fish out of water: lose 3 ENDURANCE points. You have barely recovered when a Drakkarim sailor, armed with a billhook, looms out of the smoke and lunges at your head.
Drakkarim Sailor: COMBAT SKILL 19 ENDURANCE 24
Unless you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, reduce your COMBAT SKILL by 4 points for the first two rounds of this fight, owing to the shock of your landing and the surprise of your enemy's attack.
If you win the combat, turn to 243
19
As the name leaves your lips, the tip of the crystal shard glows bright amber. Instantly the guard reaches for a lever in the wall, and before you can prevent him, he pulls it, setting an alarm bell clanging. In a matter of seconds, the courtyard is awash with a nightmare legion of snarling, screaming, snapping horrors. They fall upon you, and although you slay many, they overpower you eventually and haul you in chains before Darklord Gnaag. With cruel glee, he orders you to be cast into the Lake of Blood, where your endless suffering will feed its unholy flames for all eternity.
Tragically, on the threshold of victory, your natural life and mission end here.
20
You throw yourself to the deck as the missile drops like a meteor from the sky. It passes overhead, between the main and mizzen masts, and then hits the water with a tremendous splash. The other enemy vessels start to turn to bring their weapons to bear, but the heavy iron ships are slow and cumbersome, and by the time they have altered position, the
Intrepid
is out of range and sailing at speed into the dully gleaming waters of the Kaltersee.
Turn to 71 .
23
Your lightning-fast reflexes save you from the small, jelly-like creature that is plummeting towards your head. You sidestep and it hits the floor with a splat like a handful of falling mud. Immediately it springs towards your face, forcing you to defend yourself as best you can.
Illustration II —The Plaak springs from the floor towards your face.
Plaak: COMBAT SKILL 30 ENDURANCE 10
This creature is immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge. Owing to the speed of its attack, unless you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, you are unable to draw a weapon and must fight the first round of combat unarmed.
If you win the combat, turn to 312 .
24
The mate leads you through the bowels of the ship to your quarters near the stern. You are hoping for some degree of comfort but the cabin turns out to be cramped and smelly, sandwiched between the galley and the bilge. Despite the lack of space, and a stomach-churning smell redolent of dead fish, you manage to catch a few hours' sleep before the grey dawn haze filters through the glass of the cabin's solitary porthole.
Desperate for fresh air, you make your way up to the forecastle where you find the captain, standing alone at the rail, reading the contents of the envelope. ‘ 'Tis a brave risky adventure you've committed yourself to, comrade,’ he says, without raising his eyes from the parchment clutched in his gloved hands. ‘Yet these be risky times. I can only guess at what lies beyond your journey to Dejkaata, but of one thing you can be sure — I will do all in my power to see you safely there.’ Immediately, he issues orders to turn the ship about and steer a new course — north by northwest. The crew react to the sudden change of plan with great speculation, yet, despite the dangers they know they may have to face, none challenge their captain's decision or voice dissent.
Turn to 241 .
26
Your Kai sense informs you that the stairs descend to the control cabin and crew's quarters then on to the cargo sections which house huge tanks filled with sulphur, used as fuel for the engine of this strange craft. The sudden appearance of the sailor's body has started a commotion, and the sound of heavy boots grating on metal warns you that more Drakkarim are ascending the stairs to investigate what, or who, caused their comrade's death. To attempt to descend the stairs
Drakkarim Sailor: COMBAT SKILL 19 ENDURANCE 24
Unless you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, reduce your COMBAT SKILL by 4 points for the first two rounds of this fight, owing to the shock of your landing and the surprise of your enemy's attack.
If you win the combat, turn to 243
19
As the name leaves your lips, the tip of the crystal shard glows bright amber. Instantly the guard reaches for a lever in the wall, and before you can prevent him, he pulls it, setting an alarm bell clanging. In a matter of seconds, the courtyard is awash with a nightmare legion of snarling, screaming, snapping horrors. They fall upon you, and although you slay many, they overpower you eventually and haul you in chains before Darklord Gnaag. With cruel glee, he orders you to be cast into the Lake of Blood, where your endless suffering will feed its unholy flames for all eternity.
Tragically, on the threshold of victory, your natural life and mission end here.
20
You throw yourself to the deck as the missile drops like a meteor from the sky. It passes overhead, between the main and mizzen masts, and then hits the water with a tremendous splash. The other enemy vessels start to turn to bring their weapons to bear, but the heavy iron ships are slow and cumbersome, and by the time they have altered position, the
Intrepid
is out of range and sailing at speed into the dully gleaming waters of the Kaltersee.
Turn to 71 .
23
Your lightning-fast reflexes save you from the small, jelly-like creature that is plummeting towards your head. You sidestep and it hits the floor with a splat like a handful of falling mud. Immediately it springs towards your face, forcing you to defend yourself as best you can.
Illustration II —The Plaak springs from the floor towards your face.
Plaak: COMBAT SKILL 30 ENDURANCE 10
This creature is immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge. Owing to the speed of its attack, unless you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, you are unable to draw a weapon and must fight the first round of combat unarmed.
If you win the combat, turn to 312 .
24
The mate leads you through the bowels of the ship to your quarters near the stern. You are hoping for some degree of comfort but the cabin turns out to be cramped and smelly, sandwiched between the galley and the bilge. Despite the lack of space, and a stomach-churning smell redolent of dead fish, you manage to catch a few hours' sleep before the grey dawn haze filters through the glass of the cabin's solitary porthole.
Desperate for fresh air, you make your way up to the forecastle where you find the captain, standing alone at the rail, reading the contents of the envelope. ‘ 'Tis a brave risky adventure you've committed yourself to, comrade,’ he says, without raising his eyes from the parchment clutched in his gloved hands. ‘Yet these be risky times. I can only guess at what lies beyond your journey to Dejkaata, but of one thing you can be sure — I will do all in my power to see you safely there.’ Immediately, he issues orders to turn the ship about and steer a new course — north by northwest. The crew react to the sudden change of plan with great speculation, yet, despite the dangers they know they may have to face, none challenge their captain's decision or voice dissent.
Turn to 241 .
26
Your Kai sense informs you that the stairs descend to the control cabin and crew's quarters then on to the cargo sections which house huge tanks filled with sulphur, used as fuel for the engine of this strange craft. The sudden appearance of the sailor's body has started a commotion, and the sound of heavy boots grating on metal warns you that more Drakkarim are ascending the stairs to investigate what, or who, caused their comrade's death. To attempt to descend the stairs
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