turn to 243 .
187
Discarding your torch as you emerge into the early morning sun, you signal to your men to gather round. Only a small fraction of your original company remains, and you must now decide the best course of action. However, as you are about to address them you are rudely interrupted.
Turn to 164 .
188
You order your men to prepare graves for the two corpses before returning to the shelter of the marble canopy. You are hungry and must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points. You mount guard around the ruined temple and preparations are made for some much needed sleep.
Turn to 233 .
190
You emerge from the tunnel, curse your delay, and press on along the other passage as quickly as possible.
Turn to 335 .
192
You are less than five feet from the door when a bandit warrior comes rushing in. Instinctively, you step aside but not in time to avoid the serrated tip of his halberd. The cold steel sinks into your chest, and you stare down in horror as blood begins to flow and pain spreads through your body. Your wound is fatal and you die within seconds of hitting the floor.
Your life and your mission end here.
193
The snarling Warhounds bound towards the barricade, their gaping eyes glowing crimson in the light of battle. Leaping from the bodies of the dead and dying, they launch themselves at the Sommlending defenders. All around you, soldiers are being torn from the line, bowled over by the leaping Warhounds. You back away as a howling dog crashes through the wall of sacks and barrels, but before it has risen, you move swiftly forward and dispatch it with one blow to the head. Another Warhound claws your back and pitches you forward into the collapsed barricade, but before you can free yourself, yet two more dogs have sunk their fangs into your leg.
Illustration XI —The snarling Warhounds bound towards the barricade.
Vassagonian Warhounds: COMBAT SKILL 17 ENDURANCE 30
If you are still alive after two rounds of combat or if you have won in the first two rounds, turn to 311 .
195
You hear the thud of a heavy drawbar sliding back, and a burly man dressed in a leather jerkin appears at the tavern door. ‘Welcome to my humble inn, my lord. Pardon my suspicion, but this is a very dangerous area; one mistake can cost us our lives.’
You signal to your men to stable their horses, and you follow the innkeeper into his tavern. The bar looks more like an armoury than a drinking hall. Quivers of arrows stand beside each of the iron-studded window shutters, and racks of spears line the far wall. The place is deserted except for three young men who all bear a strong resemblance to the tavern-keeper. One of them has his head swathed in bandages.
You ask the tavern-keeper how much he will charge for your men to billet here tonight and are quite surprised to hear his reply. ‘Nothing,’ he says, moving tables aside so that your rangers can sleep upon the tavern floor. ‘Your presence here tonight will be worth more than gold to us. We've been attacked by bandits every night since the last full moon.’
As the last of your men return from the stables, the doors are closed and barred. It has started to rain and your men seem greatly relieved to be inside where it is warm and dry.
If you wish to question the tavern-keeper about the nature of the bandit raids, turn to 239 .
If you wish to question him about any news that he may have heard about Ruanon in the last month, then turn to 266 .
If you do not wish to question the man further, you can prepare for a night's sleep and turn to 324 .
196
A bolt of lightning gashes the stormy sky, illuminating the figures of the bandits as they creep into the stables. Crouching on the balcony, you signal to your men to prepare themselves. Dropping onto the stable roof, you discover to your dismay that the clay tiles are wafer-thin and splinter beneath your weight; you crash straight through the flimsy roof into the hay below. Luckily you are unharmed by
187
Discarding your torch as you emerge into the early morning sun, you signal to your men to gather round. Only a small fraction of your original company remains, and you must now decide the best course of action. However, as you are about to address them you are rudely interrupted.
Turn to 164 .
188
You order your men to prepare graves for the two corpses before returning to the shelter of the marble canopy. You are hungry and must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points. You mount guard around the ruined temple and preparations are made for some much needed sleep.
Turn to 233 .
190
You emerge from the tunnel, curse your delay, and press on along the other passage as quickly as possible.
Turn to 335 .
192
You are less than five feet from the door when a bandit warrior comes rushing in. Instinctively, you step aside but not in time to avoid the serrated tip of his halberd. The cold steel sinks into your chest, and you stare down in horror as blood begins to flow and pain spreads through your body. Your wound is fatal and you die within seconds of hitting the floor.
Your life and your mission end here.
193
The snarling Warhounds bound towards the barricade, their gaping eyes glowing crimson in the light of battle. Leaping from the bodies of the dead and dying, they launch themselves at the Sommlending defenders. All around you, soldiers are being torn from the line, bowled over by the leaping Warhounds. You back away as a howling dog crashes through the wall of sacks and barrels, but before it has risen, you move swiftly forward and dispatch it with one blow to the head. Another Warhound claws your back and pitches you forward into the collapsed barricade, but before you can free yourself, yet two more dogs have sunk their fangs into your leg.
Illustration XI —The snarling Warhounds bound towards the barricade.
Vassagonian Warhounds: COMBAT SKILL 17 ENDURANCE 30
If you are still alive after two rounds of combat or if you have won in the first two rounds, turn to 311 .
195
You hear the thud of a heavy drawbar sliding back, and a burly man dressed in a leather jerkin appears at the tavern door. ‘Welcome to my humble inn, my lord. Pardon my suspicion, but this is a very dangerous area; one mistake can cost us our lives.’
You signal to your men to stable their horses, and you follow the innkeeper into his tavern. The bar looks more like an armoury than a drinking hall. Quivers of arrows stand beside each of the iron-studded window shutters, and racks of spears line the far wall. The place is deserted except for three young men who all bear a strong resemblance to the tavern-keeper. One of them has his head swathed in bandages.
You ask the tavern-keeper how much he will charge for your men to billet here tonight and are quite surprised to hear his reply. ‘Nothing,’ he says, moving tables aside so that your rangers can sleep upon the tavern floor. ‘Your presence here tonight will be worth more than gold to us. We've been attacked by bandits every night since the last full moon.’
As the last of your men return from the stables, the doors are closed and barred. It has started to rain and your men seem greatly relieved to be inside where it is warm and dry.
If you wish to question the tavern-keeper about the nature of the bandit raids, turn to 239 .
If you wish to question him about any news that he may have heard about Ruanon in the last month, then turn to 266 .
If you do not wish to question the man further, you can prepare for a night's sleep and turn to 324 .
196
A bolt of lightning gashes the stormy sky, illuminating the figures of the bandits as they creep into the stables. Crouching on the balcony, you signal to your men to prepare themselves. Dropping onto the stable roof, you discover to your dismay that the clay tiles are wafer-thin and splinter beneath your weight; you crash straight through the flimsy roof into the hay below. Luckily you are unharmed by
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