Shadow on the Sand (2 page)

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
.

This Discipline enables a Kai Lord to blend in with his surroundings. In the countryside, he can hide undetected among trees and rocks and pass close to an enemy without being seen. In a town or city, it enables him to look and sound like a native of that area, and can help him to find shelter or a safe hiding place.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Camouflage’ on your
Action Chart
.

This skill ensures that a Kai Lord will never starve in the wild. He will always be able to hunt for food for himself except in areas of wasteland and desert. You are aware that 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
.

This skill may warn a Kai Lord of imminent danger. It may also reveal the true purpose of a stranger or strange object encountered in your adventure.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Sixth Sense’ on your
Action Chart
.

This skill enables a Kai Lord to make the correct choice of a path in the wild, to discover the location of a person or object in a town or city and to read the secrets of footprints or tracks.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Tracking’ on your
Action Chart
.

This Discipline can be used to restore
ENDURANCE
points lost in combat. If you possess this skill you may restore 1
ENDURANCE
point to your total for every numbered section of the book you pass through in which you are not involved in combat. (This is only to be used after your
ENDURANCE
has fallen below its original level.) Remember that your
ENDURANCE
cannot rise above its original level.

If you choose this skill write ‘Healing: +1
ENDURANCE
point for each section without combat’ on your
Action Chart
.

Upon entering the Kai Monastery, each initiate 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
.

The fact that you are skilled with a weapon does not mean you set out on the adventure carrying that particular weapon. However, you will have opportunities to acquire weapons in the course of your adventures. You cannot carry more than 2 weapons.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Weaponskill in _______ +2
COMBAT SKILL
points if this weapon carried’ on your
Action Chart
.

The Darklords and many of the evil creatures in their command have the ability to attack you using their Mindforce. The Kai Discipline of Mindshield prevents you from losing any
ENDURANCE
points when subjected to this form of attack.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Mindshield: no points lost when attacked by Mindblast’ on your
Action Chart
.

This enables a Kai Lord to attack an enemy using the force of his mind. It can be used at the same time as normal combat weapons and adds two extra points to your
COMBAT SKILL
. Not all the creatures encountered on this adventure will be harmed by Mindblast. You will be told if a creature is immune.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Mindblast: +2
COMBAT SKILL
points’ on your
Action Chart
.

This skill enables a Kai Lord to communicate with some animals and to be able to guess the intentions of others.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Animal Kinship’ on your
Action Chart
.

Mastery of this Discipline enables a Kai Lord to move small objects with his powers of concentration.

If you choose this skill, write ‘Mind Over Matter’ on your
Action Chart
.

If you have successfully completed Books 1–4 of the
Lone Wolf
series
, completion of Book 5 will raise you to the rank of Kai Master. This means that you will have acquired all ten basic Kai skills.

All of the Special Items that you have found and kept during your adventures, may then be used in the
Lone Wolf
‘Magnakai’ series, which begins with Book 6 entitled
The Kingdoms of Terror
.

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)
  
  
• Potion of Laumspur (Backpack Items). This potion restores 4
  ENDURANCE
  points to your total when swallowed after combat. There is enough for one dose.
  
  
• Sword (Weapons)
  
  
• Spear (Weapons)
  
  
• 2 Special Rations (Meals). Each of these Special Rations counts as one Meal, and each takes up one space in your Backpack.
  
  
• Mace (Weapons)
  
  
• Shield (Special Items). This adds 2 points to your
  COMBAT SKILL
  when used in combat.
  
  

List the four items that you choose on your
Action Chart
, under the heading given in brackets, and make a note of any effect it may have on your
ENDURANCE
points or
COMBAT SKILL
.

Now that you have your equipment, the following list shows you how it is carried. You don't need to make notes but you can refer back to this list in the course of your adventure.

• Dagger — carried in the hand.
  
• Potion of Laumspur — carried in the Backpack.
  
• Sword — carried in the hand.
  
• Spear — carried in the hand.
  
• Special Rations — carried in the Backpack.
  
• Mace — carried in the hand.
  
• Shield — slung over the shoulder when not in combat, otherwise carried in the hand.
  

Weapons

The maximum number of weapons that you may carry is
two
.

Backpack Items

These must be stored in your Backpack. Because space is limited, you may only keep a maximum of eight articles, including Meals, in your Backpack at any one time.

Special Items

Special Items are not carried in the Backpack. When you discover a Special Item, you will be told how to carry it.

Gold Crowns

These are always carried in the Belt Pouch. It will hold a maximum of fifty crowns.

Food

Food is carried in your Backpack. Each Meal counts as one item.

Any item that may be of use and can be picked up on your adventure and entered on your
Action Chart
is given capital letters in the text. Unless you are told it is a Special Item, carry it in your Backpack.

Weapons

Weapons aid you in combat. If you have the Kai Discipline of Weaponskill and the correct weapon, it adds 2 points to your
COMBAT SKILL
. If you enter a combat with no weapons, deduct 4 points from your
COMBAT SKILL
and fight with your bare hands. If you find a weapon during the adventure, you may pick it up and use it. (Remember you can only carry two weapons at once.) You may only use one Weapon at a time in combat.

Backpack Items

During your travels you will discover various useful items which you may wish to keep. (Remember you can only carry a maximum of eight items in your Backpack at any time.) You may exchange or discard them at any point when you are not involved in combat.

Special Items

Special Items are not carried in the Backpack. When you discover a Special Item, you will be told how to carry it. If you have successfully completed previous
Lone Wolf
books, you may already possess Special Items. Before you begin
Shadow on the Sand
, you may choose to leave any or all of these items in ‘safekeeping’ at your Kai Monastery in Sommerlund. Special Items in ‘safekeeping’ cannot be used, but neither can they be lost during your adventure.

Gold Crowns

The currency of Sommerlund and Vassagonia is the Crown, which is a small gold coin. Whenever you kill a creature and search the body, you may take any Gold Crowns that you find and put them in your Belt Pouch.

Food

You will need to eat regularly during your adventure. If you do not have any food when you are instructed to eat a Meal, you will lose 3
ENDURANCE
points. If you have chosen the Kai Discipline of Hunting as one of your five skills, you will not need to tick off a Meal when instructed to eat (unless you are in an area of desert where the opportunity for hunting is limited).

Potion of Laumspur

This is a healing potion that can restore 4
ENDURANCE
points to your total when swallowed after combat. There is enough for one dose only. If you discover any other potions during the adventure, you will be informed of its effect. All potions are Backpack Items.