The Legacy of Vashna (11 page)

There is a thunderous
crack!
as a bolt of white lightning leaps from the Deathstaff and connects with the hilt of Helshezag. You feel an agonizing pain wrack your body from skull to toe: lose 5
ENDURANCE
points. Then, with a breathtaking suddenness, the pain ceases.

You open your eyes and look down, and to your astonishment you see the scorched remains of Helshezag lying at the foot of the dais, the sword obliterated by the power of the Deathstaff (erase Helshezag from your Special Items list).

To continue,
turn to 318
.

You are nearing the top of the steps when three shadowy figures emerge from behind a chimney stack and block your path to the approaching archer. One of them has something in his hand which he hurls in your direction: it is a small glass sphere.

The sphere shatters upon the iron steps and, in an instant, your feet and legs are engulfed by a writhing mass of magical vines. By the time you have freed yourself from their vice-like grip, you discover that the archer and his confederates are nowhere to be seen. Having lost sight of the four shadowy figures, you decide to call off the chase. Wearily you make your way down from the roof and retrace your steps back to the stables of the Crooked Sage in order to collect your horse.

Turn to 341
.

You throw the red-hot token away, but it hits a boulder and rebounds directly into the trough. There is a dreadful moment of silence; then the whole area is lit up by a blinding flash of yellow flame. Suddenly everything seems to be happening in slow motion. You see acolytes tumbling backwards, screaming, their robes sprouting tongues of flame, and chunks of marble from the trough hurtling skywards like fiery meteors. Then the heat and the shock of the explosion rip into your face and chest, sending you cartwheeling backwards into a black, unfeeling oblivion.

Tragically, your life and your quest end here, on the trail to the Maakengorge.

At Shamath's command, the attendants draw vicious-looking slivers of steel from scabbards hidden inside their robes, and come rushing forwards to hack you down.

Illustration VI
—The attendants draw vicious-looking slivers of steel from scabbards hidden inside their robes.

Cheghath:
COMBAT SKILL
 37   
ENDURANCE
 40

These beings are gifted with strong psychic defences. Halve all bonuses you would normally receive if you choose to use a psychic attack (including Kai-blast) during this combat.

If you win the combat,
turn to 303
.

After a few minutes it is clear that the brigands have no idea where you are. The leader is furious; he turns to his henchmen and orders them to find you at once. One by one, his brutish sidekicks scurry away into the surrounding trees until the leader is left all alone.

If you wish to launch a surprise attack on the brigand leader,
turn to 14
.

If you wish to creep forward and attempt to take him hostage,
turn to 291
.

The Jackals are gaining too quickly for you to outrun them; your only hope now is to fight them off. You rein your exhausted horse to a halt and slip out of the saddle, drawing your weapon as you touch the ground. The Jackals spread out and surround you, howling maniacally as they savour the scent of your frightened horse. Then, as if responding to a silent signal, they slink forward to tighten the circle. Your horse rears up and tries to pull away, his hooves flailing the air perilously close to your skull.

As the first of the Jackals makes its attack, you find yourself struggling to hold on to the reins with one hand and fight the Jackals off with the other.

Vorndarol Jackals:
COMBAT SKILL
 42   
ENDURANCE
 38

Unless you possess Grand Weaponmastery and have reached the rank of Sun Knight or higher, you must reduce your
COMBAT SKILL
by 5 for the duration of this combat.

You may evade combat after four rounds by
turning to 222
.

If you win this fight,
turn to 347
.

You follow the President into the chamber, your footsteps echoing as you walk across the mosaic marble floor. At the far end of the room a wiry wolfhound lies snoozing in front of a log fire which is crackling in an iron grate. The flames illuminate the chamber with a warm glow, casting flickering shadows across countless shelves stacked with thick rolls of parchment and papyrus. At the centre there stands a large table heaped with sand. The sand has been shaped to depict the topography of Magador, its towns, cities, mountains, hills, and rivers. The attention to detail is most impressive.

‘Somewhere, here, I fear there is a great evil at work,’ says Kadharian, pointing to a section of the table which depicts the territory north of Lake Vorndarol, an area uncomfortably close to the deep furrow which represents the Maakengorge.

‘Three moons ago, the lakeside hamlet of Vorn was reportedly destroyed by an unnatural storm, the first of many that have continuously swept the region. I dispatched a troop of my guards to investigate but they never returned. Since then, a second troop has also disappeared without trace.’

‘But what makes you think that a plot to resurrect Vashna is afoot?’ you reply, trying not to sound overly sceptical. ‘With due respect, President, this is a notorious region infested with renegades and brigands. There may be a far simpler explanation for the destruction of Vorn and the disappearance of your troops.’

‘Aye, 'tis so,’ retorts Kadharian. ‘At first, I too made the same assumption. But then I came into the possession of something which made me believe otherwise.’

From a leather pouch hanging from his sword belt, Kadharian takes an item which is neatly wrapped in a square of patterned silk.

‘Here, Grand Master,’ he says, offering it to you, ‘I'll let you draw your own conclusions from this.’

Turn to 133
.

You are so stunned by the image of your dead brother's face that your mind enters a deep state of psychic shock: lose 8
ENDURANCE
points.

If you survive the effects of this trauma,
turn to 195
.

You sense that you are not alone; you can feel the presence of another living creature close by. Silently you draw your weapon and set off on foot to investigate. Your Kai senses lead you directly to a derelict hut on the perimeter of this ancient settlement. You call out, demanding whoever is inside to show himself, but there is no reply. You repeat your demand but again it goes unanswered. With weapon raised you rush in through the door, expecting to have to fight a skulking brigand or an Acolyte of Vashna, but you find neither. You are confronted instead by something wholly unexpected.

Turn to 47
.

You draw on your Kai Mastery to conjure up a dense fog to surround you, in the hope that it will hamper the attacking horde. However, the Vortexi are psychic creatures who actively seek out their prey by the strength of their mind waves. Your Discipline disrupts this homing process to some extent, but there are still many among the phantom horde who sense accurately where you are. When they attack, you are forced to defend yourself vigorously.

Vortexi:
COMBAT SKILL
 44   
ENDURANCE
 30

For every level of Kai rank you have attained above that of Kai Grand Guardian, you may add 2 to your
COMBAT SKILL
for the duration of this fight. If you possess the Sommerswerd, restore 5 points to your
ENDURANCE
score.

If you win the combat,
turn to 46
.

You dig your heels into Bracer's flanks and gallop along the track, steering him away from the rocky ledge and the onrushing wall of water which threatens to drown you both. Helped by your Kai Mastery, you make him leave the track and ascend a difficult slope that leads to higher ground. He obeys your command and, with barely seconds to spare, you avoid being caught by the flood as it careers along the gully.

The remaining few hours before sunrise are spent on a tiny island of rock, waiting for the flood waters to subside. It is a long and uncomfortable wait: lose 2
ENDURANCE
points.

Turn to 12
.

The journey to Helgor takes you south to the City-state of Casiorn, and then west to the Lyrisian capital of Varetta — a road you once travelled several years ago during your Magnakai quest. In the main, your ride is peaceably uneventful. By choice you keep to yourself and avoid staying too long in any one place. It is not until you reach Vakovar that the uncertain politics of this region give cause for concern. This squalid, lawless city is home to some of the Stornlands' most notorious criminals and robber-barons. It is common knowledge that travellers who value their wealth and health wisely avoid Vakovar whenever possible. Forewarned by these rumours you choose not to dwell here, but ride swiftly through the city and press on to Helgor. Yet while you are within the city walls of Vakovar no less than a dozen separate attempts are made to relieve you of your money pouch and horse. There are no witnesses to these attacks, which is just as well, for when you ride out of Vakovar you leave a score of dead robbers littering the cobblestones.

It is early evening when you eventually crest a hill and catch your first disappointing glimpse of Helgor. It is a damp and unwholesome-looking city, ringed by a rampart of mouldering rubble, the remains of a curtain wall which was destroyed during the war against the Darklords. Through the many gaps in this rampart you can see the thick fog that swirls through Helgor's brick streets and crooked, filthy alleys. At first sight it seems that the Magadorian capital is little more than a beggar-city, a vast hotchpotch of slums and hovels, but as you ride nearer you notice several grand towers piercing the rolling grey mist.

The main approach to Helgor is patrolled by presidential guards, heavily armed with crossbows and spears, who are checking everyone attempting to enter by road. They are dressed in flamboyant tunics of green, scarlet, and black calf hide, which seem too lavish for the garrison of such a squalid city. When asked your business, you show them the scroll given to you by Rimoah. They are impressed by the invitation and insist that an armed escort be provided to take you directly to the President's palace. After your experience at Vakovar you welcome their offer.

Despite the overwhelming squalor of Helgor's dingy tenements and streets, you were expecting the President's palace to be the exception. To your disappointment, it turns out to be little more than a fortified chateau situated at the centre of the city, atop a hill known as the Vanagrom Knoll. You are welcomed into the palace's senate hall by an official called Stepona, a dour man who looks older than his thirty years. He sees to it that your horse is stabled, and that you are given refreshments while you await your audience with the President. An hour passes before the doors to the senate hall swing open and, without formal announcement, in strides President Kadharian of Magador.

If you have ever visited the city of Aarnak in a previous
Lone Wolf
adventure,
turn to 315
.

If you have never been to Aarnak,
turn to 202
.