The Plague Lords of Ruel (28 page)

A little after midnight, you and Captain Cearmaine ride out of Stonewatch on the backs of two swift Slovarian steeds. It is another moonless night and the plain is shrouded by darkness, yet you have no difficulty in seeing the terrain that lies ahead. Using your natural Magnakai skill of Huntmastery, every flowing contour of the grasslands south of Stonewatch is revealed to your eagle eyes. The captain is not so gifted; however, the special spectacles he wears fully compensate for his lack of night vision. They were a token of gratitude from the Arch-Chief of Chaman for his services in defence of the city of Gleesh during the war against the Darklords, and they have often been of use to him when scouting his country's border with Ruel.

It takes an hour to reach the foothills of the Skardos Mountains. Here, the fertile grasslands of Palmyrion give way to a hilly, weed-choked terrain which is broken by deep canyons and sharp, frowning cliffs. In the pitch blackness your eyes pick out a trail that loops down the rugged slopes towards a deep canyon floor. The captain takes the lead and you follow closely as he descends towards the mouth of a narrow gorge, situated at the far end of the canyon. Within this gorge, the trail writhes and twists like the track of a serpent as it cuts its way between two towering walls of solid rock. Strange animal-like sounds issue from hollows in the rock high above, and you feel a chill of premonition as you ride deeper into this unwelcoming gorge.

At length, the trail widens, and then divides in two. The captain veers left and, within a few minutes, you espy a fissure in the rock wall ahead. Silently you dismount and approach the opening with caution.

‘Yonder passage leads to the Skardos Trail,’ whispers Captain Cearmaine. ‘It is a sure route to Mogaruith, but one that is perilous in the extreme. More than a dozen of my bravest scouts have ventured here, alas, never to return. You would not be thought fainthearted were you to forego entry and ride back with me to Stonewatch.’

‘I will return to your fortress, Captain,’ you reply, your voice quietly resolute, ‘but not until my task at Mogaruith has been completed.’

The captain smiles and raises his steely hand in a salute to your brave determination. ‘Very well, my lord. So be it. Until that glad day dawns I shall pray for your safety and success.’

Then he brings his horse about, takes yours by the reins, and bids you a final farewell before turning back to Stonewatch. ‘May the gods watch over you and deliver us swiftly from the darkness of Mogaruith.’

You return his salute and watch as he rides along the gorge with your steed in tow. The moment he passes out of sight you turn around and steel yourself to enter the gloomy fissure.

Turn to 284
.

The creature is totally unprepared for your attack. You strike out and hit the back of its head, killing it instantly, the force of the blow lifting it clean out of its hollowed stool. It crashes to the floor where it wobbles back and forth grotesquely, like a giant fleshy egg, before coming to rest on its side.

Turn to 23
.

No matter what you say or do, the lid of the box refuses to open. In one last effort you use your Kai skills in an attempt to overcome the magical spell which keeps this container secure, but the radiating evil of the surrounding books saps your strength and you are soon forced to abandon the attempt.

As you discard the box you hear a shuffling noise. It is coming from somewhere in another part of the library and it makes you freeze. Someone else has entered the archives. You look over your shoulder at the door and decide that now would be a very wise time to leave.

Turn to 335
.

Slowly you swim towards a pair of large boulders that rest half-buried in the muddy shallows of the north bank. Here you break through the waist-deep water behind the nearest rock and press yourself against its cool, smooth surface as you fight to catch your breath. Blinking the water from your eyes, you look across the lake to see the Vazhag scouring the south shore. They search beneath the bridge, passing within a few paces of where you were hanging only minutes before. Disappointedly, they report their lack of findings to their Cenerese commander before clambering back onto the platform.

The Cener and the remaining Vazhag cross the bridge. They stop just long enough to open the Tzarg cage and drag out one of the croaking creatures. Then the cage door is slammed shut, locked, and briskly the party march away along the south passage.

For a full minute you remain immobile until you are sure that the enemy have gone. Then you pull yourself up onto the bridge and, without looking back, you enter the north tunnel.

Turn to 306
.

With a sudden rush, the leading five Vazhag fall upon you, hacking and stabbing with rust-dulled weapons. Expertly you feint and parry their attacks, and then answer their assault with such mind-numbing speed and accuracy that it is as if all five have been dispatched with one solitary blow. Their sudden deaths cool their comrades' courage and, as the horde retreat nervously, you seize your chance and escape through the portal.

A few yards along the passage you happen upon a lever protruding from a grating in the floor. Instinct prompts you to pull it, and at once the great iron door descends to crush the wagon and seal off the lava-lit cavern. Safe now from the wrath of the rat-men, you explore this new tunnel in the hope of finding your way back to the surface.

The passage continues eastwards for several miles and, with the exception of an occasional Vazhag sentry, it is virtually deserted. At length you arrive at the entrance to another hall, smaller than the lava-cavern but equally as crowded. Daylight streams into this hall through a large archway guarded by armoured Vazhag, and pairs of horny-skinned war-dogs which they hold on the leash. Beyond the archway you can see a track which disappears towards a distant ridge of hills.

Directly above the archway, a thin ray of sunlight comes streaming through a window-like hole in the rock. Sorely aware that the main entrance is so heavily guarded that it will be very difficult, even for someone as gifted as yourself, to escape that way undetected, you resolve instead to escape by means of the smaller opening in the rock wall.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have chosen.

If your total score is now 5 or less,
turn to 192
.

If it is 6 or more,
turn to 346
.

The creature looks you up and down. Then, with a suspicious tone, it asks:

‘Who is High Priest of your chapter?’

You hesitate, unable to answer, and in that instant you see the creature's eye widen with fear. Then you notice its bony hand is gliding slowly towards a button which protrudes from the side of its desk. It is an alarm button.

If you possess a Bow and at least one Arrow,
turn to 39
.

If you do not possess a Bow or choose not to use it,
turn to 251
.

You force your way through the narrow, thorny corridor but it soon comes to an abrupt end. The Vazhag are now streaming into the gap, close on your heels; in seconds they will be upon you.

Then you see them. With a foul, snickering cry the Vazhag swarm comes leaping towards you, three abreast. You steady yourself, and then raise your weapon in readiness to meet their attack. The leading rat-men throw themselves upon you in a blood-crazed frenzy, hacking and stabbing with their rusty blades, yet you dispatch them in seconds with such precision and economy of movement that it would appear to an onlooker that you had hardly moved at all.

But for every Vazhag that falls, three more take its place, and within minutes you are in danger of being suffocated to death by the press of their loathsome bodies.

Vazhag pack:
COMBAT SKILL
 34   
ENDURANCE
 44

If you win this combat,
turn to 172
.

You sidestep to avoid the oncoming pulse of energy, but it twists in mid-air and catches you in the right shoulder. Pain lances across your chest and you are sent reeling backwards by the force of the impact: lose 6
ENDURANCE
points.

If you have survived this wounding,
turn to 54
.

Your Arrow skewers the druid's wicked heart. He takes a few faltering steps; then he raises his arms and vents his death-cry before collapsing into the saw-toothed briar.

You run to where he has fallen and curiosity prompts you to prise away his green mask and look upon the face of this servant of evil. It is an ugly, disease-riddled face, human in shape yet lacking any trace of humanity. Reluctantly you search him and discover the following items:

• Dagger
  
• Cener Robe (If kept, this item will occupy 2 spaces in your Backpack)
  
• Cener Mask
  
• 20 Lune (equivalent to 5 Gold Crowns)
  

If you decide to keep any of the above, remember to adjust your
Action Chart
accordingly.

Your Magnakai skills tell you that the golden rod no longer possesses any magical aura; its destructive powers vanished the moment its wielder breathed his last. You stoop to prise it from the dead druid's hand, but as soon as your fingers touch its metallic surface it disintegrates into a fine, foul-smelling dust.

With twilight but an hour away, you leave the clearing via the gap and hurry along the muddy track beyond.

Turn to 10
.

Drawing upon all of your Kai skills for aid and protection, you raise the hood of your cloak and emerge from your hiding place. The columns of armoured rat-men seem to pay little attention to you as you march boldly along the trail towards their mighty stronghold. Your skills of camouflage are working well; you can only pray that they will sustain you when you reach the archway itself.

Walking across the age-blackened drawbridge towards the spiky arched tower of Mogaruith is an unnerving experience. It is as if you are walking along a blackened tongue towards the gaping maw of some gigantic dragon. On either side the bubbling moat releases foul fumes which fill your nostrils with a terrible sugary stench that clogs your lungs and blurs your vision. You draw upon your skills and your vision clears, but the sight which lies ahead looks no more inviting than it did before.

At the tower you are challenged by a troop of Vazhag guards who regard you with suspicion and demand to know your purpose here. They will not let you pass until you answer.

If you wish to tell them that you are one of Arch Druid Cadak's agents and that you have vital information for his ears only,
turn to 268
.

If you have the Discipline of Animal Mastery and wish to use it,
turn to 151
.

Carefully you tiptoe around the divan, taking care not to make any noise that could wake the recumbent Vazhag. A search of the various items confirms your first impression: this is nothing more than a hoard of junk. From the hundreds of pieces you manage to sift the following few which could be of some use to you during your quest:

• Sword
  
• Dagger
  
• 16 Lune (equivalent to 4 Gold Crowns)
  
• Pouch of Tobacco
  
• Rope
  
• Copper Bowl
  

If you decide to keep any of the above, remember to adjust your
Action Chart
accordingly.

Now, pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess Assimilance
and
Grand Pathsmanship, add 3 to the number you have chosen.

If your total score is 0–5,
turn to 276
.

If it is 6 or more,
turn to 139
.

The demonic Exterminus screams in agony as your killing blow pierces its heart. It sways for a moment, defying gravity, and then reels backwards and crashes down upon the table which stands beside Cadak's black chair. The awesome bulk of the creature's body crushes the table to matchwood and breaks open the crystal sphere that rested upon it. Immediately there is a loud boom and a tremendous rush of putrid air knocks you down. A funnel of darkness engulfs the body of Exterminus and, with stunning suddenness, there is silence. Both the creature and the shattered remnants of the sphere have vanished completely.

You stagger to your feet and turn to face the Arch Druid. The shock of what he has witnessed has left him open-mouthed and drained of colour. He is mumbling incoherently and trembling with fear. You take up your weapon and advance towards him, determined to rid Magnamund of this vile druid once and for all, but the sight of you drawing closer snaps him out of his trauma and galvanizes him into action. He weaves his hands before his face and, in an instant, he is shrouded in a cocoon of light. You strike out at the light but your weapon passes clean through it, meeting with no resistance. Then the light fades and you are left standing alone in the druid's empty throne room.

Turn to 259
.

As you roll, your Backpack hits the falling edge of the portcullis and jams. In the next moment you are crushed to death by twenty-five tons of oak and iron. Death is mercifully swift.

The incredible bravery you have displayed during your quest has brought about the destruction of the plague virus, and the druids who knew the secrets of its cultivation. This destruction has saved millions from a terrible death, and the selfless courage you have shown in bringing this about will never be forgotten by the free peoples of Magnamund. Sadly, though, death is the price you have paid for your victory.

Your life and your quest end here at the entrance to Mogaruith.