outside. ‘Luck be on your side, stranger,’ he says, and hurries away. You call out for him to wait, to tell you more of what he has learnt of Kazan-Oud, but your pleas go unanswered as he disappears into the tunnel.
If you wish to follow him, turn to 119 .
If you decide to continue alone, turn to 308 .
14
The brick slides in and the secret door slides open. Before you stands an ugly, bearded dwarf, wearing a grimy black velvet jerkin. His pig-eyes twinkle malevolently as he raises a hollow brass tube and points it at your face.
‘Sweet dreams,’ he cackles, and a blast of icy cold vapour shoots from the tip, catching you squarely in the face. You reel back, coughing and choking as the bitter vapour fills your lungs. By the time you realize that you have inhaled a powerful sleep gas, your body is already succumbing to its irresistible power.
Turn to 165 .
17
A movement at the end of the corridor warns you that more guards are entering the sarcophagus, alerted no doubt by the noise of combat. Rather than be caught without cover in this narrow corridor, you decide to enter the chamber and attempt to escape along the opposite passage.
Turn to 69 .
19
A shadow crosses your path and you release the bowstring, but your Arrow does not find its mark. A ghoulish howl is the only warning you receive before the creatures leap out of the billowing smoke, clawing and biting at your face and arms.
Dhax: COMBAT SKILL 25 ENDURANCE 32
Unless you have the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, deduct 3 points from your COMBAT SKILL for the first two rounds of combat, due to the speed and surprise of your enemy's attack.
You may evade combat after three rounds by running into the archway opposite; turn to 241 .
If you win combat, turn to 141 .
27
Stepping carefully through the slime-smeared rubble, you stop for a moment to catch your breath and survey the shattered keep of Kazan-Oud. It is a desolate sight. Only stone buildings remain intact, and everything is covered with creepers and mildew. A great fire must have ravaged the inner fortress to have resulted in such total devastation.
In the centre of the keep stands the Great Hall, still an imposing stronghold and made all the more frightening by the constant flash of green lightning. Beyond its burnt and fungus-covered wooden door, twisted tree forms, with sharp, barbed thorns, sprawl across the cracked flagstones like coils of steel wire. You are about to enter when a movement in the air around your head arrests you. A shape is taking form in the doorway, a shadowy figure with flaming red eyes. An icy chill grips your heart as it sweeps past you with a swirling rush of wind. You spin round to see it hovering in the sky, its shadowy hand now gripping a great spiked ball and chain. It shrieks an unearthly cry, and the ball whistles down towards your unprotected face.
Illustration II —A shadowy figure with flaming red eyes is hovering in the sky, its hand gripping a great spiked ball and chain.
If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Psi-screen, turn to 38 .
If you do not possess this skill, you must prepare to defend yourself, for there is no time to evade this sudden attack. Owing to the speed of the attack, deduct 3 points from your COMBAT SKILL total for the first three rounds of combat (unless you have the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery). 4
Oudakon: COMBAT SKILL 20 ENDURANCE 29
If you win the combat, turn to 5 .
[4] You may decide to add a +5 bonus to your COMBAT SKILL if you are using the Jewelled Mace (cf.
Shadow on the Sand
Section 253).
28
Before you reach his body, a second crossbow bolt hits your head. The missile passes through your skull, and you are dead before your body hits the ground.
Your life and your quest end here.
33
At first there is silence. Then a faint squeak grows to a shuddering rumble as the cogs of a hidden counterweight grind into action. The squeal of tortured metal resounds in your ears as the portcullis
If you wish to follow him, turn to 119 .
If you decide to continue alone, turn to 308 .
14
The brick slides in and the secret door slides open. Before you stands an ugly, bearded dwarf, wearing a grimy black velvet jerkin. His pig-eyes twinkle malevolently as he raises a hollow brass tube and points it at your face.
‘Sweet dreams,’ he cackles, and a blast of icy cold vapour shoots from the tip, catching you squarely in the face. You reel back, coughing and choking as the bitter vapour fills your lungs. By the time you realize that you have inhaled a powerful sleep gas, your body is already succumbing to its irresistible power.
Turn to 165 .
17
A movement at the end of the corridor warns you that more guards are entering the sarcophagus, alerted no doubt by the noise of combat. Rather than be caught without cover in this narrow corridor, you decide to enter the chamber and attempt to escape along the opposite passage.
Turn to 69 .
19
A shadow crosses your path and you release the bowstring, but your Arrow does not find its mark. A ghoulish howl is the only warning you receive before the creatures leap out of the billowing smoke, clawing and biting at your face and arms.
Dhax: COMBAT SKILL 25 ENDURANCE 32
Unless you have the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, deduct 3 points from your COMBAT SKILL for the first two rounds of combat, due to the speed and surprise of your enemy's attack.
You may evade combat after three rounds by running into the archway opposite; turn to 241 .
If you win combat, turn to 141 .
27
Stepping carefully through the slime-smeared rubble, you stop for a moment to catch your breath and survey the shattered keep of Kazan-Oud. It is a desolate sight. Only stone buildings remain intact, and everything is covered with creepers and mildew. A great fire must have ravaged the inner fortress to have resulted in such total devastation.
In the centre of the keep stands the Great Hall, still an imposing stronghold and made all the more frightening by the constant flash of green lightning. Beyond its burnt and fungus-covered wooden door, twisted tree forms, with sharp, barbed thorns, sprawl across the cracked flagstones like coils of steel wire. You are about to enter when a movement in the air around your head arrests you. A shape is taking form in the doorway, a shadowy figure with flaming red eyes. An icy chill grips your heart as it sweeps past you with a swirling rush of wind. You spin round to see it hovering in the sky, its shadowy hand now gripping a great spiked ball and chain. It shrieks an unearthly cry, and the ball whistles down towards your unprotected face.
Illustration II —A shadowy figure with flaming red eyes is hovering in the sky, its hand gripping a great spiked ball and chain.
If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Psi-screen, turn to 38 .
If you do not possess this skill, you must prepare to defend yourself, for there is no time to evade this sudden attack. Owing to the speed of the attack, deduct 3 points from your COMBAT SKILL total for the first three rounds of combat (unless you have the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery). 4
Oudakon: COMBAT SKILL 20 ENDURANCE 29
If you win the combat, turn to 5 .
[4] You may decide to add a +5 bonus to your COMBAT SKILL if you are using the Jewelled Mace (cf.
Shadow on the Sand
Section 253).
28
Before you reach his body, a second crossbow bolt hits your head. The missile passes through your skull, and you are dead before your body hits the ground.
Your life and your quest end here.
33
At first there is silence. Then a faint squeak grows to a shuddering rumble as the cogs of a hidden counterweight grind into action. The squeal of tortured metal resounds in your ears as the portcullis
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