The Legacy of Vashna (24 page)

You take your place among the throng kneeling before the dais, and watch as the tall, platinum-haired figure begins to speak.

‘I, Cadak of Kaag, summon forth from the Vortex of the Planes the Deliverer of Vashna, Mighty Lord of Darkness, Prince of the Legions of the Restless Dead,’ he says, his words clear and confident above the howling storm. ‘Come to us. Come to us now and fulfil our destiny. We, the worthy, now prove our faith in the undying power of Vashna.’

Upon hearing these words, the acolytes utter a chilling cry of affirmation and rise to their feet. By rank they follow the Elders in single file towards a smaller, shimmering metallic arch which stands to one side of the crystal dais, almost obscured by the glare of the larger one. One by one they file through this archway, under the watchful gaze of Cadak, and then return to their places where they kneel and pray.

As you approach the smaller arch, you sense a curtain of power drawn across it. Anxiously you pray to the Gods Kai and Ishir to protect you as you prepare to pass through this invisible barrier.

If you possess the Sommerswerd,
turn to 166
.

If you do not possess this Special Item,
turn to 204
.

The night passes uneventfully, but you awake at dawn to a spectacular sight. The eastern sky is filled with soaring meteors of fiery yellow light which shoot from the midst of a bank of deep magenta storm clouds. The air seethes with electrical energy and lightning flashes can be seen all along the distant horizon. You find the sight unnerving, doubly so when you calculate that its centre of activity lies directly over the Maakengorge.

After a frugal breakfast, you set off along the shoreline trail on a route which takes you ever nearer to the storm.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.

If the number you have picked is 0–4,
turn to 32
.

If it is 5–9,
turn to 155
.

You thank Gwynian for his help and he waves farewell as you leave the hovel and walk back to your horse.

‘Good luck, Grand Master,’ he calls out. ‘My hopes and my prayers go with you.’

By nightfall you have covered twenty miles of rough terrain and have been assailed by extremes of weather. From a desert-like heat at mid-afternoon the temperature plummeted, causing a sub-zero squall which left you and Bracer blanketed with frost. But now, as darkness draws its cloak over this troubled land, the temperature quickly rises. This heralds the return of the rain, and the thunder and the violent lightning strikes.

Helped by your tracking skills, you discover a shallow cave where you can take shelter from the storm. You are tired and hungry, and unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.

If you possess Animal Mastery and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Guardian or higher,
turn to 194
.

If you do not possess this Discipline, or if you have yet to achieve this level of Kai Mastery,
turn to 23
.

As you strike your killing blow, Cadak shudders and crashes to the ground, clutching his staff tightly to his chest. He finds just enough strength to utter a dying curse; then, before your disbelieving eyes, his body slowly disintegrates. The skin is quickly criss-crossed by thousands of wrinkles, and the drying flesh falls from his skull, leaving it bare boned with a tattered layer of leathery skin stretched over it. Then, in the next instant his body collapses into naked bone. His staff breaks into chalky chunks and, finally, bone and staff blacken and fall away to dust.

Turn to 72
.

You crash down to earth amidst a heap of jagged stones and broken glass. Then, as you are struggling to stand, a deluge of burning timber falls on your back and knocks you down: lose 9
ENDURANCE
points.

If you are still alive,
turn to 200
.

It is dusk when you emerge from the woods and ride along a ridge which overlooks the eastern shoreline of Lake Vorndarol, and it is here that you catch your first glimpse of the acolyte settlement. It consists of several long huts, grouped around a great hall of stone on a hill overlooking a shingle beach. Down on the beach there is a wooden jetty where an acolyte longboat is moored. It is the same longboat that was used in the attack on Vorn quay.

Cautiously, you descend the ridge and ride towards the settlement. When you are within half a mile of the perimeter, you leave your horse and go forwards on foot. There are acolytes everywhere but you find it easy to avoid them and enter the encampment unseen. Under cover of the approaching darkness and aided by your camouflage skills, you make your way towards the stone hall. You sense that something important is going on there and you resolve to find out what it is.

Turn to 137
.

Swiftly you unshoulder your Bow, draw an Arrow from your Quiver, and take hurried aim as the man in black leaps from the window ledge onto the balcony.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Weaponmastery with Bow, add 3 to the number you have picked.

If your total score is now 6 or less,
turn to 27
.

If it is 7 or more,
turn to 251
.

Your mastery of the Magnakai Pathsmanship Discipline warns you that you could be ambushed if you were to enter the circle of boulders. Forewarned, you wait and observe the horseshoe of rocks a while longer. Before too long your patience is rewarded: something is moving around down there.

You intensify your vision and see that it is a pack of bony, dog-like creatures. They are feeding on something in the lee of the rocks.

If you wish to go and see what it is they are feeding upon,
turn to 11
.

If you choose to avoid the horseshoe rocks,
turn to 248
.

Aching with fatigue and spattered with the foul ichor that passed for blood in the bodies of Shamath's attendants, you step back from those you have slain and stare defiantly at the towering Demoness.

Turn to 242
.

You draw back your Arrow until the feathers are touching your lips; then you let slip the straining bowstring. The shaft whistles through the trees towards the brigand leader's back and hits him squarely between the shoulder blades with a loud
thok!
He screams and throws his arms wide as he crashes face-first to the ground.

His henchmen spin around and see you. They bellow commands to their underlings and at once the angry brigands begin to close in on your position from all sides. You retreat into the trees and head back the way you came, anxious to retrieve your horse before the brigands find him. You are within a stone's throw of Bracer when suddenly you are confronted by more than a dozen bandits, hungry for revenge. They attack in a frenzy and you are forced to fight all twelve at once.

Vakovarian brigands:
COMBAT SKILL
 46   
ENDURANCE
 56

You may evade this combat after six rounds by
turning to 35
.

If you win the fight,
turn to 188
.

You wield the Deathstaff with confidence, but the insidious effect of the weapon is making you careless as you sweep the staff around your head. Some of the stronger Vortexi are able to break away from the spinning cyclone to make good their attack.

Vortexi:
COMBAT SKILL
 40   
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. However, due to the harmful side effects of the Deathstaff, you must reduce your
ENDURANCE
score by 2 prior to the start of this combat.

If you win the combat,
turn to 46
.

The creature roars with frustration. Mentally its instincts are pulling it apart; it cannot decide whether to attack or retreat. Finally, with a howl of anger, it comes lumbering towards you. It is going to attack but you sense that your commands have greatly weakened its resolve.

You raise your weapon and bring your horse about to face the beast, but on the instant he sees the creature he panics and rears up on his hind legs, neighing with fright. You bring him under control using your innate Kai skills, but in doing so your attention is diverted from the attacking beast as it moves in and swipes at you with its clawed paw.

Black Corvayl:
COMBAT SKILL
 38   
ENDURANCE
 56

Reduce your
COMBAT SKILL
by 5 for the first round of this fight only.

If you win the combat,
turn to 210
.

Your Magnakai Pathsmanship skills and the freshness of the mud make it easy for you to tell that the tracks are made by humans on foot. You count at least six different sets of footprints, all heading in a northeasterly direction.

Turn to 67
.

Your Weapon disintegrated in the blast (erase it from your
Action Chart
), yet it served to conduct the energy of the lightning ball away from your body. It has spared you from sustaining injury and possibly death.

Dazed by the blast and the fall, you stagger to your feet and look around for your horse. He has halted at the river's edge where he is pacing nervously to and fro. You call to him, using your natural Kai skills to calm and control his fear, and he responds at once and returns to collect you. Swiftly you climb back into the saddle and gallop away along the river trail, anxious to put distance between you and this deadly storm.

Turn to 80
.

You leap into the saddle and steer your horse away from the lake and the sinister circle of boulders. Then you hear another frenzied howl and you glance over your shoulder to see a pack of eight ridge-backed Jackals come streaming through a gap in the boulders, drawn by the scent of your horse. They seem to know that he is in a weakened state and this fuels their fury.

You urge your horse to the gallop as the Jackals bound along the shore, but he is weakening fast and the ground here is treacherous: it is strewn with loose rocks and jagged shale.

If you possess Grand Huntmastery and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian or higher,
turn to 112
.

If you do not possess this Discipline or have yet to attain this level of Kai rank,
turn to 99
.

You make it across the street to the roof, but you twist your ankle on landing and crash heavily against the corrugated tiles: lose 2
ENDURANCE
points.

Painfully you limp to your feet and watch as the assassin makes good his escape. For a moment he halts beside a tall chimney stack and turns to look in your direction. Then three other shadowy figures emerge from behind the stack and stand at his shoulder. They stare at you silently for a few moments before turning and melting away into the night.

Having decided it would be pointless to try to follow them, 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
.

Stunned by the speed and skill with which you have dispatched over fifteen of their brothers, the circle of murderous acolytes retreat a few paces to catch their breath and lick their wounds.

‘We have an intruder in our midst,’ screams Cadak, levelling his wizard's staff at you accusingly. The tip flares brightly; then a jet of crimson energy comes arcing towards your chest. You try to dodge it but it follows you and connects with your spine, numbing your limbs with its insidious effect.

Turn to 228
.

The brigand captain's men respond to his call for help and, with the sound of them closing in, you break off the fight and take to your heels. Thinking that he has terrified you into running away, the captain gives chase, but he soon loses you among the dense pines and calls off his pursuit. The area is alive with bandits and you are forced to flee northwards, away from the place where you left Bracer tethered to a tree. You are anxious for his safety and mindful that there are still many miles to be covered before you reach Lake Vorndarol, but you dare not turn back for him. Then you hear something that makes you halt in your tracks: it is the sound of a horse whinnying.

Turn to 223
.

You fight to maintain your grip but you have been badly weakened during your conflict with Shamath and Cadak, and your reserves of strength are exhausted. Comforted by the knowledge that your actions have prevented the resurrection of Vashna and the destruction of your homeland, you finally release your grip and allow yourself to be sucked to your doom in the whirling abyss.

Heroically, your life and your quest end here.

For a moment the Elder is wide-eyed and speechless with shock, but you know that he will soon come to his senses and raise the alarm. You must act swiftly and decisively if you are to prevent him from revealing your true identity to the others on this boat.

If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it,
turn to 269
.

If you possess Magi-magic and wish to use it,
turn to 107
.

If you possess neither of these Disciplines or do not wish to use them,
turn to 37
.