Castle Death (20 page)
As you draw level with the plinth, the fingers on the hand begin to move. They rise and fall, drumming a slow and clumsy rhythm on the granite surface. The dull thudding causes your head to ache, and the pain increases with every tap of the swollen black fingers.
If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Psi-screen,
turn to 179
.
If you do not possess this skill,
turn to 53
.
The partly submerged pathway takes you to the fissure. Here, the rustle and slither of unseen things echoes from the inky darkness. Suddenly, the shadow of something round and black breaks through the surface of the lake and a hideous gurgling cry splits the night. It flies straight towards you and you quickly take cover inside the narrow fissure.
The footsteps halt but a piercing crack, like that of a whip, breaks the silence. You cry out in pained surprise as an angry red weal opens from your temple to your chin (lose 3
ENDURANCE
points). You sense his presence, but you cannot see the enemy who dealt you this wound.
If you wish to try to defend yourself against your invisible attacker,
turn to 257
.
If you choose to run back along the corridor,
turn to 64
.
If you decide to risk jumping into the pit,
turn to 275
.
The designs are woven from pure gold and silver, studded with gems and semi-precious stones. You marvel at the craftsmanship and beauty of these tapestries — they must be worth many thousands of crowns. One gem in particular catches your eye — a large Diamond. Unable to resist the temptation, you prise it from the cloth and drop it into your pocket (mark this as a Special Item on your
Action Chart
), before leaving the hall by the door.
Using your Discipline, you focus your attention on the strange triangular plaque fixed to the bars and, gradually, its purpose becomes clear. By finding the total number of triangles contained in the design and turning the pointer to the same number on the dial before pulling the lever, you will ensure that the portcullis opens safely.
Turn back to 11
and study the design.
When you think you have the answer,
turn to the entry
that bears the same number.
13
[13] The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.
You sense that the ceiling of mist hides a powerful energy field. Touching such a force barrier, especially when immersed in water, could prove fatal.
If you decide to touch the mist in spite of the danger,
turn to 60
.
If you decide to dive down and examine the statue,
turn to 168
.
A few feet along the tunnel, you notice an irregular square in the floor ahead — the tell-tale sign of a trap. It poses no problem to a warrior of your prowess, and you clear it with one bound. Further on, you reach a spiral staircase that leads down to a rough-walled cavern. At the bottom of the staircase two tunnels lead away, one to the north and one to the west.
If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Nexus,
turn to 99
.
If you wish to enter the north tunnel,
turn to 59
.
If you wish to enter the west tunnel,
turn to 323
.
The descent is slow and arduous. Much of the staircase has been carried away by falling stonework from the battlements, and you have to contend with a rain of molten ash and pumice that is erupting from the core of the keep. You take shelter where you can, but you dare not linger too long in any one place for fear of being caught in a fissure or a rock slide.
By the time you reach the beach, your cloak and hood are smouldering and the soles of your boots have nearly melted. Many of the creatures of Kazan-Oud have escaped before you and they crowd the beach, clawing and biting each other in a frenzy of terror. The lake is choked with their dead, and the black sand is barely visible beneath the carpet of carcasses. You fend off the crazed beasts as best you can, but to stay on the beach would be suicidal.
If you choose to climb up the rocks and dive into the lake,
turn to 254
.
If you decide to fight your way down to the old stone jetty,
turn to 122
.
You tie a loop in one end of the rope and scan the opposite side for a secure target. A spur of stone near the centre of the shattered staircase looks promising, and you aim for that. On your second attempt the rope finds its mark and tightens around the stone. You waste no time crossing the gap, and within minutes, you are safely across and climbing the few remaining stairs to the breached fortress wall.
You are quick to regain your balance and press on regardless of your stinging wounds (lose 2
ENDURANCE
points). Once more the whip cracks, but you are now out of range of its cruel bite.
There is a faint
click
, and the panel slides open to reveal a set of steps leading down to a sturdy wooden door, reinforced with bands of studded iron.
If you wish to investigate further,
turn to 37
.
If you choose not to enter,
turn to 102
.
The lack of oxygen is making you light-headed (lose 3
ENDURANCE
points), but you try to ignore the pain and continue.
If your
ENDURANCE
points total is 10 or more,
turn to 4
.
If it is 9 or less,
turn to 263
.
Blinking away the tears, you concentrate all of your Discipline and skill on finding a target in the billowing smoke. A shadow to your left betrays a creature that is crawling along the walkway on its belly. You lower your Bow and fire. An instant later, a howl of rage and pain confirms a hit. The scream quickly fades, as the creature rolls over and falls to its doom.
Suddenly a shape hurtles out of the smoke, clawing and biting savagely at your face and arms. You drop your Bow and unsheathe a weapon just in time to receive its attack.
Dhax:
COMBAT SKILL
20
ENDURANCE
28
You may evade combat at any time by running into the archway opposite;
turn to 277
.
If you win the combat,
turn to 141
.
The entire corridor shakes with the violence of a series of eruptions that tears rock and iron with ease. All around you Zahda's loathsome minions run in utter panic, their voices rising to a cacophony of terror as frantically they seek to escape from Kazan-Oud.
Illustration XVIII—The entire corridor shakes with the violence of a series of eruptions that tears rock and iron with ease.
Jets of flaming gas erupt from splits in the floor as you sprint, crawl, climb, and jump over the obstacles hurled in your path by the dying fortress. Creatures from the maze now stalk these levels, adding to the carnage and panic as they consume the unfortunates who cross their path.
You cover a mile of broken passage before you find an undamaged staircase. It winds upwards into the dust-choked darkness, and, as you pound its rubble-strewn steps, your feet are licked by flames. Below, the screams are drowned by the deafening roar of fire and explosion; above, there is nothing but darkness.
You are nearing the point of collapse when suddenly you emerge from the blackness into the glare of daylight. You stagger and fall, momentarily blinded. As your eyes gradually become accustomed to the light, you cast your gaze over the broken battlements of the castle keep and see the glimmering waters of Lake Khor far below.
The walls of the fortress are crumbling rapidly, and the ground is alive with constant vibration. You run headlong through the ruined main gate as bolts of lightning are drawn from the sky by the dying power of Kazan-Oud. At the top of a ruined staircase, you stare down at the shore far below.
If you wish to descend the steps to the old jetty,
turn to 122
.
If you choose to make your way to the beach,
turn to 309
.
If you decide to dive from the cliff into the water far below,
turn to 254
.
You are in combat with four armoured Beastmen. They attack simultaneously, and you must fight them as one enemy.
Zahda Beastmen:
COMBAT SKILL
30
ENDURANCE
39
If you win the combat in three rounds or less,
turn to 248
.
If combat lasts longer than three rounds,
turn to 160
.
Filling your hand with the hilt of the sun-sword, you unsheathe its golden blade and sever the tendril with one stroke. But instead of blood, or what would pass for blood in the body of this ghastly creature, a flame bursts into life like a sputtering fuse. The brain ceases to move, hovering motionless above the sand, as the spitting flame burns fiercely along its thin tube of sundered flesh.
The cloying smell of damp and decay grows steadily stronger, and you are forced to cover your nose with your cloak to block out the sickly stench. The tunnel twists to the right, and you notice a small iron door set into the wall ahead and a narrow staircase descending into the gloom.
If you wish to investigate the door,
turn to 262
.
If you decide to descend the stairs,
turn to 11
.
Taking up a position to one side of the tunnel, you press yourself flat against the wall and wait for the best moment to strike. Four warriors, dark and grim, march into the hall in single file. At first sight you mistake them for Drakkarim, for their black armour and skull-like helmets are identical to those worn by the evil human warriors who serve the Darklords of Helgedad. As you launch your attack, you see their features and realize that they cannot possibly be human. Great sloping shoulders support their unnaturally long arms; yellow-clawed hairy hands grip axes and spears of rough-wrought iron; and behind them swing long, tufted tails, like those of lions.
Your first blow shears through the backplate of the last warrior in the line, causing him to howl like a demon and collapse in a crumpled heap at your feet. The others spin to face you, their reactions battle-swift, their weapons raised to counter your threat. The leader throws open his visor to reveal a boar-like snout and tusks. He bellows a fearsome growl and stabs at you with his spear. The others echo his cry and close around you. You cannot evade combat and must fight all three as one enemy.
Zahda Beastmen:
COMBAT SKILL
28
ENDURANCE
35
If you win the combat,
turn to 56
.
You race back towards the corner but a slab of smooth stone is rumbling into view, sealing off the only exit. You are forced to stop and face the fiery attacker.
Nothing seems to happen. The buttons remain depressed and the concealed door remains closed. You are about to step away from the sarcophagus when there is a faint
click
and the panel slides open. You chance a cautious glance inside and see a set of steps leading down to a stout wooden door, its gnarled timber studded and reinforced with bands of iron.
If you wish to enter the sarcophagus,
turn to 37
.
If you choose not to enter,
turn to 102
.
You walk along the passage for several minutes until it turns sharply to the left. Cautiously you peer around the corner, your basic Kai instincts alerting you to a potential threat. Peering down, you see a beam of light shining from one side of the corridor to the other. The passage ahead looks no different to those in the rest of the maze, but you feel sure that it contains a deadly trap.
If you wish to step over the beam of light and continue along the passage,
turn to 88
.
If you choose to walk through the beam,
turn to 240
.
You thread your way through a network of empty passages and chambers. Twice you are forced to hide when groups of black-armoured warriors appear unexpectedly. At first you think that they are Drakkarim, evil humans who serve the Darklords of Helgedad, but their unnaturally long arms and the tails that swing behind them soon dispel that fear, replacing it with a far greater one.
At the bottom of a narrow winding stairway, you arrive at a small but opulently furnished chamber, its walls hung with beautiful tapestries, undamaged by the damp that pervades the upper levels of the fortress. It looks as if you have reached a dead end, and you are about to turn back when you notice a small door tucked away in one corner of the room.
If you wish to open the door,
turn to 256
.
If you decide to take a closer look at the tapestries,
turn to 305
.
