light pours down upon the pinnacle, illuminating the outline of a man, white-haired and gaunt, seated on a massive throne of solid, gleaming gold. Suspended in the air above his head are two crystals: one as clear as a polished diamond; the other as black as the grave. A crackling arc of energy travels between the two, and its flickering blue light sheds a ghostly shadow on the face of the seated lord.
‘Intruder,’ he says, his voice soft yet chilling, ‘you have come to Kazan-Oud with murder in your heart. Have not the cowards of Elzian promised to reward you for my destruction?’
A drone of dissent surges from the crowded tiers, drowning any answer that you offer in your defence. The lord rises slowly from the throne and turns to his baying minions, his hands outstretched as if to receive the adulation. As their ghastly drone grows louder, your eye is drawn to the clear crystal that hovers above the throne. A golden light now glows at its core. In a flash of understanding you recognize the object of your quest: here is the Lorestone of Herdos.
‘Your verdict, my children?’ cries the wild-eyed man, his voice now harsh and angry.
‘Guilty, Lord Zahda,’ the crowd howls in reply.
‘The sentence?’ retorts their master.
‘The maze!’ they scream. ‘The maze!’
If you possess the Sommerswerd, turn to 335 .
If you do not possess this Special Item, turn to 264 .
167
You sense that a trap guards this portal; should you choose the wrong number, or numbers, before pulling the lever, the consequences could be fatal.
Turn to 329 .
170
Suddenly there is a flash of blinding light followed by a tremendous explosion. The creature is torn to pieces, consumed by a fireball of blistering yellow flame. The intense heat sears your face and hair (lose 4 ENDURANCE points) and hurls you backwards through the air. Shocked and stunned, you drag yourself into the fissure that is now illuminated by the remains of the monster that lie scattered and burning all around you.
Turn to 16 .
174
Blue fire leaps from Zahda's staff, but you intercept and deflect it upon the blade of the sun-sword. The murderous bolt screams into the dark hall, destroying a whole tier of seats with a thunderous concussion.
‘You will die … die …
die!
’ shrieks Zahda like a man possessed. He whirls his staff twice about his head before lunging at your face with its clawed tip. Lord Zahda is immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge.
Lord Zahda (with power-staff): COMBAT SKILL 33 ENDURANCE 45
If you win the combat, turn to 149 .
178
Blindly, the young serpents writhe around your feet, their fanged jaws snapping wildly at your unarmoured legs. Combat is unavoidable and you must fight them as one enemy.
If you possess a Fireseed and wish to use it, turn to 191 .
Hactaraton Brood: COMBAT SKILL 15 ENDURANCE 28
Unless you have the Magnakai Discipline of Curing, double all ENDURANCE point losses you sustain in the combat due to the venomous bite of these creatures.
If you win the combat, turn to 346 .
180
Drawing on the power of your Kai skill, you take a deep breath and give voice to a single, unbroken tone. Sweat breaks out on your forehead as you raise the pitch of your voice steadily until it passes beyond the range of your own hearing. Suddenly, the bats shriek in unison. They twist and shudder, hurling themselves into the walls and ceiling as your cry paralyses their senses. As the few survivors whirl away into the darkness, you cease your call and hurry down the stairs. (If you used the Magnakai Discipline of Psi-surge, you need not deduct any ENDURANCE points from your current total.)
Turn to 236 .
189
You duck and weave to present a difficult target to your enemy, but at such short range it is difficult for him to miss. The bolt hits you as you are diving forward, passing right through your skull and killing you instantly.
Your life and your quest end here.
191
You grab the Fireseed from your pocket and hurl
‘Intruder,’ he says, his voice soft yet chilling, ‘you have come to Kazan-Oud with murder in your heart. Have not the cowards of Elzian promised to reward you for my destruction?’
A drone of dissent surges from the crowded tiers, drowning any answer that you offer in your defence. The lord rises slowly from the throne and turns to his baying minions, his hands outstretched as if to receive the adulation. As their ghastly drone grows louder, your eye is drawn to the clear crystal that hovers above the throne. A golden light now glows at its core. In a flash of understanding you recognize the object of your quest: here is the Lorestone of Herdos.
‘Your verdict, my children?’ cries the wild-eyed man, his voice now harsh and angry.
‘Guilty, Lord Zahda,’ the crowd howls in reply.
‘The sentence?’ retorts their master.
‘The maze!’ they scream. ‘The maze!’
If you possess the Sommerswerd, turn to 335 .
If you do not possess this Special Item, turn to 264 .
167
You sense that a trap guards this portal; should you choose the wrong number, or numbers, before pulling the lever, the consequences could be fatal.
Turn to 329 .
170
Suddenly there is a flash of blinding light followed by a tremendous explosion. The creature is torn to pieces, consumed by a fireball of blistering yellow flame. The intense heat sears your face and hair (lose 4 ENDURANCE points) and hurls you backwards through the air. Shocked and stunned, you drag yourself into the fissure that is now illuminated by the remains of the monster that lie scattered and burning all around you.
Turn to 16 .
174
Blue fire leaps from Zahda's staff, but you intercept and deflect it upon the blade of the sun-sword. The murderous bolt screams into the dark hall, destroying a whole tier of seats with a thunderous concussion.
‘You will die … die …
die!
’ shrieks Zahda like a man possessed. He whirls his staff twice about his head before lunging at your face with its clawed tip. Lord Zahda is immune to Mindblast and Psi-surge.
Lord Zahda (with power-staff): COMBAT SKILL 33 ENDURANCE 45
If you win the combat, turn to 149 .
178
Blindly, the young serpents writhe around your feet, their fanged jaws snapping wildly at your unarmoured legs. Combat is unavoidable and you must fight them as one enemy.
If you possess a Fireseed and wish to use it, turn to 191 .
Hactaraton Brood: COMBAT SKILL 15 ENDURANCE 28
Unless you have the Magnakai Discipline of Curing, double all ENDURANCE point losses you sustain in the combat due to the venomous bite of these creatures.
If you win the combat, turn to 346 .
180
Drawing on the power of your Kai skill, you take a deep breath and give voice to a single, unbroken tone. Sweat breaks out on your forehead as you raise the pitch of your voice steadily until it passes beyond the range of your own hearing. Suddenly, the bats shriek in unison. They twist and shudder, hurling themselves into the walls and ceiling as your cry paralyses their senses. As the few survivors whirl away into the darkness, you cease your call and hurry down the stairs. (If you used the Magnakai Discipline of Psi-surge, you need not deduct any ENDURANCE points from your current total.)
Turn to 236 .
189
You duck and weave to present a difficult target to your enemy, but at such short range it is difficult for him to miss. The bolt hits you as you are diving forward, passing right through your skull and killing you instantly.
Your life and your quest end here.
191
You grab the Fireseed from your pocket and hurl
Similar Books
