes numb.

By the time your broken body is found by the Drakkarim, you have bled to death.

Your life and the hopes of Sommerlund end here.

294

You see the young magician lower his staff, a trace of a smile on his pain-racked face.

‘Alas, I was too slow to shield myself,’ he says wryly, as you kneel at his side and free the spear that pins him to the floor. The wound is serious, and you hastily staunch the bleeding with strips of cloth from his dark blue robes.

The wizard then introduces himself. ‘I am Banedon, Journeymaster to the Guild of the Crystal Star,’ he says, his voice weak and shaky. ‘However, you need not introduce yourself, Lone Wolf, for only you would attract such company this far from home.’ He glances at the Kraan-riders swooping past the skyship on every side. ‘Help me to my feet — we must escape before they drag us from the sky.’

You support the wizard as he grasps the ship's helm — a radiant crystal sphere with hundreds of glowing facets set upon a slim silver rod.

No sooner has his hand closed around the crystal than there is a tremendous explosion.

Turn to 323.

295

Focusing your skill on a money pouch that hangs from the sentry's belt, you concentrate on untying the leather thong that secures it. Seconds later, the pouch drops to the ground and spills its contents. The guard yelps in horror as he sees his gold rolling over the edge of the platform and drops to his knees to gather what little remains. As he turns his back, you break cover and run across the gangplank. Your speed and stealth carry you across the gangplank undetected. When you strike, the guard is still on his knees, picking up his scattered gold. Your attack is silent and deadly.

If you wish to search the guard's body, turn to 207.

If you decide to ignore the body, hurry into the Itikar's pen and turn to 224.

296

Inside, the eating house is full of townsfolk, all seated at small stone tables. Ornate hubble-bubble pipes add to the colourful atmosphere as the smokers discuss all kinds of matters. A quarrelsome trio of Ikareshi are lamenting the death of the old Zakhan. Others give voice to various grievances, calling their new leader an ox, a brute, and other such names. In your opinion, they speak too highly of him. Two rough-faced Ikareshi bid you welcome and invite you to share their pipe.

If you wish to accept their offer, turn to 362.

If you wish to decline, you can leave the eating house and continue along the avenue and turn to 388.

297

The guards are the first to recover from the surprise of the encounter. They attack, opening a deep wound in your chest. Lose 4 ENDURANCE points.

If you are still alive and wish to fight the guards, turn to 334.

If you wish to try to escape by running back up the stairs, turn to 209.

298

You are trying to decide whether to try prising open the door, when you hear the sound of stone grating on stone. The door slowly opens to reveal a large chamber. It is dimly lit, but in the thick dust which covers the marble floor you can see innumerable footprints.

Then, as you enter, you catch sight of a rough stone throne, facing the wall on the far side of the chamber. Behind you, the stone door slides shut with unnerving speed.

Turn to 289.

299

The Vordak removes a bony hand, drenched in blood, from the Itikar's back and claws at a black iron mace hanging from its belt. It raises the weapon and lunges at your head. It is impossible to evade its attack; you must fight the creature to the death.

Vordak: COMBAT SKILL 17   ENDURANCE 25

Unless you have the Kai Discipline of Mindshield, deduct 2 points from your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of this fight, for the Vordak is attacking you with its Mindforce. It is immune to Mindblast.

If you win the fight, turn to 203.

300

You wake shortly after dawn to the sound of snoring dwarves and the low hum of the Skyrider. Gathering your equipment, you climb on deck to find everything in shadow, for the Skyrider is hovering beneath a massive outcrop of sandstone that juts out from the side of a mountain, thousands of feet above the valley floor below. Banedon stands at the helm, but he is no longer in a trance.

‘Kraan-riders,’ he says, pointing to the sun-bleached valley beyond the shadows. ‘They arrived with the dawn.’

You stare out across this alien landscape, a mountain valley filled with pillars of massive and precariously balanced boulders. The Vassagonians call this place the Koos — ‘the needles’. The rocky columns reach so high into the sky that an avalanche seems unavoidable. Perched upon two of the columns are Kraan, their Drakkarim riders scouring the valley with telescopes. An hour passes before they take to the air and disappear.

‘Trim the boom-sail, Bo'sun Nolrim,’ orders Banedon, his voice barely audible above the increasing hum of the Skyrider. ‘We've a fast run ahead.’

If you possess a Black Crystal Cube, turn to 229.

If you do not have this Special Item, turn to 247.

301

Using the bands of iron as footholds, you clamber to the top of the door. Long spikes protrude from the timber crossbar, each coated with an oily black tar. Just as you are stepping over the spikes, the guards fire their crossbows.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have reached the Kai rank of Guardian or higher, subtract 2 from the number you have picked. If you have the Kai Discipline of Hunting, subtract 1 from this number.

If your total score is 4 or less, turn to 363.

If your score is 5–9, turn to 259.

302

Banedon takes over the helm as his extraordinary ship, the Skyrider, as the dwarves call it, speeds through the gathering darkness towards the Dahir Pass. Visibility diminishes with each passing minute until, finally, you can see no further than the outriggers. You feel uneasy; if the Skyrider veers but a fraction off course, you will be smashed to pieces against the mountainside.

‘Do not worry, Lone Wolf,’ says Nolrim, the dwarf with the velvet satchel. ‘The captain will see us through.’

Banedon stands with his hand resting lightly on the glowing crystal, relaxed as if in a trance. His eyes are closed and a crackle of energy, like fine white lightning, traces an intricate pattern over his forehead and temples.

The dwarf leads you to the cabin at the rear of the craft where the crew are excitedly recounting their victory over the Kraan-riders. They are seated about a table cluttered with plates of steaming food and jugs of foaming ale. The rich smell of spiced meat and Bor-brew fills your nostrils, reminding you of how ravenously hungry you are.

You make short work of the meat and marrow placed before you. Restore 3 ENDURANCE points. However, you are unsure about accepting a jug of ale; Bor-brew is so strong that in many cities of Magnamund it has been banned for fear of the havoc it can cause.

If you wish to accept a jug of the notorious ale, turn to 392.

If you decide to decline the offer, turn to 283.

303

With speed and stealth you approach the sentry from behind and silence him for good with a sharp twist of the neck. You drag the body away and cover it with a wheelbarrow before entering the Tomb.

Turn to 395.

304

The Vordak collapses at your feet, but before you can escape, you are surrounded by Drakkarim. A silence fills the arboretum; all is deathly quiet. You prepare to cut your way out, but more of the evil warriors appear. You shiver with a chill of fear — the Drakkarim reinforcements are armed with heavy bronze crossbows.

As you shout your battle-cry ‘For Sommerlund!’ you are hit by a volley of poison-tipped bolts, which hurl you backwards to the soft earth. The last sound you hear as your life's blood drains away into the soil is the hideous gloating laughter of Darklord Haakon, rising above the ghoulish howl of his Drakkarim.

Your life and the hopes of Sommerlund end here.

305

Tying one end of the rope to the parapet rail, you drop the other end over the side and glissade down the tower. You have reached halfway when you see two Drakkarim above you, sawing at the knot. Suddenly, the rope snaps and you plummet into the void.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table.

If the number you have picked is 0–2, turn to 293.

If it is 3–9, turn to 234.

306

‘Hold tight, Lone Wolf,’ shouts Banedon, as he regains control of the glowing crystal helm. You obey and grasp the parapet rail, bracing your feet against a deck cleat for safety, for you have guessed what manoeuvre the young wizard is about to perform.

307

‘Yes, yes. I am Soushilla,’ she replies.

‘Do you know where we can find Tipasa the wanderer?’ asks Banedon.

The old crone does not reply, she merely holds out her begging bowl in expectation. Banedon loses another crown before she answers his question.

Turn to 314.

308

It can take many years for a rider to tame an Itikar, for by nature they are wild and malicious creatures. You use your Kai skill to communicate with the giant bird, to assure it that you mean no harm. It fixes you with a cold, black stare, but you sense that it is no longer hostile.

As you settle in its wide saddle, you catch sight of the Drakkarim as they stream across the gangplank. Quickly you lean forward, unhook the anchor rope from the saddle ring and grab the thick leather reins.

Turn to 343.

309

As you enter the stables, you are overpowered by the smell of the douggas. You grit your teeth and cover your nose with your robe. A small boy sniggers at your reaction and says, ‘You're not Ikareshi — I can tell.’ He mimics your grimace, exposing a line of broken teeth.

‘Do you know where Tipasa the Wanderer lives?’ asks Banedon, holding up a silver ring. The boy's eyes nearly pop out of his head at the sight of the gleaming silver.

‘Oh yes, yes, yes, I do indeed,’ he stammers in his excitement. ‘Walk up the street and take the first passage on your left. The old wanderer lives at the house with the blue door.’

Banedon flicks the ring into the air and the urchin catches it in his grubby hands. You hurry away from the stables and begin to search for the passageway. Just as you find it, you hear the young boy shriek with disappointment; the ring has just dissolved on his finger. At the end of the rubbish-strewn alley you find the house with the blue door.

Turn to 206.

310

As you climb over the lifeless bodies, you notice a Copper Key on a chain around one of their necks. Grabbing the Key, you slip it into your pocket, and race down the steps towards a dim light below. Mark the Copper Key on your Action Chart as a Special Item.

A small fire, over which is roasting a chicken on a spit, illuminates a guardroom at the base of the tower. On the back of a wrought-iron chair hangs a Canteen of Water, and lying beside it is a razor-sharp Broadsword. You may take either of these items if you wish, and mark them on your Action Chart (the Canteen is a Backpack Item).

You hear the Drakkarim rushing down the tower stairs. They will soon be upon you.

If you wish to leave the tower by a door in the north wall, turn to 246.

If you wish to prepare yourself for combat and wait for the Drakkarim to appear, turn to 231.

311

You raise your golden sword just in time to deflect the bolt of raw energy. It screams from your blade and explodes into the chamber wall, gouging a hole several feet deep in the steel-hard rock. The impact jars the Sommerswerd from your hand; the blade arcs through the dust-choked air and embeds itself, upright, in the stone floor. You roll across the floor and take cover behind a pillar.

‘Your doom, Kai Lord,’ spits Haakon, ‘is but seconds away.’

If you wish to retrieve the Sommerswerd, turn to 278.

If you wish to try to move to a new hiding place, under cover of the swirling dust, turn to 350.

If you wish to stay where you are, turn to 230.

312

The dwarves are clearing the deck of battle debris. A dead Drakkar lies sprawled face down across a pile of chests and sacks roped beneath the boom-sail. As the dwarves grab his legs to cast him over the side he suddenly springs to life, sending the dwarves tumbling in all directions. He screams like a fiend, his black axe cutting a wide arc around his blood-smeared body. A curse, vile and evil, echoes from his death-mask as he draws back the axe to throw. His target is you.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Hunting or Sixth Sense, turn to 210.

If you have neither of these skills, pick a number from the Random Number Table.

If the number you of picked is 0–4, turn to 354.

If it is 5–8, turn to 371.

If it is 9, turn to 232.

313

Below the bell-tower you see a line of Itikar pens, each with its own circular landing platform. Itikar are a breed of huge black birds that nest in eyries high in the peaks of the Dahir and Vakar Mountains. The Vassagonians have long since tamed these giants of the skies, using them as winged mounts for their army leaders, their scouts, couriers, and envoys.

An Itikar and rider swoop down out of the reddening sky and alight upon the platform nearest to the bell-tower. Slaves hurl a rope to the rider, who in turn fixes it to a saddle ring before he jumps to the ground. The Itikar caws and beats its huge wings as it is slowly winched into the pen by a hidden capstan.

The rider and the slaves leave the platform; there is now only one sentry on guard at the pen. If you can overpower him, you can make your escape on the back of the giant bird.

If you possess a Blowpipe and Sleep Dart, turn to 325.

If you do not have these items, turn to 282.

314

‘Tipasa can be found at the main square — he is always there at this time of day,’ says the woman cringingly, her face creased into an exaggerated smile.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense, turn to 358.

If you do not possess this skill, turn to 263.

315

As you unsheathe the Sommerswerd, a vivid golden flame shoots along the blade. The Vordak shrieks in terror, its blood-drenched bony fingers clawing at a black iron mace that hangs from its belt. It raises the mace to parry your blow, but the sun-sword shears through the iron, a splash of blue flame erupting in its wake. You strike again, curving the golden blade in a great arc. It bites into the Vordak's neck, tearing through its unnatural body, and severing it diagonally from collarbone to hip. A sickening acidic smell chokes your throat as a fountain of green slime erupts from beneath the red robe. The Vordak crumples and topples from view, its dissolving corpse hissing as its spirals towards Lake Inrahim.

Sheathing your sword, you grab the reins and fight to control your injured mount. You have slain the Vordak but the battle is not yet won. The Itikar is losing a lot of blood; it could become unconscious at any moment and drop like a stone.

Suddenly you spot something in the distance. It is a sight that renews your faith in miracles.

Turn to 221.

316

You stagger to your feet to see the Skyrider being engulfed by Drakkarim; they leap from their shrieking Kraan and crash onto the decks and outriggers, their black swords already drawn from their scabbards. The dwarves are caught by surprise; their weapons have been unloaded and stored below deck. Even so, they are quick to rally and fight with skill and fury. Above the din you hear Nolrim's joyous battle-cry, ‘Blood for blood!’

An unexpected blow catches you squarely on the back, knocking you from the platform to the deck below. You have risen to one knee when your assailant attacks again. You cannot evade him.

Drakkar: COMBAT SKILL 18   ENDURANCE 26

Due to the surprise of the attack, reduce your COMBAT SKILL by 2 for the first 3 rounds of combat.

If you win the combat, turn to 333.

317

The blood is pounding in your ears as you bound up the marble steps. Twenty feet ahead of you, there is a landing with a stone door set into the wall. The stairs continue to ascend to a parapeted walkway, at the end of which is another stone door, identical to the first. Suddenly, the door on the first landing swings open and a palace guard wheels round to face you.

‘Majhan!’ he cries, fumbling for the hilt of his sword.

If you wish to attack the guard before he draws his weapon, turn to 338.

If you wish to barge him aside and continue climbing the stairs, turn to 372.

318

‘Ah, Tipasa,’ he replies thoughtfully. ‘He lives near the Dougga Market, but exactly where his home is I am not sure … I haven't seen old Tipasa for years. If you should find him, remind him of Khamsin the Goatherd. He still owes me twelve Crowns — that I have not forgotten.’ You thank the goatherd for his help and bid him farewell before continuing your trek to Ikaresh.

Turn to 272.

319

The Onyx Medallion is beginning to glow and vibrate in your pocket. This Special Item, torn from the armour of a renegade Vassagonian captain during the battle of Ruanon, enables you to communicate with the Itikar. You reassure it that you mean no harm. Itikar are by nature wild and malicious creatures, but the power of the Onyx Medallion tames this natural instinct, subduing them to the wearer's command.

As you settle in the wide saddle, you catch sight of the Drakkarim streaming across the gangplank. Quickly, you lean forward, unhook the Itikar's anchor rope from the saddle ring and grab the thick leather reins.

Turn to 343.

320

Dawn is breaking on the horizon of a low hill, blurred and dotted with small tufted trees. Swiftly the Skyrider has voyaged through the night to arrive at the foothills of the Koneshi Mountains, in whose folds the skyship is safely tucked away from watchful eyes. Twenty-five miles to the north, across a landscape of barren rock and dry brush, lies the Tomb of the Majhan.

321

You place the Oede herb upon the stone bridge and step back. At first the vaxeler is suspicious and frightened — nobody has dared to enter his cave for many years. But when he recognizes the golden leaves of the Oede herb, he breaks down, weeping tears of joy.

‘May the Majhan bless you — may you live in eternal peace,’ he cries, his feeble voice brimming over with emotion. ‘How can I ever repay this kindness?’

If you wish to question the vaxeler about Tipasa the Wanderer, turn to 356.

If you wish to leave the cave and press on towards Ikaresh, turn to 281.

322

The stairs are high and steep. You gasp for breath and force your aching legs to climb, for the Drakkarim are less than a dozen steps behind you. At the top of the tower, an open arch leads out onto a platform where a huge kettledrum stands. This is used by the tower guard to send messages to the other palace towers. A bleached hide is stretched across its surface and a black wooden beater hangs from the side.

If you wish to push the drum down the tower stairs, turn to 329.

If you prefer to ignore the drum and escape out onto the platform, turn to 387.

323

The explosion is followed by a huge cloud of smoke, which engulfs a cabin perched on the rear deck. As the noise rumbles across the desolate salt-plain, you hear the agonizing shriek of a wounded Kraan; it spirals past the platform, a ragged hole rent in its broken wing.

324

You are less than ten feet from the sentry when he senses that something is wrong. He turns to confront you just as you are making your attack.

Drakkarim Sentry: COMBAT SKILL 18   ENDURANCE 25

If you win the combat, hide the body and enter the tomb.

Turn to 395.

325

Taking care to load the Blowpipe correctly, you raise the unfamiliar weapon to your lips and take aim. The sentry is standing very still; he makes a perfect target. You inflate your cheeks and fire.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Kai Discipline of Weaponskill (any weapon), add 2 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now 0–3, turn to 384.

If your total is now 4 or more, turn to 398.

326

‘Walk along the street to the Dougga Market. Behind the stables there is an alley. Tipasa lives there, in the house with the blue door.’

As you make your way through the dancing crowd to the tavern door, you take care to keep both hands on your Belt Pouch. An embarrassed Banedon follows in your footsteps, cursing his misfortune under his breath.

Turn to 202.

327

Your blow has opened a wide gash in both the Drakkar and his mount. The Kraan spins uncontrollably, discarding its black-clad rider as it spirals earthwards. With the terrible cries of the doomed Drakkar fading below, you wheel to the south to avoid being caught between the two converging squadrons of Kraan-riders.

The quick change of direction increases the distance between you and your pursuers, but the Itikar is badly wounded and you are close to despair; your mount is losing so much blood that it could lapse into unconsciousness at any moment, dropping you like a stone onto Lake Inrahim.

Suddenly, you spot something in the distance. It is a sight that renews your faith in miracles.

Turn to 221.

328

The merchant's face beams with joy as he pockets your gold. Deduct this from your Action Chart.

‘The first alley on the left past the stables,’ he says. ‘He lives in the house with the blue door.’

You hurry across the crowded marketplace towards the stables and enter the street beyond. As you turn into the rubbish-strewn alley, you see the blue door facing you at the end of the passage.

Turn to 206.

329

The heavy copper drum rolls from its wooden base and crashes down the tower stair, a thunderous boom echoing from the dark as it careers on a collision course with the enemy. The screams of horror are cut short as the drum hurtles through the ranks of the Drakkarim, crushing them into the hard stone steps.

Your quick action has scattered your pursuers, but victory turns sour when you discover that you are trapped; there are no other stairs from the platform. You have delayed the Drakkarim, but your reprieve is only temporary.

If you possess a Rope, you can attempt to climb down to the gardens below. Turn to 305.

If you do not possess a Rope, turn to 387.

330

You parry the Drakkar's blow and turn it aside, but he is quick to recover. He turns to face you and bellows a vile curse, his broadsword arcing back towards your skull.

Drakkar: COMBAT SKILL 18   ENDURANCE 23

If you win the combat and it lasts for 2 rounds or less, turn to 243.

If the combat lasts more than 2 rounds, do not continue the combat but turn immediately to 394.

331

You have little sleep that night as you lie thinking about the quest that lies before you, haunted by the fear that the Darklords may already have found the Book of the Magnakai.

You rise before dawn and breakfast on a meal of sheep's butter and dried milk cake, before bidding farewell to Tipasa's wife. The trek back to the Skyrider passes uneventfully, and by noon you have reached the rocky crag where the craft is moored. Nolrim is the first to greet you, but he cannot hide his disappointment that you have returned unaccompanied.

‘Do not worry — the answer lies here,’ says Banedon, holding up Tipasa's diary. ‘Prepare to set sail.’

As the Skyrider rises into the clear blue sky, Banedon hands over the helm to Nolrim and bids you follow him to his quarters at the prow. For three hours he pores over his charts, making calculations, checking instrument readings, and racking his brain for the solution that will pinpoint the Tomb of the Majhan.

‘It's no use,’ he says, tired and exasperated. ‘I cannot fathom these numbers.’

As you peer at the pages of Tipasa's diary, suddenly you realize that they are written in code. What Banedon had assumed to be positions of stars is a code to three numbers that give the precise location of the Tomb.

Consult the map to help you discover the location of the Tomb of the Majhan.

The first of the three numbers is equal to the number of oases on the trail between Ikaresh and Bir Rabalou. The second number is equal to the number of cities in Vassagonia. The third number is equal to the number of islands off the coast of Cape Kabar.

When you have broken the code, write the numbers in order and turn to the entry number that they indicate.⁶

[6] To solve this puzzle you will need to use the Map of the Empire of Vassagonia with the code instructions in mind before coming back to this section. The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct. If you do not see this footnote at the bottom, you have chosen the wrong section. Come back to this section, reconsider the code and make your selection again, repeating the process until you turn to the correct section.

332

Leaving the arbour, you press on towards the outer wall of the arboretum. Through the dense foliage you can make out a narrow, arched doorway that leads to an open chamber. A stairway ascends to a parapeted walkway, at the end of which is a stone door. You are halfway up the stairs when the sound of a crossbow being cocked freezes your blood. To turn back now would be suicide; you grit your teeth and bound up the stairs as a hail of crossbow fire slams into the steps on either side of you.

Turn to 372.

333

You catch a glimpse of Nolrim fighting his way through a mass of red-cloaked Drakkarim, his two-handed battle-axe bringing down three of them in as many blows. He cuts a path to your side and points with his bloodstained axe to a creature hovering high above the Skyrider.

You recognize it to be a Zlanbeast, a creature rather like a Kraan but far larger than its leathery subspecies. Upon its back sits a red-robed Vordak, a staff of black iron in its skeletal hand. There is a flash, and a stream of liquid blue flame pours from its tip.

If you possess the Sommerswerd, turn to 258.

If you do not have the Special Item, turn to 348.

334

You are in combat with two grim-faced warriors. They block the stair and you must fight both of them as one enemy.

Tower Guards: COMBAT SKILL 17   ENDURANCE 32

If you wish to avoid combat at any time by running back up the spiral staircase, turn to 209.

If you win the fight, turn to 310.

335

As you strike the death-blow, the Dhorgaan shimmers and winks out of existence. Darklord Haakon reels back as if weakened by the death of his creation. The glowing stone falls from his hand and rolls across the chamber, coming to rest midway between you.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense, turn to 204.

If you wish to attempt to grab the stone, turn to 268.

If you wish to ignore the stone and attack Haakon, turn to 390.

336

Standing at a fortified platform in the centre of the strange craft is a blond-haired young man with deep, brooding eyes. Instantly you recognize him: it is Banedon, the young Sommlending magician who gave you the Crystal Star Pendant at the ruins of Raumas, after you saved his life in a Giak ambush.

You are so stunned by his unexpected appearance that you fail to notice the blood seeping from the Itikar's mouth; the creature is near to death. Suddenly, the great bird lets out a pitiful and agonized caw, its wings stiffen, and its head falls limp as the last flicker of life escapes from its torn body. It pitches you forward, and your stomach heaves as you plummet towards Lake Inrahim.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table.

If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 374.

If it is 5–8, turn to 254.

If it is 9, turn to 261.

337

Without the breeze of the speeding Skyrider to cool you, the heat of the mountains is almost unbearable. You trudge across the loose reddish sand, your faces covered to keep the dust from choking your throats. All that seems to grow in this desolate waste is the wire-hard grass that tears at your boots and leggings.

As you reach the outskirts of Ikaresh, you pass a small round hut where a goat is eating from a manger by the door. A man appears at the darkened doorway and bids you welcome; he touches his forehead in a salute of friendship and invites you both to enter his humble home.

338

Using your skill for unarmed combat taught to you by your Kai masters, you grab the startled guard by the throat and pitch him over the low wall at the edge of the landing. His cry of terror fills the air until he crashes into the flagstones below.

If you wish to continue climbing the stairs towards the door of the walkway, turn to 372.

If you wish to enter the door through which the guard came, turn to 279.

339

Two dwarves clamber onto the platform and hurry to their young captain's side. One flicks open a red velvet satchel strapped to his barrel-like chest, and removes a glass vial and a clean linen bandage. They attend to the wound, and, as his strength returns, Banedon listens intently to your account of the terrifying events that have led up to this meeting. As you conclude your woeful tale, Banedon speaks, his voice full of grim determination.

‘The future of Sommerlund rests in our hands, Lone Wolf. We must stop Darklord Haakon from destroying the Book of the Magnakai. I have heard tell of the Tomb of the Majhan from the nomads of the Dry Main. They say it is a terrible place, a place of horror and death — for what little there is left to die there. It lies beyond the Dahir, near the oasis of Bal-loftan. That is all I know, for the Majhan hid their tombs well and what few traces remained have long since disappeared beneath the shifting sands of the Dry Main.’

Your face conveys the disappointment you feel upon hearing these words.

‘However, all is not lost,’ says Banedon, undaunted. ‘There is a man who can guide us there. His name is Tipasa Edarouk — “Tipasa the Wanderer”. It is he who we must seek, for he is the only man who has ever entered the Tomb of the Majhan and lived to tell the tale.’

Turn to 302.

340

It takes over an hour to shake off the Adu-kaw, by which time you have been chased through most of Ikaresh. Had it not been for Banedon's timely casting of a spell of illusion, they would be after you still. You cannot help but laugh when you picture their faces, when they saw the Kalkoth leaping at them; thank the gods they did not think to question how a Kalte ice-beast came to be roaming the streets of their town.

When you have fully recovered from the chase, you leave the narrow alley in which you have been hiding, and press on in search of Tipasa the Wanderer.

Turn to 202.

341

As you step over the lifeless bodies, you notice a Copper Key on a chain around one of their necks. Grabbing the Key, you slip it into your pocket and race down the tower steps. (Mark the Key as a Special Item on your Action Chart). At the entrance, you see a crowd of Drakkarim and palace guards rushing across the bridge — certain death awaits you there. You continue down the spiral stairs towards a dim light below.

A small fire, over which roasts a chicken on a spit, illuminates a guardroom at the base of the tower. On the back of a wrought-iron chair hangs a Canteen of Water and a Broadsword. You may take either or both of these items if you wish, but remember to mark them on your Action Chart. (The Canteen is a Backpack Item.)

You hear the enemy thundering down the stairs; they will soon be upon you. However, a heavy wooden door in the north wall offers you another chance of escape.

If you wish to escape from the guard room by this door, turn to 246.

If you wish to stand and fight, turn to 231.

342

The delicious smell of freshly brewed jala wafts from an eating-house halfway along the avenue. Chattering voices mingle with the clink of glasses, and the wailing cry of a hungry baby fills the air.

If you wish to enter the eating-house, turn to 296.

If you wish to continue along the avenue, turn to 227.

343

You are jerked backwards in the saddle as the Itikar leaves its perch. It shrieks and caws, its wings beating as loud as thunder. A handful of Drakkarim are scattered as if they were rag dolls as the great black bird emerges from the pen and takes to the sky. You catch a glimpse of a Drakkar, his death-mask slashed in two by the bird's razor-sharp talons, as he pitches from the landing platform and tumbles to his death in the palace gardens far below.

344

The old man's face is a mask of putrescent green sores. The pupils of his eyes are yellow, and his ragged grey lips hang in tatters. He suffers from vaxelus, an infectious disease that rots the skin and attacks the nerves, resulting in hideous mutilation and deformity. He has been cast from his community, banished to this cave where he must eke out his last few years of life in misery and solitude.

If you possess some Oede herb and wish to give it to the poor vaxeler, turn to 321.

If you do not have any Oede herb, or if you do not wish to give it to this unfortunate wretch, flee the cave and turn to 270.

345

You glimpse the silhouette of Darklord Haakon in the hall below, his spiked fist raised. There is a deafening crack as a bolt of blue lightning streaks from a stone in the Darklord's hand and hurtles towards you. You dive for cover behind the body of the Drakkar as the bolt explodes. In a flash of light, the Drakkar is gone. Only cinders and the rotten odour of scorched flesh remain.

You scramble to your feet and sprint along the passage. Another bolt hurtles from the hall, tearing into the ceiling with shattering effect. Splinters of razor-sharp marble whistle down, slashing your cloak and tunic. You race down some stairs, through a silver archway and along a balcony that overlooks the lower palace. A peal of bells and the crunch of iron-shod boots echo in your ears — the Zakhan has sounded the alarm, his guards close in on every side.

At the end of the balcony are another arch and a staircase: both look deserted.

If you wish to escape through the arch, turn to 381.

If you wish to race up the stairs, turn to 317.

346

By the side of the street, an old man is selling assortment of rugs and carpets from the back of a wagon. Banedon approaches him and the two converse for several minutes. Finally, the wizard hands the old man a ring; his wrinkled face beams with joy. Banedon returns to you with good news.

‘The house with the blue door — at the end of the alley we passed a short while ago. Tipasa lives there.’

As you retrace your steps and enter the dingy passage, you hear the old man shriek with disappointment: the ring has just dissolved on his finger.

At the end of the alley you find the house with the blue door.

Turn to 206.

347

Wincing from the pain of your wound, you snatch the reins back and urge the Itikar to climb higher. The Drakkar is now over a hundred feet below, but he is bringing the shrieking Kraan around for another attack.

You wheel to the south to avoid being caught between the two converging squadrons of Kraan-riders. Your sudden change of direction increases the distance between you and your pursuers, but your feathered mount is badly wounded and you are close to despair; the Itikar is losing so much blood that it could become unconscious at any moment, and drop you like a stone onto the distant surface of Lake Inrahim below.

Suddenly you spot something in the distance. It is a sight that renews your faith in miracles.

Turn to 221.

348

Suddenly, you catch sight of Banedon. His arm is raised above the armoured parapet of the platform, and in his hand he holds a slender blue rod. A torrent of water gushes from the rod, arcing into the sky to meet the deluge of liquid flame. There is a tremendous explosion as the elements collide, and a massive whirlpool of flame and water spirals towards the Vordak.

The Vordak shrieks with terror but it is too late — its fate is sealed. The whirlpool consumes the Zlanbeast and its rider in a massive burst of sun-like brilliance.

Turn to 267.

349

The golden blade sings in your hand, a crackle of pure energy spreading along its razor-sharp edge. You strike a tremendous blow, splitting the Vordak's skull to the teeth. It releases an awful howl of unearthly evil, pain, terror, and death. As it falls, its skeletal body dissolves into a smoking green fluid, shrivelling the plants on the ground beneath.

The Drakkarim hesitate as the golden light of the sun-sword glints on their shiny black death-masks; you see your chance and run straight at them, slashing to left and right. A Drakkar raises his shield, but your blade slices clean through the iron-sheathed wood, severing his arm at the shoulder. Wheeling round, you catch another Drakkar in mid-attack, tearing open his black armour with the sword as if it were merely parchment. He screams in agony, but you disappear into the dense foliage before his body falls lifelessly to the soft earth.

Turn to 228.

350

As you break cover, another burst of energy leaps from the Darklord's fist. It explodes into the base of the pillar, severing it from the floor, and the roof above caves in with a tremendous roar. The shock wave throws you to the floor, flattening you against the cold marble flagstones. You lose 3 ENDURANCE points. Erase the Sommerswerd from your Action Chart.

Haakon's laugh can still be heard above the crash of falling stone. It rises in pitch until it fills your head with agonizing pain.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Mindshield, turn to 253.

If you do not possess this Kai Discipline, turn to 369.

351

As you approach the door, Banedon offers you a word of advice. ‘Take care to guard your gold, Lone Wolf. Nothing tempts the Ikareshi more than a full purse. You can trust their honour, but if you trust their honesty they will steal the hair from your head.’

Inside, the mood is one of celebration. Tables have been drawn together to form a large semicircle in front of which stands a small, broad-shouldered man dressed lavishly in an embroidered costume. A gold-mounted sword hangs by his side, its blue velvet scabbard as vivid in colour as the man's silk pantaloons. Affectionately, the man embraces his companions, kissing the friends and relatives who have travelled so many miles to celebrate his wedding. At his side sits his bride, her face concealed behind a veil of shimmering pearls. Suddenly, the tavern is filled with music as the guests take the floor for the wedding dance.

On the far side of the floor you see the owner of the tavern, a stout old lady dressed in sombre black. She watches the festivities with tears in her eyes.

If you wish to approach her and ask where Tipasa the Wanderer may be found, turn to 276.

If you wish to leave the tavern and continue along the street, turn to 202.

352

Beyond the portal lies a vaulted corridor leading to a grand stairway. You narrowly avoid confrontation with a dozen Drakkarim, saved by your lightning reactions. As the enemy rush from an archway on the second floor landing, you dive behind a statue of the recently deceased Zakhan Moudalla. They are so intent on their chase that they fail to notice your hiding place and hurry down the stairs, grunting in their heavy armour as they run. Silently, you give thanks that Zakhan Moudalla was a very stout man and that his statue casts a very large shadow in which to hide.

At the top of the stairway you discover a hatch, which gives access to the roof. You climb through it and follow a path of sun-bleached tiles that wind in and out of the domes and turrets, eventually leading to a bell-tower.

You are exhausted and need to rest, your mind still full of the shock of your encounter with Darklord Haakon. The sound of his terrible voice repeating the words ‘Book of the Magnakai’ echoes again and again in your mind.

With desperation sapping your will, you peer out through a grille in the bell-tower. The sight before you renews your flagging hope, for it inspires a daring escape plan.

Turn to 313.

353

As you slay the last of the Crypt Spawn, Haakon reels back as if weakened by the death of his creatures. You raise the Sommerswerd, willing the blade to discharge a bolt of power that will burn the evil Darklord from the face of Magnamund forever. The blade shimmers with golden fire, but no searing blast issues from its tip. Suddenly, you realize what has happened; you are beneath the earth, and there is no sun from which the sword can draw its power.

354

You throw yourself to the deck, but the axe blade strikes your thigh, drawing a crimson line across the skin. You lose 2 ENDURANCE points. Suddenly, a deafening bang rings out and the Drakkar is flung backwards, his breastplate torn open by dwarf shot. He gives a long, agonizing death-cry as he disappears from sight, tumbling into the darkness that surrounds the speeding ship.

From Barrakeesh, a roll of thunder rumbles across the darkening plain. It is full of brooding menace, as if the city itself were cursing your escape. Banedon appears at your side, his face line with concern for your condition. As he offers a shaky hand to help you to stand, you notice that the makeshift bandage that binds his wound is soaked with blood. He is pale and weak, and close to collapse.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Healing, turn to 377.

If you do not possess the skill, turn to 339.

355

You roll away a split second before the mace smashes down, crushing the dark soil where your head once lay. Unless you have the Kai Discipline of Mindshield, deduct 2 points from your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of the combat, for the Vordak is attacking you with the power of its Mindforce. This creature is immune to Mindblast.

Vordak: COMBAT SKILL 17   ENDURANCE 26

If you win and the fight lasts 4 rounds or less, turn to 249.

If you win and the fight lasts longer than 4 rounds, turn to 304.

356

‘I knew Tipasa once, when my body was young and strong like yours. We fought the Lakuri pirates at Samiz and voyaged to a distant land where ice and snow lay thick on the ground, and the sun had not the power to melt them. Yes, I knew Tipasa the Wanderer … once. All I know now is that he dwells in Ikaresh. Find the widow Soushilla — she will know. She knows all that passes in Ikaresh.’

Turn to 281.

357

The gangplank springs up and down as you stride across the gap, and you are forced to slow your pace for fear of falling over the edge. The sentry wheels round, alerted by the noise of creaking planks. He runs to intercept your attack, his spear levelled to thrust at your waist. You cannot avoid combat and must fight the sentry to the death. Deduct 2 from your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of this fight, for the plank on which you are standing is very unstable.

Platform Sentry: COMBAT SKILL 15   ENDURANCE 23

If at any time during this combat you pick a 1 from the Random Number Table, you lose your balance and fall. Turn to 293.

If you win the combat and decide to search the sentry's body, turn to 207.

If you win but decide to ignore the body and hurry into the Itikar's pen, turn to 224.

358

You sense that the old woman is lying. She is not Soushilla the widow — she is a fraud, attempting to fleece you of your gold. When you confront her, she turns tail and disappears into the alley like a bolt of lightning.

‘Let her go,’ says Banedon. ‘Our time is worth more than the gold she took.’

If you wish to continue along the Avenue of Eagles, turn to 388.

If you decide to retrace your steps to the Eagle Square, you can either go north towards the Dougga Market, by turning to 376.

Or west towards the Main Square, by turning to 216.

359

The fatigue of your ordeal finally catches up with you; you are finding it impossible to keep your eyes open. Nolrim shows you to a bunk in the hull of the Skyrider. Gratefully you climb into bed and pull the blankets over your aching limbs. Nolrim apologizes that the bunk is too short, but his words fall on deaf ears — you are already asleep. Restore 2 ENDURANCE points for this much needed rest.

Turn to 300.

360

Two black-clad guards suddenly appear on the stairs below. You are both surprised by the encounter and are slow to react.

Pick a number for the Random Number Table. If you have the Kai Discipline of Hunting, add 1 to the number you have picked. Now, pick another number from the Random Number Table.

If the second number is less than the first, turn to 226.

If it is more than the first number, turn to 297.

If it is exactly the same, turn to 334.

361

Ducking beneath the boom-sail, you clamber onto the platform in time to witness a desperate struggle. The blond-haired magician is pinned to the deck, his left arm skewered by a spear. With a staff in his right hand, he is trying to fend off the dismounted Kraan-rider. The Drakkar senses your presence; he whirls round and draws a twisted black scimitar from its scabbard.

Drakkar: COMBAT SKILL 18   ENDURANCE 25

If you win and the fight lasts 3 rounds of combat or less, turn to 288.

If the fight continues to a fourth round of combat, do not resolve it. Instead, turn immediately to 382.

362

The smoke is cool and fragrant. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of your hosts. Their long coats of Dougga hide are perfumed with a musk that holds no appeal for Sommlending nostrils.

A young girl appears with a tray full of steaming jala cups. ‘1 Crown each,’ she says, as she places the tray upon the table.

If you wish to purchase a cup of the delicious beverage, turn to 237.

If you not wish to purchase a cup of jala or do not have any gold, you must bid farewell and leave the eating-house. Turn to 388.

363

You dive into the garden below, avoiding death by a fraction of a second. The crossbow bolts ricochet off the poison-tipped spikes and shoot into the air, the whine of their twisted metal shafts fading into the sky.

The enclosed garden is full of the fragrance of exotic plants and flowers, clustered around a sculptured pool of deep blue water. It is a beautiful sight but one that you dare not stop to enjoy. The palace guards are sure to give chase and you must keep moving.

Ahead, beyond a tree-lined colonnade, a flight of steps ascends to a small portal in the wall of the upper palace. To your right, a leafy tunnel winds away into the shrubs and trees.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Tracking, turn to 220.

If you do not possess this skill, you can either climb the stairs to the small portal by turning to 352.

Or follow the winding path into the trees, by turning to 391.

364

The room is moving, at first only imperceptibly, but in the space of a few minutes, the dwarves and the cabin have become a blur of colour. You grasp the table, your knuckles whitening as you fight to control the feeling of dizziness that overcomes you. Sounds seem distant like echoes in a cave. Suddenly, the spinning stops and blackness engulfs your senses. You have collapsed unconscious to the floor.

Turn to 380.

365

You sense that the man's show of friendship is genuine. He may be able to help you find Tipasa the Wanderer if you accept his hospitality.

If you wish to enter his home, turn to 225.

If you decide to press on towards Ikaresh, turn to 272.

366

Nervously, you wait for the chance to leap up and open the door, but the crossbow bolts ricocheting from the wall and parapet are increasing in number. Suddenly, the sound of running footsteps sends a cold shiver down your spine; the Drakkarim are storming the stairs — it is now or never!

You spring to your feet and run to the door, grasping the iron bolt between trembling fingers. As you fight to open it, a pain tears through your back: you have been hit. Another bolt strikes home, sinking deep into your shoulder and throwing you flat against the door.

As darkness falls before your eyes, you are unaware of the Drakkarim leaping towards you, their black swords raised for the death-blow. Their blades bite deep but you feel nothing: you are already dead.

Your life and the hopes of Sommerlund end here.

367

Silently, you are beginning to despair. The street is becoming narrower and more disgusting the further you go. A scraggy cat dashes across your path, closely pursued by an equally scraggy street urchin; the dagger that he carries in his hand suggests he is trying to catch his supper.

You are about to give up and suggest to Banedon that you should retrace your steps to the junction, when the street ends and turns abruptly left. A sign on the opposite wall points to the Dougga Market.

If you wish to follow the sign, turn to 376.

If you wish to go back to the fork and take the other street, turn to 216.

368

The axe bites deeply into your calf, making you cry out in pain and surprise. Lose 3 ENDURANCE points. However, before the guard can strike again, you lash out, sending the axe spinning from his hand. He howls, clutching broken fingers to his chest.

Gritting your teeth, you hobble away towards an open door. The air is alive with the sound of pounding feet, for the Grand Palace is now on full alert. Both the Drakkarim and the palace guard are bent on finding you; their lives will be forfeit if they fail.

Beyond the door, a bridge rises over an enclosed garden, joining the palace to a needle-like tower of white marble. At the entrance to the bridge, a narrow stair disappears into the garden below.

If you wish cross the bridge and enter the tower, turn to 396.

If you decide to descend the stair that leads to the garden below, turn to 215.

369

The terrible pain causes spasms throughout every muscle of your body, making them twist and contort uncontrollably. You plead for the agony to cease. Lose 6 ENDURANCE points.

If you are still alive after this psychic ordeal, turn to 253.

370

You sidestep to avoid its slashing beak but are caught by its talons and suffer a deep wound to your back. Lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

Itikar are wild and malicious creatures, and it can take many years for a rider to tame and train one. However, it is well worth the effort as, once trained, they become fiercely loyal to their master. The Itikar has sensed that you are a stranger and is ferociously attacking you with its long, curved beak and talons.

Itikar: COMBAT SKILL 17   ENDURANCE 30

Fight the combat as usual, but double all ENDURANCE points lost by the bird. When its score falls to zero or below, you will have succeeded in subduing it enough to be able to climb into the saddle and take control. All ENDURANCE points that you lose are from ordinary wounds and must be deducted from your current ENDURANCE points total.

If you successfully reduce the Itikar's ENDURANCE points to zero or below, turn to 217.

371

The axe howls through the dark; you sidestep, guided only by instinct, for you cannot see the lethal axe-blade, which hurtles towards you. Black steel bites into your side, the sudden pain making you gasp in shocked surprise. You clutch at your wounded ribs to feel warm blood oozing through your fingers. Lose 4 ENDURANCE points.

A deafening bang rings out and the Drakkar is flung backwards, his breastplate torn open by dwarf shot. He screams a long, agonizing death-cry as he disappears from sight, tumbling into the darkness, which surrounds the speeding skyship. From Barrakeesh, a roll of thunder rumbles across the dark plain, full of brooding menace, as if the city itself were cursing your escape.

Banedon appears at your side, his face lined with concern. As he offers a shaky hand to help you to your feet, you notice that the makeshift bandage which binds his wound is soaked with blood. He is weak and pale, and close to collapse.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Healing, turn to 377.

If you do not possess this skill, turn to 339.

372

A crossbow bolt grazes your shoulder as you reach the walkway, making you dive for cover behind its low parapet wall. You lose 1 ENDURANCE point. Two more bolts ricochet from the stone lip barely inches from your head.

The stone door is shut, secured by an iron bolt on this side. To pull open the bolt, you will have to expose yourself to crossbow fire, for the bolt is clearly in view above the lip of the wall.

If you possess the Kai Discipline of Mind Over Matter, turn to 269.

If you do not have this skill, pick a number for the Random Number Table. If you have reached the Kai rank of Aspirant or higher, add 2 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now is 0–3, turn to 366.

If it is 4 or more, turn to 277.

373

‘That's it!’ exclaims Banedon, stabbing his finger at a map of the Dry Main that covers his chart table. ‘One hundred and fifteen miles due west of Bir Rabalou; one hundred and fifteen miles due south of the oasis of Bal-loftan.’ He picks up a quill pen and marks the spot. ‘The Tomb of the Majhan.’⁷

You study the map and ponder the miles of desolation separating you from your goal. Banedon notices your look of dismay and quickly tries to put your mind at ease.

‘Fear not, Lone Wolf — we'll be there before the dawn.’

You smile at his confidence, but it is not the actual journey that worries you — your concern is what you may or may not find upon your arrival.

Turn to 320.

[7] This section is the correct answer to the code in Section 331.

374

As you tumble earthwards, a blur of colour flashes before your eyes as the Kraan-riders, the skyship, and the distant horizon all melt into a kaleidoscope of shapes and images, which you fear will be the last things you will ever see.

You have prepared yourself for death and are calm and relaxed, when suddenly you feel your body entwined by a mass of sticky fibres. There is a terrific jolt, which leaves you breathless and stunned. The impossible is happening; you are no longer falling, but rising!

A net of clinging strands has caught you like a fly in a web. You rise up into the sky towards the flying ship as quickly as you fell. Three bearded dwarves clad in bright, padded battle-jerkins pull you aboard an outrigger that runs the length of the hull. However, there is no time to express your gratitude, for the small skyship is under attack from the Kraan-riders.

At the end of the outrigger, a dwarf is engaged in hand-to-hand combat with a snarling Drakkar. He is obviously losing. As you rush to his aid, another of the evil warriors lands in the centre of the craft, on top of the fortified platform.

If you wish to help the dwarf, turn to 280.

If you wish to leap from the outrigger onto the platform, turn to 361.

375

Beads of sweat break out on the faces of the guards as they frantically race to load their crossbows. Your bold move has unnerved them, and their fear makes them clumsy.

You reach the top of the steps and attack with the speed of a tiger, dashing the crossbow from a guard's shaking hands with your first blow and splitting his jaw with the second. He screams and falls, toppling from the bridge to crash into the garden below. Meanwhile, the other guard has thrown away his crossbow and drawn a steel mace. He runs at you with hatred blazing in his dark eyes; you have just killed his brother and he is thirsty for revenge. Due to his frenzied state of mind, this guard is now immune to Mindblast.

Tower Guard: COMBAT SKILL 17   ENDURANCE 22

376

Forty paces along the street is a barracks, a long whitewashed building with ugly square windows. A soldier sits dozing in the evening sun with his spear resting across his lap. Some children are tossing hollowed-out larnuma fruits at him, trying to catch them upon the tip of his spear. Opposite the barracks is a tavern with a line of saddled douggas tied to a rail near the main door. The braying of these sand-horses rivals the sound of revelry drifting from the tavern door.

If you wish to enter the tavern, turn to 351.

If you wish to continue along the street towards the Dougga Market, turn to 202.

377

Clasping your hands around Banedon's injured arm, you concentrate your Kai skill on healing the torn muscle and splintered bone. The warmth of your healing power numbs the pain and repairs the internal damage sufficiently to be able to remove the blood-soaked strips of cloth. The wound is still open, but you have saved the limb.

‘We'll help him now, Lone Wolf,’ shouts a strange voice. You are surprised by this bold claim and turn around to discover who has made it.

Turn to 339.

378

Pressing yourself against the damp soil, you hold your breath and pray you will not be seen as the Vordak glides into view. Its bony arm is outstretched, and a skeletal finger sweeps the lush undergrowth on either side of the path. You sense the Vordak is using its Mindforce to try to locate your hiding place — as the finger points in your direction, a wave of pain washes over your body. You are near to crying out, when the pain ceases; you have not been detected. The finger sweeps away and the enemy continues its search along the path.

Turn to 228.

379

The terrible pain racks your body, making your muscles twist and contort in spasms of pain. You scream for the agony to cease. Lose 6 ENDURANCE points.

If you are still alive after the psychic ordeal, turn to 223.

380

Shortly after dawn the following day, you wake with a splitting headache. With bleary eyes you peer around you at the snoring dwarves who occupy the tiny bunks of the cramped cabin. The low hum of the ship only increases the pain that throbs like a demon inside your head, causing you to wince and grit your teeth at the slightest movement of your stiff and aching limbs. You lose 2 ENDURANCE points due to this monstrous hangover!

Painfully, you gather up your equipment and climb on deck to find everything in deep shadow, for the Skyrider is hovering beneath a massive outcrop of sandstone that juts from the side of a mountain. Banedon still stands at the helm, but he is no longer in a trance.

‘Kraan-riders,’ he says, pointing to a sun-bleached valley beyond the shadows. ‘They arrived with the dawn.’

You stare out across an alien landscape, a mountain valley filled with thousands of pillars formed from massive and precariously balanced boulders. The pillars reach so high into the sky that an avalanche looks inevitable. The Vassagonians call this place the Koos — ‘the needles’. Perched upon two of these huge rocky columns are Kraan, their Drakkarim riders scouring the valley with telescopes. An hour passes before they take to the sky and disappear.

‘Trim the boom-sails, Bo'sun Nolrim,’ orders Banedon, his voice barely audible above the increasing hum of the Skyrider. ‘We've a fast run ahead.’

381

You run through the arch and straight into a black-robed palace guard. You bruise your ribs and the impact throws you off balance, but you manage to grab the wall to stop yourself from falling over. The guard lies sprawled upon the floor, but with incredible swiftness he draws a shining steel axe and lashes out at your legs.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If you have the Kai Discipline of Hunting, add 2 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now 0–4, turn to 368.

If it is 5–11, turn to 252.

382

Suddenly the Drakkar screams, his limbs outstretched, his gloved hands clawing the air. He is in the grip of some invisible power which is crushing him to death inside his armour.

You step back as the ghastly sound of cracking bones rises above the screech of the swooping Kraan-riders. The Drakkar crumples to the deck and topples over the edge of the platform.

If you have ever been given a Crystal Star Pendant, turn to 399.

If you do not have this Special Item, turn to 294.

383

You trudge through the loose red sand, your faces covered to protect them from the dust and the blazing heat. The landscape is stark and desolate; all that seems to thrive here is the wire-hard grass that scratches your boots and leggings. You soon come across a dried river bed that leads to a cave in the orange sandstone hillside. A wooden plaque is nailed by the mouth of the cave, but you are unable to understand the strange words painted on its sun-blistered surface.

If you wish to investigate the cave, turn to 235.

If you wish to press on towards Ikaresh, turn to 272.

384

Unfortunately, you misjudged how hard you need to blow to make the dart reach its intended target. The sleep dart falls short, accidentally hitting a seagull that has alighted on the edge of the landing platform. The unfortunate bird takes a few shaky steps before keeling over onto its back, its splayed legs pointing stiffly at the sky.

The guard walks over to the bird and with the toe of his boot, casually flicks it over the edge of the platform. He watches as it spirals down towards the palace gardens far below, unaware that he has only just escaped a similar fate.

Turn to 282.

385

The searing flash of blue flame scorches your arm and face. You are thrown across the platform by the blast, and your body is peppered with shards of black crystal. Lose 12 ENDURANCE points.

If you are still alive after this calamity, turn to 316.

386

A few paces beyond the marketplace, a small alley heads off to the left. At the end you see a house with a bright blue door.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Tracking, turn to 292.

If you wish to enter the alley and knock at the door, turn to 206.

If you wish to continue along the street, turn to 346.

387

Your heart sinks; there are no other stairs down from the platform — you are trapped. Before you can think of a plan, the Drakkarim burst from the arch and attack.

Drakkarim: COMBAT SKILL 17   ENDURANCE 35

The only way you can evade combat is by leaping from the tower to the gardens below, a drop of over one hundred feet.

If you wish to jump, turn to 205.

If you win the combat, turn to 341.

388

You follow the avenue as it twists and turns through the Armourers' Quarter of Ikaresh. A street vendor is selling a selection of swords and daggers that catch your eye; they are beautifully crafted, well-balanced and very sharp. A wooden sign displays his prices:

Swords — 5 Gold Crowns each

Daggers — 3 Gold Crowns each

Broadswords — 9 Gold Crowns each

You may purchase any of the above weapons if you wish. Continuing along the avenue, you pass a meat market where carcasses of oxen are hung out in the open. You are not surprised to see the Ikareshi of this quarter walking about the streets with pieces of cotton stuffed into their nostrils (suspended by a thread around their necks), for the smell is dreadful.

Eventually you arrive at a fork, but there are no signs to indicate where the new streets lead.

If you wish to take the left street, turn to 216.

If you wish to take the right street, turn to 367.

389

As you leap from the gangplank onto the landing platform, the sentry wheels round to confront you. He snatches up his spear in preparation for attack. He now stands between you and the Itikar's pen; combat is unavoidable.

Sentry: COMBAT SKILL 15   ENDURANCE 23

If you win the combat and wish to search the sentry's body, turn to 207.

If you wish to ignore the body and hurry into the Itikar's pen, turn to 224.

390

You leap at the staggering form of Darklord Haakon, your weapon poised to strike a killing blow. However, as your arm sweeps down, a spiked fist lashes out; blood spurts from your wrist, your fingers go numb and your weapon falls from your hand. Haakon strikes again, catching you in the chest with a blow that pitches you backwards across the chamber.

You struggle to stand but the battle is over: Haakon has retrieved the glowing stone. The last thing you see before you are consumed by searing blue flame is the evil and triumphant grimace of the Darklord.

Your life and hopes of Sommerlund end here.

391

As you follow the track deeper into the arboretum, high-pitch shrieks echo above the ceiling of creepers and low branches. The air is humid as a jungle. You press on but the going is difficult; the soft, sticky, rotting humus clings to your boots like river clay.

A sudden movement on the path ahead makes you dive for cover; a handful of Drakkarim are coming this way, led by a figure dressed in red.

If you have reached the Kai rank of Warmarn or higher, turn to 242.

If you not yet reached this level of Kai training, turn to 222.

392

The ale is thick and creamy, with a taste like malted apples. You lower the half-empty tankard and wipe away the froth from your lips with your sleeve.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If your current ENDURANCE point total is less than 15, deduct 2 from this number. If your ENDURANCE point total is above 25, add 2 to this number. If you have reached the Kai rank of Savant, add 3 to this number.

If your total score is now below 7, turn to 364.

If your total score is now 7 or above, turn to 218.

393

You run headlong through the foliage, the piercing scream of the Vordak tearing at your mind. Unless you possess the Kai Discipline of Mindshield, lose 2 ENDURANCE points. Suddenly, a Drakkar looms out of the trees ahead, his black broadsword held high above his masked face, ready to strike a deadly blow.

Drakkar: COMBAT SKILL 16   ENDURANCE 25

Deduct 2 from your COMBAT SKILL for the first round of combat due to the surprise of the Drakkar's attack. You can evade combat after three rounds.

If you wish to evade combat, turn to 228.

If you win the combat, turn to 255.

394

The Drakkar shrieks a cry of horror and lets the broadsword slip from his fingers. He claws at his death-mask, fumbling for the latch which opens the black steel visor. As it clicks open, a mass of writhing insects tumbles from the helmet. The Drakkar screams like a madman as the creatures slither and crawl around inside his armour, stinging and biting his skin. In his crazed panic, he topples over the parapet and falls to his doom thousands of feet below.

Turn to 306.

395

As far as the eye can see, a long, straight, sandstone corridor slopes away into the distance. Torches crackle and sputter on the walls, illuminating the pictograms engraved in the yellow stone.

At regular intervals, rough-edged slabs protrude into the main corridor. You stop to take a close look at one of these slabs and the floor beneath it and come to a frightening conclusion. They are obviously traps, no doubt set off by the Giaks when they cleared this corridor of sand. Rather than instructing the Giaks to avoid them, the Darklords must have deliberately used their slaves to set them off. Once the traps had been sprung, the squashed bodies were cleared away and the slabs chiselled through to the next section. Pit traps in the floors seem to have been neutralized in the same way. Set off by luckless Giaks, they would have been filled in with the dead bodies and levelled off with sand. The thought of this heartless barbarity fills you with revulsion.

Just over a mile along the corridor, you eventually arrive at a large stone door. The stone surround bears evidence of chisel-work, but the door itself is rock solid.

You notice a faint beam of light descending from a hole in the ceiling. It creates a small circular pool of light, a little to one side of a similar hole in the floor. In the wall near to the door there is a triangular indentation, no larger than a Gold Crown.

If you possess a Prism, turn to 233.

If you possess a Blue Stone Triangle, turn to 245.

If you have neither of these items, turn to 298.

396

Inside the cool marble tower, two flights of spiral stairs meet at a landing. You detect the sound of distant running feet, gradually growing louder. It is coming from one of the spiral staircases, but which one? Suddenly, a band of Drakkarim warriors appear; they are crossing the bridge that leads to the tower. You must escape.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense, turn to 266.

If you wish to ascend the spiral stairs, turn to 322.

If you wish to descend the spiral stairs, turn to 360.

397

Greedily, she snatches the coin from her begging bowl and tests it between her blackened teeth. Once satisfied the coin is real, she nods her head and waits for your questions.

If you wish to ask her if she is Soushilla (only if you have heard that name before), turn to 307.

If you wish to ask her if she knows where Tipasa the Wanderer can be found, turn to 314.

398

The guard raises a hand to the back of his neck and removes the tiny dart, but before he realizes what has happened, he keels over unconscious, spread-eagled on the landing platform.

You can hear the clatter of running feet echoing across the palace roof: the Drakkarim have arrived. You must act quickly if you are to avoid them.

If you wish to search the body of the sleeping guard, turn to 207.

If you wish to ignore the guard and rush into the Itikar pen, turn to 224.

399

Banedon lowers his staff, the trace of a wry smile on his pain-racked face. ‘Alas, I was too slow to protect myself, Lone Wolf,’ he says, glancing at his arm. You kneel at his side and free the spear that pins him to the floor. The wound is serious; hastily you staunch the bleeding with strips of cloth torn from his dark blue robes. You recognize the robes, for they are the attire of a Journeymaster. It seems that young Banedon has achieved distinction among his brother magicians since last you met.

‘It appears that we are fated to meet in their company,’ he says, still watching the Kraan-riders anxiously. ‘Help me to my feet, we must escape before they drag us from the sky.’

You support the magician as he grasps the ship's helm — a radiant crystal sphere with hundreds of glowing facets set on a slim silver rod. No sooner has his hand closed around the crystal than there is a tremendous explosion.

Turn to 323.

400

You examine the floor where Darklord Haakon fell, but there are no signs of his body. The atmosphere is strangely calm and peaceful, as if a great and evil shadow has been lifted. (If you lost the Sommerswerd in the confrontation with the Darklord, you may now retrieve it.)

You turn and walk to the throne where Haakon sat, waiting for you to appear. Beyond it lies a portal, an ancient inscription carved deep into the blood-red stone. Below the carving is set the impression of a human hand. Instinct and intuition guide your hand to the door; the carving fits around it like a glove.

Part II

201-210: 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210

The Empire of Vassagonia

Action Chart

Combat Rules Summary

Add your COMBAT SKILL to any extra points given to you by your Kai Disciplines.

Subtract the COMBAT SKILL of your enemy from this total. This number = Combat Ratio.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table.

Turn to the Combat Results Table.

Find your Combat Ratio on the top of the chart and cross-reference to the random number you have picked. (E indicates loss of ENDURANCE points to Enemy. LW indicates loss of ENDURANCE points to Lone Wolf.)

Continue the combat from Stage 3 until one character is dead. This is when the ENDURANCE points of either character falls to 0 or below.To Evade Combat

You may only do this when the text of the adventure offers you the opportunity.

You undertake one round of combat in the usual way. All points lost by the enemy are ignored; only Lone Wolf loses the ENDURANCE points.

If the book offers the chance of taking evasive action in place of combat, it can be taken in the first round of combat or any subsequent round.

Combat Results Table

Random Number Table

ErrataIntroduction

We have taken our unique opportunity to correct errors and to enforce a standard of English usage. We list our changes here. If you see anything that needs correction, please contact the Project Aon Staff.Errata List

(Blurb) Replaced ‘SHADOW ON THE SAND’ with ‘Shadow on the Sand’.

(The Story So Far … ) Replaced ‘mid-winter’ with ‘midwinter’. Replaced ‘king's’ with ‘King's’. Replaced all occurrences of ‘king’ with ‘King’. Replaced ‘Maaken range’ with ‘Maaken Range’.

(The Game Rules) Removed ‘ that you will find in the front of this book. For further adventuring you can copy out the chart yourself or get it photocopied’ and ‘ on the last page of this book’. Replaced ‘Combat Skill, Endurance Points’ with ‘COMBAT SKILL, ENDURANCE points’. Placed ‘or below’ after ‘fall to zero’. Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’. Replaced ‘Chart (you’ with ‘Chart. (You’. Replaced ‘Items).’ with ‘Items.)’. Replaced each occurrence of ‘Action Chart. (ie, if’ with ‘Action Chart (i.e. if’. Replaced ‘of 14.) When’ with ‘of 14). When’. Replaced ‘ENDURANCE points.)’ with ‘ENDURANCE points).’. Replaced ‘points and Kai Disciplines’ with ‘points, and Kai Disciplines’.

(Kai Disciplines) Replaced ‘Kai Discipline section’ with ‘Kai Disciplines section’. Replaced all occurrences of ‘discipline(s)’ with ‘Discipline(s)’. Set the Weapons list in initial capital letters instead of all capitals. Replaced ‘Kai monastery’ with ‘Kai Monastery’. Replaced all occurrences of ‘Lone Wolf’ with ‘Lone Wolf’ when referring to the series. Replaced ‘will be of use’ with ‘may be of use’.

(Equipment) Removed ‘ (see the front of this book)’. Capitalized the items in the list rather than setting them in all capitals. Replaced both occurrences of ‘Safe Keeping’ with ‘safekeeping’. Replaced ‘Kai monastery’ with ‘Kai Monastery’. Replaced ‘Lone Wolf’ with ‘Lone Wolf’ when referring to the series. Replaced ‘also they cannot’ with ‘neither can they’. Replaced ‘slung over shoulder’ with ‘slung over the shoulder’. Added ‘You may only use one Weapon at a time in combat.’ in harmony with the Collector's Edition. Added ‘It cannot be used to increase ENDURANCE points immediately prior to a combat.’ in harmony with the Collector's Edition.

(Rules for Combat) Removed ‘ on the inside back cover of the book’. Replaced ‘on the page after the Random Number Table’ with ‘in the back of this book’. Placed ‘or below’ after ‘reduced to zero’. Replaced ‘reduced’ with ‘possibly reduced’. Replaced ‘at which point the one with the zero score is declared dead.’ with ‘at which point that combatant is declared dead.’.

(Levels of Kai Training) Replaced ‘rank and titles’ with ‘ranks and titles’. Replaced ‘LONE WOLF’ with ‘Lone Wolf’. Replaced all occurrences of ‘Lone Wolf’ with ‘Lone Wolf’ when referring to the series.

(Kai Wisdom) Replaced both occurrences of ‘LONE WOLF’ with ‘Lone Wolf’. Replaced all occurrences of ‘Lone Wolf’ with ‘Lone Wolf’ when referring to the series.

(1) Replaced ‘you must — ’ with ‘you must … ’. Replaced ‘elite’ with ‘élite’. Replaced ‘minarets and’ with ‘minarets, and’.

(2) Replaced ‘fades; and’ with ‘fades, and’. Replaced ‘diseases, or’ with ‘diseases or’. Replaced ‘entered, and’ with ‘entered and’. Replaced ‘Gold Chain and Key’ with ‘Gold Key on a chain’. Replaced ‘the Key’ with ‘the Gold Key’. Replaced ‘the Potion’ with ‘the Oede herb’.

(3) Replaced ‘sixty-seven’ with ‘67’. Altered the paragraph breaks to mirror Section 101. Replaced ‘dial.’ with ‘dial!’ in harmony with Section 101.

(4) Replaced ‘Palace Jailer’ with ‘Palace Gaoler’. Replaced ‘If the fight lasts’ with ‘If you win and the fight lasts’ in harmony with the Collector's Edition.

(5) Replaced ‘half-way’ with ‘halfway’.

(7) Replaced ‘bowstring and’ with ‘bowstring, and’. Replaced ‘range and’ with ‘range, and’. Replaced ‘surrounded and’ with ‘surrounded, and’.

(8) Replaced ‘efforts and’ with ‘efforts, and’.

(10) Replaced ‘wire and’ with ‘wire, and’. Replaced ‘head first’ with ‘head-first’. Replaced ‘Gold Crowns and’ with ‘Gold Crowns, and’. Replaced ‘to your Action Chart’ with ‘to your Action Chart, but note your lost possessions elsewhere in case you find them again later’ in harmony with the Collector's Edition.

(12) Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption.

(13) Replaced ‘appalling, and choking’ with ‘appalling; choking’.

(14) Replaced ‘urns and all kinds of fruit’ with ‘urns, and all kinds of fruit’. Replaced ‘Weapons and Gold Crowns’ with ‘Weapons, and Gold Crowns’.

(17) Replaced ‘subside but’ with ‘subside, but’. Moved the Sixth Sense choice into the first position.

(18) Replaced ‘Dahir mountains’ with ‘Dahir Mountains’.

(19) Replaced ‘suspiciously, but’ with ‘suspiciously but’.

(20) Replaced ‘reins, and’ with ‘reins and’. Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption. Replaced ‘turn to 82’ with ‘do not continue the combat but turn immediately to 82’.

(24) Replaced ‘market-place’ with ‘marketplace’.

(25) Replaced ‘free but’ with ‘free, but’.

(27) Replaced ‘oil’ with ‘Oil’. Replaced ‘Each of the three bottles bear a’ with ‘Each of the three bottles bears a’.

(29) Replaced ‘joint and’ with ‘joint, and’. Replaced ‘water, and’ with ‘water and’. Replaced ‘bar and’ with ‘bar, and’. Replaced ‘Baga-darooz’ with ‘Baga-darooz’.

(30) Replaced ‘wall, and’ with ‘wall and’. Replaced ‘action, when’ with ‘action when’. Replaced ‘narrow and’ with ‘narrow, and’. Moved the Guardian choice into the first position.

(31) Replaced ‘these Items’ with ‘these items’.

(32) Replaced ‘prayer and’ with ‘prayer, and’. Replaced ‘end and’ with ‘end, and’. Replaced ‘wrapped in’ with ‘rapt in’.

(33) Replaced ‘corroded but’ with ‘corroded, but’.

(35) Replaced ‘disgusting and’ with ‘disgusting, and’. Replaced ‘six, silver-handled’ with ‘six silver-handled’. Replaced ‘tunic, and’ with ‘tunic and’. Replaced ‘emeralds and pearls’ with ‘emeralds, and pearls’.

(37) Replaced ‘slaves quarters’ with ‘slaves' quarters’.

(38) Replaced ‘Half-way’ with ‘Halfway’. Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.

(40) Replaced ‘retch, and’ with ‘retch and’. Replaced ‘tunnel and’ with ‘tunnel, and’.

(44) Replaced ‘leatherbound’ with ‘leather-bound’.

(49) Replaced ‘climb; and’ with ‘climb, and’. Replaced ‘troops you’ with ‘troops, you’.

(51) Replaced ‘pain but’ with ‘pain, but’. Replaced each occurrence of ‘Baga-darooz’ with ‘Baga-darooz’.

(52) Replaced both occurrences of ‘Jailer' Keys’ with ‘Gaoler's Keys’.

(54) Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption. Replaced ‘traitors and’ with ‘traitors, and’.

(56) Replaced ‘shot and’ with ‘shot, and’. Added ‘(You may record the Jakan Bow as a Weapon on your Action Chart. You must possess an Arrow in order to use this Weapon.)’. Replaced ‘one arrow’ with ‘one Arrow’.

(57) Replaced ‘unlocked and’ with ‘unlocked, and’.

(58) Added ‘If you choose the wrong combination, you do not get a second guess. Turn immediately to 98.’. Replaced ‘number that will open the door’ with ‘number and do not attempt to open the door’.

(61) Replaced ‘open and’ with ‘open, and’.

(63) Replaced ‘total, for’ with ‘total for’. Replaced ‘discover the healing’ with ‘discover a healing’.

(64) Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption.

(66) Replaced ‘guard, and’ with ‘guard and’.

(67) Replaced ‘deep dark’ with ‘deep, dark’. Replaced ‘now extinct’ with ‘now extinct elsewhere’. Replaced ‘shape and’ with ‘shape, and’.

(68) Replaced ‘Welcome Northlander’ with ‘Welcome, Northlander’.

(69) Replaced ‘crisscrossed’ with ‘criss-crossed’. Replaced ‘free, and’ with ‘free and’. Replaced ‘greedily, and’ with ‘greedily and’. Replaced ‘hospitality?’ with ‘hospitality.’ since the sentence is not constructed as a question. Added ‘(Erase from your Action Chart all Weapons, Special Items, Gold Crowns, and your Backpack and all its contents, but note them down elsewhere in case you should find them again later.)’ in harmony with the Collector's Edition.

(73) Replaced ‘something and’ with ‘something, and’.

(74) Replaced ‘door, and’ with ‘door and’.

(75) Replaced ‘Quickly Northlander, I’ with ‘Quickly, Northlander. I’.

(79) Moved the Camouflage/Hunting choice into the first position.

(80) Replaced ‘ ‘click’ ’ with ‘click’.

(81) Replaced each occurrence of ‘Baga-darooz’ with ‘Baga-darooz’.

(82) Replaced ‘courage but’ with ‘courage, but’.

(83) Replaced ‘Vakar mountains’ with ‘Vakar Mountains’. Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.

(84) Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.

(86) Replaced ‘settling; and’ with ‘settling, and’. Replaced ‘turn round’ with ‘turn around’.

(87) Replaced ‘Zakhans, and’ with ‘Zakhans and’.

(88) Replaced ‘overturned and’ with ‘overturned, and’. Replaced ‘Kara Kala and’ with ‘Kara Kala, and’. Replaced ‘There is’ with ‘Then there is’.

(89) Replaced ‘equipment, and’ with ‘equipment and’.

(90) Replaced ‘advice, and’ with ‘advice and’. Replaced ‘water keeping’ with ‘water, keeping’. Replaced ‘Baga-darooz’ with ‘Baga-darooz’. Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption.

(91) Replaced ‘If the fight lasts’ with ‘If you win and the fight lasts’ in harmony with the Collector's Edition.

(93) Replaced ‘parched and’ with ‘parched, and’. Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.

(94) Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.

(95) Replaced ‘swim but’ with ‘swim, but’.

(96) Replaced ‘rib-cage’ with ‘rib cage’.

(97) Replaced ‘booby-trapped but’ with ‘booby-trapped, but’.

(100) Replaced ‘semi-darkness and’ with ‘semi-darkness, and’. Replaced ‘leatherbound’ with ‘leather-bound’.

(101) Replaced ‘Potion Alether’ with ‘Potion of Alether’. Replaced ‘Bronze Door’ with ‘bronze door’.

(102) Replaced both occurrences of ‘Jailer' Keys’ with ‘Gaoler's Keys’.

(103) Replaced ‘body, and’ with ‘body and’.

(104) Replaced ‘Maouk, ‘but take him alive!’ ’ with ‘Maouk. ‘But take him alive!’ ’.

(106) Replaced ‘combat, and’ with ‘combat and’. Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption. Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.

(107) Replaced ‘guard's’ with ‘guards'’.

(109) Replaced ‘market-place’ with ‘marketplace’.

(110) Replaced ‘strike and’ with ‘strike, and’.

(111) Moved the Tracking choice into the first position.

(112) Moved the Animal Kinship choice into the first position. Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.

(113) Moved the Healing choice into the first position. Replaced ‘posses’ with ‘possess’.

(114) Replaced ‘sensitive and’ with ‘sensitive, and’. Replaced ‘corroded and’ with ‘corroded, and’.

(116) Replaced ‘west, then’ with ‘west, and then’.

(117) Replaced ‘houses all’ with ‘houses, all’. Replaced ‘first floor’ with ‘first-floor’. Replaced ‘Maouk, ‘or’ with ‘Maouk. ‘Or’.

(118) Replaced ‘swell and’ with ‘swell, and’.

(122) Replaced ‘Jailer' Keys’ with ‘Gaoler's Keys’.

(123) Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption.

(124) Replaced ‘hall and’ with ‘hall, and’. Replaced ‘feet first’ with ‘feet-first’.

(125) Replaced ‘slippery and’ with ‘slippery, and’.

(126) Moved the Camouflage/Hunting choice into the first position.

(128) Moved the Rope choice into the first position. Replaced ‘turn round’ with ‘turn around’.

(129) Replaced ‘reenter’ with ‘re-enter’. Replaced ‘market-place’ with ‘marketplace’.

(130) Replaced ‘view and’ with ‘view, and’.

(131) Replaced ‘may, or’ with ‘may or’.

(132) Replaced ‘corridor, and’ with ‘corridor and’. Replaced ‘distance and’ with ‘distance, and’. Replaced ‘clang’ with ‘clang’.

(133) Replaced ‘turn round’ with ‘turn around’.

(135) Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption. Replaced ‘If you win the combat, turn’ with ‘If you win this combat, restore half of any ENDURANCE points you lost (rounding fractions down) and turn’.

(137) Replaced ‘strange luxuriant purple’ with ‘strange, luxuriant, purple’. Moved the Tracking/Sixth Sense choice into the first position. Replaced ‘grass, and’ with ‘grass and’.

(138) Replaced ‘door and’ with ‘door, and’.

(139) Replaced ‘skin, that’ with ‘skin that’.

(140) Replaced ‘leatherbound’ with ‘leather-bound’. Replaced ‘hilts and’ with ‘hilts, and’.

(142) Replaced ‘strange jelly-like’ with ‘strange, jelly-like’. Replaced ‘sides and’ with ‘sides, and’.

(143) Replaced ‘chain-reaction’ with ‘chain reaction’. Replaced ‘Baga-darooz’ with ‘Baga-darooz’. Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption.

(145) Replaced ‘away and’ with ‘away, and’. Replaced ‘white or’ with ‘white, or’. Replaced ‘Baga-darooz’ with ‘Baga-darooz’.

(146) Replaced ‘less than 2’ with ‘2 or less’.

(148) Replaced ‘shut and’ with ‘shut, and’.

(151) Replaced ‘place and’ with ‘place, and’.

(152) Replaced ‘stone, and’ with ‘stone and’. Replaced ‘pass; but’ with ‘pass, but’. Replaced ‘sunset and’ with ‘sunset, and’.

(153) Replaced ‘water! “There he is.”’ with ‘water: “There he is!”’. Moved the Tracking choice into the first position.

(154) Replaced ‘vials and’ with ‘vials, and’. Replaced ‘You may purchase any of the above’ with ‘You may purchase any of the above and in any quantity you desire’ in harmony with the Collector's Edition.

(155) Replaced ‘Dahir mountains’ with ‘Dahir Mountains’. Replaced ‘south-east’ with ‘southeast’. Replaced ‘south-west’ with ‘southwest’. Replaced ‘To the north’ with ‘To the east’.

(158) Replaced ‘gallery and’ with ‘gallery, and’.

(159) Replaced ‘entrance, but’ with ‘entrance but’. Replaced ‘combat, and’ with ‘combat and’.

(160) Replaced ‘construction, and’ with ‘construction and’. Replaced ‘Palace, that’ with ‘Palace that’.

(162) Replaced ‘lungs; and’ with ‘lungs, and’. Replaced ‘horrors for’ with ‘horrors, for’. Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption.

(163) Replaced ‘you, and’ with ‘you and’. Moved the Sixth Sense choice into the first position.

(164) Replaced ‘mouth and’ with ‘mouth, and’.

(167) Replaced ‘door, and’ with ‘door and’.

(168) Replaced ‘sommersaults’ with ‘somersaults’. Replaced ‘If the fight lasts’ with ‘If you win and the fight lasts’ in harmony with the Collector's Edition.

(171) Replaced ‘dark and’ with ‘dark, and’. Replaced ‘corridor, and’ with ‘corridor and’.

(173) Replaced ‘north-west’ with ‘northwest’. Replaced each occurrence of ‘Baga-darooz’ with ‘Baga-darooz’.

(175) Replaced ‘Maouk who’ with ‘Maouk, who’. Replaced ‘shadows, a dart’ with ‘shadows — a dart’.

(176) Replaced ‘head first’ with ‘head-first’. Replaced ‘Gold and’ with ‘Gold Crowns, and’. Added ‘(Make all the necessary adjustments to your Action Chart, but note your lost possessions elsewhere in case you find them again later.)’ in harmony with the Collector's Edition.

(177) Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption.

(178) Replaced ‘half-way’ with ‘halfway’. Replaced ‘body, and’ with ‘body and’.

(179) Replaced ‘potions and’ with ‘potions, and’. Replaced ‘Baga-darooz’ with ‘Baga-darooz’.

(181) Replaced ‘Palace and, somehow, return’ with ‘Palace, and somehow return’.

(183) Replaced ‘legs tearing’ with ‘legs, tearing’. Replaced ‘points.In’ with ‘points. In’.

(184) Replaced ‘emporiums’ with ‘emporia’.

(187) Replaced ‘long curved’ with ‘long, curved’. Replaced ‘claws, its’ with ‘claws — its’. Replaced ‘damp and’ with ‘damp, and’. Replaced ‘Baga-darooz’ with ‘Baga-darooz’.

(189) Replaced ‘falls, but’ with ‘falls but’. Replaced ‘indifference, and’ with ‘indifference and’.

(190) Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption. Replaced ‘Hammerfist The Armourer’ with ‘Hammerfist the Armourer’.

(195) Replaced ‘bodies and’ with ‘bodies, and’. Replaced ‘chest as’ with ‘chest are as’.

(198) Replaced ‘7–9’ with ‘7–12’.

(198) Replaced ‘jailer’ with ‘gaoler’.

(200) Replaced ‘gold, but’ with ‘gold but’. Replaced ‘the peril and the glory of the quest that lies ahead is distracting’ with ‘the peril and the glory of the quest that lies ahead are distracting’.

(201) Replaced ‘Drakkar warriors’ with ‘Drakkarim warriors’ to reflect standard usage.

(202) Replaced ‘gold, and’ with ‘gold and’. Replaced ‘street, and’ with ‘street and’. Replaced all occurrences of ‘market-place’ with ‘marketplace’ Replaced ‘material and’ with ‘material, and’. Replaced ‘sold and’ with ‘sold, and’.

(203) Replaced ‘Vordak but’ with ‘Vordak, but’. Replaced ‘blood, and’ with ‘blood and’. Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.

(204) Replaced ‘strength, and’ with ‘strength and’.

(206) Replaced ‘furnished and’ with ‘furnished, and’. Replaced ‘little there is either’ with ‘little is there is either’. Replaced ‘leatherbound’ with ‘leather-bound’. Replaced ‘numbers and’ with ‘numbers, and’.

(207) Replaced ‘Crowns, and’ with ‘Crowns and’. Added ‘(The Brass Whistle is a Special Item worn on a chain around the neck.)’.

(208) Replaced ‘yellow and’ with ‘yellow, and’. Replaced ‘By the Gods’ with ‘By the gods’. Replaced ‘Banedon, by’ with ‘Banedon by’.

(209) Replaced ‘Drakkarim, and’ with ‘Drakkarim and’. Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.

(210) Replaced ‘sky-ship’ with ‘skyship’. Replaced ‘bang’ with ‘bang’.

(211) Replaced ‘wine, and’ with ‘wine and’. Replaced ‘sell you a bottle’ with ‘sell you the bottle’. Replaced ‘a Bottle’ with ‘the Bottle’ as the parenthetical statement at the end of the paragraph indicates you are buying the bottle that has already been opened.

(214) Replaced ‘Drakkar sentry’ with ‘Drakkarim sentry’ to reflect standard usage.

(216) Replaced ‘town, and’ with ‘town and’. Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption.

(217) Replaced ‘ring, and’ with ‘ring and’.

(218) Replaced ‘tongues and’ with ‘tongues, and’.

(221) Replaced ‘If you possess a Crystal Star Pendant’ with ‘If you have ever been given a Crystal Star Pendant’ in harmony with the Collector's Edition.

(223) Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption.

(224) Replaced ‘razor sharp’ with ‘razor-sharp’.

(225) Replaced ‘found, and’ with ‘found and’.

(226) Replaced ‘you, by’ with ‘you by’.

(229) Replaced ‘Dahir mountains’ with ‘Dahir Mountains’.

(232) Replaced ‘eyes and’ with ‘eyes, and’. Replaced ‘knees and’ with ‘knees, and’. Replaced ‘move but’ with ‘move, but’.

(233) Replaced ‘lit but’ with ‘lit, but’.

(234) Moved the Tracking choice into the first position. Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’. Replaced ‘head or feet first’ with ‘head- or feet-first’.

(235) Replaced ‘explore, and’ with ‘explore and’. Replaced ‘face and’ with ‘face, and’. Replaced ‘catch of lavacrabs lie’ with ‘catch of lavacrabs lies’.

(236) Removed the second sentence ‘When you strike, the guard is still on his knees, picking up his scattered gold.’ (See the erratum for section 295.) Replaced ‘pen, and’ with ‘pen and’.

(237) Replaced ‘smells, and after’ with ‘smells and, after’. Replaced ‘Jala’ with ‘jala’.

(238) Replaced ‘crack and’ with ‘crack, and’. Replaced ‘hand, and’ with ‘hand and’.

(239) Replaced ‘Tracking and’ with ‘Tracking, and’. Replaced ‘Guardian’ with ‘Guardian or higher’. Replaced ‘Drakkar sentry’ with ‘Drakkarim sentry’ to reflect standard usage.

(240) Replaced ‘one but, once’ with ‘one, but once’. Replaced ‘falls to zero’ with ‘falls to zero or below’. Replaced ‘points to 0’ with ‘points to zero or below’.

(241) Moved the Sixth Sense choice into the first position.

(244) Replaced ‘high, and’ with ‘high and’. Replaced ‘pain and’ with ‘pain, and’. Replaced ‘Drakkar rider’ with ‘Drakkarim rider’. Replaced ‘Drakkar Kraan-rider’ with ‘Drakkarim Kraan-rider’ to reflect standard usage.

(246) Moved the Tracking choice into the first position.

(247) Replaced ‘sky but’ with ‘sky, but’. Replaced ‘Main but’ with ‘Main, but’.

(248) Replaced ‘small beady’ with ‘small, beady’. Replaced ‘belt pouch’ with ‘Belt Pouch’. Replaced ‘Crowns, and’ with ‘Crowns and’. Replaced ‘waistcoat, or’ with ‘waistcoat or’.

(250) Replaced ‘blood and’ with ‘blood, and’.

(253) Replaced ‘subsides; but’ with ‘subsides, but’. Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption.

(254) Replaced ‘battle-jerkins, pull’ with ‘battle-jerkins pull’. Replaced ‘gratitude for’ with ‘gratitude, for’. Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’. Replaced ‘sky-ship and’ with ‘skyship, and’. Replaced ‘sky-ship’ with ‘skyship’.

(256) Added ‘(only if you have heard that name before)’ since you will not have heard the name Soushilla unless you cured the vaxeler in Section 356.

(258) Replaced ‘noise, and’ with ‘noise and’. Replaced ‘terror but’ with ‘terror, but’.

(259) Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.

(261) Replaced ‘sky-ship and’ with ‘skyship, and’.

(264) Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption.

(265) Replaced ‘Action Chart, and’ with ‘Action Chart and’.

(269) Replaced both occurrences of ‘drawbolt’ with ‘bolt’.

(270) Replaced ‘two Items’ with ‘two items’.

(271) Replaced ‘below, but’ with ‘below but’. Replaced ‘blood, and’ with ‘blood and’.

(274) Replaced ‘market place’ with ‘marketplace’.

(275) Replaced ‘forward and’ with ‘forward, and’. Replaced ‘Magician's Guild’ with ‘Magicians' Guild’. Replaced ‘sky-ship’ with ‘skyship’. Replaced ‘stiffen and’ with ‘stiffen, and’.

(276) Replaced ‘Crowns, or’ with ‘Crowns or’.

(277) Replaced ‘drawbolt’ with ‘bolt’.

(279) Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.

(280) Replaced ‘face sending’ with ‘face, sending’.

(282) Replaced ‘However for’ with ‘However, for’.

(285) Replaced ‘hand, and’ with ‘hand and’. Replaced ‘muzzle-first’ with ‘muzzle first’. Replaced ‘death blow’ with ‘death-blow’. Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption. Replaced ‘is another arch and a staircase’ with ‘are another arch and a staircase’.

(287) Replaced ‘saddle ring and’ with ‘saddle ring, and’.

(288) Replaced ‘If you possess a Crystal Star Pendant’ with ‘If you have ever been given a Crystal Star Pendant’ in harmony with the Collector's Edition.

(289) Replaced ‘surface and’ with ‘surface, and’. Replaced ‘gutteral’ with ‘guttural’. Italicised ‘crack’.

(290) Replaced ‘Drakkar leader’ with ‘Drakkarim leader’ to reflect standard usage.

(291) Replaced ‘Tentarias are’ with ‘Tentarias is’. Replaced ‘over a thousand miles’ with ‘nearly three thousand miles’. Replaced ‘cargo and’ with ‘cargo, and’. Replaced ‘result Banedon’ with ‘result, Banedon’.

(294) Replaced ‘sky-ship’ with ‘skyship’.

(295) Added the sentences, ‘When you strike, the guard is still on his knees, picking up his scattered gold. Your attack is silent and deadly.’ These are copied from 236. ‘Turn to 236’ is now replaced with ‘If you wish to search the guard's body, turn to 207. If you decide to ignore the body, hurry into the Itikar's pen and turn to 224.’ This retains the text for the Mind Over Matter option, while fixing the out-of-place wording if you never untied the guard's money pouch. (See also the errata for sections 236, 357, and 389.) Perhaps Joe Dever originally intended for there to be a Random Number pick even when you used Mind Over Matter and then made Mind Over Matter an automatic victory against the sentry but he seems to have forgotten to change the wording for the Random Number pick.

(296) Replaced ‘Zakhan, others’ with ‘Zakhan. Others’. Replaced ‘brute and’ with ‘brute, and’. Replaced ‘avenue, and’ with ‘avenue and’.

(297) Replaced ‘alive, and’ with ‘alive and’.

(298) Replaced ‘lit but’ with ‘lit, but’.

(300) Replaced ‘boomsail’ with ‘boom-sail’. Replaced ‘bo'sun’ with ‘Bo'sun’. Replaced ‘Drakkar riders’ with ‘Drakkarim riders’ to reflect standard usage.

(301) Replaced ‘below 4’ with ‘4 or less’.

(302) Replaced ‘strong, that’ with ‘strong that’. Replaced ‘The Captain’ with ‘The captain’.

(303) Replaced ‘behind, and’ with ‘behind and’.

(304) Replaced ‘out but’ with ‘out, but’. Replaced ‘battle cry’ with ‘battle-cry’.

(305) Replaced ‘half-way’ with ‘halfway’.

(306) Replaced ‘obey, and’ with ‘obey and’. Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption.

(312) Replaced ‘boomsail’ with ‘boom-sail’.

(313) Replaced ‘couriers and’ with ‘couriers, and’. Replaced ‘these Items’ with ‘these items’. Replaced ‘Vakar mountains’ with ‘Vakar Mountains’.

(314) Replaced ‘cringes thew woman’ with ‘says the woman cringingly’ as ‘cringes’ is not considered a mode of speech.

(315) Replaced ‘collar bone’ with ‘collarbone’.

(316) Replaced ‘surprise, their weapons’ with ‘surprise; their weapons’. Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.

(320) Replaced ‘blood but’ with ‘blood, but’. Replaced ‘back-breaking’ with ‘backbreaking’. Replaced ‘Koneshi mountains’ with ‘Koneshi Mountains’. Replaced ‘sky-ship’ with ‘skyship’. Added ‘(You may not use Hunting if required to eat a Meal in the middle of this wasteland.)’ in harmony with the Collector's Edition.

(322) Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’. Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.

(323) Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption. Replaced ‘sky-ship’ with ‘skyship’. Replaced ‘Drakkar riders’ with ‘Drakkarim riders’ to reflect standard usage.

(324) Replaced ‘Drakkar Sentry’ with ‘Drakkarim Sentry’ to reflect standard usage.

(326) Replaced ‘belt pouch’ with ‘Belt Pouch’.

(327) Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.

(328) Replaced ‘market-place’ with ‘marketplace’.

(329) Replaced ‘Drakkarim but’ with ‘Drakkarim, but’.

(330) Replaced ‘turn to 394’ with ‘do not continue the combat but turn immediately to 394’.

(331) Removed ‘ at the front of this book’. Replaced ‘pours over’ with ‘pores over’. Replaced ‘What Banedon had assumed to be positions of stars are a code’ with ‘What Banedon had assumed to be positions of stars is a code’. Replaced ‘readings and’ with ‘readings, and’.

(332) Replaced ‘half-way’ with ‘halfway’.

(333) Replaced ‘flash and’ with ‘flash, and’. Replaced ‘blood-stained’ with ‘bloodstained’.

(335) Replaced ‘death blow’ with ‘death-blow’. Moved the Sixth Sense choice into the first position.

(336) Replaced ‘craft, is’ with ‘craft is’. Replaced ‘forward and’ with ‘forward, and’. Replaced ‘stiffen and’ with ‘stiffen, and’.

(337) Moved the Sixth Sense choice into the first position.

(339) Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.

(342) Replaced ‘half-way’ with ‘halfway’. Replaced ‘Jala’ with ‘jala’.

(343) Replaced ‘behind you but’ with ‘behind you, but’. Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption. Replaced ‘Dahir mountains’ with ‘Dahir Mountains’. Removed ‘at the front of this book ’. Replaced ‘Dahir pass’ with ‘Dahir Pass’. Replaced ‘Drakkar warrior’ with ‘Drakkarim warrior’ to reflect standard usage.

(344) Replaced ‘yellow and’ with ‘yellow, and’. Replaced ‘herb, and’ with ‘herb and’.

(345) Replaced ‘hand, and’ with ‘hand and’. Replaced ‘is another arch and a staircase’ with ‘are another arch and a staircase’.

(347) Replaced ‘below but’ with ‘below, but’. Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.

(349) Replaced ‘terror and’ with ‘terror, and’.

(350) Added ‘Erase the Sommerswerd from your Action Chart’.

(351) Replaced ‘semi-circle’ with ‘semicircle’.

(352) Replaced ‘place, and’ with ‘place and’.

(353) Replaced ‘Cryptspawn’ with ‘Crypt Spawn’. Replaced ‘fire but’ with ‘fire, but’. Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption.

(354) Replaced ‘deck but’ with ‘deck, but’. Replaced ‘bang’ with ‘bang’.

(355) Replaced ‘If the fight lasts longer’ with ‘If you win and the fight lasts longer’.

(357) Removed the words ‘forgets about his scattered gold and’ from the third sentence. (See the erratum for section 295.) Replaced ‘combat, and’ with ‘combat and’.

(361) Replaced ‘boomsail’ with ‘boom-sail’. Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.

(362) Replaced both occurrences of ‘Jala’ with ‘jala’. Replaced ‘Jala, or’ with ‘jala or’.

(366) Replaced ‘drawbolt’ with ‘bolt’. Replaced ‘death blow’ with ‘death-blow’.

(370) Replaced ‘stranger, and’ with ‘stranger and’. Replaced ‘falls to zero’ with ‘falls to zero or below’. Replaced ‘points to zero’ with ‘points to zero or below’.

(371) Replaced ‘sky-ship’ with ‘skyship’. Replaced ‘bang’ with ‘bang’.

(372) Replaced ‘drawbolt’ with ‘bolt’.

(374) Replaced ‘happening, you’ with ‘happening; you’. Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’. Replaced each occurrence of ‘sky-ship’ with ‘skyship’. Replaced ‘sky-ship and’ with ‘skyship, and’.

(375) Replaced ‘blow, and’ with ‘blow and’. Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption.

(376) Replaced ‘white-washed’ with ‘whitewashed’.

(377) Replaced ‘turn round’ with ‘turn around’.

(380) Replaced ‘helm but’ with ‘helm, but’. Replaced ‘bo'sun’ with ‘Bo'sun’. Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption. Replaced ‘Drakkar riders’ with ‘Drakkarim riders’ in both the section text and the illustration's caption to reflect standard usage.

(382) Replaced the choice at the end of this section to match those in Section 288. Replaced ‘If you possess a Crystal Star Pendant’ with ‘If you have ever been given a Crystal Star Pendant’ in harmony with the Collector's Edition.

(384) Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.

(385) Replaced ‘seering’ with ‘searing’.

(386) Moved the Tracking choice into the first position.

(389) Removed the words ‘forgets about his gold and’ from the second sentence. (See the erratum for section 295.) Replaced ‘pen, combat’ with ‘pen; combat’. Replaced ‘on to’ with ‘onto’.

(388) Replaced ‘Armourer's Quarter’ with ‘Armourers' Quarter’.

(389) Replaced ‘combat, and’ with ‘combat and’.

(390) Replaced ‘flame, is’ with ‘flame is’.

(392) Replaced the last choice to read ‘7 or above’ instead of ‘above 7’ in order to avoid the ambiguous situation of having picked 7. Replaced ‘Savant add’ with ‘Savant, add’.

(394) Replaced ‘madman, as’ with ‘madman as’. Replaced ‘mass of writhing insects tumble’ with ‘mass of writhing insects tumbles’.

(395) Replaced ‘it, and’ with ‘it and’. Replaced ‘beneath it, and come’ with ‘beneath it and come’. Replaced ‘crackle and splutter’ with ‘crackle and sputter’.

(396) Moved the Sixth Sense choice into the first position. Replaced ‘spirals stairs’ with ‘spiral stairs’.

(397) Added ‘(only if you have heard that name before)’ since you will not have heard the name Soushilla unless you cured the vaxeler in Section 356.

(399) Replaced ‘Alas I’ with ‘Alas, I’.

(400) Added ‘(If you lost the Sommerswerd in the confrontation with the Darklord, you may now retrieve it.)’. Added a period to the end of the illustration's caption. Replaced ‘Lone Wolf series’ with ‘Lone Wolf series’. Replaced ‘peaceful as’ with ‘peaceful, as’.

(Combat Rules Summary) Replaced ‘cross reference’ with ‘cross-reference’. Replaced ‘top of chart’ with ‘top of the chart’. Replaced ‘fall to 0’ with ‘falls to 0 or below’. Replaced ‘Pick number from’ with ‘Pick a number from the’. Replaced ‘Turn to Combat’ with ‘Turn to the Combat’. Replaced ‘to random number’ with ‘to the random number’. Replaced ‘when ENDURANCE’ with ‘when the ENDURANCE’. Replaced ‘ignored, only’ with ‘ignored; only’.Note on Standard Usage

Quite a number of contributors to Project Aon have reported inconsistencies regarding the use of words such as Drakkar across the series. After much research into the usage of Drakkar/Drakkarim, Nadziran/Nadziranim, and Ligan/Liganim across the books, we have decided to standardise the usage of the words in the following ways, which represent majority usage:

noun (s.): Drakkar

noun (pl.): Drakkarim

adj: Drakkarim

noun (s.): Nadziran

noun (pl.): Nadziranim

adj: Nadziranim

noun (s.): Ligan

noun (pl.): Liganim

adj: Liganim

All of the other words ending in -im either already conform to these rules (i.e. gazim, kuzim, lajakim, rekenarim, Sharnazim, and Tefarim) or cannot be conclusively tied to Darkland languages (e.g. Ghagrim).

Footnotes

[1] (Section 20) Restore half of any ENDURANCE points that you lose (fractions rounded down) during this combat if you win or evade (note what happens if you lose).

[2] (Section 31) Note that you do not need any of your own Torches to use the Tinderbox in this case.

[3] (Section 58) The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.

[4] (Section 67) This section is the correct answer for the Cloeasian combination lock from Section 58.

[5] (Section 239) You may only use Graveweed in its Tincture form in this case (you may not use a concentrated potion if you have one).

[6] (Section 331) To solve this puzzle you will need to use the Map of the Empire of Vassagonia with the code instructions in mind before coming back to this section. The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct. If you do not see this footnote at the bottom, you have chosen the wrong section. Come back to this section, reconsider the code and make your selection again, repeating the process until you turn to the correct section.

[7] (Section 373) This section is the correct answer to the code in Section 331.

Table of Illustrations

The following is a list of all Sections containing illustrations found in this book:Primary Illustrations

Illustration I (Section 12)

Illustration II (Section 20)

Illustration III (Section 54)

Illustration IV (Section 64)

Illustration V (Section 90)

Illustration VI (Section 106)

Illustration VII (Section 123)

Illustration VIII (Section 135)

Illustration IX (Section 143)

Illustration X (Section 162)

Illustration XI (Section 177)

Illustration XII (Section 190)

Illustration XIII (Section 216)

Illustration XIV (Section 223)

Illustration XV (Section 253)

Illustration XVI (Section 264)

Illustration XVII (Section 285)

Illustration XVIII (Section 306)

Illustration XIX (Section 323)

Illustration XX (Section 343)

Illustration XXI (Section 353)

Illustration XXII (Section 375)

Illustration XXIII (Section 380)

Illustration XXIV (Section 400)

The Empire of Vassagonia

Action ChartSecondary Illustrations

Equipment

Kai Disciplines

Section 1

Section 24

Section 27

Section 44

Section 56

Section 83

Section 88

Section 99

Section 121

Section 140

Section 149

Section 154

Section 206

Section 241

Section 247

Section 279

Section 320

Section 337

Project Aon License

21 August 20090. Preamble

Joe Dever, author of the Lone Wolf game books, and Ian Page, author of the World of Lone Wolf books are providing certain of their works for free (gratis) download from the internet. Rob Adams, Paul Bonner, Gary Chalk, Melvyn Grant, Richard Hook, Peter Andrew Jones, Cyril Julien, Peter Lyon, Trevor Newton, Peter Parr, Graham Round, and Brian Williams are similarly offering the illustrations that they did for these books. This license is intended to protect the rights of the authors and the illustrators, grant rights to their readers, and preserve the quality of the books distributed in this way.

By viewing or downloading the books or the illustrations, you agree to refrain from redistributing them in any format for any reason. This is intended to protect readers from getting poor quality, unofficial versions or from being asked for payment in exchange for the books by someone who is redistributing them unofficially.

Anyone who wishes to simply view or download the Internet Editions for their own personal use need not worry about running afoul of the terms of this License. These activities are within acceptable behaviour as defined by this License.

This section does not contain the legally binding terms of this license. Please read the precise terms and conditions of this license that follow.

The current version of this license can be found at the following URL:

http://www.projectaon.org/en/Main/License1. Definitions1.0

‘License’ shall hereafter refer to this document.1.1

‘Authors’ shall hereafter refer to Joe Dever, Ian Page, and Gary Chalk, copyright holders for the literary works covered by this license. Where Joe Dever, Ian Page, or Gary Chalk is mentioned singly, they will be referred to by name.1.2

‘Illustrators’ shall hereafter refer to Rob Adams, copyright holder of portions of The Magnamund Companion; Paul Bonner, holder of the copyrights for the illustrations of the World of Lone Wolf books; Gary Chalk, holder of the copyrights for the illustrations of Lone Wolf books one through eight counted inclusively, holder of the copyrights of portions of The Magnamund Companion, and holder of the copyrights for The Lone Wolf Poster Painting Book; Melvyn Grant, holder of the copyrights for the illustrations of Freeway Warrior 1: Highway Holocaust; Richard Hook, copyright holder of portions of The Magnamund Companion; Peter Andrew Jones, copyright holder for the illustrations used in the Lone Wolf 10th Anniversary Calendar; Cyril Julien, copyright holder of portions of The Skull of Agarash; Peter Lyon, copyright holder of portions of The Magnamund Companion; Trevor Newton, copyright holder of the illustrations of Voyage of the Moonstone; Peter Parr, copyright holder of the illustrations of Black Baron and White Warlord, Emerald Enchanter and Scarlet Sorcerer; Graham Round, copyright holder of portions of The Magnamund Companion; and Brian Williams, holder of the copyrights for the illustrations of Lone Wolf books nine through twenty-eight counted inclusively with the exception of the illustrations for book twenty-one, The Voyage of the Moonstone, holder of the copyrights of portions of The Skull of Agarash, and holder of the copyrights for the illustrations of books two through four, counted inclusively, of the Freeway Warrior series. Where Paul Bonner, Gary Chalk, Melvyn Grant, Richard Hook, Peter Andrew Jones, Cyril Julien, Peter Lyon, Trevor Newton, Peter Parr Graham Round, or Brian Williams is mentioned singly, they will be referred to by name.1.3

‘Internet’ shall hereafter refer to any means of transferring information electronically between two or more ‘Licensees’. (The term ‘Licensee’ is defined in Section 1.5 of the License)1.4

‘Internet Editions’ shall hereafter refer to the document or documents, any parts thereof or derivative works thereof (including translations) made available to the public under the terms of this License via the Internet. The term ‘Internet Editions’ is limited to the electronic transcription of certain text and illustrations by the Authors and Illustrators respectively as listed hereafter.

The following are the works written by Joe Dever which are being offered in English and Spanish under the terms of this license:

Flight from the Dark;